Please AKAI-not having a constant MIDI clock output is hell

The fact that it is 8bit is not the problem, it is a real time issue. The more we ask the kernel to do, the sloppier the timing gets. To get a kernel to be real time creates massive performance hits to ensure that it is able to execute critical work on a consistent schedule.

You may ask why this is a problem on modern MPCs, well they are running a linux operating system under the hood, and it is being asked to schedule everything from graphics, sample and note processing, disk i/o, synth plugins, etc.

The reasons some of the older MPCs were able to meet such high standards for midi is because they were running custom tuned operating systems that could be tweaked for specific performance characteristics, instead of being created as generic workload processors.

At the end of the day it is about cost and trade offs, and I doubt Akai cares to surpass the timing of older models, the cost and performance hit would be too high, and they are competing in markets for other devices where companies do not care.

NearTao wrote:At the end of the day it is about cost and trade offs, and I doubt Akai cares to surpass the timing of older models, the cost and performance hit would be too high, and they are competing in markets for other devices where companies do not care.

You're completely right.

Clock wise, if people are willing to go down the rabbit hole of cost and time, they can source the correct device to handle the clock accurate (and steady) midi i/o that they're looking for such as an MPC 60, 3000, 4000, Cirklon, Atari ST.

All of these things are costly to source although there have been some very recent developments on the FPGA front in regard to the Atari ST implementation that I am somewhat excited about. Atari ST is known for having the tighest external midi clock, second comes to the ones mentioned above. Why I make mention of this is that to take advantage of this very thing, will cost about $180 USD to do.

I'll make a separate post for those that are interested.

"The MPC4000 has one of the tightest midi clocks of all hardware out there, till this very day! " I am looking for actually hunting one right now, 'cause of the post above. But they are all more expensive than the E-RM Masterclock. Still not sure what to do

Sorry for bringing up this old thread:
I couldn't find a setting for a constant MIDI clock output in FW 2.11.7 or have I overlooked something?

My MPC Live II transmits the required MIDI clock for the Arpeggiator of my Arturia Kestep (= MIDI slave) only when MPC's sequencer is running.

Nope. They still have not implemented this basic feature.

THX for the quick response. Regrettably MPC Live II is not the only device without that feature.

Yea I have made the MPC Live II the Midi master of my extensive studio, and quite disappointed that it only sends clock while the sequencer is running, seems like it would be quite simple to add an option to always send Midi clock

I think among other reasons that's why modern HW sequencer get a growing fan base. IIRC even the small Digitakt solves that MIDI job better than MPC or Maschine+