MPC (JJOS2XL) starting one beat out of sync with Pro Tools?

I'm having trouble getting my MPC to cooperate with Pro Tools 10

It starts playing when I MTC synced it with Pro Tools through my MBox 2 Pro interface, but the first beat of my sequence doesn't play, it starts the beat after

That's the first really annoying part, but second, I set Pro Tools to the same tempo (78.5) as the MPC and the transients of the waveform are going out of phase

This is making it impossible for me to layer tracks through MIDI on Pro Tools

I've tried to tweak the session frames from 25 to 30 and all in between and changed the session start time to 0.00.00.00 to choosing from a dialog box to use the relative frame and then the timecode frame.

I'm really stuck on this--I read an article about using the clock and googled around and searched the forums, but I can't find anything that's helping me resolve this

Insert a couple of blank bars at the beginning to allow the midi signals to sync/lock up. Also try using midi clock/beat clock instead of midi timecode. Finally try with the MPC as master.

Don't delete this thread like you did the last one. I wrote a lengthy reply only to find 'this topic doesn't exist' when I tried to post it. Lol

Clint wrote:Insert a couple of blank bars at the beginning to allow the midi signals to sync/lock up. Also try using midi clock/beat clock instead of midi timecode. Finally try with the MPC as master.

Don't delete this thread like you did the last one. I wrote a lengthy reply only to find 'this topic doesn't exist' when I tried to post it. Lol

I'm so sorry about that!

I figured nobody was replying because it was a dumb question and I kept experimenting and reading until I got the time code to work.

I read this (click me) article and tried experimenting with the few MPC and Pro Tools parameters I could find in the Synchronization menu of Peripherals... and Session Setup

I can't figure out what pre-roll means and I tried midi clock out but I can't get Pro Tools to get the MPC to respond when I change time code to clock in the MPC's settings (there isn't anything I could find that lets me specify clock over time code in Pro Tools)

When I made the MPC the master it also started with a delay--only when I went into transport to change it from Pro Tools to MMC did it not have a delay (Fig. 1), but then that only triggered the MPC's controls (if I hit record, it'd trigger the MPC's record button and start erasing the sequence).


Figure 1

I'll try adding some blank bars but I'm really trying to get the timing in sync so I can add layers--Pro Tools, as weird as it seems, is the only software that 'sounds right' when I put anything into it.

I also can mix the best on it, and I'm starting out so don't slam me about Logic and experience or anything--I tried that route and hit what would be speedbumps for others but were roadblocks for me.

Nobody googling this is gonna appreciate the length of my post to skim through, but since you took the time that (I'm sorry!) I wasted, I figured I ought to reciprocate.

Also, do you have any idea how to get the waveform to line up in Pro Tools? That was another part of my question and my main frustration because I can't successfully add loops on top when the waveform is all over the place.

Forget MMC.

Either use MTC (with same tempo set on both MPC and Pro Tools) or MIDI Beat Clock.

Insert a couple of blank bars at the start of the MPC sequence, to give everything time to lock up before it starts recording.

Maybe in the middle of those blank bars, program in a sound that will play on each track, at exactly the same time within the sequence, which will be recorded into Pro Tools at the same time within each recording take/pass, so that you can use that sound as a sync marker, and zoom into in Pro Tools down to sample level, and visually align each different recording take/pass once they are all in Pro Tools.


...or...

Forget trying to sync Pro Tools and the MPC over MIDI, and instead, record the multiple passes within the MPC, transfer them as audio files into Pro Tools, line them all up against the session start time, or to the same start time.

SimonInAustralia wrote:...or...

Forget trying to sync Pro Tools and the MPC over MIDI, and instead, record the multiple passes within the MPC, transfer them as audio files into Pro Tools, line them all up against the session start time, or to the same start time.

I've always kept my different sequencers as separate entities. From my first audio PC I've had dedicated transport controls, either built in or as a controller, so there's one major benefit covered.

Cubase is one turntable and the MPC is the other. You just have to know exactly how to align your tracks.

DeadSoul wrote:since you took the time that (I'm sorry!) I wasted, I figured I ought to reciprocate.

No problem fella. Just remember there is no such thing as a dumb question, if you want to know something research, think, ask. We all want to crack on.

I don't do pro tools anymore never really liked it for midi, but looks like the guys have given you some pointers, and Lampdog posted a sync thread somewhere which was quite useful as it referenced several DAWs.

DeadSoul wrote:That's the first really annoying part, but second, I set Pro Tools to the same tempo (78.5) as the MPC and the transients of the waveform are going out of phase

This is making it impossible for me to layer tracks through MIDI on Pro Tools

I've tried to tweak the session frames from 25 to 30 and all in between and changed the session start time to 0.00.00.00 to choosing from a dialog box to use the relative frame and then the timecode frame.

I'm really stuck on this--I read an article about using the clock and googled around and searched the forums, but I can't find anything that's helping me resolve this

DeadSoul wrote:Also, do you have any idea how to get the waveform to line up in Pro Tools? That was another part of my question and my main frustration because I can't successfully add loops on top when the waveform is all over the place.

care to elaborate on this? Are you using the MPC as MIDI sequencer for Protools sounds only, or mixing sounds from both the MPC and Protools?

I'm not an expert on the topic but I have noticed I can't get phase accuracy out of any of my samplers(hardware), I thought it was a limitation of MIDI cables, but I can't really get phase accuracy triggering samples in the MPC2k itself. Maybe someone with more experience can chime in,