Fostex Newbie...Help??

I

IvanFlack

New member
Hi there..
I just splashed out on a lot of Recording Equipment for a small Home Studio setup.

I purchased:-
Fostex VM200 Digital Desk
Fostex VR800 6.4Gb Digital Multitrack Recorder
Fostex CR300 CD writer.

I have the necessary MIDI Leads, Jack leads, Mics and Headphones.

For my music sources I have:-
Korg Triton
Korg i30HD
Korg Electribe EA-1 and ER-1
Some old analogue patch synths

I have linked the VM200 and VR800 using ADAT Optical leads and the VM200 and CR300 using SP/DIF(?)leads.

I have been able to create a MIDI track on the PC using either Cubase VST or Cakewalk Pro Audio 8 and then play this through the keyboard into track 1 on the VM200 and record it onto the VR800. I can then add vocals, other keyboards with few problems..

I would like to start using samples from the Korg Triton and loops from the Electribes to make up some dance-stuff but I can`t get my head round the MIDI Sync stuff....

Is there anyway to get a MIDI File on my PC in Cakewalk to play and at the same time get the VR800 to start recording so as I can have the start times exact ( same times on the Cakewalk Software and on the VR800 )?
At the minute I am pressing Rec/Play on the VR800 and immediatly hitting the Spacebar on the PC to start the MIDI file in Cakewaly playing.

This makes it all very hit or miss when it comes to trying to get samples inserted into the right place.....

I would appreciate ANY help at all about the Home Recording scene (especially about my Fostex gear). I mean have I got the right stuff? Do I need anything else to get it all working properly? (I was told to by a DAT Recorder as well but I held of until I spoke with some of you...)

Sorry for the long-winded post but hey....I`m new to the recording end.

Thanks in advance

Ivan Flack (N. Ireland)
 
Ivan,

Well yet another in the same boat. I have the same question on the SMPTE/MTC sync problem. However, I have got a bit further, in that I have been able to get Cakewalk to start and stop playing the VR800 recorder, but the Midi does not play. It does not even move or attempt to start. While the VR800 is playing the Cakewalk is saying 'Press Escape to Cancel... Waiting for 30 frame (non-drop) SMPTE/MTC'

Perhaps if you have been able to sort this problem (since you posted this on the forum) could you please offer me a solution, I would be greatful. I have gone through the manuals several times and I know that it is possible to do it, except I can't get the damn thing to work properly.

Rish
Ireland, Limerick

[Edited by Rish on 10-24-2000 at 14:41]
 
Manual

Rish, you mean you can understand the manuals. That was one of the things I had trouble with. Seems something got lost in the translation. I got must of the info. I needed right here in these forums. Good luck I haven't tried any midi stuff yet, just don't understand it at all. Oh well maybe some day. Good luck, Donny!!!
 
Donny, I have just baught a few more books on this Midi thing. I hope to have more knowledge on the subject over the next few months. I hope to get the VR800 and VM200 working with Cakewalk. As for the Manuals, well sometimes its great to just smile...they are not great no, but sometimes there's just enough to get you on the right track and then take it from there.
I'll keep you posted on the progress.
Cheers
Rish
 
I have posted this under another heading already, because I couln't find this one earlier this week. I hope this does help!!

Midi Sync Cakewalk with the VR800

Cable the MIDI in's and out's.....etc...

Cakewalk Setup:
Open Cakewalk project - mid or wrk file.
Set devices to : whatever you have you cables set up on. e.g. SB Live! MIDI in and SB Live! MIDI out!
Click on 'Move selected devices to top'.
Click ok.
--I have a Roland SC 88 Pro. I put the Roland Serial MIDI out A & B to the top and SB Live! MIDI out towards the bottom. It doesn't matter how this is configured provided you know that you may not have the correct parts set in your MIDI file (so check those MIDI too)..--

To configure MIDI Sync Machine Control :
Click 'Options', click 'project' and click the 'Clock' tab.
Select as the source MIDI Sync and SMPTE/MTC Format to 30 frames non-drop.
--(this you can change as you get more familiar with other gear that you may want to add. There are several standards that manufacturers use; some of these may not have 30 frames).--
On the MIDI out tab, you can check the start/continue/stop/clock and transmit MIDI Song Position Pointer (SPP) - but just to get started, this will not be needed... You should just get it to sync first and then worry about the rest later....

VR800 :
Press setup key.
Use the jog shuttle to take you through the following :
Temposet : Be sure that the tempo set here is the same as you had set for the MIDI file/project. ie. when you set 'beats per minute' on the MIDI file, you may have set it to 120 beats per min. Be sure to set the tempo set on the VR800 to the same.
Preroll : Set to zero - this has something more to do with reel to reel - and is not relevant in this case.
Sync out : This must be set to internal clock as the VR800 is going to be the master in this scenario - and Cakewalk the slave. Therefore, set this to 'clk'.
Framerate : Set this to the same as you have set on the Cakewalk project. In this example, it has been set to 30F. Note on the VR800 the F is not marked very clearly.....
Mtc Offset : This is very important as the VR800 and Cakewalk take some time to sync. Therefore the delay in synchronisation could be up to 5 seconds long. However, after these few seconds have passed, the chase lock connects pretty well though you could still hear the synchronisation slow or speed up. I have it set to 23H 59M 55S 07F 00SF.
Offset mode : Set to ABS.
Slave mode : Set to 'Off' as the VR800 is going to be the master in this scenario.


On Cakewalk Press Play
Once you press 'play', you should see a 'Press ESCAPE to cancel... waiting for MIDI sync' message in status bar (bottom left corner).

NOW press play on the VR800 Recorder....

Note MIDI lights : You can check to see if the MIDI is working properly when you see both Tx & Rx lights showing on the MIDI icon in the right bottom corner of the screen.
---------------

All, you may want to do this with a file that has nothinh in it just to test. That way you can save the project as a template for later use...etc.

I hope that I make sense please let mr know if this has helped you. This is Midi Sync with the VR800 as the Master, Good Luck....Hope this helps!!

Cheers!!
 
Hmmm....it sounds as if you do not have the VR800 connected properly or it isn't set to output MTC.
1. The MIDI out of the VR800 goes to the MIDI in
of the computer.
2. In "Set Up" on the VR800 make sure that Sync Out is set to MTC. You can confirm this by looking in the right hand corner of the VR800.
3. The Frame rate must be set to the same frame rate as the computer.
4. You may try off setting the VR800 to 23:59:59
if it starts in a strange place.

I don't use CW often enough to know the set up procedure.

Hope this helps.

Musically

Terry
 
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