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Message

"MIDI Sync For Dummies"

2002-07-24 by mbedtom@aol.com

This is probably a RYFM (read your flamin' manual) question, but I'll ask if 
there are any pointers someone could share...  How does one synchronize 
tracks that are recorded at different times?  That is, MIDI track #1 is sent 
player-piano style to the MOTM.  The audio produced is recorded onto computer 
hard disk.  Now, MIDI track #2 is sent player-piano style to the MOTM.  The 
audio produced is recorded onto computer hard disk in a different file from 
track #1.  (Will mix 'em down later.)  If the composition is long, the sync 
will be horrible.  What is the "right way" to fix this?  What if the 
"recorder" computer is a different computer than the "Sonar" (MIDI 
player-piano) host?  CPU clocks are way different!

Assume the following:

8 MIDI tracks exist under the auspices of Cakewalk "Sonar" on a Wintel 
computer
MIDI-CV (for MOTM) interfaced to computer via MOTU "midi express"
MOTM system only large enough to realize one quality MIDI track at a time
Hard disk "recorder" is another, separate Wintel machine

Without some sort of "master clock", the tracks will invariably get out of 
sync with each other.  The longer the piece, the worse the sync-loss will be. 
 Am not certain if I have the correct hardware to eliminate this problem.  
All product manuals yak on and on about sync, but no single manual accounts 
for the pieces of equipment I have and how they should be tied together to 
minimize minor timekeeping differences.  Is there a "standard" by which this 
is done?  The MIDI standard has been around for a long time.  There MUST be 
some "Musical Instrument Synchronization Interface" standard, isn't there?

I am completely ignorant on the subject of syncing so if someone knows of a 
suitable primer, I'd be overjoyed to read it.

Many thanks in advance.

Cheers!
Tom Farrand (in blissful ignorance)

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