Clueless Newbie...Help!!

I

IvanFlack

New member
Hi there..

I just splashed out on a lot of Recording Equipment for a small Home Studio setup.

I purchased:-
Fostex VM200 Digital Desk
Fostex VR800 6.4Gb Digital Multitrack Recorder
Fostex CR300 CD writer.

I have the necessary MIDI Leads, Jack leads, Mics and Headphones.

For my music sources I have:-
Korg Triton
Korg i30HD
Korg Electribe EA-1 and ER-1
Some old analogue patch synths

I have linked the VM200 and VR800 using ADAT Optical leads and the VM200 and CR300 using SP/DIF(?)leads.

I have been able to create a MIDI track on the PC using either Cubase VST or Cakewalk Pro Audio 8 and then play this through the keyboard into track 1 on the VM200 and record it onto the VR800. I can then add vocals, other keyboards with few problems..

I would like to start using samples from the Korg Triton and loops from the Electribes to make up some dance-stuff but I can`t get my head round the MIDI Sync stuff....

Is there anyway to get a MIDI File on my PC in Cakewalk to play and at the same time get the VR800 to start recording so as I can have the start times exact ( same times on the Cakewalk Software and on the VR800 )?
At the minute I am pressing Rec/Play on the VR800 and immediatly hitting the Spacebar on the PC to start the MIDI file in Cakewaly playing.

This makes it all very hit or miss when it comes to trying to get samples inserted into the right place.....

I would appreciate ANY help at all about the Home Recording scene (especially about my Fostex gear). I mean have I got the right stuff? Do I need anything else to get it all working properly? (I was told to by a DAT Recorder as well but I held of until I spoke with some of you...)

Sorry for the long-winded post but hey....I`m new to the recording end.

Thanks in advance

Ivan Flack (N. Ireland)
 
Does either the recorder or mixer have midi in outs? I think it is part of the recorder, but if not, I bet it is an option. If you do, let the midi time code or midi machine code from the record start your computer sequencer. Your manuals should clue you in as to how to do this. Also check the Cubase or Cakewalk websites to see if they have the capability to control the mixer and/or recorder. A loft of these software sequencers can do quite a bit of that sort of stuff so you can do a lot of controls using the computer monitor instead of tiny recorder screens. Check the manuals of your new stuff and the software--you might be plesntly surprised.

Peace, Jim
 
Jim

Thanks for the speedy reply..

The VM200 (Mixer) has MIDI IN, OUT and THRU and the VR800 has MIDI IN and OUT..

I have the PC MIDI OUT linked into the Korg Keyboard MIDI IN and the PC MIDI IN into the Keyboard MIDI OUT. I have the Keyboards MIDI THRU linked into the VM200 MIDI IN and the VM200 MIDI OUT into the VR800 MIDI IN.

I can get some MIDI stuff going on but hell the manuals are a bit weak on it!!

Both the Cubase and Cakewalk send MTC or MMC and SYSEX but christ is it complicated...

I just want to get the VR800 and the Cakewalk Sequencer to start at the same time!!

It looks like I`ve a lot of work ahead of me.....

Thanks again

Ivan Flack
 
Ivan,

I have the same problem you have. I am finding that the SysEx stuff is very hard to understand, especially when it comes to trying to establish how to just get the thing to sync.

However, I was able to get this thing going part of the way. I have been able (much to my own surprise) to get the SMTPE/MTC sync to work. The VR800 is setup as a slave and device id 1 and the sequencing software is set to SMTPE/MTC, Device ID 1, Start/Stop, etc checked, frames 25 and 120 'inserts per bar'.

I hit space to start and the vr800 takes off, but the midi does not start or play at all... So back to the classic Fostex manuals......

Good Luck

Rish
Limerick, Ireland
 
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