Question about MIDI beat clocks

[Phuturistic]

I was wondering how this works. I'm using Digital Performer with an E-MU Mo'Phatt and Proteus 2000. I've looked through the DP manual and found that DP can transmit MIDI beat clock, which I've enabled it to do (I specified my MOTU MIDI Express XT in the transmit sync window of DP, and now DP is sending beat clock messages on all 8 ports of my Express XT, as the manual indicated it should). It also looks like both my Mo'Phatt and Proteus 2000 accept external MIDI beat clock, as their manuals state that you can set the base tempo menu's to "use MIDI", which the manual says that when set to this mode the modules use an external MIDI clock source as opposed to setting the tempo in the module itself.

One of the main reasons I'm asking about this is because in Digital Performer, you can use tempos that fall between whole BPM's, such as 97.50 bpm or 97.25 bpm. The E-MU modules only allow for whole number bpm's. Would setting my modules to use an external source (DP) for MIDI beat clock allow me to get more timing accuracy out of the sound modules when I set DP to a bpm such as 97.50, 97.25, etc?

Thanks for any help.

[altitude909]

it should be fine. Clock is 24 pulses per quarter note, not bpm

[Phuturistic]

Originally Posted by altitude909

it should be fine. Clock is 24 pulses per quarter note, not bpm

Yea, I noticed that in the DP transmit sync window that it also gives you the option to have DP sending 24 pulses per beat or 24 pulses per quarter note. I left the setting to 24 pulses per quarter note.

Is there any advantage to transmitting beat clock information to my modules, as opposed to leaving it off, and setting the tempo in my modules to match the DP project's tempo?

[Halion]

Yes there is. Midi clocks (or any digital clocks) are never perfect, and therefor, in time, they will drift out of sync. If you sync them, they will run in sync forever. That's too many times the word sync per sentence, I know.

[ssscientist]

Originally Posted by Halion

That's too many times the word sync per sentence, I know.

Don't worry. You speak English way better than I speak Dutch.

[Phuturistic]

Gracias mi amigos.

[Halion]

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