Traktor MIDI Clock
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  1. #1
    Tech Guru Eliot Han's Avatar
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    Default Traktor MIDI Clock

    Hey guys, I had a question for those who use Traktor's MIDI clock with other devices (ie. drum machines).
    I have found 3 different ways to setup the MIDI clock and can't figure out which one is best for the situation. I would like to have my 4 decks and my drum machine work together without the tempo drifting.

    1. Traktor as MIDI clock master and syncing decks A-D & the drum machine to it.
    2. Traktor MIDI clock in Auto mode, allowing me to assign the master clock to whichever active deck.
    3. Using the drum machine for the MIDI clock and slaving Traktor to it.

    I am curious to see how you guys would route it in your setups. Thanks in advance!!

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  2. #2
    Tech Wizard AshtonArcher's Avatar
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    NUMBER 2! I'd rule out number 3 immediately... I would never use Traktor as a slave to another software. As far as number 1 goes... If you use the MIDI clock in master mode, your entire clock sync could be disturbed if one track goes off the master BPM even slightly.

    I always use Traktor as the master clock in auto mode. All decks and Maschine sync to the tempo of the master deck. As your tempo changes throughout the night, Maschine is always in perfect sync.
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  3. #3
    Tech Guru Eliot Han's Avatar
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    Thanks Ashton!! I was experiencing the sync disruption when one of my tracks had a funky beatgrid to it.
    2 seemed more like the viable option, but I have never tried out option 3 and didn't want to rule out all options. Now I wonder if my TR-8 will adjust to the BPM automatically when the BPM shifts or if I have to sync each time. I had to do that when I was running via MIDI cable, but now that I am using USB for the MIDI clock, I wonder if it phases back into time. that question however, is going to be for the Roland forums.

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  4. #4
    Tech Guru VanGogo's Avatar
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    If the drum machine is receiving the midi clock it should automatically change with the master clock. No re-syncing should be necessary.

  5. #5
    Tech Guru Eliot Han's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by VanGogo View Post
    If the drum machine is receiving the midi clock it should automatically change with the master clock. No re-syncing should be necessary.
    You would think that happens, but it doesn't. When I was sending a clock via MIDI out on the Audio8DJ, I had to hit sync every once in a while to get the drum machine on the same clock. I have updated the firmware on the TR-8 (which addressing some of the phasing) and also am MIDI synced via USB (rather than MIDI in/out). Hopefully when I try this out tonight it doesn't have that same problem of needing to resync every few minutes or so.

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  6. #6
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    I used to do a fair bit of LivePA.

    I had endless problems trying to sync drum machines to any DAW software with any reliability. Ive tried literally every single method and done many hours of troubleshooting.

    Every software based midi clock solution drifts depending on load. Every single one.

    There are three solutions.

    1. Go all internal. Software devices sync just fine in most DAWS.

    2. Go external. I ended up using an MPC as my midi brain, as it is just rock solid %100 of the time. No drift, ever.

    3. Get something like Expert Sleepers hardware/vst combo, which is a hardware solution that reclocks all of your external and internal devices to the same clock. Works perfectly, but is expensive.

    Four solutions.

    4. Just run your devices with their internal clocks and tap tempo them to the beat, and nudge in your track with the platters and ride the tempo. This is what I do now with my drum machines and DVS. I spend too much time otherwise trying to troubleshoot drifting problems that there is no reliable solution for.

    Nudging is fun. Trying to find the right value for a millisecond midi clock offset is the opposite of fun for me.

  7. #7
    Tech Guru VanGogo's Avatar
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    That sux! Hope you get it worked out.
    I haven't synced Traktor's clock with anything yet, but never had that problem when syncing Fx, loop station, drum machine, etc. I was always using midi cables though, not USB.

  8. #8
    Tech Mentor beisi's Avatar
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    seems that Hawtin goes for option #4:

    http://www.djtechtools.com/2014/06/0...-at-em15mutek/

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by beisi View Post
    seems that Hawtin goes for option #4:

    http://www.djtechtools.com/2014/06/0...-at-em15mutek/
    Not really. The plastikman setup is fully in the box.

    Hes not syncing any external synths or drum machines. Just one computer to another over ethernet, its quite different than what we are discussing.

  10. #10
    Tech Guru VanGogo's Avatar
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