Live performances with Prophet08 and other gear

[Gerne]

Hi everyone! I´ve just known that arp mode of Prophet 08 doesn´t sync properly with my other gear (elektron analog rytm), It receives clock signal properly as slave from midi in but it doesn´t stop or play automatically when I push elektron analog rytm play or stop buttons like I can do with other synths. As far as I know, it´s not possible to sync unless you play in time, big trouble in my opinion. I´m still discovering this amazing synth and its incredible sound but I can´t believe how this feature it´s not implemented as it works with other more modest gear.

Thanks a lot!

[MartinM]

Moin,

I use different sources like Sequencer, DAW, and tempo footswitch to syncronize P08 with MIDI clock signals. With clock set to "MIDI in" or "MIDIIn/Out" in the global parameters, this syncs P08's arpeggiator, sequencer, and every LFO You set to "Steps". As You experienced however, it will neither start nor stop them: P08's arpeggiator and sequencer will only start/stop with keypress/release. This opens possibilities for at least workarounds:

1st workaround (arpeggiator/sequencer):
As you already have a MIDI-connection for MIDI clock, just send the apropriate Midi keypress with the start message and a release/velocity zero message with the stop message via P08's MIDI channel.

2nd workaround (LFO):
Some effects/lines/whatsoever are also accessible via synced LFO set to note lengths and/or combinations of LFOs and sequencer. These may also be started/stopped by MIDI keypress messages with enabled "Key Sync".

Of course these workarounds do not fit or help in every (live) situation or without suitable MIDI gear, but it works for me:

• Live I use the footswitch, press/release key(s) on P'08.
• Using sequencer or DAW I send keypress/release via MIDI along with start/stop messages.

In both situations BTW I route MIDI clock to other equipment via P08's MIDI Through.

HTHY (Hope this helps You)

Martin

[Gerne]

Hi Martin!! First of all, many thanks for your answer and detailed explanation. If you know further information of your workaround would be really useful for me, so if you could share some videos on the internet about this or something like that which could help I´d be appreciated.

1)How can I send the appropiate Midi keypress with the start message and release/velocity zero?
2)How could I enabled key sync to synced LFO´s?

Many thanks!

[MartinM]

Moin Gerne,

it is so simple, that videos will not be needed:

How can I send the appropiate Midi keypress with the start message and release/velocity zero?

To answer this, I need to know how You send the MIDI clock signals to P08:
If You do so by a sequencer or DAW, just send a MIDI note on with the key You would press on the P08 and key release if You want to stop.
If You send MIDI clock from a drum machine or somthing like that, it will/may be a little bit more complicated or even impossible without other (MIDI) gear.

How could I enabled key sync to synced LFO´s?

Don't know if I get Your point...
Look at P08's LFO section, choose the LFO(s 1 to 4, LED lit) You want/need to syncronize and then simply activate the "Key Sync" switch (LED lit). Set LFO speed not to simple number (1 to 150), but to needed note length. LFO will start as soon as a keypress occurs and not care if this keypress is from P08 keyboard or MIDI.
If Your question aims at how to do this via MIDI, it depends according to my answer to Your first question.

BTW: Personally I like the P08 not to start things when MIDI clock arrives: In live situations there is all time needed to pedal-tap according to my band's tempo and start whatever I need with that pre-defined tempo just when my moment comes.
In "machine-related" situations I can send note on/off messages with clock signals as I descriebed above if I need syncronous clock and keypress.

HTH

Martin

[Gerne]

Many many thanks again for your explanations, I´ll appreciate it.  About LFO´s now I understand perfectly what you mean. Regarding the other issue, I send Midi Clock from a drum machine indeed, elektron analog rytm in particular, so if you knew about midi gear to achieve beat arppegiator sync with Prophet 08 would be great. As far as I know in the other Sequential synth models this feature has been updated.

Best regards Martin, greetings from Spain.

[MartinM]

Ola Gerne,

MIDI is often regarded as "plug and play" for musicians (AKA dummies, SCNR). If at all, this may be true for those who only want to connect keyboards to keyboard extenders. In general however, MIDI is a nothing else as a plain computer-interface and You will have to read and learn fom Your elektron analog rytm's MIDI implementation.

I do not know that machine in special, but surfed a bit. You have pads and of course a MIDI out, which You already use to send MIDI clock/sync signals. Hopefully/probably Your machine will also be able to send pad-presses as MIDI keypress message via MIDI out and also to configure, which MIDI-key will be sent for a specific pad.

The trick is to make one of Your pads start the MIDI clock/sync and send a MIDI keypress to P08 at the same time. You will loose that Pad for those "funny other things", but that's the trade...

• configure a pad to send the MIDI keypress needed via a MIDI channel You also set on P8
• configure that same pad to start the groove (= the MIDI clock)

This will make groove and P08 start at the same time by simply pressing that pad.

You will also need to control the sequence's/arpeggio's stop, which raises another problem:
Most drum machines don't really care about key release, as drummers normally also only hit their instruments, resulting in instrument-defined lengths of drum sounds. Some machines will send a key release directly after keypress, which in Your case would directly stop the arpeggio/sequence. Other machines may keep the key press for "some time", for as long as the pad is pressed, never send key releases, or may configure the related behaviour...
So You may have to configure Your machines behaviour, keep the pad or P08's sustain pedal pressed as long as You want P08 to sequence/arpeggiate. If Your machine is very flexible, it may even be able to send a "sustain pedal up" at certain conditions: Do whatever suits Your machine's features and possibilities.

HTH y saludos desde Aachen

Martin

[Gerne]

Hi Martin and happy new year! Many many thanks again for your help, I´ve been trying how to sync both devices since our last messages and I´m afraid that definitely, it´s not possible. I´ll try to enjoy the other awesome possibilities of this synh but beat sync won´t be possible until you purchase a rev2 model. Thanks again, regards!

[hoodoo_ray]

Hi Martin and happy new year! Many many thanks again for your help, I´ve been trying how to sync both devices since our last messages and I´m afraid that definitely, it´s not possible. I´ll try to enjoy the other awesome possibilities of this synh but beat sync won´t be possible until you purchase a rev2 model. Thanks again, regards!

Are you sure this is not possible? You are trying to trigger start / stop messages on your Prophet 08 from your Analog Rytm, right? Is it an Analog Rytm mark 1 or 2 (i.e. is it the black one or the grey one)? I have a Rytm mark 1, at some point over the coming days I will try to hook them up and test it.

Also you did mention triggering Arpeggios and synching those - are you trying to use the internal P08 arp function but get it to play in time with your Analog Rytm? Arpeggios are a slightly different beast to plain sequencing, but just to understand  what you are trying to achieve..