Please help with multi-computer setup

[Eusebius]

I work in a clinical setting with children and adolescents and recently acquired some funding to enhance one of the teen rooms. Currently there are 3 PCs. I'm buying 3 MIDI controllers bundled with Live Lite. I'd like to do the following:

1) Sync the computers so that each person can make changes in real time. I.e., if Teen 1 changes the master BPM, it changes on all computers. If Teen 2 launches a scene that changes the master BPM again, it changes on all computers.

2) Route the audio into an audio mixer connected to room speakers. I'm thinking of using 1/8" stereo -> 1/4" dual mono cables to connect the audio output jacks to an 8-channel mixer.

Can anyone explain how to achieve #1 and/or possibly comment on #2 (i.e., if there are better alternatives)? I'm having difficulty understanding the MIDI Sync setup with multiple computers. Thanks in advance for any help.

[twisted-space]

In a midi sync setup, only the master can start/stop playback and change tempo, the slave devices will follow the master, Some people also have timing problems using Live with midi sync.

On a pc you'll need asio capable soundcards for realtime audio. Google ASIO4ALL if you don't have any budget for proper audio interfaces. Your method for connecting everything to a mixer should work ok.

You might want to contact Ableton, I know they do educational discounts, in your circumstance you might qualify as an educational establishment.

[Gregory Wells-King]

Routing the audio out to a mixer is simple, even a budget mixer like this http://www.thomann.de/gb/behringer_ub12 ... 48d7bfb33c has enough chanels for you to plug into, however you need soundcards, with 1/4" jacks i.e to use with audio cables such as most mixers require, and you may want a cross fader dj style mixer instead of the type I suggest.

My addvice is if you have firewire, try to use this with something like a budget Berhringer FCA202 interface http://www.gear4music.com/Recording-and ... erface/6H2 that leaves your usb free for midi controllers.

You can also look into the possability of MIDI over LAN, (theres a free option here and someone who's setting it up with ableton Live) http://www.resolume.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4632

[Eusebius]

In a midi sync setup, only the master can start/stop playback and change tempo, the slave devices will follow the master, Some people also have timing problems using Live with midi sync.

On a pc you'll need asio capable soundcards for realtime audio. Google ASIO4ALL if you don't have any budget for proper audio interfaces. Your method for connecting everything to a mixer should work ok.

You might want to contact Ableton, I know they do educational discounts, in your circumstance you might qualify as an educational establishment.

Thanks for the help, and sorry for the very delayed follow-up - we had to sort out budget issues before moving forward.

So if I get an M-Audio Audiophile 2496 PCI interface, then I won't be able to take advantage of its ASIO capabilities to reduce MIDI latency unless I plug directly into it? Meaning I can't use the computer's USB ports for a MIDI interface and I need to use MIDI cables direct to the card instead?

If that's the case, then I won't be able to use a MIDI controller that's USB powered, which is kind of an inconvenience. Or am I completely off with my understanding of how the ASIO soundcard works? I want to use the MIDI controller to trigger soft-synths with as little latency as possible.

Thanks again for any help.

[Gregory Wells-King]

Hi

If sound latency is not an overall worry for the moment you might very well get away with 'asio4all' driver, which is a soundcard driver 3rd party which works with your exsisting soundcard (built in).

However you will have to work out a way of getting the sound out of your pc or laptop to a mixer or amp.

For a while when I started up I bought some small headphone style cables from a well known electrical supplier added some addapter jacks and was able to do this quite easily, for me the sound quality wasn't great and I quickly upgraded to a small 'Firewire' external soundcard, which reduced latency with an ASIO driver and of course dedicated outboard hardware giving me full size audio output's and inputs (for recording external audio).

That's one side of the project you have to decide on for yourself. but don't worry about it for the moment if it's a financial thing. if you can get sound out of you machine via the headphone socket, or external speaker socket's around the back. all is good.

I should add, that I was adding external soundcard via firewire for a laptop, if you have desktops, then you can of course choose an soundcard with full size audio output's from a music shop, but you will need to know your socket compatibility on your motherboard etc etc, sorry I should maybe have explained that earlier.

By the way, I should maybe explain that an external soundcard/interface will replace your internal or built in soundcard, when you choose it from a menu for the selected program, you won't totally loose your internal soundcard or anything, sometimes there are conflicts in programes, but there's lots of help here if you get stuck, with Ableton it's all very easy.

Some USBand Firewire external interfaces/soundcards have in built midi in and out to help save you loosing a usb slot on your machine, exactly for the reason you pointed out, but these don't come that cheap when your on a budget, but check your spec's then maybe try e-bay, and you'll possibly get a bargin.

midi through a usb midi router is very good, generally pretty fast, but most modern controllers are usb by default. so you shouldn't use a hub. unless it's an older style keyboard/synth like 'casio', 'yamaha', 'Korg' or something?.

With controllers, you can use a cheap usb hub, at least up to two devices without any problem really. you should have at least 3 on your laptop or pc, one for a mouse, two spare, one for a soundcard one (with a hub if you like) for controllers.

Sorry for the poor spelling and jumbled response, I've just started night shift's where I work, so I'm a little out of sorts.

Anyway, hope the above helps.

Let us know, what's next and I will try and help..

Cheers.