How to PROPERLY use your Multiclock with a DAW.

[@janisdiz713]

Damn, I guess I rearranged my setup a week too early this video would have saved me some hours of frustration haha. One very important info on the track delay trick that literally took me a whole day to fix: With Ableton you must enable "reduced latency when monitoring" for it to work. Otherwise the multi clock track will not be delayed when recording and monitoring a synth!

[@RickyTinez]

This is actually a super important point!! I do remember now that that had messed me up in the past!

[@antsteep]

After years of working in synth shops I have had to explain this so many times. I wish I had this video to send people to years ago.

[@RickyTinez]

I feel your pain hahaha! Also trying to convince someone they don’t need it for the setups they explain can be difficult too

[@antsteep]

@@RickyTinez so many people buy it and then don’t use the audio sync. Defeats the purpose

[@Typus87]

Dude, there was already a video 8 years ago. kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5q7Z3t_bJdql9k

[@Don_Kikkon]

Just hanging out - and enjoying the sincerity over KZbin, a rare and beautiful thing. Having synced an Atari STe to SMPTE from my Tascam 8 track back in the day (which actually worked quite well - once you'd learned), I can recognize and truly appreciate the amount of 'brain melting' frustration you have experienced and your desire to prevent your viewership from going through that. You really made this look as simple, clear and concise as it is possible to make it. To the point of stressing specific words or parts of the text that I know for sure will save so many watching this from that special kind of "Argh!!" - sync sickness. Thanks again for a very therapeutic watch and channel in general.

[@russelllevin1161]

Finally someone does a proper Multiclock tutorial! 🙏

[@joshandrus]

Damn mate this is a great explanation. After all these years you’re the only person to show the quirks and nuances of getting this thing set up. 🤟

[@iancain6647]

Dude, how super awesome of you to share this.

[@brianbrown4858]

Wonderful tutorial! Thank you!

[@dominicpinchott7432]

I have been using a Missing Link Junior to sync my modular to Ableton. It lets me use Ableton Link via wifi and sent clock/reset to my modular. It even has latency compensation. It has been such a tremendous improvement to my workflow. Now every clip I record is perfectly on the Ableton grid. I even have the Ableton clock set to 2 bars, so my DFAM always starts on beat 1.

[@RickyTinez]

Whoa, no jitter down the line after recording for a bit?

[@effext1]

Ableton Link is awesome. I wish every every drum machine or synth that has a sequencer or uses any type of tempo sync supported it. Doesn’t even need to support WiFi, just a Ethernet port would work. You can set your computer up with a local network. One Ethernet cable going to a network switch then to all your hardware. An 8 port network switch is $20 and cheap cablesare around $2 for a 6 footer. That being said, I’ve been using the multiclock for years. 😝

[@dominicpinchott7432]

@@RickyTinez It seems to miss a clock, or my system is dropping audio on the PC end occasionally. I haven't looked into it fully yet, because I always forget about it, until I notice a quiet beat in the flow. It's rare. I passively mult the clock signal out of the Missing Link and all my synths and modular seem to take it just fine. As a bonus, it can be a standalone clock generator even without Ableton open.

[@TheLordGU]

That’s a helpful hint! As I tend to use Cubasis on my iPad quite a bit, which supports Ableton Link, this Missing Link Junior box might be worth having a look.

[@MrPhillee1982]

Finally got my multiclock after 3 month wait on back order from Thomann. Thank you Ricky!

[@wakinglife7065]

Ditto! Same place same wait time

[@jazzbwooy8889]

Great tip using the offset function. Will be applied, thank you!

[@aggon5927]

Nice tutorial as always, but I think using in positive mode is a pain in order to recalculating again.. if you add a new plugin on the channel, needs to recalculate again.. I prefer negative mode and add one blank bar to the beginning of the project and always my start is on bar 2. Sorry for my english is not my mother tongue.

[@samuelhof2192]

Agree

[@YOGIGER]

Best explanation there is 👏🏻

[@eento06]

Really well made demo Ricky

[@Echodream303]

So well explained! Seems simple, actually very simple yet so confusing and often misunderstood. Can't make it any clearer than a Ricky Tinez "How to". Thank you 🙏

[@RickyTinez]

Yea it’s simple but not easy. Hahah! Also just understanding why it’s doing annoying things helps a ton too

[@neuronist]

This is incredibly helpful, thank you

[@RickyTinez]

Super glad you found it useful!

