I suspect that this is simple user error, but I didn't find anything to resolve my problem so I thought I'd throw it out here.
I used the demo version a bit a few weeks ago, got distracted by some nice new hardware, but I just purchased audiomulch, and want to get basic midi clock out functioning correctly. So, I'm still very much a beginner.
I know that I don't have a midi loop. Clock out runs fine with other software. (I also have midi sync in disabled in audiomulch).
I have the clock output set to send to my midi timepiece. However it doesn't play smoothly at all. It starts and stops and is altogether unusable. This is with a very basic project. Audio in connected to audio out only. I press play and the sync just kind of goes crazy. What could I be missing? I hope it's dumb....
I hope it's dumb too.. are you using the latest version of AudioMulch (2.1.1)? if not, try that first while I try to think of something else.
MIDI timing in AudioMulch is clocked of the audio interface so it might be helpful to know if you're using a specific audio interface (or internal) or whether changing interface helps. Also what audio buffer size have you selected in the settings? -- none of these things should affect MIDI clock but it might help me understand the problem
Thanks
Ross.
yeah - after I purchased, I downloaded and installed 2.1.1.
I was sending to a midi timepiece av. Just checked - buffer size 256. I do have the aggregate device selected for audio. I suppose I should try changing that, but as you're implying, what would be the connection?
Edit - tried changing from aggregate device to my main audio interface, but this did nothing.
I noticed that there are 2 places (?) where you can turn midi sync out on by default - you can do it in the midi sync preferences, and also in the startup actions - I'm not sure what differentiates these (though I can't choose a destination in the startup actions) - but I don't seem to be able to get there.
Should midi sync out work if I simply open up an empty patch and hit play? I have audio and midi turned on. If this isn't enough, what exactly do I need to do? I've found that some of the time, I get the sputtering output that I described earlier, but much of the time it doesn't send out anything at all.
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I noticed that there are 2 places (?) where you can turn midi sync out on by default - you can do it in the midi sync preferences, and also in the startup actions - I'm not sure what differentiates these (though I can't choose a destination in the startup actions) - but I don't seem to be able to get there.
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MIDI Sync Preferences doesn't enable MIDI Sync, it just lets you set the device. You enable it from the Control menu (Control > Generate MIDI Sync).
If you want it to be enabled when AM starts up, you can check the box in the Startup Actions -- that's equivalent to selecting (Control > Generate MIDI Sync) after you launch the app.
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Should midi sync out work if I simply open up an empty patch and hit play?
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Yep. So long as "Generate MIDI Sync" is checked in the Control menu and you have a MIDI device selected for Generate MIDI Sync in the MIDI Sync preferences.
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I have audio and midi turned on. If this isn't enough, what exactly do I need to do? I've found that some of the time, I get the sputtering output that I described earlier, but much of the time it doesn't send out anything at all.
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I'm wondering if you're getting nothing because you didn't have "Generate MIDI Sync" selected. As for the sputtering that's pretty weird and not something I've heard of before. Someone was just saying how stable MIDI sync out was the other day, so I'm wondering what else could be wrong.
What version of Mac OS are you running?
And just to be clear, when you say "sputtering", are we talking about +/- 5bpm variation or less than +/- 1bpm variation in tempo? better or worse?
Sorry I can't give you a quicker resolution but hopefully we can get to the bottom of this...
Thanks
Ross.
midi sync is checked in the control menu - I had selected to turn it on at start up. I'm running 10.6.4.
By sputtering, I mean simply that it starts and stops. I am ascertaining this by looking at the leds on the midi interface, and looking also at the leds on the sequencer that is synced to midi clock. It starts/stops/starts/stops.
Ok, that sounds even worse than I expected. I'll have to do some more tests here before I can suggest anything else. At this stage I can only assume it's a bug in AudioMulch or an incompatibility with the Midi Timepiece drivers (which also would be a bug). I'll look at this in detail in the next 24 hours and get back to you after that. Thanks. Ross.
hmm - I don't think it's the midi timepiece drivers. I just tested (really briefly) - I chose one of my motu micro lites - and (just from observing the leds) the problem is similar - it will light up for awhile, then go dark, then come back, etc...usually when I send it sync, the visual feedback is constant.
What I don't really know, is, in theory - what would could I be missing that would make my experience with audiomulch different than with other software. I'd hate to see you spending all of this time on this if I'm just missing something silly.
Of course, logically, it could be the motu drivers in general...but I can't be the only one who uses a motu midi interface?
I also have a midiman midisport somewhere...too lazy to drag it out now.
