For the brave: 1.4alpha1 - MIDI clock!

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rjmmusic

rjmmusic

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I've just completed an alpha firmware release that implements MIDI clock. I haven't added any of the other 1.4 features yet, but MIDI clock involves some drastic changes and I wanted to get it tested ASAP.

Even if you're not using MIDI clock, I could sure use the help in testing this to make sure I didn't break the standard MIDI sending & receiving code.

There's a new parameter in the MIDI settings menu: MIDI Clock. It can be set to off (the default), slave and master.

If MIDI clock is set to slave, it just passes any incoming clock data out its MIDI outputs. For example, clocks coming in from USB will be passed out the MIDI output. Clocks coming in from the Remote In will be passed out both the MIDI output and the USB port.

If MIDI clock is set to master, the current tap tempo rate is sent out both the MIDI and USB outputs.

I've tested this in the following ways:

- Master mode to an Eventide Timefactor
- Master mode to Apple Mainstage
- Slave mode, passing clock from Mainstage to the GT and on to the Timefactor

Please let me know how this works for you - bug reports and feature requests are welcome!
 

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Hi Ron, ...well, ran into some trouble

it initially synced thru MMGT ...but then i tried to slow BPM from master ...it did not change BPM on Eventides

so I unhooked cable, and hooked up to go straight out from module, to see if it would still sync there

it did not ...then I noticed one end of MIDI cable was bad and grounding out!

so now, I will have to fix that, or buy new one, before any more testing
 
Just installed it and actually have a day off so will mess around with it. I assume in the future we will be able to save a tempo with each preset and the MMGT as master can sync any external boxes?
 
Just tested with MMGT as master and Axe II as slave. Works fine. My POD HD which is after the Axe in the midi chain doesn't change tempo. I guess I ned to put a midi splitter in between as It doesn't appear that the Axe midi through passes through the midi clock. I will hook the MMGT directly to POD and then Adrenalinn II to test with those.

This is cool stuff!!
 
Good idea toasterdude, I had not thought about saving tempo times in each preset, that would be really cool
 
Yes, saving tempo wouldn't be too hard. I'm just not sure how we should specify when the tempo should be saved. A special button type? Only in setup mode and/or editor?
 
Probably makes most sense in preset. That way each preset has it's own tempo. We can set in the editor by typing or on the MMGT as well I guess using buttons to type in tempo.

Some bands have a DAW running just to send click to drummer and sync up guitar and key effects etc. If the guitarist can change preset and send clock to whole band. . .that rocks.

I was planning on using the Adrenalinn III as master but it is usually last in my midi chain and I would have to send it's out into splitter and on to other boxes. The MMGT would make that unnecessary. Well still need a splitter but that is not a problem.
 
Hmmm. I just tried syncing botha POD HD Pro and Adrenalinn III to the GT. Same exact set up as whan syncing Axe II which seems to be working fine. Neither the POD or the AIII will sync. I just unplug cable from Axe midi in and connect to POD midi in. Even tried changing POD to midi channel 1 in case clock was just being sent on channel 1. Tried having sync option on POD set global or preset. Neither will allow syncing.

On AIII same thing. Same cable same set up. Set AIII to both in and in/out in the AIII sync settings.

Cable is ruled out I guss as it works fine with Axe.

Going to try syncing POD and AIII with same cable to Maschine. If that works, then maybe something weird is happening?
 
Hmmmm, connecting Maschine to Axe sync works, connecting to POD sync also works. Can not get AIII to work yet. Have to look into that as AIII is usually the most midi sync capable.

So.

MMGT to Axe works.

MMGT to POD no worky

Maschine to Axe works
Maschine to POD works

Same cable in all of the above. Weird.
 
Weird. I have a POD HD500 here, which I believe has the same MIDI implementation as the HD Pro. I hadn't tested with it before, but will try now.

Thanks for finding that, I'll get to the bottom of it!
 
Hi Ron, re-soldered cable, but MIDI cable still did not work ...so cable is toast! ...and I am broke ...patience grrr
 
rjmmusic said:
Weird. I have a POD HD500 here, which I believe has the same MIDI implementation as the HD Pro. I hadn't tested with it before, but will try now.

Thanks for finding that, I'll get to the bottom of it!
Click to expand...

Coolness. I have a POD HD500 back at home and can test with that as well once I finally get home. I will likely be buying a 500x next week so can try that as well.
 
