Gk-3 , boss gp-10 as soft synth controller in Ableton (latency issue!)

[jessewilliammiller]

New here!

My goal is to be able to play my soft synths in Ableton (serum, kontakt, ableton synths) using my guitar as a MIDI controller - polyphonically, expressively, musically, without latency. Ideally I would like to be able to blend my real guitar (strat pickups) with the soft synths as well and easily switch between the two.

So I bought a Roland GK-3 divided pickup and a Boss GP-10 with the usb out. I installed the Gk-3 on my strat as close to the bridge/strings as possible without buzz, and plugged that into the GP-10 with the 13 pin cable. Connected the GP-10 to my Mac via the usb out (macbook pro M-1 running Ventura) and downloaded the latest GP-10 usb driver, and it worked to send a midi signal! ... but... the latency is just right on the line of being unplayable. Definitely hard to keep good time playing with it. SO what's the fix for this problem? Is it the pickup or the GP? Do I need to buy one of those devoted MIDI guitars like the jamstick or the Godin?

I only bought the Gp-10/Gk-3 to be able to do this function, the guitar to midi controller, I don't really like the onboard effects or synths that it comes with, and I want to be able to play the synths I already have in my computer, so if there's another way to achieve this goal of no latency, I'm all ears!

Also I play these synths in ableton all the time with other midi controllers and have no problem with latency. I'm new to the MIDI guitar world so I may be missing some obvious points here, please educate me!

Thanks!

[GuitarBuilder]

The latency may be related to the USB connection.  I would look there first.

I have a better recommendation, however: switch to the Fishman TriplePlay.  You have two options, the wireless original version which uses a USB dongle (requires a USB host port), or the newer Connect which has a wired USB connection.  Both feature ultra-low latency and excellent tracking.

[jessewilliammiller]

Thanks!

What do you mean by look there first (the usb connection) What is there to look at?

I may try the Fishman, but I don't want to waste my money if it doesn't work well! have you used it personally?

[Elantric]

https://www.sweetwater.com/sweetcare/articles/resolving-audio-interface-issues-on-mac/

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201840

[Brak(E)man]

I have hardly no latency using gp10 into a MacBook from 2011 running macOS 10.10.
Are you using usb audio to gp ?

[jessewilliammiller]

huh thats good for you! i'm not sure what you mean, but I'm using a usb out of the back of the gp into a usb 3 port on my macbook (2022) using a usb2.0->usb3 cable

[Brak(E)man]

Yes that's good for me! No point in being rude , thanx.

Point being that it works fine and you might be able to solve the problem.
It's not the GP10 (unless you got a faulty unit)
and definitely not the hexaphonic PU
But the problem needs to be described, broken down and tested.


I'm asking if you're using the GP-10 as the soundcard ?
In other words usb audio from Mac to GP

If you are then it's most likely a usb problem.
Usb 2 to usb 3 can be a problem, so try another cable , another USB port , another usb2 - usb3 adapter.
Or it's a issue with Ventura driver, M1 issue, or ableton.

If you're not using GP as a soundcard then the problem might be a midi/audio driver issue. So if you're not , the try using gp as soundcard out.

If by referring to other midi controllers you're saying like a keyboard / drum pad etc , you're not going to get the same latency from a guitar (audio) to midi. It's going to be higher especially the lower in octave you get.
(A midi mono mode setting might help a bit ,
also the string sensitivity settings etc might make a bit of a difference.)
But in all GP10 have a low latency. I often record audio and midi from gp simultaneously and there's hardly any difference.

[jessewilliammiller]

I wasn't trying to be rude, I really meant that's good for you!

I have tried using the GP-10 as the sound-card and not as the sound-card and the latency issue stays the same. I've tried different usb cables, 2.0 and 3.0 hubs/adapters, different ports. I'm definitely using the latest driver from Boss for Ventura for the gp-10.

I've also tried the midi mono mode and it's the same, and I've spent a lot of time tweaking string/pickup distance, and string sensitivity on the GP-10 settings, all the fine tuning of the GP-10 settings like distance from bridge, etc.

What kind of pickup do you use? I'm feeling more and more like the Gk-3 is the problem, although it works fine with no noticeable latency when i just use the GP-10 onboard sounds and run out of the audio out of the GP.

[Brak(E)man]

I'm using GK 1 , GK 2a, GK3 ( all both internal and external) with various fretted and fretless guitars ,
and RCM piezo Godin Multiac
They all work fine with GP10, SY1000 ,GR33 and (the VGs even though midi is only available on vg99 )

It's not the pickup , it's a analog hexaphonic humbucker and has nothing to do with midi.

I'd suggest trying an older MacBook with an older OSX to rule out your Mac , the system and drivers as the source of the latency problem.

[Elantric]

Use a separate keyboard MIDI Controller to compare latency with GP-10 and possibly debug your system.  A 2016 era Mac with GP-10 yeilded similar experience as Fishman Tripleplay
Both faster /lower latency than Jam Origin MIDI Guitar
No experience with 2023 Macs