Ren setup with tb-3

Just an update on the digital side
I removed the digital optical cable sending the computer audio to the ren ,it wasn't sending the tb over this after I removed the multi out set up
I tried the tb alone just by USB ,the digital audio sent over USB to the ren still starts to crackle say every few bars maybe 4 to 8
My macs on mountain lion maybe I should update I got mavericks on a USB just been holding off till akai release there update

So I'll contact akai and Roland see if they know why maybe a driver issue
Shame because it's crystal clear otherwise and I would prefer to use that to be honest
I'll just use audio inputs for now

Are you plugging the Renaissance and the TB-3 both directly into the computer USB ports?

Have you tried increasing the Audio Buffer Size in MPC Software Preferences/Audio?

As Airyck suggested, you could use analogue audio cables most of the time, and only switch over to the TB-3 through USB when you want to record it into MPC Software.

Yes both into mac

I've got the buffer setting on 1024 the highest if I go lower it def gets worse

What about the USB cable didn't get one with it used one I had in the draw but I think I got that with another piece of music equipment maybe my motif

Yeah I could do that for now until maybe it gets fixed down the line

I think there's a firmware update for the tb but not checked what I'm on yet so not downloaded it

What about ram I've got 4gb

From what you're saying it sounds like it may be a problem with the TB-3 audio interface drivers. Does it have any kind of control panel for it that is separate from the Renaissance? Basically seeing if you can change any of the buffer settings for the TB-3 separately from the Renaissance.

Also have you checked to make sure your TB-3 has the latest update installed?

http://www.roland.com/support/article/? ... ads&p=TB-3

Sorry I had to jump in as a TB3 and Ren user. Firstly, this is the most convoluted way of connecting any gear I have seen ever, and man you must have a headache.
1. Why would you record the audio when you can just send program changes from the Ren to the TB3?
2. A mixing desk, no matter how small would greatly take the stress out of this? You don't need optical leads etc?
3. I am set up as follows:

MIDI Out to TB3 (USB or din, although USB will always take preference. incidentally i get a s*** load of digital hum via the USB and just mains power it and use DIN.
MIDIClock sent to TB3.
Program changes sent via Ren to launch my own creations on TB3….


'The tb digital signal is going to the mac via USB the mac digital output is going to the ren sdif in between is a tos link to sdif converter'

Why? Just sync the two units via MIDI DIN?


I have the TR8 also and find the midi clock tight for both the TB3. No changes needed, no settings, nothing, midi clock was there on the TB3 straight out the box? Just set the midi clock on the Ren.

It should be that simple? MIDI is a wonderful thing and 'sampling' sound from a device defeats the whole point of both the Ren, TB3 in terms of MIDI and other MIDI enabled equipment?

good luck

Aiyrck
I didn't download that yet I just did the drivers
There is no tb prog to adjust but that prob cause I didn't download it
Fluxsta
I didn't realise that the tb would create an input in the ren that's why I was using optical
, I know now lol
I've ditch'd the optical just use that for laptop or Mac mini

The tb works great for midi over USB for me just the digital signal
Starts to play up I'd say 85% its ok tho I've not used it loads
I'm aware of prog change lsb , Msb but never use it really
Can u explain the prog change I see I can select the sound bank and sound from the mpc with that are u saying you can use more than one sound by setting the tb to omni midi then selecting different midi channels on the mpc tracks then I can tell the tb to play different sounds by setting the prog from there , I was under the impression it only had 1 part
The only reason I want to record it is to use more than sound
I've got it syncd that's all good
In fact it's all good other than that digital audio playing up
When I get in from work ill download that prog I didn't download
Cheers for the help

Yes, it is mono-timbral, it only plays one part at a time, on one MIDI channel.

That is a good reason to have to record it into the MPC as samples, no matter what anyone thinks.

You would use program change messages to change the one patch/sound that you can play at a time, it is not going to make it play more than one sound at a time.

