Hybrid (HW+SW) set-up's that work for you?

No. I’m using OB with No Sync. I match the BPM of the DT with Ableton Live. When I want to Record, I click the Record button in Live and press Play on the DT after Live’s countdown.

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So, your livin offgrid huh? Micro-hydro? Yeah, I get it. :grinning:
My mess for the weekend. I tend to only have a couple machines on my desk at a time. DRM1 is on loan from a friend for the weekend. The above storage contains easy to plug into the OT and sample things. Boutiqueish stuff. Really excited to plug in the Motu828. I need to order lightpipe .

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I like to live dangerously :innocent:

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Currently, I use Overbridge on my DT and link all my gear using a midi-thru box. Midi Out comes from a Launchpad Mk3 that is the master clock. I really like the Print-to-Clip feature on the Launchpad. It lets me use the sequencer to fuss around with non-Elektron gear and save the midi data quickly. For some reason I don’t enjoy sequencing external gear through the DT…

I’m not too bothered by latency but it does happen.

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I was always happy with a few synths hanging off a multi input audio interface and SW for the drums (i.e. Reason). Or the Montage with a single USB cable worked absolutely beautiful.

But I start having issues when it comes time to clock HW drum sequencers with the puter. Any attempt at dense layering turns to mush. USAMO turned out to be the perfect solution and I could joyfully smash things together at 170bpm.

So now ive got the mpc and while it’s absolutely fabulous, I can just feel the anxiety rising at the thought of (eventually) having to clock the bloody thing.

Unfortunately I don’t have an interface with multi outs anymore so acquiring another USAMO could also require forking out for a new interface. But the Montage also works as a soundcard and has the required additional outputs so I’m wondering if that might be the solution…

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I’m curious to hear why the Apollo is making your life easier?

I have a scarlet 18i20, just a standard interface. Wondering what I’m missing. Is it latency and built in real-time effects?

So are you using the elektron boxes to change sound presets on your other synths?

Yes. In my case, I use the Digitakt to do so. No need to write down or remember everything.

Yeah. I like being able to jam with hardware, with plugins and no latency, without having to have a DAW open. The software is really good and I love how easy the monitoring is. It’s also partly that it’s way simpler than a DAW for things like channel strip sessions/templates, and partly that the preamp & EQ plugins are great and get me to a sound I’m happy with faster.

It’s just less hassle I suppose.

Edit: thought about this a bit more. One of the most helpful things is that it feels more like having a console that stuff is running through, before it hits the DAW. For example, I have my AR kick running into one channel and it’s going through an 1176 plug and I’m not so happy with how it sounds for that particular sound, so I swap it for the Distressor plug and tweak it until I like it, then go back to working on the track. Now, this is exactly what you would/could do in the DAW, but for some reason I would never have done that in the same way when I was running through a Saffire (via MixControl) into Logic/Live. It let me stay focused on the music.

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I wonder, if have my latency down to 2.67ms (thats what it says in Bitwig preferences) would a sync box be a noticeable improvement? Or, something that would be a game changer?

Just curious about what soundcard and latency you are getting. The RME pretty much fixed my sync problems.

Back then (sometime around 2015 i think?) was using a sapphire pro 40, no idea what the latency was. But Im talkin bout midi jitter. Example problems:

Using the daw as a tape machine isnt a big deal if you can record everything at once. But overdubbing multiple takes tends to end up sounding off since each recorded layer will have jitter at different points. Gets really noticeable with things like fast arps or multitracking the outputs of a drum machine.

Or as I tend to cut and paste and layer entire drum loops, having 2 similar sounds that are sposed to hit at the same point do so at slightly different times ends up with phasing/comb filtering/somethingawfulwhateverthehellitis.

All to be expected when relying on the daw to generate midi and push it down the usb pipe. Haven’t tested the timing of the new setup yet (still in early stages of the new project) but I know its something Ill likely have to deal with at some point. Can easily be fixed, just don’t want to be spending more $$ than I can help.

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Had a play with the MPC & computer sync last night. Jitter was too wobbly for my liking.

Just pulled the trigger on an Innerclock SyncGen. As long as it does what it says on the tin, I’ll be able to use the Montage alt-output to feed it the required audio signal. Sample accurate midi clock ftw!!!

Bit pricey compared to the USAMO but at least it’s not finicky about audio interface compatibility and the extra outputs could actually be kinda useful (also with them being Australian I’m supporting a local company).

I sometimes use ableton as a multi track tape recorder.

I use a 10 input audio interface, so that allows me to track everything into an ableton set, everything on its own channel strip.

I have monitor turned off, for every channel. I monitor my mix using the digital mixer function of my interface, so zero latency.

Once I have recorded, I can edit away as much as I like. I rarely overdub anything.

Everything else, (sound design, compostion, arrangement, sequencing etc, is done with hardware. )

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I’ve always used Logic for multitracking and in the past nine months I’ve started using some VSTs as well. Still largely work with hardware and lay down the foundations of my tracks as a dingle stereo track live.

My question is: Is there an easy and preferably affordable way to achieve recording sync - other than the good ol’ listening to the count-in and pressing playing according to that? :rofl:

(I’m using Logic / Audient iD44 / midi travelling through a good old Elektron TM-1.)

Got the Sync-Gen going in Reason today, sending clock & transport out to the MPC One via the Montage alt-outputs. Getting some absolutely bonkers DnB type stuff at 180bpm in real time!!

Also planning on using it to clock the Montage’s motion control sequencer. Montage also acts as USB audio interface for both it’s internal sounds and the MPC coming in on the audio inputs.

This might be my favourite hybrid setup so far!!

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Do you have a link to the sync gen? Interesting.

Sure thing!

https://www.innerclocksystems.com/sync-gen-3lx

Customer service was also excellent. Actually ended up talking to the dude from the company yesterday evening and he offered to call back in a few days if I had any issues with setup.