Hi nauts! I just updated to the most recent Overbridge and I’d like to integrate it to my “regular” setup. Octatrack is the master with Transport, Tempo, Program changes going out and into Digitakt, Digitone, a DSI Prophet 6, and a MachineDrum. Midi into the Octa is coming via a KeyStep so I can use it’s keyboard for sample transposition and programing midi notes for the P6. That’s the basic Midi setup. I’m running Audio from the Takt and the Machinedrum into the inputs on the Octa. Octa outputs, Cue and Mains, are going into a Focusrite 18i20. Prophet 6 outputs are going into the Focusrite as well as the Tone’s Outs.
So that’s what I’m working with in my reg setup.
Here’s what I want to do.
I’d love to stream all the tracks with the Takt and Tone thru Overbridge and free up some audio inputs on the Octa as well as the Focusrite.
I did a quick trial yesterday with Overbridge streaming midi and audio into Ableton 10.1 via Overbridge and the audio was coming in fine. I was having problems with controlling the transport for the Takt and Tone. Either I can have transport go to the Takt and Tone via Ableton or switch on External Control, Midi out of the Octatrack controlling transport/tempo in Ableton, but that doesn’t work super well. It’s pretty glitchy as far as the sync from the Octa into Ableton and I’ve experienced tempo drift when recording in the past with Ext sync on.
Help!! I feel like there must be a way to keep Octa as the Master and just stream the tracks into Overbridge without having Ableton take over transport and sync duties for the Takt & Tone. A friend recommended that I buy an external Midi device, one of E-RM’s products, for syncing everything but I’d like to wait on that purchase until the holidays roll around.
Ableton has always worked better for me as the master.
Why do you need the octotrack as master? Just hit spacebar to start it all.
U can chain the OT to the others with midi cords for program changes
Nevermind I figured it out. You can turn off the sync for the Takt and Tone in the Overbridge plugin.
I was hoping to have a semi Daw less setup but I suppose I could use Ableton as the master. I think I’ve tried it before and still found it pretty glitchy but maybe that was an old version. Haven’t tried 10.1
Before I mark this thread as solved let’s say I do want to use Ableton as the master sending Midi Out, transport/clock, to the Octatrack. How do I do that while keeping the KeyStep sending Midi In to the Octa as well? I’d love to keep the KeyStep where it is so I can transpose samples. Should I send transport and clock to the Midi in of the KeyStep? Or maybe a Midi Spliter of some kind?
I have tried the same, I use external amps hooked in via adat into my audiodevice. I run digitone, A4, AR, MD, Moog Sub however I get hard to fix timing issues, even with an external dedicated clock. Internal VST’s vs Overbrigde, external audio devices vs overbridge etc.
However if you use only your OTB devices, it should be fine. I did became very happy from my external clock, tightend the external devices very well.
For the routing:
Route the midi out of ableton via the keystep midi through? Or buy a midi hub, and you can plot your own routes across devices.
If you can spare an audio out, the Expert Sleepers USAMO is a good way to get solid timing from a DAW. It’s the most practical, cost effective way I’m aware of. MIDI over USB (whether directly or via an interface) is too loose to get clean loops and slices if the OT is slaved to it, in my experience. There’s always enough jitter that even if you don’t notice the timing being loose you still tend to get clicks and gaps, especially if you’re playing back from a live record buffer. USAMO’s timing is as tight as any hardware sequencer I’ve used, as far as I can tell.
If only they would make an input version for recording MIDI output from hardware accurately.
For a simple MIDI clock, I’ve got a Midisizer MidiGal running the “sync” fimware and it works great (and also doubles as a really solid MIDI to analog clock and DINsync converter, too. It’s a little pricey prebuilt but if you can solder at all it’s a really easy build and the kit was like $65 when I got mine last year.