Help !!!! Midi Hookup

[popguy]

I'm an old analog guy who just recently got into the "Digital Domain". Last year I purchased a Tascam 2488 DAW and I am trying to sync it to my older keyboard equipment including: 1) Yamaha KX88 keyboard controller. 2) Akai ME30P programmable midi patch bay which has 4 inputs and 8 outputs & a Roland MC50-mkII sequencer. I also have an Alesis SR-16 drum module and several sound modules. Since the 2488 has a midi out port that sends clock information I would like to use it as the master and sync with the sequencer and drum unit. I've noticed that the sequencer will only record note information when in internal sync mode and not in midi sync which should be the proper setting to follow midi clock messages from recorder, etc. I've tried switching cables around but to no avail. I would appreciate any help. Thanks, Tony.

 

[Riverdog]

Old timer to Old timer...

Hi popguy...

The only suggestion I can make is to just plain record your MIDI tracks first...
Although I love the old MC50, you are correct on the recording schema...

Once complete recording your MC50 tracks - they should sync right up to the 2488 and sync right with the tempo you've set there...

Sorry I couldn't help more...

 

[popguy]

Thanks, I'll give it a try !!

 

[ssscientist]

Since the 2488 has a midi out port that sends clock information I would like to use it as the master and sync with the sequencer and drum unit.

First, here are links to two good articles on midi basics - part one and part two. They may be a little too basic for you, but we can all use a refresher course now and then...

All you need to do to lock the sequencer and your drum machine/modules is be sure the MC50 is in external clock mode and hooked up to the midi out of the 2488. Then connect the sequencer's midi out to the midi in of the first module, then the midi thru of the first module to the midi in of the second module and so on. I owned one of those Akai 4 X 8 midi patchers back in the day and was REALLY frutrated by the lack of a midi merge feature. If you want to use that you could put it after the output of the sequencer and before the modules - that would give each of your modules and the drum machine a separate midi port, but the performance/timing improvement would be small enough that it would be hard to notice.