Recording Latency in Octatrack - Bug?

[toob]

I’ve really struggled with latency in my production. I try to compensate for latency in ableton in the midi preferences using midi clock sync delay.

It kind of works, kind of doesn’t. I have tried using my machine drum as the midi master instead of Ableton…

When I zoom in on my samples I can see they are off, so I drag them to the grid, but then I lose confidence in my track’s groove, get frustrated, and walk away.

How do you guys deal with this? It the OT better to use as midi master than MD do you think? Do I need some fancy external midi clock to get Ableton to work right?

[L-Funk]

For me the clock in ableton is extra horrible.
I try to just ignore the grid. If everything grooves, then it is no problem. It gets Tricky if you want to use soft and Hardware sequencers. Just do not do it…

[jbone1313]

Solution for ITB-OTB clock sync and latency in Ableton

EDIT: Even better solution a few posts down. EDIT: Even better solution a few posts down. EDIT: Even better solution a few posts down. In the excellent Hardware fun vs. DAW productivity thread, some said the ITB-OTB clock sync and latency issues in Ableton drove them away from attempting to sync their hardware to Ableton. I struggled with this for years. It does not have to be this way. I think I found a way to solve all the variable latency problems you have when monitoring synced hardwar…

[toob]

I agree, everything is fine for me recording hardware if it’s already grooving, but then if I want to manually input audio samples in an audio track or use a the “simpler” via a midi track, all that stuff is right on the grid and doesnt fit in naturally

[zelektron]

What’s nuts is how I usually find a way around all midi related issues by using compensation or whatever.

But with the OT, it’s unique. Somehow the delay is different everytime. Usually it’s around 29-38 ms too late. But occasionally, I’m experiencing the OT being recorded too early! So there has to be a solution. I’m still honestly not sure if it’s Live or OT causing this, maybe I’ll check with Studio One or Reaper asap.

Btw I’m not using Midi clock out of ableton. I’m syncing my DN with OB and then sending clock out of the DN directly to my Midi Splitter (have tried without the splitter as well) . From the Midi splitter I have OT and DT both following. The DT almost ALWAYS behaves and since the audio is over usb, I don’t have to worry at all. But with OT audio being routed to my interface, there is more work involved. Perhaps I’ll try to send OT audio back into DN inputs…even though I’m sure it will affect the sound a bit.

For now my solution is to monitor with one track (OT) and delay compensate that track. Record from a new track and make it’s input to the monitor channel of OT.

This allows me to open Live and usually the OT behaves…but I’m sure I’ll face a day where the OT/Live decides to change the delay amount, and I’ll have to re compensate…which kinda slugs the vibe

[Octagonist]

@zelektron

Btw I’m not using Midi clock out of ableton. I’m syncing my DN with OB and then sending clock out of the DN directly to my Midi Splitter (have tried without the splitter as well)

I don’t use OB, so I may be mistaken… but isn’t this still “using Ableton clock”?

Do you have your DN set up to send MIDI clock? So you have Ableton leading the DN, then the DN, separately, leading everything else? Sounds risky to me.

[zelektron]

Ah ic , so I believe OB allows us to skip any midi setup within Ableton settings. As in, I don’t have any of my machines as a midi device in Live 11.

OB handles all audio and midi related stuff through the OB plugin directly. Therefore yes, it’s the Ableton clock, but no because Ableton is not in charge of sending the clock information directly, just tells the plugin what its status is in real-time.

I might be completely wrong in the way I see it, but I’m hoping someone makes me understand if I am wrong.

Btw the daisy chain might be the most stable way I’ve found to make all machines play nice with each other.

If i didn’t have the OT, I could just run DN and DT directly on OB, clocked independently.

OB used to be unreliable (Windows) until this latest update that just got released, seems pretty solid now.

Just that OT that acts weird. I’m going to re-attempt monitoring directly instead of through live, see how it goes!

[Octagonist]

Thanks foe the explanation.