XT Clock source MIDI

I think the clock output is stable because notes playing on the GT with arpeggio are in time (played at the correct speed).

In cubase sync setup there are options for sending MTC as well as midi clock, I just went through every permutation of sending midi clock / mtc or no mtc.

I also checked that midi clock was not getting echoed back through the GT into cubase and out again by disconnecting the GT's midi out and playing a note into its midi in from cubase.

[Edit] With further investigation I have seen that it is not all of the half note/quater note delay times which have the weird effect, some are clean.

That doesn't prove clock stability though. I would still suspect this is your problem based on what you say about the delay variations. Have you not got access to a known stable source of clock such as a hardware sequencer, drum machine or an Atari ST so you can eliminate this possibility?

MTC is irrelevant, we're talking MIDI clock sync.

Good luck,

Paul

Actually I should say that I'm using the original V-Synth and not the GT. I don't want to lead you down a blind alley because there *may* be issues with the GT related to delay/sync. I certainly wasn't ultra-confident in it regarding sync when I had one here, but I put that down to its graphical screen management which I found sluggish generally and which seemed to interfere with various operations.

Hopefully other users will chip in to confirm your problems then you can talk to Roland about them. Could still be worth trying another clock source though.

Here's hoping you get it sorted. All the best.

I've had the same problem with XT and GT, the common demoninator would therefore lead us to cubase's clock not being 100% stable.

I haven't got a hardware clock, last time I had one of those was on the QX5 yamaha sequencer way back =)

I'll check out this lead now, maybe trying some demo versions of other sequencers to see if the problem goes away.

Thanks Paul.

Hope you get it sorted. I used to get pretty decent clock output from my Steinberg MIDEX8 interface with Cubase VST but even that was never as trustworthy as from my Sequentix P3 sequencer.

All the best
Paul

It looks like midi clock jitter is the problem.

I tried Cakewalk Sonar and got a slight improvement.

I triend Ableton Live and got a slight worsening of the effect.

So it looks like the only way to get a solid clock signal is to use a hardware synthesizer.

I'll ask the people at Cubase and Echo if there is any way to reduce the jitter.

[edit] and when I get another GT (is away hopefully getting a refund) I'll try slaving Sonar to it's clock.

I also run a V-Synth GT, using a Fantom-X7 as "MIDI-Master" - and I get the same annoying results with tempo-synched delays. The only workaround that I found so far is to either use "fixed" delays (with times in msec) or to set the V-Synth to use its internal MIDI-clock and adjust the tempo manually. Beware: The GT's actual OS 1.02 has a bug, you'll need to set the GT's tempo 1 beat faster; 120 BPM on the Fantom matches 121 BPM on the V-Synth GT.

Similar problems with tempo-timed delays are quite common. I've also got a Korg Triton (old model), a Virus C and a Virus TI - and they *all* have some trouble with MIDI-synched delays whenever they are "slaved" to the Fantom (I didn't check any other clock sources by now). The most stable "clock-slave" is the Virus C, the Triton produces some audible clicks, the Virus TI generates howling frequency-modulations then and now ... but the V-Synth GT is the worst example by now ...

That is interesting Klangwelt, glad it's not just me that has the problem and not just with V-Synth.

I downloaded a utility called midi test which tests your midi interface by linking a midi in to a midi out and then sending messages and recording the result.

It tells me that my Layla3G sound interface has very low latency and jitter, all midi is transmitted/received with an average of 0.5ms delay and always sub 1ms.

It seems the midi interface is not at fault in this respect.

If you ask me, it's not at all the fault of the soundboard or the Fantom. IMHO, it is quite complicated to implement a really stable clock-chasing-function when it comes to MIDI-synched effects. Some 3 or 4 years ago, it took Access Music several updates of the Virus C's OS to get things running quite well. Their latest synth, the Virus TI, however again has some serious issues with synching ...

In short: I don't think that things will get much better in general, I'll stick with manual synching the clocks ...

it is said - do not seek black cat in the dark room, especially if no one cat there.

It is not problem with clock (my fireface 400 has very good clock).

It is problem with V-synth and with V-synth support.

I had almost the same issue with Korg M3 - digital clicking if you use time based delay. I reported about it - they checked it very prompt and new OS solved this problem. It took 2 months. This is that I call support.

I have my Fantom as MASTER clock source, and the XT as SLAVE, and so far no problems with the MIDI Sync.

I tried the V-Synth XT as MASTER and it was Ok as well, but I had to change it due to the setup I have.

Take care
PauloF

i have a v synth xt and i want to synch it with an external device, but - this the point where the question becomes silly - the midi in of the v synth xt is used by my midi keyboard, how can i connect the device that produces the midi clock, any suggestions please!

antoinesleepinpillow wrote:

i have a v synth xt and i want to synch it with an external device, but - this the point where the question becomes silly - the midi in of the v synth xt is used by my midi keyboard, how can i connect the device that produces the midi clock, any suggestions please!

Well, you have a couple of options:

1- to continue using the keyboard connected directly to the XT and synchronizing it's clock via USB.
2- to continue using the keyboard connected directly to the XT and synchronizing it's clock via the keyboard if it has the Merge function. That way you would need to connect your clock source to the keyboard controller's MIDI in.
3- to use the keyboard controller as the clock source


Maybe you have more options, but that will depend on what hardware you have (clock source, keyboard controller, etc)