Hardware question: synchronization

[Louigi Verona]

If I have several hardware devices - grooveboxes, synths, possibly the computer. How do I synchronize them to one clock?

[LPChip]

If I have several hardware devices - grooveboxes, synths, possibly the computer. How do I synchronize them to one clock?

I assume they all have midi?

The initial signal on the host will automatically send this to the other devices that respond on it.

Make sure that the sound generators are able to receive midi notes (especially a start/stop CC) and it should automatically start at the right BPM.

[Saga Musix]

Yes, the magic word is MIDI.

[uncloned]

MIDI

and lots of cables

welcome to the physical world where everything has at least one cable.

at least.

[Louigi Verona]

But how do I interconnect the devices? I mean, is there some device like a MIDI clock or whatever? Something that can be a central node?

[LPChip]

But how do I interconnect the devices? I mean, is there some device like a MIDI clock or whatever? Something that can be a central node?

Every device that can send out a midi signal should have a midi clock. If a device receives this clock, it will forward this clock to the next in the chain. The only exception is when the device has its own clock and set to bypass.

I'm not sure if a clock on the MIDI thrue will be recognised as a clock though, but I'm sure Sam_Zen can answer that.

[uncloned]

there is probably (depending on age) an option for each device and software to be the timing master. Sonar has this option.

[psishock]

Renoise also has an option to be the Midi Clock Master, or to act like a Midi Clock Slave. As Uncloned said, it's up to the device, but nowdays it should be standard for most.

[Louigi Verona]

Okay, I will try. My aim is to bypass the need to use a PC, I want to be able to use hardware without the necessity of a PC.

[uncloned]

LV - look for the manuals for your equipment.

Another term to look for in the PDF manuals is "slave"

Here is the entry you'd want for MY synth - to give you an idea as to what to look for.

Synchronizing the MS2000/MS2000R to an external
MIDI device
1 Use a MIDI cable to connect the MS2000/MS2000R's
MIDI IN connector to the external MIDI device's
MIDI OUT connector (+p.10).
2 Press the [GLOBAL] key to enter Global mode.
3 Press the SELECT [6] key.
The LCD screen will show Page 3C: MIDI "Clock."
4 Use the [+/YES] [–/NO] keys to select External.
5 Make settings so that the external MIDI device will
transmit MIDI Clock messages (i.e., so that the external
MIDI device will function as a master device).
The sequence or arpeggiator will operate according to
the tempo of the external MIDI device.
For details on synchronization settings for your external
MIDI device, refer to the owner's manual for your

[Sam_Zen]

I'm not sure if a clock on the MIDI thrue will be recognised as a clock though, but I'm sure Sam_Zen can answer that.

You overestimate my knowledge of MIDI, LP..
Afaik MIDI in is straightly connected to the lines of MIDI thru, so it will be the same clock.

[LPChip]

I'm not sure if a clock on the MIDI thrue will be recognised as a clock though, but I'm sure Sam_Zen can answer that.

You overestimate my knowledge of MIDI, LP..
Afaik MIDI in is straightly connected to the lines of MIDI thru, so it will be the same clock.

Too bad...

I do know that signals transmitted to MIDI In are not/altered send to the MIDI Out, whereas the MIDI Thru is not being altered in any way and is directly sent to the MIDI out to pass along. For that reason, I was wondering if the midi clock actually gets to the device itself.

[uncloned]

"MIDI-THRU ports started to be added to MIDI-compatible equipment soon after the introduction of MIDI, in order to improve performance. The MIDI-THRU port avoids the aforementioned retransmission delay by linking the MIDI-THRU port to the MIDI-IN socket almost directly. The difference between the MIDI-OUT and MIDI-THRU ports is that data coming from the MIDI-OUT port has been generated on the device containing that port. Data that comes out of a device's MIDI-THRU port, however, is an exact duplicate of the data received at the MIDI-IN port."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_Instrument_Digital_Interface#Interfaces

[uncloned]

here is the controller LV needs

give it a couple minutes.

http://vimeo.com/4366452

[Louigi Verona]

Hey guys, thanks very much for your time and all the info. My groovebox has no support for midi thru but it has midi in and out. I will write here when I actually try smth.