Topic: Host tempo from MIDI clock?

Hi all!

Title says it all: Is it possible to get host tempo from incoming MIDI clock? My setup isn't possibly the most typical one: I am using PTQ standalone with Elektron Digitone synth/seq (+ other synths). Point is that Elektron is MIDI clock device which controls other gear effects (typically delay) automatically.

Re: Host tempo from MIDI clock?

I'm curious, what are you hoping for Pianoteq to do when it gets the midi clock messages?  Set the tempo?  Synch somehow with the Elektron's clock?

I don't think you can do either of those with Pianoteq directly.  But it would be possible to have a software app as an intermediary to receive the clock signals from the Elektron, then have that app figure out the tempo and send midi messages to Pianoteq to change/set pteq's tempo.  I deal with this kind of thing on an ipad, would be easy to do with the Mozaic midi scripting app.  I'm pretty sure I could do this processing with something like Sonic Pi on Linux/Windows/Mac, but Sonic Pi may be overkill, I assume there's some simpler method (maybe just a simple script in Ruby or Python using appropriate midi library).

I don't know of any way you could actually synch the beats of Pianoteq directly to the Electron clock, though.

Last edited by hesitz (07-10-2020 05:06)

Re: Host tempo from MIDI clock?

hesitz wrote:

I'm curious, what are you hoping for Pianoteq to do when it gets the midi clock messages?  Set the tempo?  Synch somehow with the Elektron's clock?

I don't think you can do either of those with Pianoteq directly.  But it would be possible to have a software app as an intermediary to receive the clock signals from the Elektron, then have that app figure out the tempo and send midi messages to Pianoteq to change/set pteq's tempo.  I deal with this kind of thing on an ipad, would be easy to do with the Mozaic midi scripting app.  I'm pretty sure I could do this processing with something like Sonic Pi on Linux/Windows/Mac, but Sonic Pi may be overkill, I assume there's some simpler method (maybe just a simple script in Ruby or Python using appropriate midi library).

I don't know of any way you could actually synch the beats of Pianoteq directly to the Electron clock, though.

Yes, I am hoping that I could sync my PTQ-delay to incoming Midi clock. You can sync it to ”host tempo” but obviously this is just internal tempo, which itself is not possible to sync to external MIDI clock messages, right? I believe this small feature addition would not be very difficult to implement. In general, if you have delay, or other time based effects, it’s typical that you can sync them to MIDI clock as well.

Re: Host tempo from MIDI clock?

Ecaroh wrote:

Yes, I am hoping that I could sync my PTQ-delay to incoming Midi clock. You can sync it to ”host tempo” but obviously this is just internal tempo, which itself is not possible to sync to external MIDI clock messages, right? I believe this small feature addition would not be very difficult to implement. In general, if you have delay, or other time based effects, it’s typical that you can sync them to MIDI clock as well.

This seems beyond the intended scope of standalone Pianoteq.  If you want it I think the solution is to run Pianoteq as a plugin in some kind of host, and manage things within the host.

Re: Host tempo from MIDI clock?

Yes, but my hope is that some day I could make PTQ to listen MIDI clock too. Not the most important thing in the world right now, I know, but I believe it wouldn't be too difficult to put there on the other hand. I don't want to use DAW just for simply having synced delay. PTQ standalone is my live gig choise.

P.S. All this shows how many different users and usages are out there. Mine is mostly percussions (PTQ-Vibes, -Marimba, -Xylo and -Hand Pan played Xylosyhth midi controller) together my other hardware synths. I also use Elektron Digitone as my audio interface, so basically Elektron plays its own synths but also PTQ. This is mixed to my Nord Stage... Probably quite unique combination of things.