Ableton/Live/UG/40 MIDI Fact Sheet/02 MIDI Timing Problems
- Two problems keep computer MIDI from the ideal:
- Latency — a constant delay. Audio has to be buffered on its way in and out of an interface. Players adapt to small delays as long as they stay the same; even a piano has some delay between key and string.
- Jitter — a random, varying delay. MIDI, audio and the interface run as separate processes with separate clocks, and moving events between them depends on the operating system and drivers. Jitter, far more than latency, makes timing feel loose.