Is it possible to midi sync 2 abletons via spdif?

Dr.Drane · Post by **Dr.Drane** » Thu May 22, 2008 3:59 pm

Hello,

Can anybody tell me if it's possible to make an spdif connection to midi sync 2 systems running Ableton Live?

Thanks!

Dr.Drane · Post by **Dr.Drane** » Fri May 23, 2008 1:53 pm

*kick*

Doesn't anyone can tell me if this is possible?

Because using midi clock mode in MME isdoesn't seem to be accurate enough to split percussion and kick over 2 computers.

Thanks a lot!

EARLGREY · Post by **EARLGREY** » Sat May 24, 2008 9:14 am

No,
Spdif is a digital audio pipeline, MIDI is something completely different.
Try ethernet....

regards

Dr.Drane · Post by **Dr.Drane** » Mon May 26, 2008 8:52 am

EARLGREY wrote:No,
Spdif is a digital audio pipeline, MIDI is something completely different.
Try ethernet....

regards

Aha, thanks! I thought it was also possible to transmit midi sync data over S/PDIF.

You think midi syncing via ethernet will go more accuratly than via midi cables?

What protoccol should I use? Midi clock or MTC?

Thanks

channelite · Post by **channelite** » Mon May 26, 2008 2:39 pm

You need two audio interfaces that have spdif. I suppose you could do a midi sync via ethernet, though I never did it. If not the ethernet way, then the old fashion midi way, you'll need two midi intefaces or maybe your two audio interfaces will have midi.

I sync Live 7 to my old G4 running Pro Tools 5.1 and Studio Vision Pro sometimes. I use midi beat clock. Works really good. Though there is a bit of a delay which be offset in the midi preferences of Live.

nbinder · Post by **nbinder** » Mon May 26, 2008 3:51 pm

No. As EARLYGRAY already said MIDI sync has nothing to do with audio sync. You don't need any SPDIF interface to have MIDI sync.

channelite · Post by **channelite** » Mon May 26, 2008 4:05 pm

For two computers being synced, you need midi or ethernet. I was talking about one computer outputing audio via spidf to another one. I do this with my two macs to sample audio from my Pro Tools G4 to my Live mac, while keeping the beat in Live. I use midi plus spdif. Thought the spdif is not contributing to the sync, just a way to transfer digital audio. If you wanted just sync and have no combination of digital audio from the two computers, then you just need a midi sync. Sorry for the confusion.

Dr.Drane · Post by **Dr.Drane** » Mon May 26, 2008 6:41 pm

nbinder wrote:No. As EARLYGRAY already said MIDI sync has nothing to do with audio sync. You don't need any SPDIF interface to have MIDI sync.

I have done midi sync via midi cable many times before but it didn't run tight enough so I was looking for another kind of connection type.
Maybe I should try fixing the midi input latency manually in the prefs>midi tab. That could be enough to get it sync correct. In that case I'm wondering if I will also need to adjust my driver latency compensation to correct my overal latency to become zero.

channelite wrote:For two computers being synced, you need midi or ethernet. I was talking about one computer outputing audio via spidf to another one. I do this with my two macs to sample audio from my Pro Tools G4 to my Live mac, while keeping the beat in Live. I use midi plus spdif. Thought the spdif is not contributing to the sync, just a way to transfer digital audio. If you wanted just sync and have no combination of digital audio from the two computers, then you just need a midi sync. Sorry for the confusion.

Thanks for the info!

channelite · Post by **channelite** » Mon May 26, 2008 7:18 pm

Try adjusting the midi sync while the two computers are playing and synced in real time. Blow the sync out one way and then the other and listen how they are off, then nudge the sync until they sound good and tight together. Currently if you are grossly out of sync, like a 1/16 note or so, nudging it in real time will having noticeable results.

RhythmSickness · Post by **RhythmSickness** » Tue May 27, 2008 2:49 am

for best results sync both computers to a third external hardware device, such as a drum machine or other sequencer, and then adjust latencies to suit. ymmv

Dr.Drane · Post by **Dr.Drane** » Tue May 27, 2008 8:19 am

RhythmSickness wrote:for best results sync both computers to a third external hardware device, such as a drum machine or other sequencer, and then adjust latencies to suit. ymmv

Aha, thanks for the info. I also heard that before....but isn't a decent audio interface like RME's fireface 400 also capable of doing this? Or is it always your software sequencer that generates the clock timing?

Dr.Drane · Post by **Dr.Drane** » Thu May 29, 2008 12:42 pm

FYI, I tried midi clock sync via midi cable and adjusted the Midi Clock sync delay manually by using the metronome, and it works quite good.

Greets

RhythmSickness · Post by **RhythmSickness** » Fri May 30, 2008 8:37 am

Dr.Drane wrote:
RhythmSickness wrote:for best results sync both computers to a third external hardware device, such as a drum machine or other sequencer, and then adjust latencies to suit. ymmv
Aha, thanks for the info. I also heard that before....but isn't a decent audio interface like RME's fireface 400 also capable of doing this? Or is it always your software sequencer that generates the clock timing?

IF you were possibly using the RME as a standalone device and sending wordclock to other digital devices, then it may provide more stability, I'm not sure. It is still a computer buffer running it though (through firewire, so there will be variance in the clock based on the firewire audio buss / buffer)
I think the problem comes from the fact that it is the software controlling an interface device, which again comes down to the midi clock of the software. Again Ymmv but I would use an external sync myself