Issue: MIDI sync takes a good bar to settle down

rgarner · Post by **rgarner** » Wed May 30, 2018 8:53 am

I'm using my Prologue 8-voice with Logic Pro X. I've set up the Prologue on MIDI channels 2 and 3 for main and sub respectively, and I've connected it to a Macbook via USB.

With an arpeggiated patch, I need to record a looping bar, so I set Logic's cycle to the bar I want, and hit record.

I hear the count-in click, Logic's red recording bar approaches my section, and then...

... the arpeggiator spits out half a bar at its own tempo, then "USB Clock" appears on the OLED and it wobbles a bit before finding its tempo.

This means I have to record two bars every time I want one (the first gets thrown away), and it's slowing my workflow down greatly. This doesn't happen with the Sub 37.

The Prologue has this behaviour in common with the Minilogue. I bought the Prologue thinking that a flagship wouldn't have this issue

Has anyone got the Prologue's arp syncing properly with any DAW at all?

Grokaknock · Post by **Grokaknock** » Wed May 30, 2018 5:58 pm

I get the same thing here. I have always been partial to having a blank bar or two before the seq/arp is triggered. Then I just snip off the blank bar after recording to audio. TBH several of my synths do this. The Integra 7 is the worst. Not a problem for me as long as they stay in sync once it is established.

I have a related issue/question though. Maybe I'll start another thread for that.

Blond · Post by **Blond** » Tue Jun 11, 2019 1:33 am

I have the same issue with my 16. I also cant get it to stop drifting when it barely caught up. Do you have that issue as well? Ive tried over midi, usb and via a volca. I also tried cubase and ableton. Same problem occurs. Never had this trouble befor and I got a lot of Synths. A shame since it got nice features and I really like writing with the arp being in latch..

Fes357 · Post by **Fes357** » Wed Jun 19, 2019 6:54 pm

Did you tried the LOCAL SW in OFF? Just to check there is no MIDI echo at all.

rgarner · Post by **rgarner** » Wed Jul 17, 2019 9:08 am

Local's permanently off

eyehatered · Post by **eyehatered** » Sun Nov 15, 2020 9:03 am

any solution yet to rhis very annoying problem in the 2020 for a so called analog flagship!!??

RobustAmerican · Post by **RobustAmerican** » Tue Nov 17, 2020 1:10 am

eyehatered wrote:any solution yet to rhis very annoying problem in the 2020 for a so called analog flagship!!??

Pretty much every synth I own needs a bar or 2 to establish proper sync with the incoming midi clock. This is not unique to the Prologue.

eyehatered · Post by **eyehatered** » Tue Nov 17, 2020 11:19 am

well my other synths haven‘t this huge delay of syncing in ... amd one is a triton from 2000

eyehatered · Post by **eyehatered** » Tue Nov 17, 2020 11:20 am

btw i like your patches very much !

RobustAmerican · Post by **RobustAmerican** » Tue Nov 17, 2020 11:23 pm

eyehatered wrote:well my other synths haven‘t this huge delay of syncing in ... amd one is a triton from 2000

eyehatered wrote:btw i like your patches very much !

Yea, some synths are better with midi sync than others. As long as they stay in sync once it is established I'm happy. A bar or two of pre-roll has become the norm for me.

Thanks for the kind words eyehatered!

modular1 · Post by **modular1** » Thu Dec 03, 2020 8:34 pm

Got my new Prologue 8 today and already I'm annoyed with it because of this.

Pretty sure I know what it is. Clock options are Auto:USB or Auto: Midi. The 'auto' option is the culprit here. Where the clock stops the Prologue is defaulting back to the internal clock. When the clock starts the 'auto' function senses the incoming clock and switches to the external clock causing the stumbling over itself for the two or so bars until it's its figured out.

KORG!! Please give us the option to set it to manual external clock or internal clock and give us the option to lose the clock switching.
I will never use this synth in any scenario where its not being send an external midi clock. This is gonna drive me crazy. I may even return it. This is stupid omission.The arpeggiator is awful as it stands.

This does mean that clocked patches won't play when there is no clock running but thats the same as every synth I own. Sub37 and Prophet 6 don't to have this issue.

modular1 · Post by **modular1** » Thu Dec 03, 2020 9:56 pm

Workaround: because trying to get the Arp to playback nicely when you start playback in the middle of an arrangement is a nightmare.>>>

Workaround is to set the internal BPM to match your track so there isn't a bpm change when the clock switches. It works much better that way. Hopefully they will fix this. I have contacted Korg.

The auto midi clock switching is the culprit. Korg please fix it or allow manual external clock.

modular1 · Post by **modular1** » Fri Dec 04, 2020 3:55 am

PS. This is not a USB driver issue. The issue remains with midi USB, midi Din, from 2 different DAWs and my elektron gear via midi din.

Narioso · Post by **Narioso** » Fri Dec 04, 2020 6:30 am

Are you using computer as sequencer?
There are different daws that send midi clock while transport is stopped as I recall.

This way external gear would not loose sync.

Is tap tempo working while on external sync, so internal is set accordingly?

I found that my eDrum engine send midi clock constantly.

Could be a way to solve in other end, kind of.....

EDIT: tested a bit in Cakewalk - it takes 2 quarternotes until syncing.
But if I am not having "send start/stop" no sync at all is initiated.
I tested if 8h note, 16th note sync in Plg - but hear no difference.

So seem not to sense clock by itself.

I did a small midi clip 16 bars, at 8 bars I changed tempo to 60, from 140 from start.

Starting playback at bar 2, listened to bar 10 and stopped transport.
So playback start cursor jump back to bar 2 - then starting there 140 bpm - it takes 2 quarternotes until 140.

There are 24 clocks each quarternote, so 50 clocks and in sync pretty much.

Is it improved maybe, taking longer before - a full bar?

eyehatered · Post by **eyehatered** » Mon Dec 07, 2020 2:07 pm

dear modular1

i'm with you... i am very disappointed by this "insyncing" issue (it's per se not a "sync" issue...) too.

and again i have and had a lot of external gear, but never had this problems (ok besides the powercore virus which was also a pain...)