[@VEsound]

Useful: thanks as always Ricky ❤

[@esmoroglu]

Thanks so much!!!!

[@RickyTinez]

You're welcome!

[@wakinglife7065]

I second the thank you 🙏

[@davidrupture8892]

Bang on big up Ricky!

[@TheLordGU]

Even though I don’t own or use a multiclock, I found this video interesting on many levels. So, first of all: tanks for your time to record this and share your knowledge and experience, Ricky! From what I understand, this might help with more recent gear, which is equipped with MIDI, as well as slightly more vintage machines that use, well, DIN sync? Or am I mistaken here? A somewhat tight audio signal to sync stuff might even allow for, let’s say, a tape machine to be the master clock: record the plugin signal to tape, then feed that channel into the midiclock. (I guess Depeche Mode used a tape machine on stage in their early days to play back the pre-recorded rhythms to their songs. But I am not able to imagine a recent life/stage setup that could make use of a multitrack synced to the tape … But I get carried away, sorry. 😂 - Maybe this would be more suitable for a lo-fi recording setup in a studio using a tape machine then. Anyway …) This was quite interesting. Great to know that a solution like that is available - and good to have an idea how to make it work. Thanks a lot, Ricky!

[@RickyTinez]

Yea that’s totally right! You can even download the “sync sound” and put it into a sampler or something to run the multiclock. And I just covered ONE of the many many ways to use the multiclock. At the time the ability to take a single midi source and split it and rout it to specific outputs was huge! But now it could be done for much cheaper with other options

[@TheLordGU]

@@RickyTinez Thanks a lot! :)

[@sonicultura]

Thanks! I had no clue you could save and offset directly in the Multiclock… 🙏🏾

[@BrandonAaskov]

I don't own a multiclock but I might soon after this. That was very helpful, I followed every step of the way and that's saying something considering I don't own this gear. Like... Elektron box videos can only truly be appreciated by Elektron owners, otherwise it looks like voodoo.

[@just_psy]

Thank you alot! Finally! :)))

[@ManCalledMif]

Fantastic advice Ricky. Always looking to get more understanding of my gear. 🎉

[@RickyTinez]

Happy to help!

[@bradfordkeithmadison953]

Always GOLD information along with fantastic production - best time of the week!

[@RickyTinez]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@GalactrixX]

Thank you Brother!!! ❤

[@mojou2325]

Now my Multiclock is running fine , i spend hours trying to fix this. At the end the magic was to adjust the output route of the audio interface to only the channel which is used by the multiclock. :D

[@channelite]

I love sync videos, awesome!

[@ejkmusic11]

Awesome video Ricky! Just got a multiclock last week, but my interface i want to use for live sets only has 4 line out puts (Komplete audio 6) but im using all of those to route audio in to my Octatrack inputs AB & CD, do you have any recommendations for an audio interface with 6 outputs in a similar form factor (i.e not rack mounted or only expandable by ADAT)? I can’t seem to find one! Thanks

[@wakinglife7065]

Ricky is using the fireface 2 (rme) I noticed the fireface 3 has usb recording which I’m thinking about as far as dawless set up. It’s expensive as it gets but it has Dante or Madi and I was thinking that alongside mio xl that you could route audio and midi all over your house. My living room is my dawless and my studio is just for mixing or in the daw work but I’m not sure if I’m on the right track or if I’m just dreaming that this would work. Mio xl just to connect all my devices via Ethernet and the floating point to be my master clock and fireface to connect audio via toslink or Ethernet

[@ejkmusic11]

Yeah fireface interfaces look great indeed. I ended up going for a basically brand new Tascam 208i interface i found on a used market for 150€. Absolute bargain! 20 inputs (16 over adat) and 8 line outputs on the unit itself which is great.

