What are you powering the 45000 with?

The 8 Step does not do MIDI note to CV conversion. The 8 Step’s MIDI IN handles syncing to MIDI Clock and allows the ability to control all controls on the 8 Step with MIDI CC and PC messages.

I could be wrong here but taking a quick look at the two Digitech pedals, neither has an expression pedal input and I know the Microsynth does not have an expression pedal input. Think of the 8 Step as a more complicated expression pedal. Its output needs to connect to a pedal that has an expression pedal input or Control Voltage inputs.

Some sort of buffered pedal between the Tone Wicker and the Hazarai will solve the problem. The Metal Muff between the Big Muff and Hazarai should do the trick because the Metal Muff is buffered both in bypass and in effect mode.

D1 on the Hot Tubes is 1N4007. You are correct that the battery does not go through this diode, D1 is only for reversal protection at the power jack.

Here’s the thing, the 45000 does not pick up the tempo from the audio that it records, the tempo is either determined by the TEMPO slider or by receiving MIDI Clock if EXT. CLOCK is enabled on the 45000. If you want to record a drum pattern in sync with the 45000, MIDI Clock must be used so that the two machines are in sync at the time you record the loop. In this case the drum machine must be following the 45000’s MIDI Clock tempo at the time you record the loop. So if you want to record a loop at approximately 75BPM do the following:

1. On the 45000, make sure EXT. CLOCK is disabled. In this state the 45000 outputs MIDI Clock based on the position of the TEMPO slider.
2. Connect a MIDI cable to MIDI OUT on the 45000 and MIDI IN on the drum machine.
3. On the drum machine set it to sync to MIDI Clock.
4. Enable QUANTIZE on the 45000, the QUANTIZE LED should be lit.
5. Press NEW LOOP on the 45000, the drum machine should begin playback.
6. Press RECORD on the 45000, the drum machine will reset playback to beat 1. The 45000 begins recording after the 4-beat Count-In.
7. When enough bars have passed, press the PLAY or NEW LOOP buttons on the 45000 to stop recording the loop.

When you recorded the 75BPM loop onto the 45000, what was the MIDI Clock master during this recording? Was the 45000 set to internal or external sync during this recording?

There’s two things that you need to ensure while making .wav files for the 22500’s rhythm tracks: the length of the audio files are exact bar lengths (for example exactly 2 bars in length) and that the tempo in BPM that you create the rhythm tracks with is entered into the .txt file. You have done the second item but based on your description of what’s going on the first item is a little off. See if you can ensure that the .wav files are exact bar lengths. This might need to be done while bouncing the audio or at some earlier point while setting up the tracks in Cubase.