Midi Latency when triggering pads from external Seq.

Hi,

My idea is to use the MPC Live as “sketchpad” when I’m on the road or not in the studio. When working in the studio, I had planned to trigger the MPC from my main Sequencer (Cirklon) because I like all Synths, Drummachines etc. sequenced from only one single sequencer instead of syncing different sequencers. The Cirklon is super tight and has a nice swing.

BUT.... I’m experiencing an annoying Midi latency when I triggering my MPC live from the external Sequencer (Midi Port A). I haven’t measured the exact latency, but it’s enough to destroy the groove (e.g. perfect cut drumloops fall off the grid).

I do the same with my Akai S3200 (triggered by MPD 218 into Cirklon) and it’s working perfect. No noticeable latency, tight groove.

Anyone knows what the problem could be? I hope it’s not the “new normal” with MPC’s... :

Thanks!

hi toni i think this is the normal behavior right now ,i have measured around16 miliseconds input delay on the midi side which is fine for playing with a keyboard controller but not close enough for synced external sequencer operations ....a smal workaround is to route all the sounds outside of the mpc trough the live monitor input (input monitoring has also a delay around 16ms) and voila your sounds are close together....

Thanks wende for your reply. But ist the actual recording (recording output into ad converter) then delayed anways? Monitoring delay compensation via monitor in of a track, but sending the outputs to the converter...thanks again

mpc live has to be the slave cirklon is master (because the midi clock input is also delayed by some miliseconds)...the audio output from the mpc goes to your monitor speakers the rest of your synthts other drum boxes whatever goes thru the live monitoring input (could be the sampler also the audio track input)...with this method for me it works ....in my case it is the octatrack is the external sequencer i hope this is the right method hope that i remember right

double checked right now ...yes it worx with this method the notes i send from the octatrack to a drumsynth in the mpc are aligned with the metronome from the mpc...

only downside with this method (now i start to remember why i stop it to use it like this)...is the mpc acts strange in some moments as a midi slave ,the timing is not as solid as when the mpc is the master sometimes synced stuff like delays puncher etc.are a bit glitchy....

Much appreciated! Thanks for your time and research. I’ll as described, but I already feel that the MPC will not be part of the workflow and I’ll stick to the trusty S3200. Maybe exporting sole loops into ableton an running it along Cirklon is an option.

Have a good weekend and thanks again

Hi! I am writing today because I would like to report a MASSIVE problem, and maybe add details about it.

If the MPC Live is connect with the USB cables and running as a VST inside Ableton Live there is no sync problems>. but this way you cannot use the Ableton integration and access the clip launching and mixing possibilities>

I am using MPC to produce and play live electronic music. I don't do betaking so I need an efficient MIDI synch / midi clock.

I tried every possible ways. Ableton as a master, thru midi cable using a KOMPLETE 6 or an Iconnectmidi2+ > this way the MPC struggle to follow the tempo and it give such a weird output where it accelerate abruptly or pause abruptly in a random way.

I tried to connect an USB MIDI (iCONNECT midi 2+) to the USB of the MPC and it does get better but the latency is huge>

When I set the MPC Live as MASTER CLOCK, using USB midi connect or midi cable, then when the tempo is set to 120bpm, inside ABLETON the tempo is oscillating from 118bpm to 121bpm so it is never perfectly synched and it give the feeling of a drunken person walking .....

When I play on the pads of the MPC to create a midi sequence inside ABLETON I always have to adjust the notes because they are delayed, and not all the same way... I tried to record the midi sequence inside the MPC midi track first then just record the output of this midi track inside Ableton, same thing, nothing is at the same place, notes are all over the grid and varies to much for it to be usable without spending hours re adjusting them....

This problem is all over the web forums so you are probably aware of it but ... is there a way to address this please?