MIDI Synchronization?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bongoloid
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Bongoloid

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I don't know a damn thing about MIDI so I don't know if what I want is possible.

I want to sync the play button on my Tascam DP-02 to the play button in a MIDI program on my PC. I assumed that something like this would be easy to do.

I Am using an M-Audio MIDISport Uno USB to interface with the recorder. I bought it for this purpose and have never used for anything else. It's supposed to be plug and play, no drivers required in Vista.

The recorder is set up to send the signal. I have no idea if the signal is even going beyond the M-audio. Are there any MIDI diagnostic tools that can tell me if the M-Audio is even working properly? It's seen by the PC and the software. I Am using Acid Pro 7 and EZdrummer. Acid looks like it's set up properly and is waiting.

Everything appears to be right by the manuals. I just don't know for certain if the M-Audio is cooperating. I have no idea how to even see if it is doing what it's supposed to do. The instructions basically just tell you to plug it in, and from there you're on your own.

I just want to use my PC as a drum machine I Am not looking for anything fancy. Is it possible to remotely control the MIDI transport via my recorder. I just want the PC MIDI to start playing automatically, I don't care if Have to stop it manually I just want to sync play.

I've been going crazy trying to do this for the past month. :(
 
does acid have a midi learn function? That's what you should be looking at..
 
According to Sony, Acid Pro 7 can Generate and trigger from MIDI Time Code (MTC).

The key is "trigger from". Midi Time code is basically a re-written version of SMPTE time code sent down midi wires using a protocol called Midi Sys/Ex.

So in theory, if you set Acid correctly, and push "record" (or play) on Acid, it will sit there until it receives MTC from your other device.

To actually control the transport of acid, it needs to respond to Midi Machine Control (MMC) which is midi represented "Stop" "play" "record" and the arming/disarming of tracks. I'm not sure if Acid does this or not, and if not you'll have to arm tracks manually and push play/record and THEN operate the transport on your Tascam device.

Does the DP02 sync and transmit midi? I see it has some midi implementation but I didn't see (at a glance) if it supports MMC or MTC or neither.



Here is how it is done with Cakewalk, as I couldn't find an example for Acid, but Acid should have screens somewhat like this:

http://www.tweakheadz.com/sync_mmc_mtc_smpte.htm
 
MIDI learn? Is that some sort of diagnostic or is it a tutorial? I've seen nothing by the name of MIDI Learn in help or the manual.

The DP-02 has MIDI out only and there's Off, CLK or MTC.

According to both the Acid and the Tascam manuals and the Acid help file I seem to be ready to go.

I don't know about the M-Audio MIDISport if that's working right or not. There are no drivers or software to install for Vista, you just plug it in. The PC sees the MIDI port but I have no idea if it even works at this point. Is there some MIDI utility I can download that will tell me if it's doing what it's supposed to do?
 
Are you trying to get acid to start playing at it's own tempo when you hit play or do you want it sync'ed to the tempo of your recorder?

midiox is a diagnostic tool that will tell you what is being received by the midi port and it is free
 
I just got it to work. I uninstalled and reinstalled the software for the M-Audio. I don't know if that actually did anything or not. I think it may have been the order in which I did my set up that made it work this time around.

I wish I had thought of this before. . . turn on recorder first, activate it's MIDI out and then fire up Acid. I don't believe any of my previous attempts were done in that order. I assume that Acid may be looking for an active MIDI device when it loads and if it doesn't detect it then it won't use it until you restart the application even though it is seen as an available MIDI port.

I knew that it had to be something simple keeping it from working. This warrants a big old dope slap. Remembering to activate the peripherals before the software should have come to me sooner.

Thanks for the replies.
 
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