Old Motifator threads are available in the Archive.
roman
Total Posts: 28
Joined 01-03-2006 status: Regular |
Greetings from New Zealand.
I am accomplishing this by having an MPC5000 slaved via MIDI beat clock to the Motif XF7.
If I have a one measure count in before recording starts, which is the default and normal method. I get a consistent lag where the MPC will be after the XF in terms of timing. I call it the horse galloping sound. I recorded a sharp 808 hi hat 8th note pattern into the XF and the same into the MPC. The XF triggering it’s internal sound engine and the MPC triggering it’s internal sound engine. When the sync locks, they sound like one hi hat. Excellent.
If I turn off the one bar measure count in on the XF, it can lock perfectly albeit about every second attempt.
When it locks, it is tight. I can change the tempo on the XF and the MPC follows exactly.
There are some other idiosyncrasies I will share when I can remember them by going through the process again. I recall one being that the MPC won’t let me start it recording by holding down the record button and then starting the XF. There is probably a workaround there.
My other post in the last couple of months was regarding the fault I found with the XF quantisation.
If I ‘normalise play effect’ in ‘edit’ then the issue goes away because the quantisation is now destructive and written into the notes. Anyone else found this?
I will have to find that other post because I suspect the email notification from this forum may not be working for me.
PS, I wonder if Yamaha is listening and cares about these music inhibiting faults? |
meatballfulton
Total Posts: 3022
Joined 01-25-2005 status: Guru |
MIDI clock synchronization is not always perfect and it could be the MPC that has the problem. At the very first beat of a sequence, a lot of data may be transmitted (program changes, CCs, etc.) and the MPC may be unable to keep up. The “galloping” effect is just a reaction to the MIDI Song Position Pointer (SPP) and making an adjustment. This is commonly heard when fast forwarding or rewinding mid-sequence while a sequence is playing. Try this instead: Make bar 1 blank. Totally blank. The music actually starts on bar 2. See if that works OK. Does the MPC support MIDI Time Code (MTC)? Using MTC provides a time lock, not a beat lock. If so try that method of synchronization and see if it solves your problem. |
dsetto
Total Posts: 435
Joined 01-24-2014 status: Enthusiast |
Roman, I’m looking forward to hearing your follow up. Thanks. |
roman
Total Posts: 28
Joined 01-03-2006 status: Regular |
The ‘galloping’ effect is consistent. In other words it stays out of sync by the same amount continuously. So it isn’t catching up.
I really need to communicate with people who are syncing sequencers like the MPC to their Motif. So that we can be practical and see if the same fault is reproducible. Also, I need to know how to alert Yamaha Motif team to this fault and the other thread about quantisation not working for the first quarter bar. |
roman
Total Posts: 28
Joined 01-03-2006 status: Regular |
Even though I have subscribed to this thread. I don’t get email notifications.
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meatballfulton
Total Posts: 3022
Joined 01-25-2005 status: Guru |
No, the MPC is probably in the wrong. It is starting during the count in and not waiting for bar 1 (which would be indicated by SPP). If you have a DAW or MIDI monitor search for the Start message from the Motif and see when it was sent. If you need a count in, please try what I suggested...remove the count in but add one or more blank bars to the beginning of the sequence. You can delete them when you are done recording. |
dsetto
Total Posts: 435
Joined 01-24-2014 status: Enthusiast |
adding to meatballfulton’s suggestions: have you tried changing the master-slave relationship? |