I've been playing with the HD500, and kinda have it working, but not 100% correctly. If you go into POD setup page 6 (MIDI and tempo), you'll see that the current tempo from the GT is correctly displayed and it will update if you tap a new tempo. Once you exit setup, the new tempo will take effect. But, if you tap a new tempo, it won't take effect until you enter setup again or select a new preset. There must be some way to tell the HD500 to update its tempo. I just need to find it!

If anyone with Ableton Live could use a MIDI monitor to see what messages it sends when changing tempo, that would be really helpful!
 
Ok, straight from Line 6 customer support:

Hi,

I am afraid what you are trying to do is not going to be possible. The HD500 will not sync continuously to a MIDI clock.

I.e. it is simply not robust enough to handle this kind of advanced usage.
Click to expand...

It seems that it will look at the incoming clock when you switch presets, enter setup mode, or even press the bank buttons, but will not pay attention to the clock otherwise.

Try tapping a new tempo, then switching presets. It's not as convenient as it should be, but it works here on our HD500.
 
rjmmusic said:
Ok, straight from Line 6 customer support:

Hi,

I am afraid what you are trying to do is not going to be possible. The HD500 will not sync continuously to a MIDI clock.

I.e. it is simply not robust enough to handle this kind of advanced usage.
Click to expand...

It seems that it will look at the incoming clock when you switch presets, enter setup mode, or even press the bank buttons, but will not pay attention to the clock otherwise.

Try tapping a new tempo, then switching presets. It's not as convenient as it should be, but it works here on our HD500.
Click to expand...

Weird. Either the HD Pro is more robust than the 500 or the CS rep was confused.

I just hooked up machine controller directly to POD and if I go to page 6 of view menu to see tempo, changing temp with tempo knob on maschine updates tempo on POD. There is a bit of lag, and it is not always exact. 136BPM on Machine may be 135.8 on POD but it works.

To double check I set tempo to 136 via maschine, exited the system menu, changed tempo with maschine to 105 and went back into POD temp menu. Sure enough tempo was 105. Certainly appears that the HD Pro is robust enough for realtime updates. How accurate it is I will find out later I guess.
 
Silly question. Does clock go down same pins as the rest of midi data?

Using Maschine as master hooked up to POD as above worked fine. Moved cable from POD to Axe and it also updated in real time. Now, if I leave maschine hooked up to Axe abd take Axe midi through into POD midi in, changing tempo in maschine updates Axe but not POD.

So, maybe Axe doesn't pass incoming mid clock to it's output. Or maybe it is a cable issue? Weird.
 
OK, more testing.

Changed cable to the one I though may be an issue. Maschine directly to POD and all works fine.

I decide to switch the order and daisy chain Axe after POD. Change temp in Maschine and both POD and Axe update in realtime, more or less.

So, it does appear that the Axe does not pass mid clock to it's out/through. I will check with FAS on that.

I then left the cabling exactly the same except I disconnect from Maschine and plug into MMGT. Tap tempo and the Axe updates but POD doesn't. Obviously the POD is passing the clock from GT through to Axe as Axe is second in the chain.

So, I think we can rule out that POD doesn't do realtime syncing. At least as far as POD HD Pro goes. It seems like an incompatibility between the GT clock and POD. Using sames setups Maschine controls both POD and Axe both separately and daisy chained. MMGT controls Axe fine, but not POD whether direct or daisy chained.

Side note, the midi cable from GT goes to the RJM phantom power box, and from there to POD. Not sure if there is anything inside that box or cable that would allow Axe to work and POD to not work.
 
Just to add a great big thumbs up to saving tempos with individual presets - for me this would be the only way to use MMGT as a master MIDI clock (tapping out precise tempos for each preset as I select them whilst trying to play a gig ... yikes ...!).

To wit ... any chance we could edit actual BPM's directly in each set-up (rather than needing to tap tempo, which is always going to be approximate) ...? ie. use the number buttons to type in 120BPM or whatever ...? Is that we're thinking ...? Cos man would I love that ...!!!
 
Spike said:
Just to add a great big thumbs up to saving tempos with individual presets - for me this would be the only way to use MMGT as a master MIDI clock (tapping out precise tempos for each preset as I select them whilst trying to play a gig ... yikes ...!).

To wit ... any chance we could edit actual BPM's directly in each set-up (rather than needing to tap tempo, which is always going to be approximate) ...? ie. use the number buttons to type in 120BPM or whatever ...? Is that we're thinking ...? Cos man would I love that ...!!!
Click to expand...

Yeah, that would be the way to do it. I don't know of any other midi foot controllers that do this stuff, so it will be extremely cool.
 
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