[@apartfromhouse]

got myself a UAD Volt (which has a midi interface built in) some time ago. comes in handy so I don't have to plug an extra cable to my mac every time I want to use the moog

[@kevindewinter8235]

Hi Ricky i am deep diving in this as Well. I bought a Caldigit hub with included audio interface. In osx its easy to make them aggregated. And jitter correction. Cv/audio sync seems to be the tightest. Cheers

[@kevindewinter8235]

Maybe interesting to test: Method 1: Using Program Change Configure your MIDI device: In your MIDI settings, set the program change message to trigger the clock output. This will allow you to use program change messages to reset the clock. Send program change messages: In your DAW, send program change messages to the MIDI device at regular intervals (e.g., every 1-2 seconds). This will help to reset the clock and reduce jitter. Method 2: Using MIDI CC Configure your MIDI device: In your MIDI settings, set a MIDI CC message to control the clock output. This will allow you to use MIDI CC messages to adjust the clock. Send MIDI CC messages: In your DAW, send MIDI CC messages to the MIDI device with a value that adjusts the clock output. For example, you can send a CC message with a value of 0 to reset the clock, and a value of 127 to adjust the clock output.

[@defenderstargate1447]

What one can do to get around the first samples being late is to start recording but only activate the device or clip that is playing it on a later measure. For instanceI have taken a clip in Ableton and added a few bars of empty space before it and then record it in. Note that this tip is good for just normal recording in Ableton without a MultiClock as well.

[@boomtish]

Thanks Ricky - just for info, this approach also works well with the Midronome, which I'm guessing isn't as feature-rich as Multiclock but seems to work in a similar way...

[@cfs]

If you use a Mac, the brand new Midronome firmware has U-Sync, which is easier to use and more accurate than the ERM. Over USB. No need to use an audio output anymore. No U Sync for Windows, though. Possibly ever. Sample accurate audio still works the same as on the ERM.

[@samuelhof2192]

Why should it be more accurate?

[@cfs]

@@samuelhof2192 Why would you want less accurate? Or are you asking how? I don’t know how - you’d have to ask Simon, the creator of the Midronome. It may be that it’s roughly the same as the ERM in that mode, as the standard mode is slightly less accurate than the ERM on paper.

[@samuelhof2192]

@@cfs I meant how. Sorry for confusion. you state that the possible marketing argument that usync is more precise than the multiclock as truth even there is no fact based comparison. So prove it its more accurate and not just say it is.

[@samuelhof2192]

@@cfs btw i just checked midronome homepage. You‘re talking complete bs. They never state usync is more precise. They claim it‘s the perfect balance between precision and complexity in the setup. But they nowhere claim it‘s more precise…

[@cfs]

@@samuelhof2192 Guess you know everything and have read every post in the forums etc. as well since you've had the Midronome for so long. Thanks, Mr Junior Investigator! Maybe Simon backed off what was said at one point. I was only saying what HAD been said - I do admit I don't pay attention to marketing. So here's your gold star for effort.

[@TrionfoLive]

Legendary vid

[@bzprod]

Excellent discussion on an often misunderstood piece of gear. Thanks for sharing! I sold my Multiclock and switched to Bitwig's HW Clock Out device. Ableton's CV Clock Out does the same thing. They work with DC coupled audio interfaces like my Quantum or your RME. Have you compared Ableton's CV clock out to ERM?

[@RickyTinez]

Hey, that’s an interesting point! I completely forgot that my RME can do that! I was on focusrite for years, which never gave me that ability 🤔

[@arseniharkunou]

Hey, this is very interesting. Have you seen good tutorials on this, showing all the connections and settings? I'm personally on the Apollo Twin (apparently it's DC coupled too)

[@bzprod]

@@arseniharkunou I haven't seen any tutorials, but it's pretty simple. Load the clock device in Ableton or Bitwig, choose your Apollo output, connect to any gear that allows it (you'll probably need a mini plug adapter), set the clock source on your gear. I've used it with my Keystep Pro and Hapax. From those, I can distribute clock to other gear. I use 24 PPQN and then mess with the other settings until I get something I like.

[@arseniharkunou]

Thanks for the video, Ricky! I have a PTSD thinking about all of this :)) It would be lovely to see a video depicting a full workflow where you use multiple hardware devices to record and produce a track (maybe i missed?)

[@wakinglife7065]

Great taste in gear- how is the rme fireface? I noticed the new one has usb recording? For some dawless love

[@CodyAvant]

Fresh cut💈

[@RickyTinez]

😎

[@defenderstargate1447]

Here is a question on a grey area. While you mention that the MultiClock is not needed for straight MIDI recording, what about if you are triggering external synths with sounds that have delays that are synced to the MIDI clock coming in? I am thinking yes it would be good in that situation but not sure. Seems like it would definitely be good though if you were triggering a sequencer on an external hardware synth that needs to line up with what is in the DAW.

