Korg Zero 8 Effects and Midi Clock

subterFUSE · Post by **subterFUSE** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 1:07 pm

Cyke wrote:Hi all, welcome to new z8 users, its nice to have some form of reference building up.

still quite happy about my purchase, it still feels like christmas when i turn it on ^^

I am keeping my hopes up that Korg will see the advantage of incorporating the Cue assignment, as it would be a genuine plus ..

subterFUSE wrote:I got the MIDI sync working now.
The next order of business is figuring out how to launch clips while the External sync is in action?
To be continued.......
would you mind elaborating on that ? i could not get Live to receive any input, maybe post a screen of your midi settings?
What issue does launching clips pose then ?
I have 4 faders assigned to 4 ableton channels, which for me is more then enough to mix with ... setting another channel or two to line/cd or phono, gives you the four fader channels to assign/midimap the start/stop/scroll controls so you can launch/control clips, or am i missing your point here?

Too bad the beta OS isnt circling around yet, i'm quite anxious to get my paws on that ^^
Being from Europe, i cant get into korguksupport nor usa, i get sent to some vague rep in the netherlands who hardly ever heard of the zero8

grant,
If you like i can post a template as to how i setup my z8, its only a rough draft but im glad to help if i can.

Hi,

I have been so busy for the past week that I have not had a chance to play with my Zero8 anymore.

I will try to work with it soon and post my results on the MIDI sync, along with some screen shots.

Hopefully if we all put our heads together we can work through this.

stevea · Post by **stevea** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 2:46 pm

I'm listening with bated breath, I've got two weeks till it arrives, holotropic, respect and greetings....how are you with yours?????

Hi everbody!

Cyke · Post by **Cyke** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 6:00 pm

subterFUSE wrote:
Cyke wrote:Hi all, welcome to new z8 users, its nice to have some form of reference building up.

still quite happy about my purchase, it still feels like christmas when i turn it on ^^

I am keeping my hopes up that Korg will see the advantage of incorporating the Cue assignment, as it would be a genuine plus ..

subterFUSE wrote:I got the MIDI sync working now.
The next order of business is figuring out how to launch clips while the External sync is in action?
To be continued.......
would you mind elaborating on that ? i could not get Live to receive any input, maybe post a screen of your midi settings?
What issue does launching clips pose then ?
I have 4 faders assigned to 4 ableton channels, which for me is more then enough to mix with ... setting another channel or two to line/cd or phono, gives you the four fader channels to assign/midimap the start/stop/scroll controls so you can launch/control clips, or am i missing your point here?

Too bad the beta OS isnt circling around yet, i'm quite anxious to get my paws on that ^^
Being from Europe, i cant get into korguksupport nor usa, i get sent to some vague rep in the netherlands who hardly ever heard of the zero8

grant,
If you like i can post a template as to how i setup my z8, its only a rough draft but im glad to help if i can.

Hi,

I have been so busy for the past week that I have not had a chance to play with my Zero8 anymore.

I will try to work with it soon and post my results on the MIDI sync, along with some screen shots.

Hopefully if we all put our heads together we can work through this.

No worries mate, we all have our lives to attend to.

I also haven't been fiddling around with it that much, but on the brightside, i was talking to a guy in the neighborhood who did get the midi sync to work with his decks

something with alot of messing in the zero edit soft with the midi settings

so im gonna try to meet up with him this weekend and see if it actually does, and ifso pick his brain about it!

myself i havent gotten it further then you got it, so ive read on the ALDJ forums, i'll surely post my findings if i sort it out.

so i concur, we'll figure this out if we put our heads together on this one

subterFUSE · Post by **subterFUSE** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 3:14 am

Alright.... So I've spent some time tonight working with the MIDI BPM sync.

I have succeeded in getting Ableton to sync with the external MIDI source, and I can now use the Zero8 to control the BPM in Ableton.

Here are my settings in the Ableton prefs:

Once you have set those prefs, Ableton will accept MIDI clock from the Zero8.

You then must start Ableton playing. Then you click the EXT button at the top. This enables the external sync. (If you don't start Ableton playing before you click the EXT button, then you won't be able to launch clips)

Now you can use the Zero8 to control the tempo in Ableton.

Here is where I am running into problems.

