HOW TO SYNC TWO COMPUTERS RUNNING ABLETON?

[Dargelos]

Is their a way I can sync two computers running ableton, to be able to launch a clip from one computer to be in sync with a clip playing in the other computer

[Geebag]

External midi master clock.

I seen a vid on youtube with Deadmau5 complaining about it but and saying that it is not 100%.

[Hei©o]

this might help you: http://forum.ableton.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=42090

[AceLuby]

EOTO does it by sending the MIDI clock info through their ethernet ports. Macs can do so out of the box w/ a little tweaking, PC's I believe need a 3rd party app. I have not tried it, but I know this is how they sync.

[ze2be]

Since a few years now, its been very unstable. What we do instead is using Nudge. Like a DJ you can beatmatch each other. One starts, the second cues with metronome etc.

Using midi sync is just crazy. Bpm jumps all over the place. Better forget about it, or youll go mad. I dont expect it to be fixed for yet a few years. But nudging works fine, we dont have any problem with that! (exept it falls slowly out of sync after about 5 minutes and needs to be nudged back) However, we dont use HW synths. I do use a Virus Ti in the studio, and it syncs fine over usb. But Access have used years to make it stable! So midi sync problems with live is also a problem from others.

You could use up to 6 x APC 40 on the same computer, if you have a fast laptop!
But if you want the fades to max out at zero db, you need a 3rd party apc preset. And that preset only works with one apc!

[foxymethoxy]

Since a few years now, its been very unstable. What we do instead is using Nudge. Like a DJ you can beatmatch each other. One starts, the second cues with metronome etc.

Using midi sync is just crazy. Bpm jumps all over the place. Better forget about it, or youll go mad. I dont expect it to be fixed for yet a few years. But nudging works fine, we dont have any problem with that! (exept it falls slowly out of sync after about 5 minutes and needs to be nudged back) However, we dont use HW synths. I do use a Virus Ti in the studio, and it syncs fine over usb. But Access have used years to make it stable! So midi sync problems with live is also a problem from others.

You could use up to 6 x APC 40 on the same computer, if you have a fast laptop!
But if you want the fades to max out at zero db, you need a 3rd party apc preset. And that preset only works with one apc!

I just put a utility on that's set to -6db

[Khazul]

If trying to do this on a PC - use DirectMusic midi mode. Lives handling of sync with MME is unbelievable shite (drifts badly).

[ze2be]

I just put a utility on that's set to -6db

Smarty pants. But then you always have to subtract 6db when reading the meters, which can be a bit annoyng in the studio. For a live situation though its a good idea.

[jamief]

live has never synced properly since version 1.

my atari st and cubase was rock solid and i would leave it running 909 and 303 with sync 24 converter for 5 hrs and it would still be perfect

[Hungryhippoedwin2]

If you're both on macs you can do so very easily By using the Audio/Midi Setup under Applications>Utilities
All you need is an Ethernet/Firewire Cable and no midi cables or interfaces (Haven't tried it with USB).

The setup is the same for both computers
-Start off by going to the Audio/Midi Setup on the computer.
-Open the Network Preferences under the "Midi Devices" Tab.
-In the My Sessions section add a new Session and name both the Local and Bonjour names something like "Master Mac" (or "Slave Mac" on the computer that will be the slave)
-Make sure its enabled by clicking the "enabled" box right above the name and under "Who may contact me" select "Anyone".

Once you've done that for both computers hook up the cable you want to use and click connect when the other computer appears on the Directory list. Under the MIDI/SYNC in Ableton tab you'll find the name of the device you just created in the devices list (i.e if you're on the Slave computer you'll see a device named "Network(Slave Mac)" vice versa.
-If you're on the Master Mac enable all three Outputs [Track/Sync/Remote] of the Network(Master Mac) device so that Midi gets sent through that port. On the Slave Mac enable all three Inputs of the Network(Slave Mac) device so that it accepts any Midi coming in from that port.

Hit EXT on the top left corner of the Slave mac's Ableton window and it'll sync to the others Midi Clock.
& Presto you're ready to rock!

You'll hear a bit of a lag in the synchronization so just play with the Midi Clock Sync Delay by clicking the little arrow next to the Network(Slave Mac) in the Slaves MIDI/SYNC tab. I found that pushing it back to -14/-10ms is just right, but I'm sure it varies with each different type of set up.

You can also control both computers with one midi controller as long as its enabled in one of the computers running Live.
Just create a midi track on the Master computer and set the monitor to "In" and Midi output to "Network(Master Mac)".
Try moving one of the knobs/faders on your controller and you should see the midi signal square light up on both computers.

[3phase]

you can sync 2 macs via network midi clocking but the slave will have latency compensation switched off and samplearte conversion on on all channels.. repitch mode cant be used without detunings..

so the sound quality on the slave is heavily compromized and the same projekt in booth computers wil sound different..

so when you do that the slave laptop should be only use to play in sounds that dont get damaged by this limitations and all session recordings have to be done on the master...

thats the only way life offers because even on mac the start in and sync perfomance on timecode is too bad for production or stage use...

only way is to have a more stable daw as timecode master and record all tracks down to the master daw and reallign them timing wise again.. so using the synced computer again just as sound design platform...


only convinient way of stage syncing is dj syncing.. BUT

with wordclock synchronized interfaces on each computer..so there will be no drift and once the 2 computers are alligned, what is difficult because of the shitty nuddging algo, it runs perfectly in sync for hours without drift and compromized audio quality..just..
you are not allowed to stop--because ther is no way that a dj resync will be absolutly the same on the second run..the cahnce is around 1 to 100..that is the time window in samples the nudge likes to slew around ...


So..in general life is not ready to perform the stunt of the multiplayer multi daw session.. what is a new demand of our times. 10 years ago nobidy bothred... actually a need that was created by ableton live and one that effects life users more than any others

with the big daws in wordclock synced system you at least can rely on the timecode syncing..but thats to stiff for stage..
So new ways are necessary for the world of tomorow..2011


problem with all daw manufactors is that they all grw old..inkl ableton and dont have much grip on the futire of audio production..

we will need a new player to do that i guess..

[mattf76]

I don't know if I understand your application for running two computers simultaneously or not. Are they playing the same clip? Or are they playing different clips? I do this by triggering both computers to play at the same time. I have a live playback redundant system with two mac laptops playing the same session. So if one fails the other kicks in. I use a midi controller to trigger clips and play/stop functions and use the iconnectivity midi interface to split the program change message to the two computers. Most of the time there is no significant latency. Every once in a while there is just a little though. I don't know of a perfect solution but this one works really well!

[AustinThumper]

I think that nowadays (you do realize this thread was started 6 years ago..) people might use Ableton Link to sync up all sorts of things, including other instances of Live.

[mattf76]

Yes. Link doesn't work for me because it plays both sessions out of the same computer. I need two sessions independently playing their own audio to two separate outputs. I recognize that is a very specific application but I couldn't find anywhere online that addressed redundant live playback and thought someone else might find that info useful.

[lapieuvre]

Maybe this:

https://www.iconnectivity.com/products/midi/mio4

It splits the midi to 2 computers. So it will launch the 2 clips in sync.