[@RickyTinez]

Yeah, I’ve messed with this. Also for example using the multiclock to sync my Peak’s delays. But I found it more of a hassle than worth the effort to get a barely noticeable effect right on the money. It’s pretty good with Zen delay and what not too but most times effects are ok with a bit of jitter I find. Unless you’re using something like an ottobit JR or microcosm, then that’s where it starts to get super weird ESPECIALLY if it’s a SEND/RETURN from live.

[@michaelmadcat]

I'm running a TR-8S, Moog Grandmother, Moog DFAM, Boss RC-500 Looper (that I primarily use for guitar and bass loops), and a Behringer XR18 + Behringer XTouch. To keep this stuff in timel, I've been using an Arturia Keystep Pro at the top of the chain and basically running a bunch of thrus 😅... it does the job pretty decently, but def has some hiccups, especially when I kick on the soft-synths in Ableton. I think this might be just the ticket for my situation!

[@RickyTinez]

Yea that’s another point I may have covered ages ago. Using USB sync feels like it changes as the session gets larger and more CPU hungry

[@common_mob_sound]

Thanks a lot for explaining this. I tried to setup the same way and the negative delay times dont seem to work on my multiclock track in Ableton. Positive delay times are applied. Anyone has an idea why is that?

[@zagorowsky]

another PRO TIP: You can set it up all in exactly the same way as you showed BUT but at the very beginning set the 'shift' knob to +50% - This way, all your gear will start with Ableton immediately AND you will also be able to do the negative shift (from +50% to 0%) Sweet sync spot will be at +50% and you can go all the way forward to +100 or all the way back to 0% (depending on what 'shift range' you set in the settings.)

[@RickyTinez]

Aaahhhh that is handy! Im always so nervous those big knobs will jump between values haha

[@wakinglife7065]

Oh I just saw that you can change the settings from neg/pos to positive for the same effect. Yet to try either strategy but thank you

[@biczmusic]

Hello @RickyTinez , have I missed the Logic Pro work around? Or will it come later?

[@kaerkiu9815]

The way I am dealing with my clock issues is sending Run signal from uMidi straight to my Pam's, then outputing Start and clock from Pam's wherever I need it. This way I can add as many plugins as I want and the recording will be in sync. The only issue is that is starts few miliseconds too late but the only things that are getting desyncronised are sound sources instanced from ableton (not a problem for me because I can simply delay them). It is not perfect but so far the best way to deal with clock I found. Getting clock from uMidi just does not work if you like to mix and do other things in the session while also playing with your hardware.

[@oskultrecord1731]

Hi. Does it work for IPAD I side AUM ?

[@futureworldmachines4407]

I didn't need to get an ERM multiclock to fix the sync issues that I've always had in Ableton, I just stopped using Ableton. The DAW I'm using now flawlessly syncs and records all my external hardware with my DAW right from the first downbeat of the first bar.

[@cod.liver.failure]

which daw are you using now?

[@kevindewinter8235]

Maybe interesting to test: Method 1: Using Program Change Configure your MIDI device: In your MIDI settings, set the program change message to trigger the clock output. This will allow you to use program change messages to reset the clock. Send program change messages: In your DAW, send program change messages to the MIDI device at regular intervals (e.g., every 1-2 seconds). This will help to reset the clock and reduce jitter. Method 2: Using MIDI CC Configure your MIDI device: In your MIDI settings, set a MIDI CC message to control the clock output. This will allow you to use MIDI CC messages to adjust the clock. Send MIDI CC messages: In your DAW, send MIDI CC messages to the MIDI device with a value that adjusts the clock output. For example, you can send a CC message with a value of 0 to reset the clock, and a value of 127 to adjust the clock output.

[@iamjamessmith]

Ricky, you're lookin' ripped bud.

[@fabrialbo]

Ricky, I changed the multiclock knobs with the elektron ones and they fit perfectly giving a nicer look :) If, instead of using the audio input, I used the midi one, would the multiclock perform his best in the same way?