1. The MIDI sync does not hold the BPM accurately enough to mix Ableton to a vinyl source.

2. I can't get Ableton's quantization to line up properly with the MIDI clock from the Zero8. This makes launching clips with the correct timing nearly impossibe. The only way I can do it is to set the Global Quantize to None. But I prefer to use Ableton in 1 bar Quantize mode.

Proof · Post by **Proof** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 9:47 pm

I have always found, that while all this technology is good, it is sometimes just easier, and better - to do it by hand.

I traditionally synced up my RS7000 to the turntables by hand. Hitting play on the sequencer, then 'riding' the tempo setting on the box.

I have generally found, unless its for quick mixes, the analogue and digital sources will not stay in time, because, well, ones analogue, it doesn't.

I personally now have the 'digital' source as the main tempo source, and manual keep the vinyl in time by hand.

Maybe, in regards to the quantisation issue - you could drop it in with it turned off, then turn it back on with a hotkey?

subterFUSE · Post by **subterFUSE** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 1:20 am

Proof wrote:
Maybe, in regards to the quantisation issue - you could drop it in with it turned off, then turn it back on with a hotkey?

That works fine for starting your clip in sync with your vinyl or CD. But then when it comes time to mix your next clip in Ableton you run into a problem. The Arrangement Position at the top will be out of sync with your clip's quantization. (i.e. the first beat of a bar in the clip won't be playing on a 1 count in the arrangement) So you won't be able to revert back to 1 Bar Global Quantize. If you do, you can't get the 1st beat of a bar in your clip lined up with the arrangement. So you won't be able to launch in sync unless you stay with Quantization set to None, or another very fast setting.

Essentially what is happening is that the Zero8 MIDI Clock is taking over the Arrangement Position. There needs to be some way to reset the arrangement position, but I don't know how to when using EXT MiDI sync.

Proof · Post by **Proof** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 1:40 am

Yeah - I thought that would be the case.

The interesting thing is, which is an amusing observation, rather than anything else, is the 'DJ's here (including me), complaining that they will have to use one of their eight channels to cue from...

so... you would only have seven channels of simultaneous audio to use?

Poor, poor us...

subterFUSE · Post by **subterFUSE** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 2:15 am

Proof wrote:Yeah - I thought that would be the case.

The interesting thing is, which is an amusing observation, rather than anything else, is the 'DJ's here (including me), complaining that they will have to use one of their eight channels to cue from...

so... you would only have seven channels of simultaneous audio to use?

Poor, poor us...

Like I said.... it's an annoyance. Not the end of the world.

However, I would be royally pissed off if I had a Zero4.

Proof · Post by **Proof** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 2:22 am

I guess an easy solution (with re-programming) might be to enable a virtual output to be assigned to one of the external returns?

subterFUSE · Post by **subterFUSE** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 2:56 pm

Proof wrote:I guess an easy solution (with re-programming) might be to enable a virtual output to be assigned to one of the external returns?

The best solution would be to allow the Master Bus and Headphone Bus to be separately routable inuts/outputs.

Essentially, this should be a 10 channel soundcard. 8 Channels for mixing, plus separate Master and Headphones.

Proof · Post by **Proof** » Sat Sep 29, 2007 3:24 am

Actually, its already a 16 channel firewire interface (stereo remember) - which is already quite a major accomplishment...

subterFUSE · Post by **subterFUSE** » Sat Sep 29, 2007 12:36 pm

Proof wrote:Actually, its already a 16 channel firewire interface (stereo remember) - which is already quite a major accomplishment...

8 channels stereo.

It needs to be 10 channels stereo.

Proof · Post by **Proof** » Sun Sep 30, 2007 1:01 am

I realise that.

I'm just used to dealing with 'interfaces'... so its all mono inputs and outputs...

heh... I agree. Does anyone know what the theoretical maximum is for Firewire?

m4m · Post by **m4m** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 1:11 am

the mistake they made is that while you physically have 16 inputs you have only 6 physical outputs (stereo, aux1 aux2) and not 16 (which would be essential for serious use with external gear)
i wish they make a zero16 pro with all the expected physical I/O

Proof · Post by **Proof** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 2:01 am

Well... it wasn't a 'mistake' - i'm sure it was a design decision.

They could also have put direct outs on each channel, inserts on the master outputs and channel inputs, and so on... its a case of where do you stop?