Hooking up A4 with Ableton (midi clock)

casicadaminuto · 2013-09-30T11:05:39.000Z

Hi people,

i am now a proud owner of the wonderful Analog four.

I have been making music and performing live for quite a long time now (ambient/drone stuff), though I never really using midi-sync via midi clock as I never really needed that.

Though now I’d like to step up and, having bought the A4 a week ago, I’d like to hook it up with the live environment in Ableton Live.

So, i’d like to ask, what’s the easiest way to do this? Can I use the USB midi cable as well?

I regurarly use a Behringer Xenyx mixer to mix all the audio comig from various sound sources that I use and I’d like to do it like that now as well … so A4 to one (L/R) channel and the computer with Ableton to another (L/R) one. The only thing i need to accomplish is that when I launch the Ableton Live project (in, say, 70 bpm), the A4 sequencer will start playing in sync in the same tempo and I’ll be able to improvise along the computer with my A4.

Can you help out a midi noob, please?

Thanks a lot, fellow Elektronauts.

Regards,
Slavo

RyanElektric · 2013-09-30T11:15:51.000Z

Although I personally have not used it (and remember reading when it first came out that there were probems), the A4 will sync to the clock of your DAW over USB.

Simply go into FUNC+GLOBAL and set the sync to “clock= EXT” and make sure MIDI+USB is selected. I’d also have it receiving transport (start/stop). You won’t have to worry about your DAW sending program changes or note information unless you set it to, so that should be all you need to set for now.

casicadaminuto · 2013-09-30T16:23:43.000Z

Thanks. “Clock=EXT” means Clock=Receive, right?

It seems to be working. The only issue remains, how do I make the A4 to change patterns only after at the pattern end? Meaning, I hit a pattern change some time before the pattern ends, but I want the pattern to change AFTER it’s been played to its end.

Know what I mean? I want to avoid needing to hit pattern change with a very precise timing

RyanElektric · 2013-09-30T16:32:32.000Z

Clock EXT= External Clock- so yes.

casicadaminuto · 2013-09-30T16:39:29.000Z

I have one more question - I edited the last post. See above.

BadVoltage · 2013-09-30T16:43:49.000Z

Function +bank group: PTN SEQUENTIAL

casicadaminuto · 2013-09-30T16:48:15.000Z

Fantastic, great and awesome! You are all wonderful.
Now I’m on to make a huge quality leap in my music, I presume.

kiko · 2014-07-07T14:53:20.000Z

Hi guys,

I wonder if you can help me with a little (for me big) problem:

I want to record what I programmed on my A4 into Ableton Live 8, currently I don’t have an external sound card here, so I have to use the internal sound card from the MBP.

Hope someone may help me out or show me a link where it is explained (I couldn’t find any!).

Cheers!

sicijk · 2014-07-10T07:35:10.000Z

@ kiko

What’s your main issue about this recording setup? (except the use of the minijack socket and the internal soundcard…)

If I was you I would get a “minijack stereo-minijack stereo” cable plus an adaptor to make it 1/4" jack

So you go from A4’s Headphone socket to MacBookPro minijack input (I’m presuming it is a stereo input).
Just check if you can modify properly the input gain in order to have a good out from the A4 and a not too hot signal fed at the input stage.

Another cabling option could be to use a Y-cable: “2x TS jack > minijack stereo”

this time you go from the A4’s Main L/R Out.

All of the time I would go for the 2nd option!
P.S.
buy anyway an ext. soundcard…A4 deserves it!

I hope I got a bit of what you were asking about…

kiko · 2017-08-12T16:08:33.818Z

sicijk:

What’s your main issue about this recording setup? (except the use of the minijack socket and the internal soundcard…)

If I was you I would get a “minijack stereo-minijack stereo” cable plus an adaptor to make it 1/4" jack

cool thanks! sorry for the late reply