Overbridge vs ERM Multiclock

Elektron Software Overbridge
#41

Apologies. You caught me just as I was going to sleep. I don’t have my Digitone anymore so I’m going from memory. But the settings should be near identical to the A4s.

On the Digitone:

  • Start a new project on the Digitone
  • Hit FUNC+MIDI to open the MIDI Settings Menu
  • Goto SYNC and make sure CLOCK RECEIVE and TRANSPORT RECEIVE are checked/on
  • Goto PORTS and make sure INPUT FROM is set to MIDI or MIDI+USB

On the ERM Mutliclock:

  • Hit the select/menu button
  • Goto the SRC page and set it to Internal
  • Hit the select/menu button
  • Goto the CONF page
  • Make sure Freewheel is Off
  • (Optional) Set Machine Mode to POS for testing. This makes playback instant instead of waiting one bar.

Press the Play button on the Multiclock. Does you Digitone respond to transport and receive clock?

If yes then either:

  • The Digitone project you were working on needs to have its SYNC settings adjusted

or

  • The Ableton project may need to have its settings adjusted.

If no then:

  • Try a new MIDI cable

Is Ableton the Master clock in your setup? If so, are you using audio sync, USB MIDI, or perhaps DIN MIDI through an audio interface?

If using USB MIDI or DIN MIDI through an audio interface, in Ableton Settings (Ctrl+, in Windows) on the Link/MIDI tab, are your MIDI ports configured correctly? You should have Output: ‘device name’ Sync set to On.

Just some things to check :slight_smile: Remember to set your Multiclock’s SRC back to the appropriate setting for your setup when done testing above. Also, make sure to set CONF => Machine Mode back to NEG/POS if you want the 1 bar lead in (which is required to allow negative time shifts for the individual channels without some advance configuration tricks).

Let me know if this helps or where the hang up is if there’s still one you’re running into.

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#42

Just to give my experience in this discussion. The Multiclock is worth every penny! I had a constant midi sync battle for ever until the multiclock came in. If you set it up to sync with the audio signal, it is spot on, but like really spot on, more spot on than you could imagine dreaming about midi sync…

If you would not use the audio sync option, I think there are cheaper options out there

4 Likes
#43

EDIT - I solved it. I had a port wired wrong. I knew it was something silly. Everything is groovin now

Interest random thing I noticed in POS/NEG mode is that when I recorded, the WAV files were coming in a bit early, and when I use POS mode (my usual), everything is pretty much dead on the grid.

2 Likes
#44

Good evening all.

Sorry to jump into this thread with something slightly tenuous . . .

I have just set up my ERM Multiclock and have it syncing from Ableton with my OT and RYTM II.

My OT Synced perfectly and displays the exact BPM as Ableton; My Rytm doesn’t. It continually moves by .1

So, 126.0 from Ableton is 125.9, 126.0, 160.1 and round again continually.

Is this typical for those of you with both these devices?

Thanks for any insight.

Adam

#45

My experience is that you can’t trust any BMP displays when a device is a sync slave. Especially if it’s showing fractions of bpms.

According to Innerclock Systems Litmus tests the AR has an audio out jitter of 32 samples when slaved to steady clock. That would never give the fluctuations you are seeing in the display of the AR.

2 Likes
#46

From my experience, I have never got perfect timing and latency using both Overbridge VST coupled with my sound card and other devices.

The nearest perfection I had is by using aggregate devices, currently owning a RME fireface 400 with Digitone and Rytm mk1. They are all set-up as a same sound card linked to midi from the RME. I avoid the OB plugin in Ableton and still record via USB.

This set-up worked really well with my RYTM only but now I’m again experiencing latencies and some clock issues while including DN in this routing.

Do you think the ERM would solve my issues? It seems like my clock is not running perfectly on time while I’m recording and it might come from the sound card itself or Ableton.

#47

You should only have to connect a USB drop the plugin in your daw,
My AR/AF/DT&DN all work perfectly in sync without any need for external clocks etc…

1 Like
#48

Cheers @L4rs3rik.

