Home › Forums › Help/Technical Questions › 2880 with MC-505 midi clock error
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July 24, 2012 at 7:29 pm #82482JVonDMember
Trying to use my Roland MC-505 as a master clock but the 2880 doesn’t seem to like it. The 2880 will sporadically stop playing/recording. Just got the recent 2880 update and 505 update and still the same issue.
Any help getting my 505 running as the master would be highly appreciated.
Just got off the phone with the Roland dudes and they said that the EHX guys were thinking it’s a 2880 problem. Runs great with my Korg units.
Thanks! ~Jvideo example – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erkDuyF-MJ8
July 24, 2012 at 8:12 pm #117910CryabetesParticipantwhoa you can actually get through to Roland customer service? jk, here’s some helpful starting points (I can’t check the video due to being at work right now but I’ll scope it at home.)
Have you tried swapping out midi cables to see if there’s a short or something?
Can you get the your korg unit to slave to the MC505? (this would point to a damaged midi out jack on the MC505)
Can you disable any song position pointers in the MC505 and see if the problem persists?
Have you tried changing channels to an unused one on the 2880? Looks like the MC505 transmits polyphonic aftertouch which could bog down the 2880.
July 24, 2012 at 10:09 pm #117911JVonDMemberSlaving my Korg ESX1 from the MC-505 is good.
I pretty much turned off all transmit messages beside a few synth channels on 5,6,7.
Put it on a thru to the 2880. It’ll run the Korg good but the 2880 doesn’t like it. Same with direct to the 2880.
Also just got finished running a test going from my MC-505 to my Reason computer DAW sequencer and that sync was good too.
Seems like I tried everything you are mentioning.Hoping for maybe word on an update for the 2880 maybe..?
Is EHX coming out with a new looper? How come it’s discontinued?
Thanks! ~J
I’ve always contacted Roland’s LosAngeles service center directly and never had a problem.July 25, 2012 at 1:58 pm #117916CryabetesParticipantDid you try changing the 2880’s midi channel? I think out of the box it’s midi channel 16/omni on
And there’s a bit of speculation as to why the 2880 got the axe – maybe there wasn’t enough of a market for a $400 looper, maybe the CF cards in smaller sizes are becoming more difficult to source [or maybe they wanted to redo the architecture so it could record on larger cards], maybe they’re discontinuing everything in the sheetmetal enclosures in favor of redoing everything in the diecast xo boxes.
The 2880 can sync to Reason fine?
July 25, 2012 at 2:55 pm #117917CryabetesParticipantJust checked out the video.
That looks like something’s up with what the MC505 is sending to the 2880; a lot of song position pointers, maybe, or maybe the MC505 doesn’t send continuous midi clock signals. Have you considered using something else as the master clock for both devices?July 25, 2012 at 2:56 pm #117918JVonDMemberI changed the midi channel on the 2880 and there’s no difference. It still gets jacked from the MC-505.
I was able to rewire Reason with ProTools and drive the 2880. Ran good.
If you have any other suggestions please keep them coming.
Thanks! ~JAt this point…
-Every device (Korg ESX1, Microkorg, Computer DAW) slaves good from the MC-505 clock except the 2880.
-The 2880 slaves good with every device (Korg ESX1, Computer DAW) except for the MC-505.Maybe I could do a “midi over ip” and EHX can analyze the MC-505 signal..?
July 25, 2012 at 3:05 pm #117919JVonDMemberQuote:Have you considered using something else as the master clock for both devices?I have been using my system slaving off the Korg ESX1 but it makes me have to reset the delay on the MC-505 manually every time I change tempo during live performance. Plus running it off the Korg puts extra midi-merge boxes in the line and thus screwing up the beat clock by the time it gets to my Microkorg at the end of the midi routing.
BTW – I don’t recommend Midi Solutions midi-merge boxes for use with beat clocks. They will screw it up.
