Sync external device with MTC with Ardour master..... ....

Getting Stuff Done How do I .... ?
#1

I am trying to sync a Korg Triton LE arpeggiator with Ardour with MTC. Many years ago, I sequenced a lot, and did all my sync with SMPTE to tape. My only MIDI events were note on/off, controllers and program change.

I am using Ardour 2.1 on 64studio/Etch, and a Creative Labs Extigy USB soundcard thing I found in the junk box. The USB MIDI device seems to work, I see read/writable ports in Jack. I am not using it for audio.

I understand that the Triton LE can only sync, not master. I have not recorded a sequence on the Korg to be synced, but I have a patch edited, to (I think) reflect external clock with MTC instead of a “quarter note = X bpm”. I have Ardour set with the Time Master button enabled, and the Internal|MTC|Jack choice set to Internal. Options–>Send MTC is enabled.

In Jack, I am not quite clear about which in/out I should connect on MIDI (I have tried all combinations, I believe). The cable tests good for continuity, MIDI Out of the USB device is connected to MIDI in on the Korg. Here is my routing, showing one of the things I tried.

Jack and MIDI Routing

I also don’t understand the Options|Timecode FPS choices, but I suspect that it has to be right for this to work. When I used to use SMPTE, 30 frames/second was always it for me. I am puzzled to see a 24 fps choice here, because I remember that MTC is 24 ppq. This seems like apples and oranges to me (I have tried both, nonetheless).

Suggestions? TIA

#2

I run mtc to my mixing console, and I just use the control port connected to the midi out port. In ardour check your preferences dialog (alt+o) and goto the midi section. You need to make sure that for ‘control’ the online button is red, and that the mtc radio button is selected for that port as well, you have the rest correct. You might need to check your Korg is listening on the correct ports for MTC, I just have my console set to listen on all ports so i don’t have to figure it out =).

Also if you select trace input and output, and run ardour from the cmdline you should actually see if timecode is being sent out from ardour to the midi port, and then you can eliminate it from the fault finding process.

If you still have no luck, hopefully someone else with more experience than me can pitch in, or maybe try the irc channel

#3

Thanks for the tips, I can see that the terminal is spewing Sysex messages. I know that the cable is good, so that does narrow it down to the receiving end. I will investigate there closer.