Word Clock......please educate me

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guernica
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Guernica

Guernica

Active member
Hi guys,
Ive never used word clock, and am interested in using it (i think) :rolleyes:

Does word clock essential do the same thing in terms of sync as midi sync?
I believe that i read somewhere that it relates more to the sample, but in a nutshell....... Im wondering if i hook up a soundcard to an incoming source (ie: digital recorder) via word clock.... would using word clock sync up the timing?........or am i way off base.

thanks, Mike
 
from MOTU @
http://www.motu.com/techsupport/technotes/document.2000-01-03.7593894628/view

Word Clock

Word Clock is a timing reference for digital audio devices; it supplies common timing to multiple devices so that they can be synchronized with one another. Word clock is a time base reference only, providing a measurement of the passage of time and the speed at which samples should go by. Word clock carries no address or timecode information; therefore word clock by itself is not enough to sync two devices.

Some devices that use word clock include digital mixers, stand-alone hard disk recorders, computer-based digital audio workstations and computer audio cards.

When doing digital transfers between two different digital devices, some devices require word clock to be sent from one to the other. Two digital audio devices, such as a 2408 and a digital mixer must be connected via word clock cables to be synchronized to the same rate of digital audio, for playback to be consistent. The combination of SMPTE (address) and word clock (rate) is a complete sync scenario.
 
That said, you *really* need a word clock when using more that 2 digital devices. When using 2, one would be the clock slave and the other a clock master. When using more that 2, a word clock becomes vital.

Even using just 2 digital devices can really benefit from a good word clock - the better your clock, the better the sound (it really helps clean up the stereo image, etc). And not all word clocks are built equal.

I use a Lucid Gen X box - in the future I will upgrade to a Big Ben :)


Hope this helps.
 
A word clock can make things sound better with even just 1 digital device:) The Lucid is a very affordable, but still quality way to get yourself into the world of external clocking. The Apogee is certainly a step up, but at a price:)
 
So i guess having a tight external clock would also help in the midi sync right? The sync created via midi would be more "on" due to the fact that all the devices are following the exact same sample clock?

.....very helpful guys, thank you
 
I don't think it actually applies through to midi. I think midi sync has to be seperate.
 
Unless I am mistaken, midi sync allows for syncing audio through digital clocking via a midi cable. They are seperate beasts as Xstatic said, and I do not believe that one influences the other. Generally, you select your clock source on a device - to the best of my knowledge, a midi sync source does not get timings from a word clock.

This is an interesting question though, and it would be nice to get an authoritative answer.
 
wordclock is a very high resolution synch,midi clock is only 24 ppq. resolution.
types of synch are smpte time code (real time audio based),midi timecode(real time midi),vertical interval timecode (real time video),frequency shift keying (fsk)(tempo based audio),midi clock (tempo based midi).
to synch 2 sequencers together you'd use midi clock,to synch an analog tape deck to digital you'd use midi timecode into a synchronizer/comverter like a pps2 out of that as smpte to tape,or midi clock into pps2 out as fsk to tape.
there are 6 different frame rates for smpte,30 non drop frames being the standard audio frame rate (wich is pretty low resolution).you can use fsk or smpte to synch up a hard drive recorder like an hd24 too,if i'm not mistaken you cant change tempo nondestructively when using fsk.
if ya get a pps2 (poor persons synch) a cheap little nifty box that converts synch ya can have all synch types available to you.
just remember sequencers are tempo based,and if ya use mtc with a computer you must tell the computer what the start time and tempo is.
 
there can be only one master wordclock in a system but im sure you know that.when synching up adats or dats to pro tools for instance be sure to leave some pre roll time because it will take a second or so to synch up between devices.
 
Word clock synchronizes the sampling in a digital audio system so all the parts are using on the same samples. Midi synch is an event timer so you can make things play in time.
 
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