synchronization...?

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mancalledaerodynamics

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I have a bunch of songs recorded with my old fostex fd-8. I want to dump the tracks into cubase so i can record more and mix them down. I can record 2 tracks at a time, but when I go and try and record the rest of the 8 tracks it is impossible to sync them up. I think I read that cubase wont slave to a midi time code, so I tried to slave the fostex to cubase and couldnt do it. I figured that way I could at least have the two machines play and record in sync, but wouldnt I then have to match the tempo of cubase to that of the prerecorded material on the fostex? For instance, I have a 6 track song recorded on the fostex to a click, I want to get them onto cubase and then record drums with my software, so I'm gonna need that click in cubase to be exactly in sync with the click from the fostex, right? How is that possible if cubase wont slave? Could I buy some other timing device to sync everything up with? any help is greatly appreciated, I would love to use my original tracks without having to rerecord everything in cubase.
 
The only way is to stripe a tracl of the tape with SMPTE and sync the s/w to that....

Other than that, you'd have to line 'em up manually -- which can be very tedious (since you'd have to re-adjust during the whole song for each track...)

But those are pretty much your only options........
 
thanks for the reply bear, but does it matter that the fd 8 is a digital multitracker and has no tape? I t records the tracks onto a zip drive. Is there nothing the midi capabilities of both the fostex and cubase can do to help dump these tracks into the computer? Appreciate your time...
 
When I said "strip the tape", that is (now - in the days of tapeless recording) an expression!

A sequencer still needs some flavour of timecode to work with.... if your machine doesn't generate it, then the only way for a computer to follow the machine is with timecode coming off a track...
 
I see. Oh well. I was hoping some kind of configuration of midi time code would allow me to do this, being that both cubase and the the fostex have it, but if you say smpte is the only way to go I believe you. Is this something I can go out and buy, and would it be fairly simple to learn how to use? I have seen word clock generators, would this be an option as well? Thanks for your time Bear.
 
I do similar transfers from my AKAI DPS 12i to cubase SX.....What I do is record 8 snare hits from my drum machine(any click type noises work, pops in mic, etc) to ALL the tracks at the same time that I want to send into Cubase..so the clicks are in perfect synch on each track on ther AKAI.(If you can record 8 tracks at once it really helps, otherwise you'll have to bounce the sound ) Then I feed my first track (usually drums) into Cubase. I try to put my next track in as close to synch as possible, visually looking at the hits and by ear, then I pan track 1 hard left, and track 2 hard right, and play them back. You can then hear very distinctly which one is early or late...lastly I synch track 2 to track 1 using the little clock icon, + or - the value which brings track 2 foreward and backward in time....a little experimenting and it should get pretty easy.....let me know if you have questions......Know how to synch up ASIO(soundcard and cubase?)
 
What Bean described is what I meant when I talked about lining the tracks up manually....

I find it tedious, but it may be less tedious for you than striping timecode!

For SMTPE, you would need a sync box - (JLCooper) makes them....

Problem is, since you don't have timecode already on your 4-track, you'd have to saacrifice a track - this may not be an option if you don't have a free track available.........

Try the manual route first and see how it goes........
 
hold on.. the fostex fd-8 has midi right? midi i/o
if it has midi, depending on the sequencer that you use.. set up the sync right and from the midi out of your soundcard to the midi in on your fd-8. then set the fd-8's midi clock to external...

when you press record in you sequencer is should sync the fd-8...
 
He mentioned Cubase not sync'ing to MTC............

BUt I just looked at the specs for the FD-8 -- it has ADAT lightpipe I/O... why can't you just use that to input 8-channels at a time to Cubase?

(I use Lightpipe to interconnect Cubase and my HD24/ADATs -- works flawlessly!)
 
thanks guys Im gonna try both tomorrow, and post back with the results. I have tried midi out to the fostex with it slaved- hitting record on cubase started the fostex, but could not record - gonna try again. I use the optical out on the fostex, that only gives me 2 tracks into cubase. Never tried the adat out, but how would I get that into my soundcard? I have the echo mia....
 
If the MIA doesn't have a Lightpipe connection, then you'd need another s/c....
 
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Which version of cubase are you using? I sync my FD8 to Cubase SX and Nuendo all the time. Works like a charm.. but you have to have the settings just right or it won't work.

Let me know what software you're using and I'll try and give a detailed step-through.
 
Sounds great! I'm using sx. I have an echo mia card, so I can't transfer all the tracks at once. I use my SB live for midi. Some of the songs don't have drums on them yet, so I would like to get the tempo matched in cubase so I can record drums later,once I get all the tracks into cubse, although I dont know if this will be possible. If not just being able to get two tracks in at a time, and being able to get the next two tracks to line up, and so on, would be great. Is this just a matter of getting cubase to trigger play on the fd 8 at the same time I hit record on the transport bar each time I dump two tracks over at a time? Please be as specific as you can with the settings,especially the ones on the fd8. I really appreciate your help. Its great I finally found someone who has the fd8 and cubase. Ive got some other questions about the fostex that Id love to ask you about in the future. Thanks again, look forward to your next post.
 
I hope you're recording to a click or a basic drum track if you plan on adding drums later. Anywho... sync'ing....

On the FD8, go into the setup menu and do the following:
- Set the Slave Mode ON
- Set the Slave type VARI
- Set the MTC Offset to 00h00m00s00f00sf
- Set the Frame Rate to whatever you want, but be sure to match the Cubase Frame Rate. I usually use 25f.
- Match the tempo to the Cubase tempo.

In Cubase, do the following:
- Go into Device Setup and make sure that the Default MIDI Ports are the SBLive!MIDI In[A400] and SBLive!MIDI Out[A400]
- Go to Project Setup and make sure your frame rate matches
your FD8 frame rate. Also make sure that the Display Offset is 0's across the board.
- On the Cubase Transport, make sure that MASTER is lit and ONLINE is off. Also check the tempo setting.
- It doesn't hurt to go to Sync Setup in the Transport Menu and turn off Midi Machine Control.

Press play on the Cubase play button, and the FD8 should follow along. I usually press stop somewhere and see if me time displays match. I usually set the displays to show bars and beats.

Then it's just a matter of arming your tracks and making your passes.

To get tracks back into the FD8 from the PC. It's just a matter of doing the oppposite on the settings. Set the FD8 Sync Out to MTC and set the Slave OFF. On the Cubase transport, turn the Master OFF and turn Online ON. Press play on the FD8 and Cubase should follow. If you need to work in Cubase, then turn the Online button off.

Hope that helps!
 
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JR#97, you rule! Works like a charm. Really can't thank you enough!
 
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