Sync Digitakt to Traktor (Xone 96)

Elektron Gear Digitakt
#1

What is the best way to sync up Digitakt to Traktor?

I have Traktor on MacBook, single USB cable into a basic USB hub, then into the Xone 96 to use it as sound card and take tracks out directly. Also plugged into the MacBook currently is the Digitakt. Used the Overbridge app to get the audio to also come through a channel on the mixer, all over USB.

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Worked - kinda. But kept losing sync, jumping patterns and generally being a weirdo. Even Traktor itself was stuttering - very weird. So think there was probably too much going on and competing for the sound cards attention or something, I don’t know.

USB Hub maybe not upto the task? There is a DIN MIDI out on the Xone96, so I could use that and regular audio cables to get the audio into the mixer - but would ideally like something with minimal cables to sort.

Has anyone got a similar setup to work ok and accurately slave from Traktor. Want the DT to keep solidly in time and sync throughout, even as tempo changes in Traktor.

Faderfox in pic is MIDI controller for Traktor - would be good to be able send MIDI out to DT also - managing track levels / filters etc.

Thanks!

#2

What’s the master clock source? Traktor? I don’t know if it can output midi clock (not familiar) might want to check the manual.
The DT can be the master or slave with midi clock, just need to enable receive midi clock in settings, however you need a way to get that clock signal into the DT. Usually it’s via midi cable but I believe USB midi can work. I don’t know if OB can do this as I don’t use it.

#3

Ideally have Traktor as the MIDI clock yes - figured MIDI over USB.

I’ve tried the other way around, MIDI out the DT into Traktor and can kinda make that work - but, I don’t know if its an Overbridge thing, but DT just seems to go crazy - jumps patterns and things, tempo drifts all over. It’s massively sketchy.

Is most important that Traktor stays locked and stable - but want DT to slave to that.

#4

Hmm that’s weird. Hopefully someone else has more experience with this and will chime in. If not it’s worth emailing Elektron support.

#5

Isn t Traktor sending way more midi than clock, which makes the DT jump around?

#6

Traktor can send midiclock but I choose to do it the other way round. I send traktor a clock from a ERM midi clock box( but you could easily send it from DT.)

For a start I would try this- Plug Xone into own dedicated USB port as thats dealing with streaming audio. Then send the midi out of Xone din port to digitakt.
If you have TP3 you can adjust the midi clock offset to get DT “on Beat”. TP2 doesnt have this feature.

#7

I would just connect the Digitakt to the mixer with audio cables. You can then either have the sound from the Digitakt running direct into a mixer channel, or run it through one of your traktor channels to use effects then back out to your Xone 96.
If you want to MIDI sync, I would use traktor as your Master. I think you need to setup a generic MIDI output within Traktor settings (I can’t remember exactly how, it’s been a while).
You should be able to send MIDI sync over USB to the Digitakt or use a MIDI DIN cable.
Or you could keep things simple and forget MIDI sync and just beat match them by ear (it’s more fun!) . Just set your Digitakt tempo to match the tempo in Traktor and use the left and right arrows to nudge into place.

#8

Mine is fine sending (only midi clock) into Traktor from a ERM clock box. Perhaps you are sending more than clock or something else is going on causing weird behavior. See

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#9

Isn t Traktor sending way more midi than clock, which makes the DT jump around?

Possibly yeah - although DT only set to receive clock

#10

This.

and have the midi out Xone (which is on its own USB port) sending clock to DT

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#11

Hey man! awesome stuff. I have a technical question. I also have the midiclock from from erm and I would like to play a back2back with my buddy (he is using traktor 3 and im using ableton). I can get ableton to receive the midi clock signal no problem, but we had a lot of trouble setting up traktor 3 to receive the midi signal from the erm midi click on his laptop. What settings do you have to set to get traktor to slave to the midi clock correctly? does your traktor also react to transport control signal from the midi clock just like ableton does? thanks a lot man!

#12

Traktor is my master.

Ableton synced on same PC using “link”

Erm vst in ableton sends audio pulse to ERM multiclock.

Hardware synced from Multiclock midi outs.

If all you are using is Ableton on one pc and tracktor on another pc (without any midi/hardware devices) why not just use “link”. Just put both pcs on same network by using a router. Any time I’ve used link its just been “linking” by having both pcs on same wifi network. Not sure if you can do link without router. Maybe even a ethernet switch would do???

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#13

thanks for the reply! yeah for sure well need to try that, though setting up a local network between mac and windows is a pain! but the wifi option should def work (: cheers!

#14

Just grab a cheap router(dedicated to your jams) and plug both computers in via Ethernet.

Then should be as easy as clicking link on both programs. Shouldn’t be any setting up required. Cant see why not.

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#15

Hello, sorry for my bad English. May I ask what your connection is, between ERM Clock and Traktor. I also have the problem with the typist. Everything runs great for a certain time and then suddenly no longer.

#16

Now its ERM vst plugin(ableton host) that sends audio from Motu UL mk5 to ERM box.

Traktor is synced to ableton via ableton “Link”.

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#17

Thank you. I have problems with the DT. Runs 2h great, then from one to the other sec asynchrones. Traktor sends the clock via usb to the ERM - midi cable to Digitakt/syntakt/Modular. I will try your way. Thank you

#18

USB Midi was always problems for me. Defo better sending audio clock pulse from a DAW.

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