Sending Midi Sync to Drum machine etc

LegionHWP wrote on 10/23/2022, 10:40 AM

I have a current copy of Acid Studio 11 and am trying to use it as the master to send midi clock and start/stop to my drum machine (Roland TR8s and various synths. Basically all I want to do is have the DAW start everything and then record in real time on my audio device (Behinger USM 404HD with latest drivers). My goal is to record a few tracks live and then go back and add more tracks as overdubs in Acid with those synths running their internal sequncers and slaved via midi clock from ACID.

The issue is I cannot seem to get any midi start or clock to come out of ACID. I have tried the midi in the interface as well as my usual stand alone midi interfaces. In ACID I can go to deivces and have the right midi device selected . On the UMC404HD I see one blip light up when I hit play but nothing else for midi. The other interfaces don't show any midi clock coming out. I don't see any options either under preferences or the Midi track (or audio tracks for tha matter) to tell ACID to be master or Sync otherwise.

I am new to trying to do this in a DAW so i am not sure what I need to do as far as setup in the software. I have started a new project with the audio files in it and alos added a new miid track and made sure I'm sending to ALL or the right channels and all devices are set to receive.via midi cable. I have checked cables and devices and they all sync fine to each other. There seems to be something missing to get Acid to just GO and send the start clock. I also tried using USB to send midi clock to the TR*S nothing works

Any help appreciated. this is most frustrating and the main reason I got the software as opposed to starting on my hardware digital recorder. . I'm hoping it's just something simple i am missing. If anyone has or can point me to a simple project already set up that sends midi clock out to hardware via a cable that would be super helpful as well.

Thanks for any/all help.

Comments

SP. wrote on 10/23/2022, 12:10 PM

@LegionHWP I currently don't have ACID installed, but I think there would by a Sync tab in the program preferences where you should be able to set everything up. If it isn't there check the manual with the search function for synchronisation or MIDI clock. If you cannot find anything in the manual it's possible that the Music Studio version of ACID is missing this feature.

SP. wrote on 10/23/2022, 12:19 PM

@LegionHWP I just checked the manual. MIDI synchronization is not available in ACID Music Studio.

LegionHWP wrote on 10/23/2022, 7:38 PM

@LegionHWP I just checked the manual. MIDI synchronization is not available in ACID Music Studio.

Thanks for the reply but now I'm confused. Where are you getting that info from? I just looked in the manual and it talks about setting external midi clock but it seems like it needs a few things.

P 216 talks about "External MIDI Device Preferences to open the MIDI tab of the Preferences dialog and verify that the check box for the device is selected. If a device is selected for generating MIDI timecode on the Sync Preferences tab"

I haven't SEEN a sync preferences tab though so???

further in the manual when talking about VSTs and external instruments it says this: (steps 4 and 5 indicate there's something that sends external midi clock but I don't know how to get there from a new project.)

"Using External MIDI Devices If you have external MIDI devices such as MIDI controllers or hardware synthesizers, ACID software can use those devices for playing back or recording MIDI tracks. Real-time MIDI monitoring must be enabled to allow ACID software to communicate with the MIDI port. Real- time MIDI monitoring is enabled by default, but if you've turned it off, you can turn it on again by choosing Enable Real-Time MIDI from the Options menu. When the Enable Real-Time MIDI command is selected, audio plug-ins continue running even when playback is stopped. Turning the command off can conserve processing power, but input from external MIDI controllers will be ignored.

Enable MIDI devices 1. Install your device and any required drivers according to the manufacturer's instructions. 2. From the Options menu, choose Preferences. The Preferences dialog is displayed. 3. Select the MIDI tab.

4. In the Make these devices available for MIDI track playback and Generate MIDI Clock box, select the check box for each MIDI device that you want to use as a MIDI output for MIDI tracks and generating MIDI clock.

5. In the Make these devices available for MIDI input box, select the check box for each MIDI device that you want to be available for recording MIDI and controlling soft synths.

SP. wrote on 10/23/2022, 8:13 PM

@LegionHWP

Thanks for the reply but now I'm confused. Where are you getting that info from?

I only have the German language manual, but it's mentioned on page 10, after the index table and the new features. Translation:

ACID Music Studio Limitations

This manual describes both versions of ACID, ACID Music Studio (the program you are currently using) and ACID Pro, the big brother of ACID Music Studio.

