Arpeggiator Sync problem with Arturia KeyStep 37 & Roland JX-08

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Smove_Ableton
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Jan 23, 2023 11:25 am

Arpeggiator Sync problem with Arturia KeyStep 37 & Roland JX-08

Post by Smove_Ableton » Mon Jan 23, 2023 11:41 am

Hi there,
I'm having a hard time getting the arpeggiator sync with my Ableton Live session and a Roland PX-08 synth.

- Ableton is running on a MacBook Pro and is connected to a Focusrite 6i6 audio interface via USB.

- The Keystep is recieving Midi clock via USB from Ableton which is the Midi clock master.

- The sync dip switches on the KeyStep are set to USB.

- Keystep is set to "Arm on start: ON" via Arturias Midi Control Center software.
(so the arp on the Keystep ignores the midi start message from Ableton when I hit play in the Ableton session)

- The Keystep sends MIDI to the Roland PX-08.

- The audio from the PX-08 goes into the audio interface.

I have a beat running in Ableton and the play button on the Keystep is on. (so the arp on the Keystep is now active)
When I press a key on the Keystep the arp sending notes to the PX-08 is def. out of sync with the beat. Even if I route the audio from the PX-08 directly to my speakers to avoid hardware latency the sound from the PX-08 is just not sync with the beat on Ableton.

Weird thing is, when I route the audio from the PX-08 into Ableton and fiddle with the latency compensation of the "External instrument" plugin it somehow works at some point. But when I stop Ableton and try to play it again it's all off again.

This is really making me want to rip my hair out. :'(

Hopefully you guys can give me a clue what might be the problem here.

Thanks in advance! ;)

AbletonMASCHINE
Posts: 104
Joined: Sat Jan 30, 2021 6:27 am

Re: Arpeggiator Sync problem with Arturia KeyStep 37 & Roland JX-08

Post by AbletonMASCHINE » Tue Jan 24, 2023 7:36 am

Hi, my approach is:

1. MIDI over USB is not reliable in my usecases. Sometimes it works, sometime not. So I use only DIN MIDI cables.

2. Make your synth a clock master and Keystep a MIDI slave.

3. Connect Keystep MIDI out with synth MIDI In (for note events incl. ARP).

4. Connect synth MIDI out with Keystep MIDI In, necessary for transmitting MIDI clock to Keystep's ARP. Without clock the ARP doesn't start.

5. I've disabled Keystep's transport messages via Arturia MIDI Control Center because I don't want that hitting the play button on Keystep starts anyting except its ARP.

6. Record synth audio via interface in Ableton Live. There the question to me is allways: Do I want to fiddle around with the various methods of latency compensation, e.g. via External Instrument and many more tricks, or do I simply nudge the recorded audio in the arranger to have it tight on beat? In most cases I'm lazy and nudge the audio clip after recording only.

I'm quite sure there are many more similar or different approaches but these 6 steps work for me.

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