• Registered: 2009-12-06
  • Posts: 23

Topic: Help! Cubase syncing and midi issue...

Hi, I apologise if this has been discussed before, but a search of the forums did not provide any insights.

I have an I5-2500K processor with 8 gigs of RAM and my OS is Windows 8. I'm trying to record midi using an e-drum kit through Cubase 6.5.4 with an RME Fireface 800.

I have absolutely no issues with recording guitar and bass audio in terms of syncing, everything lines up great and sounds great. But I've been struggling for almost a year now on recording, wondering why my notes were never lining up with the grid, which I would attribute to poor playing.

Then today, I read on the Steinberg forums that a lot of people are having this issue. I immediately did a simple test, hitting my drums at every quarter note for about 32 beats in the sequencer and discovered to my horror that after about 2 bars, a slight delay occurs in the midi notes and this gradually increase as the time progresses.

I noticed that the issue becomes more pronounced when playing more than one note at a time, i.e. the delay in midi note becomes more pronounced.

I have updated my Fireface to the latest firmware and driver and Cubase is also up to date. I keep reading that there is a fix for this midi issue on the Steinberg forums, but no one seems to no what it is, they keep saying the fix exists.


There is another issue: I have been syncing devices to Cubase's internal clock. So instead, I thought I would sync it to the Fireface. But for some reason, I can not achieve this.

1) Within device setup on Cubase, I have selected the Fireface ASIO as my driver.
2) I have ticked the external sync option.
3) I have tried setting the clock option in the control panel of the Fireface to both internal and word clock.
4) After right-clicking on "sync" in the transport, I have tried setting the timecode source to "ASIO Fireface"""""""

Unfortunately, when I only get the message "sync idle", which tells me that all is not well. If I try and sync all devices to Cubase 6.5's clock, using the appropriate options, I am not sure if my Fireface is synced correctly either.

I would appreciate some help on achieving the most optimum sync between my devices and resolving the midi issue.
Thanks!

2 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 25,604

Re: Help! Cubase syncing and midi issue...

From the manual:

In case of a drift between audio and MIDI, or in case of a fixed deviation (MIDI notes placed close before or behind the correct position), the settings in Cubase/Nuendo have to be changed. At the time of print the option 'Use System Timestamp' should be activated. The Fireface supports both MME MIDI and DirectMusic MIDI. It depends on the used application which one will work better.

The external sync is configured in the Synchronization Preferences dialog (where you choose MTC In Out Source etc). You can not use the FF as sync source, as it isn't one. The Fireface provides audio clocks, not MIDI clocks or position information, so to say.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2009-12-06
  • Posts: 23

Re: Help! Cubase syncing and midi issue...

Hi, thanks for the information, Mr Carstens, I apologise for not catching that in the manual! I have activated timestamp, is there any issue if I activate both MME and DirectMusic Midi?

I was always under the impression that the FF800's internal clock works as a timecode source and after reading the manual, I realise this was never the case! It explains a lot of the difficulty I have been having! Just a musician, not much of a sound engineer...

So should I use Cubase's internal clock in the absence of the word clock? As mentioned, I was doing that before, but I wasn't sure whether the Fireface was syncing to Cubase. What mode should I put the clock source in for this to happen? Is there any message that will confirm synchronisation? Or is this not possible and do I need some kind of external clock after all? I have a SPDIF device that outputs time code and I found that the Fireface can sync to it. Should I use this device to synchronise all my equipment? Or would a Cubase sync be possible without some kind of external connection to the Fireface?

Perhaps the midi not syncing is on account of my own carelessness then! If the Fireface and Cubase are not synced, is it possible that the midi timecode output from Cubase via the Fireface is not synced with the project?

- Jimmy Rage

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
  • Posts: 9,783

Re: Help! Cubase syncing and midi issue...

There is no way and no need to "sync" between the software and the hardware. Cubase does not have an "internal clock" that would require to be synced in any way. Audio clock is also not related to Midi timing.

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

  • Registered: 2009-12-06
  • Posts: 23

Re: Help! Cubase syncing and midi issue...

Right, thanks Mr Fuchs. As reported, I've been doing fine with audio, but things have been getting messy when dealing with midi. Will try some permutations of the timestamp activation and will also see if I get better results with an external sync and report back here!

Just wanted to note, a lot of people that use Roland e-drums complain that midi implementation on their kits is poor, with timing issues. I think this could also be applicable to my Alesis e-drums. In fact, I find it hard to believe no one actually records drums using midi and I think it is due to timing errors. I shall delve a little more into the subject and post back here.

Once again, thanks for the clarifications, RME!

- Jimmy Rage