Midi Master Issues Acidlab Bassline2

Hi there!

I just bought an Acidlab Bassline 2 and tried to hook it up with my MPC 1000.

My idea: Let the MPC be the master, and sync the Bassline 2 with the MPC's internal Midi Clock. Midi out A is connected to the Midi in on the Bassline.

However, the Bassline just won't run along the MPC, it doesn't even start to do anything. It just appears to be frozen. When I switch the Bassline's selector to Master-Sync (old Roland thing, which would enable the Bassline to send out a Midi Clock to a, e.g., 808), it will run perfectly, but no synchronization to my MPC whatsoever ... darn!

Can anyone help? I followed the steps in the MPC's manual for connecting it with other Midi devices, but nothing seems to help!

Thanks in advance,

pbanken

Just to make it clear, since I missed it in the first post:

The Bassline2 has a built-in sequenzer, it's basically a 303 clone.
All I want is for the BL's sequenzer to get the signal start running alongside the MPC.

Somewhere here (I think in the regular MPC OS section), I think I read that the MPC was especially designed NOT to feature this function, for whatever reasons ...

Please, could somebody help? I am truly desperate for any advice ...

Cheers, pbanken

In regards to sync on the 1000, the only thing not featured in the Akai OS versions is Midi Time Code and Midi Machine Control. For your purposes, standard midi clock send is all that is needed. The MPC has always been able to do this.

hello,

to send midi clock from jj OS1 or OS2 (have not used akai OS for ages -should be similar)

1. [MODE] + Pad 9
2. select SYNC tab
3. cursor to top right and select Sync out: AB (Master)
4. just below it Mode : MIDI CLOCK
5. hit play start - midi clock will be sent to midi outs A & B
6. take a midi lead from either output A or B to the midi input on your device.

there should be nothing in the left (slave) section = Mode: OFF

that's it - check the jj site for pix

http://www7a.biglobe.ne.jp/~mpc1000/os2/mtcmmc_e.htm

if this don't work your device is ignoring midi clock for some reason.
the MPC will definitely be sending midi clock.

sorry dumb i know - but make sure you have selected midi clock NOT midi time code.

hope this helps

The weirdest thing just happend:

I installed my usual OS again last night, which is the free JJ 3.something OS.

For some reasons, the MPC loaded a bunch of really crappy Demo songs when starting it up, awful rock stuff, you know these demo affairs ...

The Bassline2 synth was still hooked to the MPC, but when pressing play nothing happend, as usual.

When I couldn't stand one of the demo sequences anymore, I simply switched to the next one in line, using the wheel to simply flick over to the next one, and after the change, the Bassline2 started to run!

I hit stop, pressed play again .... nothing but silence coming from the Bassline2. Then changed the sequence again, and it started running.

However, the timing really seems to be off. I tried this whole procedure with sequences programmed by myself, and it worked again, yet still the timing / synchronization was very messed up.

There seems to be some command coming from the MPC to the Bassline2's internal step sequencer EVERYTIME YOU CHANGE THE SEQUENCE WHILE THE MPC IS RUNNING, yet I can't figure out what this would be. Moreover, when initially starting a sequence, this command is not send to the Bassline2.

I'm really puzzled ....

just had a look at the the bassline 2 manual do you have the switch set to the midi in. if it's set to sync in or sync out it wont work...

also it said
The Sync cable must have all pins connected. Some Midi cables do not have all pins connected, and do not work as a Sync cable!

Are you performing the default reset after upgrading (POWER ON whilst holding ERASE)? If you skip that step, it can often lead to some very weird malfunctions.

Like I said, if you really want to know what's coming out of that midi output, a midi monitor is the way to go. Does the Bassline respond to program change commands? The MPC will send these when a new sequence is selected unless that feature is disabled.

Hi!

To Formantuk: Yeah, I switched the selector to Midi In, since Sync In & Master are designed to sync old Roland machines to the Bassline2, not any Midi-driven machines. Since I run a MPC, I chose Midi In, of course.

To Eletrik_muz: Indeed, I did not perform the default reset! Unfortunatley, I do net see any way to hook up my MPC to a Midi Monitor, since I would not know which (Mac) application to use or where to get it? Would I just need to hook the MPC to my Mac thru a Midi connection in order to check these information then?

The Bassline, as I understand it, does not require an own program in order to run from the MPC. You cannot really change, for example, the Midi Channel to which the Baslline responds. It just requires the word "GO!" from the MPC, so to speak, there are no Midi options on the Bassline other than Midi In / Sync In / Sync Master. As posted above, it did respond when I changed the running sequences manually via the toggle wheel. To add confusion: The sequence changes had to be set to 'immediate' in order to activate the Bassline; when letting a sequence run its course for, e.g., two bars and then changing to a second sequence did not set the Bassline on. Additionally, the Midi Timing was completly off track.

So much confusion, so much pain, since the Bassline is incredible fun and sounds amazing ... buhuu ....

Cheers, pbanken

I just re-read this thread and for some reason I thought you had stated that you had tested the Baseline with a midi clock signal from an app on a Macintosh, and it worked. You actually don't say this here so I must have gotten this thing confused with another recent thread somewhere.

You would in fact need a midi interface for the computer to test either machine. If you don't already have the mac midi monitor software, it's pretty easy to find just google "Macintosh Midi Monitor".

However, since I realize now that you haven't tested the Bassline with another clock output, I would suspect it's the Bassline that has the problem. Might have a defective optosensor on the midi input. I've known of other German boutique gear that had similar problems.

Now I know why I'm confused -- you posted this same problem on a different thread and then left it to start a new one..

http://www.mpc-forums.com/viewtopic.php ... highlight=

So I guess I was right the first time...

Hi!

I'm french... sorry for my language... but I've the same problem with acidlab bassline (clone tb303).
On the web, I've searched if this problem was known. Some body mets this problem with din sync product like tb303 or tr606 only when this products plugged on mpc (1000 or 2500).

I've a mpc 2500 and a machinedrum.
With machinedrum, all is ok! But with mpc2500, there is a problem like you say.

With midiox (midi monitor on PC), we can see that timing clock send by mpc2500 is not the same that tb303/tr606 or bassline of acidlab understand.
The din-sync products send and receive a timing clock like F2 00 00, while mpc (x)k send and receive a timing lcock like F2 01 00 .

According to me, this little difference (00 vs 01) of "start" makes tr606 or tb303 or bassline begin and repeat the first step and move one step.