Took me a while to configure a tight sync between AR + AK + OT + Ableton & OB. USAMO was the missing piece of the puzzle, meaning that the OT now stays very tightly in sync with Ableton + OB machines.
However I’ve now encountered a peculiar problem, one in which a resolution would greatly improve my workflow.
For our live show we use AK + AR + OT - and I have the main outs of the AR going into Input AB on the OT, so that I can record the previous tracks’ rhythm track into the OT which then enables me to crossfade into the next track of our set.
In a previous configuration of my studio this was fine to rehearse with as we weren’t using OB and simply synced them all individually of a computer (via midi) and monitored via a mixing desk.
However now I don’t have a desk involved and use my soundcard + OB to monitor all three of the machines.
The metronomes of all machines + Live are all tightly in sync, however the Rytm main output which goes via the OT is latent? Completely baffling me!
Any ideas on how to remedy this?
It’s the same if I turn the direct volume of the OT’s AB inputs in the OT mixer window, so it’s not a thru machine problem. Also same if I try in a fresh project so it’s not a project setting either.
Any help would be much appreciated.
(Mods apologies if this isn’t the correct area of the forum, due to the nature of the set up I thought OB forum would be most appropriate as this isn’t a problem when OB isn’t involved).
There is definitely going to be some latency when processing audio via the thru machines. The OT needs to first convert the analog signal to digital, apply whatever effects and other processing, and then convert it back to analog along with the rest of the mix.
@kisielk I understand that there will be some latency as the data needs to be processed.
However my question is this:
When not using Overbridge and simply listening to the Octatrack straight from a mixing desk;
I can have the AR Main going into the Octatrack and record a loop of the drums from the AR into the OT and then using scenes can smoothly transition from the live output of the AR to the recording of the AR within the OT.
This then allows me to load up a new pattern on the AR and then crossfade the new rhythm track over the previous one recorded into the OT.
The latency is so little that you can crossfade into a recording and the audience won’t notice.
(As in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1D_UurOook)
However when AR is connected via USB to Overbridge, it’s almost as if there is an added latency to the analog outputs of the AR, as now when I try and do the same transition - the recording of the AR into the OT is out of time, making it sound like a very bad DJ mix when attempting to transition into a new AR pattern.
All that has changed, from when I was able to do this, is that Overbridge is now involved.
So to clarify:
(This way works and latency is fine)
Midi Settings
OT MIDI OUT>AR MIDI IN
Audio Settings
AR MAIN OUT>OT AB IN>OT MAIN OUT TO DESK
= Crossfade transition possible
(This way doesn’t work)
Midi Settings
OB>AR USB IN + USAMO>OT MIDI IN (All metronomes play in time with Live so not a midi latency problem)
Audio settings
AR MAIN OUT>OT AB IN>OT MAIN OUT TO SOUNDCARD
= Crossfade transition not possible as any recorded loop is out of time with everything else
Well, in one case the AR audio is always passing through the Octatrack. I assume it must do some latency compensation so that the live THRU machine audio is in sync with the recorded audio. You basically have just one audio path.
With the other setup you now have two audio paths, the audio going out direct over OB and another audio path thru the Octatrack. The latency of the two will be different.
Overbridge would somehow have to be aware that the analog audio is passing through an Octatrack and compensate accordingly, which is basically not possible. However, you should be able to set up some form of latency compensation in your DAW. I’m not sure if Ableton allows configuring this per track, but some DAWs do.
@kisielk Certainly see the logic in that, however I’m not monitoring the AR via Overbridge at all, all audio is going through the Octatrack (which is in time with Ableton precisely). Overbridge is just being used to sync and send transport to the AR.
It seems that Overbridge adds latency to the AR’s analog outputs, even though the audio isn’t going via the computer, and is physically connected in the exact same way as when not using OB (which works fine with no thru machine latency)