MIDI Clock sync - what am I doing wrong??

Groovecake · Post by **Groovecake** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 1:48 am

Total newbie here. All I want to do is to have Live accept clock from an outside source so I can use Live as an on-the-fly MIDI sequencer. However, when I have EXT mode chosen, I can't get Live to start a two bar loop so I can record MIDI parts.

I have read through the documentation and have it set correctly, as far as I can tell. When I press the space bar, nothing happens.

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks for your help.

Mitch

husker · Post by **husker** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 4:27 am

What's your external source? You need to send a MIDI Start from that source (spacebar is disabled when EXT in on). cheers.

Groovecake · Post by **Groovecake** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 5:53 am

Thanks for the reply. I just thought of that a little bit ago. Nice to have it confirmed!

Mitch

jasefos · Post by **jasefos** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 5:55 am

Husker is correct.

Live 5 won't join in with your "External Clock Party" unless it receives MIDI Clock start command ...

My Electribes behave exactly the same ...

Cheers

Groovecake · Post by **Groovecake** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 6:00 pm

Hmmm...well, this is kind of disappointing. I was planing on using Live in a live situation with the drummer sending clock from his Drum KAT. We are planing on using a click track but no actual sequences. In other words, there is no "play" command that he would send - just clock.

I want to use Live to do on-the-fly MIDI parts to my other synths that will loop, as well as a few audio loops. In an improv situation, as I said above, there is no real "start" or "stop" point.

Would the work around be to hit the space bar on my iBook, then click EXT to sync to the clock from the Drum Kat and just go from there? I think that will work but it's a bit clunky.

I am open to any suggestions. Perhaps I am looking at this wrong (which is a big possibility since I am new to Live).

Thanks!

Mitch

jeebustrain · Post by **jeebustrain** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 6:18 pm

what about doing it the other way around and sending a clock signal from Live to the drumkat (set that up to receive external clock).... Then have him just map one of his controller pads to start the playback in Live

Groovecake · Post by **Groovecake** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 6:29 pm

The reason that wouldn't work is because he has to set the tempos, not me. That's kind of where I am stuck.

jeebustrain · Post by **jeebustrain** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 9:55 pm

map another one of his pads to the tap tempo button in Live

Groovecake · Post by **Groovecake** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 10:11 pm

Hey...that's an interesting thought....

The only problem with that is that Live, in reality, won't be totally synced with the click that his Kat is generating. But it's an interesting work around.

Thanks!

Clearscreen · Post by **Clearscreen** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 11:51 pm

Would the work around be to hit the space bar on my iBook, then click EXT to sync to the clock from the Drum Kat and just go from there? I think that will work but it's a bit clunky.

this works fine, i do it all the time with my redsound. the only minor problem is whether he's trying to sync to you at any point (whihc means you have to remember to turn ext on and off at times... abes, when will you let us map this!!), but by the sounds of it you're following him so i wouldn't worry too much.

sounds like an interesting project though, look forward to seeing/hearing some of it.