Hardware/Software MIDI Sync: Impossible?

I've had a MPC for a couple of weeks now and I have mixed feelings about it. The large plus for it is that I finally have easy MIDI sync and control in most regards... with the MPC as the master, the Elektrons stay in sync and so does Live. Easily. Logic is another story though.

But I was thinking... I don't really need or use the sampler in the MPC as I've long preferred using the computer for samples. The sequencer is definitely the {censored}, but if I could achieve the same degree of MIDI sync between Logic/Live and my external equipment I'd probably sell the MPC, get a MPD32 or something and pool the rest somewhere else.

So here's the question for you wizards out there... is there any way to get reliable MIDI clock out of your DAW to keep other hardware sequencers in sync without one of those Innerclock devices? Is anyone out there using their computer for master clock? What are you using?

Which platform ?

I assume Mac, because of the Logic 9 mention in your sig, and then am very suprised since CoreMidi was supposed to end all MIDI timing woes on modern multi-layered sandwi... er, operating systems.

(bump in disguise)

I have an MPC and I use Sonar on a PC. I haven't yet tried to sync them out of fear that I'll enter some sort of syncronizational void and experience extreme frustration.

I never had any luck with it.

In the old days, I'd reserve a tape track for an fsk sync tone. Sometimes it sort of worked, but usually not.

More recently, several years ago, I tried syncing a hard disc recorder to Cubase with even worse results.

Not sure if it's my user error, or if the technology isn't up to snuff. It must work a bit, because some people seem to use it.

I have used my computer as a master clock plenty of times. I have used Live and Sonar to 'drive' any number of 'modules' without any issues over the years. I have never used Logic, so I have no ideas on that one.

I'm transitioning from all hardware to ableton and have to deal with sync between everything. The timing is usually pretty good, but sometimes a few milliseconds off.

Before getting too deep, make sure your MIDI interface is providing the best timing possible. I use a dedicated port just for clock. I had clock coming from the MIDI on a Mackie MCU and it was really bad, moving a (MIDI) fader caused the clock to lag noticeably.

There are a few ways I handle little timing issues...

One is to use an external sequencer for everything MIDI, or the "don't cross the clocks!" method. Then the computer clock and the seq clock can do whatever they want as long as it's repeatable. The computer just becomes a multitracker for audio.

The second way is a similar method: do all the percussion sequencing from one source, this is usually where the timing is most noticeable, I use the PC for the percussion sequencing in this case (or an Elektron box)

The third way is to deal with the audio resulting from the sequencers, adding or subtracting time delay (per track) to force the audio to be in sync, although this can cause problems with live incoming audio, so usually I will delay or push internal tracks to match live audio. This is the most flexible way, but can be a major headache.

I'd love to try something like the innerclock, but I can't justify the price for one of those boxes at the moment. It is amazing to see the difference shifting the timing by 1ms can make!

cheers

ripe

I should say that once it's locked up, stuff follows nicely. But there's a delay (like where it needs to communicate positions or somesuch) - and although there's also some type of delay compensation, I didn't get it to lock up in the very exact spot it needed to be.

Didn't work with it enough, so chalk my comments up to user error.

I will post here, not because I can answer your question necessarily but because I have been playing with the same challenges. I found it necessary, when starting to multitrack audio from my various devices (and separate percussion tracks from my MD-SPS MK1), that I record the MIDI output from Machine Drum, with which I sequence my gear and perform with live, into Logic and then play back that the MIDI from the DAW to get the audio tracks.

I tried to do this with the MD, syncing Logic 7 to it, but it seemed like the start messages and the clock from the MD was not reliable enough to get my audio placed perfectly. Since I started using Logic 7 as my MIDI playback device I have not had these problems.