what is a word clock?

[shutupandshave]

I'll probably be using some midi when recording.

I have a digi 001 and a proteus 2000 - what does a word clock do, and do I need one?

 

[c7sus]

word clock: The synchronizing signal that indicates the sampling frequency or rate of sample words over a digital audio interface.

A very handy reference:

http://www.rane.com/digi-dic.html

When using recording software you can set either the computer, the device, or an outside clock to be the "master" clock. It will synchronize all the devices that have word clock. One of the advantages of using an outboard clock is if you have a lot of devices. With just one keyboard you should be able to get sync with MIDI if you load your keyboards data into your sequencing software.

 

[TexRoadkill]

Wordclock is only for digital audio and doesn't have anything to do with MIDI. You almost never NEED a dedicated wordclock but they can be good to have if you are hooking up a few different digital audio devices. A good wordclock can improve the sound of just about any digital audio device.