How do I sync external hardware sequencer to Reaper? (SOLVED)

[Musicianaire]

===== Solution is in post #11. Thank you, Goldreap ====

Okay, to begin, let me explain what I can do in Sonar to transfer MIDIs from old 3.5" floppies to the DAW:

1. Using a MIDI-to-USB wire, I connect my Roland MC50mkII sequencer to the laptop.
2. Open Sonar and set it up to record, using the "Transmit MIDI Clock" feature.
3. When I hit the Record button, Sonar starts the MC50 playback, and stops it when the song is finished.

In Reaper, I've poked around and tried various settings that I could find related to MIDI time code and such, but nothing is working. In fact, at one point Reaper did start the MC50, but there was no sound.

What am I missing?

[Musicianaire]

uh oh, I stumped ReaLand.

[Philbo King]

What, exactly, are floppy disc MIDIs?
Is it .MID files? SysEx files? Presets files for your sequencer?

Clues would be good...

From your description it sounds like you might be playing back a multichannel sequenced MIDI arrangement. If that's what's going on, just cable the Sequencer MIDI out to a Reaper MIDI input and record the MIDI as it plays back. Once recorded into Reaper it can be chopped into pieces, divided up by MIDI channel, whatever.

If you want to somehow import all the pieces of the sequenced arrangement from your sequencers custom-defined files into Reaper and play back the sequence, you are beyond what I have done. Creating a sequence in Reaper is simple. Copying it in, intact, from proprietary foreign hardware is probably not.

[Musicianaire]

Yes, it's multi-channel sequenced MIDI arrangement, stored on floppy disk, and that disk goes into the sequencer to be played.
There is a cable (MIDI on one end, USB on the other) from the sequencer to the laptop.
The goal is to play the MIDI arrangement, in real time, while Reaper records it onto a track.
To accomplish this, I need to set it up so that when I hit the Record button, Reaper triggers the sequencer to start playing, using some form of time code function. In SONAR it's called "Transmit MIDI Clock".

That's it. No other info needed that I know of. A simple transfer of MIDI data from hardware to software.

The issue is how to sync the two together.

[Goldreap]

Have you poked around in File > Project settings > Advanced > External timecode synchronization > Configure

[Musicianaire]

Originally Posted by Goldreap

Have you poked around in File > Project settings > Advanced > External timecode synchronization > Configure

Probably. LOL. I say that because when I tried this a couple days ago I was trying all sorts of things that I found, but don't remember everything I tried.
But at one point I did get everything working perfectly, EXCEPT there was no sound. That's when I decided to ask for help.

[Tod]

Originally Posted by Musicianaire

Probably. LOL. I say that because when I tried this a couple days ago I was trying all sorts of things that I found, but don't remember everything I tried.
But at one point I did get everything working perfectly, EXCEPT there was no sound. That's when I decided to ask for help.

Hi Musicianaire, so you actually got the sequencer synced to Reaper? But just didn't get any sound?

Are you sending time code from Reaper to the sequencer or the other way around?

How have you got your sequencer audio outputs hooked up to Reaper, I'm assuming you have a 2 outputs on the sequencer?

Also what kind of interface setup do you have?

[Musicianaire]

Originally Posted by Tod

Hi Musicianaire, so you actually got the sequencer synced to Reaper? But just didn't get any sound?

Correct.

How have you got your sequencer audio outputs hooked up to Reaper, I'm assuming you have a 2 outputs on the sequencer?

No, not the audio outputs, because I'm not trying to record sound, I'm trying to record (transfer) MIDI data. The Roland Sound Canvas VA VSTi, which is plugged into Reaper, provides the sound of the instruments on each MIDI channel, and it works in Reaper with no problem for other tasks.

Also what kind of interface setup do you have?

The cable is double-headed on one end with a MIDI In and MIDI Out. This end is connected to the sequencer.
The other end is a single USB, connected to the computer as normal.
There is no other interface between the two machines. With SONAR that isn't a problem. Everything syncs, with sound and all. I do have a Focusrite UR-44, but I've never needed it for this purpose.

Are you sending time code from Reaper to the sequencer or the other way around?

Well, since I succeeded in getting Reaper to control the sequencer, I'm thinking Reaper is sending the time code?

The main problem at this point is getting sound.

Bottom line:
Sequencer MIDI In/Out > Computer USB In > Reaper w/VSTi plugged in.
Syncing has been successful, but no sound output.


.

[Goldreap]

Is midi data actually being recorded?

[Musicianaire]

Originally Posted by Goldreap

Is midi data actually being recorded?

Yup. I suppose I could let it record silently, then see if it plays back with sound, but it's best if I can monitor as it records.

[Goldreap]

Is monitoring actually on? (Right click record arm button).

[Musicianaire]

Originally Posted by Goldreap

Is monitoring actually on? (Right click record arm button).

Apparently not, as it now works with it on. This is something that brain-farted past me all this time.

Thank you!

[Tod]

Originally Posted by Musicianaire

Apparently not, as it now works with it on. This is something that brain-farted past me all this time.

Thank you!

Heh heh, it's happened to all of us.

[Goldreap]

Great.
Monitoring is off by default. To change that (if you want), Options > Preferences > Project > Track/Send Defaults > click on the Record config box. Obscure but there!

[cymbals]

Originally Posted by Goldreap

Great.
Monitoring is off by default. To change that (if you want), Options > Preferences > Project > Track/Send Defaults > click on the Record config box. Obscure but there!

Thanks!