[LAU] outfitting a computer for songwriting in linux?

[Gene Heskett]

On Sunday 26 July 2015 05:01:46 Jeremy Jongepier wrote:
> On 07/26/2015 10:34 AM, Ralf Mardorf wrote:
> > At least don't use USB for MIDI, you might not
> > be able to notice the MIDI jitter, since this also is related to
> > what you want to do, but USB MIDI does not provide "best quality".
>
> In the meanwhile the whole planet is using USB for MIDI. Please
> explain what is wrong with it, if possible with test results or
> something else that confirms your assumption. I've never experienced
> any jitter issues, not even with external MIDI gear.
>
> Jeremy

The jitter is, for some folks minor enough they do not notice it.  It is 
however, there.  Those of us doing CNC machinery control are very aware 
of it, primarily because when moving steppers at a decent rpm, excessive 
jitter costs us considerable in motion speed.  Stepper torque about 3 or 
4 hundred rpm depends hugely on having the step signals at a steady 
rate.   A 10% jitter, at a 10 kilohertz step rate costs us 50% of the 
motors power because the delayed pulse is equ to a stop of 10 
milliseconds, & when the USB gets around to sending the next pulse, the 
rotor speed is below the desired speed, and the motor then see's a large 
acceleration it cannot do in a single full step, so it stalls instead.

Stalled motor = wrecked part & possibly broken cutting tooling at a 
minimum cost in the 10 dollar area but can go up rapidly for some of the 
fancier tooling. Not to mention the time & material waste when you have 
to start on a new part from scratch.

If you think your music you write sounds ok now, go play it on a system 
that does NOT use USB in the midi chain.  If you have any sense of 
rythm, I think the difference WILL be quite audible to your own ears.

Cheers, Gene Heskett
-- 
"There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
 soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
-Ed Howdershelt (Author)
Genes Web page <http://geneslinuxbox.net:6309/gene>