I don't think that there is a utility to change any settings on the TB-3, just a newer firmware version to update the internal TB-3 firmware to, no idea if that improves USB audio or not.

Yeah I didn't know if it came with a utility program or not, the download looks like a firmware update (which I would suggest performing). It most likely fixes some bugs and quite possibly the one you're experiencing.

Definitely try using the TB-3 audio interface as the input in the Renaissance software if you haven't already.

There are lots of reasons to sample and especially with a monphonic/monotimbral synth like the TB-3.
1) You can use more than one instance of it in a song
2) You can play the monophonic synth like a polyphonic synth
3) Sampling lets you do things to the sound you can do with the synth alone.
4) It frees up your inputs for other things
5) You can take the sound of your TB-3 with you without having to take the TB-3
6) Samples allow your notes to start exactly in the same phase every time which makes your sound more consistent which is important, especially for bass.
7) I could go on and on.....

Try sampling one bass note, load the bass note in two layer slots and detune one of them and pan them left and right. Now you've got a big detuned lead synth sound that you couldn't do with the TB-3 alone.

Anyway you get the idea, sampling is a completely different way of working with sound and also a major strength/focus of the MPC in general.

Thanks again for all the info and help people
I fully understand
I will download the update after work
And I'll try that sampling tip , cheers for that aiyrck , got anymore of those pearls of wisdom
Thanks Simon and fluxsta too
Ill post back later

Right the tb was on 1.2 so updated to 1.4

But ,lol
I still get a crackle , I personally think it's less than before ,but who knows

So I then I thought I'd get scientific on its arse out came the stop -watch ,the white coat and clip board and let's not forget the oversized glasses .
First I thought I'd time when it happened to see if there was any pattern to it
U only need the volume just past a quarter turn on the tb when selected as a input in the mpc , the mpc peak meter goes to 2 from the top and it's crystal clear .
So I started a preset pattern the and let it run for about 5 mins hitting lap on stopwatch when the noise roughly started I also had a little play with cutoff etc, to see if it triggered it , it did'nt

Results back
Roughly every 50 secs

Then I thought I'd time how long it happened
Results back
Roughly every 7 secs

So then I thought is it happening 50 secs after u start the pattern and so on or is it every 50 secs in real time ,if u get what I mean ,so I stopped the pattern still keeping the stop watch running switched to keyboard mode had a little play on the keys stopped for a bit but as the clock got round to 40 ish sec I made sure I was playing and guess what , on about 50 secs it started and def stop just after 7 secs
That is the gods honest truth ,

what do u make of that
I'm gonna have to email akai and Roland
Tbh it's not that bad I suppose it can be fixed ,for now it's only going to be a problem if your recording for longer than 50 secs ,
It's a minor compared to how cool this thing is it can do some mad stuff , Im thinking I can play vst from the touch pad will I be able to use the slide effect can I record that via midi
What it does the touch screen will only trigger 1 key so if u leave your finger on the key u just pressed an slightly delay taking it off as you hit a key further up it slides to that key ,sounds pretty cool , so if u could use that on other sounds it could be interesting

Tried that sample tip airyck ,nice ,totally agree with u about sampling things to give u options u never had or to create original sounds ,
If there was some sort of disaster in the digital music world and only the sampler survived ,you'd still be able to make music

Hey Fluxta
what's the tr9 like do u use it more than the mpc from drums I looked at it and thought its a shame I don't really need 1,

I was checking the system 1 out that's how I see the tb-3 was maybe thinking I might get one of those just gonna wait and see how many of there vst synth recreations there gonna do for it .

Is the crackling happening with an analogue audio connection/input from the TB-3 to the Renaissance audio interface and MPC Software, or just with a USB audio connection from the TB-3 to the computer and MPC Software?

Just the tb connected via USB to the computer and via the tb input in the ren software settings
Analog is fine now
The difference between the two just makes u want to use the USB

Have you tried connecting the TB-3 directly to the computer, to a different computer USB port to what the Renaissance is connected to the computer on?
Sorry, you said it is connected by USB directly to the computer.