The following features from ACID Pro are not included in ACID Music Studio:

- Support for external control surfaces

- 5.1 surround mixing

- ReWire mixer/device functionality.

- MIDI piano roll editor, but MIDI clips can be edited with the inline editor.

- Automation recording

- Real-time rendering

- Groove pool, groove strip, groove file loading

- Input busses

- Loop export

- MIDI synchronization

- Video preview on external monitor

- Program assignment editor

- Integrated MIDI recording

- Vita sampler

There is less content and effects available in ACID Music Studio:

- Only 6 Vita Solo instruments instead of 25.

- Only four essentialFX (limiter, chorus/flanger, phaser, stereo delay) instead of 11.

- Less loop content.

LegionHWP wrote on 10/23/2022, 9:12 PM

@LegionHWP

Thanks for the reply but now I'm confused. Where are you getting that info from?

I only have the German language manual, but it's mentioned on page 10, after the index table and the new features. Translation:

ACID Music Studio Limitations

This manual describes both versions of ACID, ACID Music Studio (the program you are currently using) and ACID Pro, the big brother of ACID Music Studio.

The following features from ACID Pro are not included in ACID Music Studio:

- Support for external control surfaces

- 5.1 surround mixing

- ReWire mixer/device functionality.

- MIDI piano roll editor, but MIDI clips can be edited with the inline editor.

- Automation recording

- Real-time rendering

- Groove pool, groove strip, groove file loading

- Input busses

- Loop export

- MIDI synchronization

It IS very confusing! My english manual has the same page lisitng limitations but the other items I quoted were from the same manual (Acid Music Studio 11). I'm not even sure what they mean by "midi Syncronization" - that's very vague. Is that the same thing as Midi clock? is it Midi clock start/stop? What would be the point of mentioning a "generating Midi Clock box" later in the manula if it won't sync?

The pages I quotes are all in the midi section of the same manual from around P 216-230.

SP. wrote on 10/24/2022, 1:54 AM

@LegionHWP The content of the manual is for both ACID Pro AND ACID Music Studio. But the topics mentioned above are not valid for ACID Music Studio. I can click on the listed topics and jump to the corresponding pages. If I click on MIDI synchronization it jumps to page 318 in the German language manual.

LegionHWP wrote on 10/24/2022, 9:25 AM

@LegionHWP The content of the manual is for both ACID Pro AND ACID Music Studio. But the topics mentioned above are not valid for ACID Music Studio. I can click on the listed topics and jump to the corresponding pages. If I click on MIDI synchronization it jumps to page 318 in the German language manual.

Thank you for your help, I really appreciate you taking a look and clearing this up. . Unfortunately I didn't get a copy of the manual prior to buying and the web pages seem to hide a lot of info so I didn't see that limitation. If I had, I never would have bought it as it seems like a super basic function they crippled in the Studio version. I am not sure if I can upgrade studio 11 to the pro version, if not I'll just have to throw it away and find a DAW that has that basic features without all the confusion.

emmrecs wrote on 10/24/2022, 9:48 AM

@LegionHWP

Email infoservice@magix.net, explain what has happened and that you have, in essence, bought the "wrong" (for you) version and so would like to upgrade to ACID Pro and ask them for the upgrade price. That email is for customer service and they are usually willing to offer you a good deal!

HTH

Jeff
Forum Moderator

LegionHWP wrote on 10/24/2022, 10:12 AM

@LegionHWP

Email infoservice@magix.net, explain what has happened and that you have, in essence, bought the "wrong" (for you) version and so would like to upgrade to ACID Pro and ask them for the upgrade price. That email is for customer service and they are usually willing to offer you a good deal!

HTH

Jeff
Forum Moderator

Thank you Jeff! I was able to find the link to email support this morning and did just that. I will email Infoservice as well to be on the safe side. If this can work out that would be great. I would think there would be a clearly defined , easy to view page somewhere on the Studio page that explains the limitations VS a page in the manual once you buy it but I'm appreciative of the folks in this forum who helped me figure out the issue quickly. It never occured to me that basic midi sync would be a "premium" feature but at least I know .