MIDI Clock Keeps Dropping

[Shift Gorden]

Hi everyone!

I'm running into a few issues with MIDI and my P6 Desktop.

MIDI playback is the issue. I'm using Ableton 9.5 and I have the P6 connected via USB. The P6 is in CC mode as per Ableton's MIDI lameness (!).


I can play back a clip fine, but every now and again the P6 will stop playing for 20 secs or so...and then kick back in.

I have the clock synced but I noticed the clock display on the P6 does strange things. The clock display will speed up/slow down (although the P6 will remain in time - it won't speed up or slow down). Then, inevitably the clock display will turn to "---" and the P6 will stop playing entirely.

Then, the clock display will spring back to life 10 to 20 secs later and playback will resume.

Any ideas?  I've check all my global settings and I think I've got everything set up okay. I'm not sure if the issue is with the P6 or Ableton.

Happy New Year everyone!

[dslsynth]

First things first: Understand what a MIDI loop is and check and recheck and check and recheck that such a thingy do not occur in your setup. This is more or less the first DSI will ask you to check. You need a MIDI monitor program to see what is going on. Good luck debugging this problem! If its not a MIDI loop then all the fun stuff and support line requiring activities have to start.

[Shift Gorden]

Ah ha!  I'll start investigating the MIDI loop deal - thank you so much for pointing me in the right direction! 

[Shift Gorden]

So, I'm not too sure what I'm looking for in terms of data, but using MIDI Monitor I've found no message that causes the clock to drop/audio to stop - but every time a the clock kicks back in, a sysex message is received - the description reads Universal Non Real Time. 

So, according to the manual, a Universal Real Time message governs the clock...hmmmm.  So, it doesn't matter which sysex mode the P6 is in, I'm still getting drops.

So, the question is - it this an Ableton deal or a DSI deal? 

EDIT: Interestingly, these messages are transmitted every 4 minutes - even if the synth/Ableton is not playing.

[dslsynth]

You see now you are at a point where you need to learn more about the MIDI protocol. Its not terribly complicated once you know binary and hexadecimal numbers. My guess is that its Song Position Number sysex messages you see.

Anyway, try and consider if a MIDI echo setting in you DAW is causing the trouble. Oh and maybe someone from DSI could provide extra help. There is something about it in the manual and DSI have possibly written an article about it on their zendesk site.

[Shift Gorden]

Thanks, buddy.  I'm 99% sure it's Ableton that's monkeying around with the P6.

I'll do some investigating and see what I can find out - I'll post what I find here just in case someone else has a similar problem.

I'll check out the DSI zendesk deal too - thanks, mate!