Ableton Forum

I will start by saying I have doubt it can be done but I have to ask.......

Is it possible to have a mac and a pc both running ableton to sync somehow so for instance 2 HDJ's could perform live on seperate machines that are running like 1 ie networked rewire kind of thing ???

Or am I just dreaming..............

Yes!

Smutek and I have synced his Powerbook and my Dell, via Midisport out from the Powerbook and into the midi in port on a Uc33e into the Dell. It may take a min. to get em in sync, but it does work.

Woot ........

So in theory I could do it with a Behringer BCF2000 on the mac and the UC33e on a pc wich is what we both have to hand ...........

thing is Im still a novice and not sure how I would go about doing it I suppose we just connect the " MIDI out " on one to the " MIDI in " on the other then will ableton sync itself or is there another step????

Yes your setup should work.

Use "midi time code"

You will definiately have to mess around with the sync delay settings on both machines. Try a positive setting on one and a negative setting on the other. Turn the metronome on on both machines and keep fiddling around with the settings until that flanging sound freezes.

Good luck!

is it possible to do it wirelees?

Thx for the help !!!!

gonna try it out but just one last question when you say use midi timecode where is that option ?????

suburbanbather wrote:Yes your setup should work.

Use "midi time code"

Don't use MIDI time code. Live can't output it. MIDI clock is what you want.

Ahhhh conflicting help :S

Ok so I plug in the devices and then load ableton on both machines and play the metronomes and then what???? where do I set the synching???? this is hard for me cause Im not actually sitting with the setup at the momment as I am not at home right now , Just not sure of what menu I need to be in to adjust the sync basically.

Step 1. Each machine must be connected to some type of midi interface with an in and out. Run the midi out of the master machine, into the slave machine, in your case using your bcr and evolution.

Step 2. Launch ableton on both computers

Step 3. On the master machine, go to ableton preferences/midi sync, under the output section find the device being used to send midi and click the sync button so it says "on". Close the preferences window.

Step 4. On the slave machine, go to ableton/preferences/midi sync and under the input section find the device beng used to recieve midi, click the button to turn sync on in the synch colum. Close the preferences.

Step 5. On the slave machine click the EXT button. (upper left hand corner) This button means "External Sync" and tells ableton that it will be controlled by an external source.

Step 6. Press play on the master machine, if you did everything correctly the slave should start and stop playing with the master machine. If it does not, you did something incorrectly. Re-trace your steps and fiddle until you get it.

To adjust for latency, run a metronome on both machines. Open ableton preferences on both machines while the metronome is running. adjust the delay settings in the midi sync section. This should be at zero by default. The best way to do this is to highlight the number and use the arrow keys on your keyboard to move the number up or down in small increments. One computer should go to lower numbers, and one to higher numbers, until the metronomes are running in sync.

I think that suburbanbather and I found that after about two hours our sync would begin to drift. Stopping and restarting playback will fix this.

You will find the option for midi time code in ableton preferences / midi sync. Use time clock, if it does not work try time code. One of them will work, one will not - I can't remember what Thomas and I used. But we have had this working numerous times, including in a live gig situation. It is relatively easy to setup, you just have to be willing to figure out what you are doing.

Also, it is possible to connect wirelessly, over a network. To do so both machines must be on a local network connected to the network; ethernet or wireless card, either one will work.

Both machines must have some type of app that allows midi to transfer over a LAN, such as iMidi for the mac (free). There is one that is for pc and mac, but it is not free. I think you would need this to connect 2 pc's, or a pc to a mac over a LAN. I can't remember the name of the program. midioverlan maybe? Do a google search. There is also midi network setup for multiple macs running os 10.4.x - but I tried this the other night with no success. I still do not know if I was screwing up or if there is a bug in ableton, or in the apple utility.

For wireless the process is exactly the same, just launch the midi over lan application before launching ableton, make sure each machine is recognizing the other, launch ableton and set it up like it is written above, but choose the midi over lan app for the input and output on the appropriate machine.

freshdrumma wrote:is it possible to do it wirelees?

If you have two Macs, the feature is already built in to synch over lan or wireless.

With PC or PC to Mac you need to buy some pretty expensive software to do lan-synch.

Thank you so much a forum that actually helps Im impressed


THX THX THX

does it matter which is master between mac and pc ? or is it equal with timing ?

Put the fastest one (PC) as master. Timing gets messed up when the CPU gets heavily loaded.

thx for this guys. Answered my questions.

Just curious but can you sync say Sonar and Live, or a standalone soft synth on one machine and Live on the other??

Thx