July 25, 2012 at 7:31 pm #117922Flick (EHX Staff)ModeratorSomeone from Roland contacted us and we looked into this problem. I happened to have both an MC-505 and 2880 at home. Here is what we found:
In summary the 2880 and MC-505 don’t get along too well as far as MIDI Clock syncing goes. The MC-505’s MIDI Clock tempo is too erratic for the 2880 to properly follow it. I don’t know what version of the MC-505 software I have, for some reason when I tried to check the software version on power up, it wouldn’t work, it went straight to the first pattern.
Here are the tests I performed:
LISTENING TESTS
1. Connected the MIDI OUT from the MC-505 to the MIDI IN on the 2880. Set the MC-505 to output MIDI Clock. Enabled MIDI Clock on the 2880.
2. Attempted to record a loop on the 2880 with the MC-505 providing the tempo, it wouldn’t work, the 2880 would stop recording after a couple beats.
3. Instead I recorded a loop on the 2880 using its own internal clock, then I allowed it to sync to the MC-505’s MIDI Clock for playback of the loop. It seemed to work fine but then I started noticing that the speed of the 2880’s loop kept changing. The loop would go out of tune somewhat randomly. This is a sign that the MIDI Clock master’s tempo is changing.
4. I then took out my X0X B0X which has MIDI Clock out and connected it to the 2880. I was able to both record and playback loops on the 2880 using the X0X B0X as the MIDI Clock master. When I listened back to the loop with the X0X B0X as the MIDI Clock master, the speed of the loop did not waver at all.COMPUTER TESTS
1. I used Logic 7 to see the MIDI Clock reading in real-time.
2. First I connected the MC-505 to my computer and set its tempo to 130BPM. When I pressed play, and let the MC-505 play for four or five bars, I started observing the BPM read out in Logic. The MC-505 wavered from a maximum of 131.6 BOM to 129.5 BPM.
3. Then I changed the tempo on the MC-505 to 108 BPM and observed a range of 109.2 BPM to 107.0 BPM.
4. I connected the MIDI Out of the X0X B0X to the computer and observed its BPM range first at a tempo of 105 BPM. The hundredth digit was the only one to waver. So the range was 105.28 BPM to 105.21 BPM.
5. I turned the tempo up to around 130 BPM (the X0X B0X does not have a tempo read out, you have to guess). Again, only the hundredth digit wavered. The readings were 129.69 to 129.63.
6. I then connected the 2880’s MIDI output to the computer. First at a tempo of 131 BPM (the 2880 also does not have a tempo read out). The MIDI clock wavered from 131.8 BPM to 131.4 BPM.
7. Moving the tempo down on the 2880 to 110 BPM, the tempo wavered from 110.2 to 109.9.July 25, 2012 at 7:50 pm #117924JVonDMemberHey Flick. Thanks for checking into it. Looks like you found my issue first hand.
I’ve been testing my MC-505 midi clocks with my Korgs by syncing the delays to BPM. If the clock stutters then the delays will go off time. I haven’t noticed it when slaving off the MC-505.
At least I’m not the only one.
Hope your able to find a solution. Thanks again guys! ~JAugust 12, 2012 at 10:17 pm #117992neuroneMemberQuote:I changed the midi channel on the 2880 and there’s no difference. It still gets jacked from the MC-505.
I was able to rewire Reason with ProTools and drive the 2880. Ran good.
If you have any other suggestions please keep them coming.
Thanks! ~JAt this point…
-Every device (Korg ESX1, Microkorg, Computer DAW) slaves good from the MC-505 clock except the 2880.
-The 2880 slaves good with every device (Korg ESX1, Computer DAW) except for the MC-505.Maybe I could do a “midi over ip” and EHX can analyze the MC-505 signal..?
I have a similar problem, except it’s the esx-1 I can not seem to synchronize with the 2880. How you configure your esx-1 so that it works?
August 13, 2012 at 7:14 pm #118000JVonDMemberQuote:How you configure your esx-1 so that it works?Bummer to hear that. I never had any issues with the Korg products when midi syncing. For me I connect the midi from the Korg’s “out” to the 2880’s “in”, set the Korg on “int” for the clock, click the “ext clock” on the 2880, and it works perfect every time.
The only other time I’ve had issues with the system is when playing outdoor venues and there are voltage issues (not enough power).
Good luck! ~J -
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