Yamaha AW2816, AW4416, Music Production manual Clock Issues, Mtc

CLOCK ISSUES

Working with an Audio Workstation like the AW2816 or AW4416 and a MIDI sequencer gives you the best of both worlds: Audio and MIDI. Let’s start our discussion with synchronization. You will be linking the two machines together via MIDI to accomplish the transfer of control data and timing data. You have the following options regarding synchronization:

MTC – MIDI TIME CODE. This is SMPTE Time Code configured to go down a MIDI cable allowing MIDI gear to synchronize with this film industry standard clock. It is divided into “Hours: Minutes: Seconds: Frames: Sub-frames” and is used to clock music/film or just music devices. The AW units can be the MTC MASTER (or Slave), while a sequencer like the ones in the Motif or RS7000 can only slave to MTC. The Motif/RS7000 can be a slave to MTC at 30-frames/sec. Check the Owner’s Manual of your sequencer and determine if it can slave to MTC. The AW units have a dedicated MTC output – use this just for clock. In any scenario where you will be using MTC as your clock the AW should be set to 30 frames per second, and it should be the MASTER clock.

MIDI CLOCK - The AW and external sequencer can be synced via MIDI clock. The AW can generate MIDI clock (but does not receive it – for obvious reasons) and sequencers like the Motif/RS7000, of course, can send or receive MIDI clock. Therefore, in any scenario where you will be using MIDI Clock, the AW will be the MASTER clock.

When using MTC sync the following situations exist:

•The Audio Workstation should always the MTC Master

•The clock reference should be set to 30 frames

•The MIDI sequencer is set to MIDI SYNC =

MTC

•The MIDI sequencer should be used in SONG mode (Song mode is the only mode that can respond to MTC). MTC uses Song Position Pointer to locate and chase-lock.

•MTC needs a dedicated cable for clock information. Set the AW’s dedicated MTC output for clock information.

•The tempo of the Slave (MIDI sequencer) must match the tempo of the Master (AW clock). They can be set independently when MTC is in use – if you want them to reference time to the same tempo you must set them to the same BPM.

The reason MTC tempos can be set independently has to do with its use in film. That is, when you are referencing music (MIDI) to film, often you need to make the music fit a certain ‘cue’ point. The killer jumps from behind the curtain at 1hr: 20min: 33sec: 10.00frames, and there is a 30 second musical build-up. The composer has a 32- second piece of music. You can set the tempo of the music to climax at the given cue point by increasing the tempo. But for our purposes you will want the clock/temp in the AW to match the clock/tempo of the MIDI sequencer.

There is no single way you must work. Sometimes you will need to be building tracks while working with both units together.

The following situations will exist when using MIDI sync to clock the units:

•The Audio Workstation is the MASTER MIDI clock

•The MIDI sequencer is the MIDI Clock SLAVE

•The MIDI sequencer can be in Song mode (where Song Position Pointer will apply) or in Pattern mode (where you will have to ensure measure location manually).*…{*this is an often-asked question: How come PATTERN mode doesn’t auto-locate? It is simple logic. It can’t – you have a four-measure pattern that cycles. You advance the AW to measure 53 – where is it within that pattern? You see, pattern mode has no linear time line and clock with locate needs a linear time line}

•The tempo of the Slave will automatically be set to match the tempo of the Master. They cannot be set independently.

The clocking options are very flexible and will allow you to work with the Sequencer (in record) while maintaining synchronization with the AW, if necessary.

Setting the START point of a SONG

It is recommended that you leave a small amount of time before the actual start of the song content. This way you can allow for count-ins and other musical ideas you may have at a later time. If you leave room in the beginning you don’t have to worry about not having it if later you need it.

Here is a STEP-BY-STEP guide to the setting the critical clock START point of an AW2816/4416 SONG at the start of a session.

•Press the [SONG] button and select the [F1] SONG LIST screen

•Cursor to the “NEW SONG” box and press [ENTER]. The unit will ask you do you want to save the current song and then offers you the