My OT clock doesn’t move from 126, perfectly matching the output from the ERM Multiclock. My Novation SL Mk3 sequencer is showing perfect BPM too. It’s only the Rytm that is fluctuating.

I’ll raise a ticket with Elektron.

Thanks for your reply.

Adam

#49

For the devices that display BPM, when I use the audio sync from Ableton it’s been rock solid. I wouldn’t call fluctuations, on the device’s display, of 0.1 BPM unreliable or unusable.

When I sync using MIDI from my audio interface, it fluctuates by +/- 0.5 BPM from time to time. You’d be hard pressed to hear that in your end results. I wouldn’t start down that rabbit hole trying to chance down 0.1 BPM of perceived instability. What you have right now is locked as tightly as anyone could need.

3 Likes
#50

Yeah, I get what you say completely. I wouldn’t know any fluctuation is there at all if it wasn’t for the fact the OT doesn’t move at all and the Rytm does. What with them both being Elektron machines I would have thought they’d work equally with the ERM. :man_shrugging::thinking:

#51

I wouldt worry about that. Its usual in the wold of midi.

I take it the ERM shows the Ableton BPM solid tho??

If thats the case its just a tiny tiny (firmware) timing thing on AR II.

Think my AR does this too when slaved to my ERM. You will never notice anything out of sync. It will be spot on.

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#52

Fluctuations in the BPM display do not necessarily mean anything about how accurately the device it’s clock is syncing to its master. The only way to determine whether there is actually a jitter issue is by recording the audio to a grid and comparing it to the grid.

#53

You only really have to worry about your setup is if the ERM 's BPM is fluctuating syncing to the audio pulse. If thats solid and stable all you other gear will be . Just forget about the BPM display it not even 0.1% error.

Ive had the ERM fluctuating but thats only when running Ableton LINK to my friends laptop. For some reason the ERM plugin doesnt like running in LINK mode to ANOTHER PC. Its fine using LINK between Ableton and traktor on same pc.

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#54

Cheers for the mind settling responses; I really appreciate you taking the time to give me some insight.
You are right, the clock from the ERM is tight and everything sounds on point. It’s all good. It’s the fact that the OT’s display is spot on that’s caused my angst to rise. I’ll let my ears decide from now on.

Have a great day.

4 Likes
#55

No worrys mate. Have fun.

#56

My OT’s display is also spot-on, while my AR’s twitches +/- 0.1 BPM, but the AR is not actually jittering (according to both my ears and eyes, when I record its audio to Bitwig). I am syncing both with an Expert Sleepers USAMO (similar sample-accurate sync solution to the Multiclock).

#57

Cheers. That’s reassuring.

#58

I have a quick question. Could I use the soundcard on my Analog Keys with the ERM clock? I don’t use the OB on the AK, I use my Analog Heat as a soundcard at the moment to record into my DAW (Bitwig) one stereo track at a time. It’s a great set-up, but I’ve been dreaming of having perfect sync for 20 plus years. I’ve thought of buying a RME card, because I’ve heard good things, but with my set-up right now, I could never afford both a sound card and the ERM.
So, I was thinking, my AK has four outs. Could I just use that?

#59

As long as you can route a audio channel from ableton to AK out. Try just playing a audio loop from ableton out the AK outputs. If this works then no reason the ERM pulse wouldnt play either.

Im only unsure with your set up if you already have the Heat as a soundcard. That might prevent you from also having AK as soundcard.

1 Like
#60

Yeah, thats true. I recently acquired a 5 year old ewaste computer, that use specifically for the AK now. So, it has it’s own computer, and the Heat has its own. I’m going about this set-up all crazy. It’s prolly not possible. Maybe if I used the Heat as just an OB plugin? I don’t know. Or just get an old motu interface with more than 2 outputs. Thanks. Maybe at some point I’ll either have enough money to get all this working. As it is now, the workflow with Bitwig recording is fine, it just doesn’t sync with my gear after it’s recorded. It’s not a emergency. Just a dream.