Hi,
I'm trying to set up a template project in my DAW that includes one track that will be for the chords sent to the ARP via MIDI OUT, and then VST tracks for the 4 ARP tracks using MIDI IN.
I'm using an iConnectivity MioXL with MIDI DIN cables. Power is coming from USB-powered plug, so not connected to my Mac.
This setup technically works but I am finding that there is a latency when changing chords the result of which means that chords appear to change on the second beat of a bar.
I've tried a few alternate configurations of the MIDI devices with the MioXL but I don't seem to be able to fix it.
Are others having more success with this sort of setup - where the DAW is playing the ARP, but also receiving the 4 MIDI channels.
MIDI Control Mode = IN, MIDI Input = Ch 16, ARP Tracks = Ch 1,2,3,4, MIDI Output = DIN Only
Cheers
Mark
The issue is the time that ARP needs to read the MIDI data before calculating the
Global Chord/Scale.
The timeline can be considered like this...
You press Play on the DAW and the first clock tick is sent to ARP, followed by the notes of the chord.
It takes around 1ms to read a MIDI message.
ARP reads the initial clock tick and starts it's internal sequencer. If the sequences have an active step on tick 0, the first MIDI notes will be emitted.
ARP then receives the Chord notes from the DAW and updates the global Scale.
Because the incoming notes arrive after the initial clock tick, the chord change is too late. It is the same for any chord change point in the future.
The best way to resolve this is to move the chord change back in time (in the piano roll) to before the point the notes should play.
The fundamental problem is the inherent latency of sending and reading MIDI data. When playing with a keyboard it's easy to shift the chord changes forward in time. Only in a DAW or sequencer, with very exact control of the note timings, does this scenario become apparent.
I hope that makes sense.