Can I get Sync to work without A4 being master?

Elektron Gear Analog Keys/Four
#1

Short story; I want Octatrack to be the master for transport and clock, but I want to take advantage of A4’s Din sync or CV/gate to sync up my modular.
Long story;
I’ve had the A4 for a long time. I used to sync it up with some older gear and my modular using DIN sync or a V-Trig pulse. But I’ve since moved on to either using the Octatrack as the master of my hardware setup. Since it can sequence 8 MIDI and sample tracks. And I much prefer to have more tracks rather than less.
Problem here is that the A4 doesnt want to output a DIN sync clock when it’s just being a module, not a sequencer. It needs to be in a play or record state to send clock. Which I suppose makes sense.
Likewise it doesn’t seem to want to output gate or trig pulses without being in a play or record state. Even when I put it a CV track in clock mode.

I even tried using a free running LFO to send clock, but if that had worked I don’t know how I could make sure it was clocked to the same BPM as everything else, as it is freerunning!

#2

Hi ,

here a recent a4 user. it’s a suggestion … but is it all right in the setting of midi thru or send clock? (manual MKI - pag 57-58).

maybe you have to set thru port config.

#3

There should be no problem in practice.

In the Analog Four’s GLOBAL > MIDI CONFIG > SYNC menu:

  • activate CLOCK RECEIVE and
  • activate TRANSPORT RECEIVE,

so that the Octatrack controls the AF’s tempo.

In the AF’s GLOBAL > MIDI CONFIG > PORT CONFIG menu:

  • set OUT PORT FUNC to DIN 24 or DIN 48 as you prefer.

Connect the AF’s MIDI Out port to your modular’s DIN Sync inputs.

You can also:

  • use the AF’s MIDI Thru port to send DIN Sync;
  • use the AF’s CV outputs to send CV, gate, trigger, and clock signals.
2 Likes
#4

I’d thought about doing something like that. But it requires me to make a blank pattern so if it goes into ‘play’ it’s not interfering with whatever the Octatrack is sending.

#5

Doesn’t the THRU port set to send DIN24/48 work for this case?

#6

Nah the Din sync never starts unless A4 is playing.
I used to do that with a DIN to 1/4" adapter I made. Back when I used the A4 with a Machinedrum and I would tediously write patterns on both set to the same bank numbers.
I might erase a pattern on the A4 and give it a shot later.