[@RickyTinez]

Depends on where the midi is coming from, it’s it’s just USB Midi you might have some more jitter compared to the audio sync. Midi can only send so many packets of information at once and audio can send TONS more which makes it “more accurate” that’s the super watered down version of why audio is better haha

[@terrancejohnson8239]

Thanks for immediately addressing who needs it and who doesn't. However, i am having a issue with the audio from an external synth being delayed by 40ms when triggered from midi notes in the daw. the midi notes and audio dont have the same starting point when i look at wave file. adjusting offset doesn't help. oddly, theres no delay if i play live while recording midi and audio simultaneously. im coming out of my RME UFX III 5 din midi out to my synth input, no usb midi in. any tools to solve this?

[@Malwensound]

I'm noticing my Multiclock needs adjusting up to 5ms depending on CPU usage, is this normal? For example when I start a project, everything is bang on grid, then by the time I'm a few hours in (and CPU is 20-30%) everything is now 5ms off! Thanks in advance!

[@Bigger-Circuitry-Bigger-SOUND]

Interesting video thnx for sharing, i am trying hard and still didn’t get the benefit of the multiclock to be honest 🤔😅 it seems too much work that i would lose the creative moment, in logic i shift the clock till the recording is on the grid and than save it as project/template and it is set and forget , use the retrokits rk06 and in this way things are working.

[@RickyTinez]

That’s the great part of the multiclock. If it looks like a pain to use or like you’re not sure what it’ll do for you in the studio then you DEF don’t need it haha

[@k5r2d2]

Benn Johnson and Tinez collaborate. The Universe resets, we suffer but the greater good is achieved.

[@dodgingrain3695]

My testing showed that a mio10 was just as accurate as a multi-clock. Same jitter, same accuracy.

[@RickyTinez]

Wow! I’ll have to check that out too

[@_fig.8]

mmm multiclock the handiest thing for joining decades of synthesizers

[@k-g-p]

Come on Ricky give us the Digitakt 2 Video we are waiting for. I know you work at Elektron and you don't want to be chill, but stick to your own words: "Share the love! Share the knowledge! Knowledge is power! Peace!"❤❤❤❤

[@RickyTinez]

Haha! It’s coming it’s coming. Im actually waiting to buy mine (I have a funky preproduction). Customers first for us :)

[@maxpowers3494]

I'm in the (don't need one club), mainly because I have zero clue what it is or does.😂

[@RickyTinez]

Haha! That’s also another reason to not buy one 😂

[@daftdj123]

The Expert Sleepers USAMO might do the job for less. An alternative worth considering.

[@thedeepblueskys]

Dang, this is a bit complicated but Ricky explains it very well. I’ve been eyeballing this unit and the lower model because I have multiple synths and an old as% computer using Reason 10. I love reason and it’s my DAW of choice, but Ableton works better with this setup. I’m still gonna make it work for Reason and eventually get a new computer. I got a bunch of semi vintage instruments that don’t have USB but most of my stuff does. Virus TI, Korg Radias, King Korg, Moogs, Tastychips GR-1 and a Digi-takt/tone. Point is, I think I might be able to just get a new computer and solve my ever going midi issue, but this clock generator might be what I really need. Even with the old computer. It’s a maxed out 2010 mbp and runs pretty darn smoothly besides handling multiple midi to and from the computer.

[@miraclegrow]

did ricky go through a glow up or something? maybe its been a while

[@FuZZbaLLbee]

Good explenation, but I still don’t understand why ableton can’t shift the midi notes in time per hardware synth. I think it can be done with Ableton “External Instrument” this should be able to compensate for system latency, effects chain latency and hardware latency. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jZy0nK14d5uGsMUsi=tcBwydqmGJxTJpOx

[@ROMOFACE]

man, thank you. lol

[@RickyTinez]

haha! I know the struggle!

[@justindrake8537]

Sorry, I don’t think this is correct. The amount of negative delay you add would need to be adjusted as you add more plugins. You can’t beat the 1 bar issue. Also it’s better if you use the external audio effect to send the signal to the multiclock. This is all to do with PDC (plugin delay compensation) Check it out

[@andrewdelemere308]

remove other videos very confusing

[@n.l.541]

I think this gear is overcomplicated, usb sync is quite OK these days.