Ok, just tested here with OS X 10.5.5 and 10.6.4 sending MIDI with a Tascam US122. Tried with audio output to Built In Audio and to the US122. In all cases sync was solid (<1bpm deviation when receiving on a Win7 machine running MIDI OX with RME M32-AD for a MIDI interface).
You said "main audio interface" above, does that mean "mac Built in Audio" or some other interface? if that's not what you tried before, can you try that please? and also let me know what your "main audio interface" is. I'm still suspicious it's something related to the timing info AM is getting from the audio interface -- which would explain why you get the same bad results with different MIDI interfaces.
main audio interface is metric halo 2882+dsp. I'm not sure what it is that you're suggesting that I try.
> I'm not sure what it is that you're suggesting that I try.
Try outputting to the on-board audio output on your computer. If that fixes the sync problem then we've determined that it's an issue with AM vs the metric halo, let's see...
kind of dumb question: aside from MIDI sync, is audio input and output working correctly with AudioMulch and the metric halo box?
(earlier response rejected by site as spam - sorry if duplicate)
Audio works fine with the 2882.
I tried changing to the internal ins/outs - that didn't make any difference as far as the midi clock issue.
ok. next question: are you simultaneously running any other Apps on the same machine as AudioMulch is running on? or any background services that use a lot of CPU? If so, try shutting down everything but AM and see if that helps (if it does then I can change something in AM to fix that).
Well, I usually have Apple Mail open, and probably often Firefox - but I doubt that this could possibly be an issue of cpu power (?) - I mean, this is a relatively new (3 months or so) mac pro quad, with 12 gb of RAM, etc...
How serendipitous... I was just logging in to talk about this very problem.
If it's the same cause, this issue has actually been present in Audiomulch since the first version. The reason why I'm only writing in to talk about it now is because it hasn't been a major problem for me previously, but will be in the near future.
Anyway - using Audiomulch live, I have it set up as a master clock for a few devices. There are many I'd like to have included in this chain, but haven't been able to use because Audiomulch's output clock speed fluctuates constantly - if I'm playing at 120bpm, devices can be getting anyting from 119.9bpm all the way to 120.1 bpm. So, I ended up having to leave out things like delay units, loopers and samplers because they'd warble, skip or get confused and stop.
But now I'm planning on running replacing my guitar pedals and amps with NI Guitar Rig for some gigs, and I'm planning on using Audiomulch to clock control it over MIDI. This is a problem, because the fluctuations in tempo will affect anything time sensitive.
Now, this isn't a cabling problem - the issue even happens if I run everything on the one computer and sync up via a virtual MIDI interface - constant MIDI fluctuation. And then, regardless of the MIDI interface, cables, whatever - same symptoms.
Any thoughts?
I responded to this, but it never got posted....
I'm about to give up. I need midi clock sync. What is the license transfer policy? (sorry - very frustrated here).
any idea what's causing this, Ross?
Flukazoid: that sounds like a separate issue to me. Droolmaster is having his clock start and stop entriely -- and it seems to be an issue limited to his setup since I've tested on a variety of systems and not seem the same behavior.
I have seen the behavior you're describing. Mild variations in tempo are to be expected and the receiver should be smoothing them out. The timing accuracy of your computer and sound card influence the timing quality of MIDI clock AM can send (less accuracy - more warbling). One thing to do to determine if it's AM or just your setup would be to send MIDI clock with MIDIOX or some other software and see how things perform.
Flukazoid: can you please create a new thread if you want to discuss this further, I'd like to keep this thread for resolving Droolmaster's issue rather than confusing things with your separate issue.
Thanks.
Droolmaster wrote:
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I'm about to give up. I need midi clock sync. What is the license transfer policy? (sorry - very frustrated here).
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Frustrated here too: I want to resolve this issue but it's very difficult when I can't reproduce it here and you are the only person who is having the problem -- it makes it hard to discern any pattern to the issue at all. So far it seems like it is probably not your sound card or your MIDI interface so that only leaves some software configuration issue on your computer, or some setting in AudioMulch.
I'm going to take this to email since you seem to be having trouble posting to the forums.
There are no licence transfers but I will cancel your licence and issue a refund if we can't get this resolved.
Ross.
The issue of very badly stuttering MIDI clock out on some Macs has now been fixed for the next update (2.1.2). That should be out within a few weeks but if anyone is having the same problem please email me at rossb@audiomulch.com and I can send you the current pre-release version.
The issue was a bug in AudioMulch that only seemed to affect some MIDI interfaces/drivers and not others.
@droolmaster: thanks for your patience, glad we sorted that one out.
@flukazoid: as a result of reviewing the MIDI code I have found a way to reduce the jitter a bit more on Windows. Please email me at rossb@audiomulch.com and I can send you something to try out.