MIDI Kinetics Forum

http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2015/ ... available/

I wonder if that device makes it possible to get a more tight clock connection between Lemur and a Pc. Up until today i never really succeded to slave Lemur reliably to the computer but this might finally help. There is also the inncerclock system device which seems to work similar but that is alot more expensive. But maybe someone already has experience with that.

Just in case anyone is thinking of buying a device like this purely to get the Lemur sequencers behaving correctly, I have to say that I don't think it will help you!

Sure - DAW midi clocks are well known to be poor as master and slaves - and these devices will certainly help you achive a solid stable clock from your DAW. I do not doubt this at all. Many devices I have used sync badly to DAW midi clock, BUT, I have been using an external master clock for syncing all of my devices together. This includes-:

a) My DAW
b)Zaquencer BCR2000 Step-sequencer
c)Sub37 Step-sequencer and Arp and LFO's
d)Minibrute Step-sequencer and LFO's
e) Lemur app on iPad2

All are slaved to an MPC through an Iconnectmidi4+ and all but one run smoothly without any kind of problems whatsoever.

Lemur is the only device which is unable to run stable without spuriously sending out duplicate midi notes from the sequencers! The problems are unlike those I have experienced before from poor sync ie drift and jitter, or start delays ect - with Lemur it is something else.

Sure it could be a) The iPad, b) The Iconnect Cables, c) The ICM4+ or d) The Lemur app
Hopefully soon I will know which and where the problems arise from. This is being investigated by Nick at Liine and the folks at iConnectivity but it has not been quick or straightforwards to identify what is going on.

Sadly I don't have an extra iOS device, ICM4+, or Iconnect cables with which to test, not yet anyway. In mid-May however it will be a different story and I will be able to carry out testing with another iPad and cable - this will at least help me rule out some of the variables in play.

I should mention that there are lots of developments in the app world now for direct midi from iPads to your Mac and soon PC too. Im PC and as soon as these arrive I will be able to test using this method also. Then it will be clear to see if the issues are anything to do with the ICM4+ devices.

If anyone has any info they can add to this I would be most grateful? Does anyone here use the stepsequencing objects in Lemur succesfully while slaved to midi clock?

Both me and the OP have experienced this sequencer stutter, has anyone else?

Unfortunately I have to say, +1.

I always thought, my wireless connection with Lemur and windows laptop is to blame, but I dont think so anymore. Even connecting a Lemur sequencer to another app inside the iPad, you still get duplicate notes, some drifting, some lost note offs, its actually unuseable for any serious work with sequencers - and you can forget drums alltogether even if you were somewhat tolerant on timing issues with other sound sources like ambient pads - drones, etc etc.

BTW, how do you like your Zaquencer Chilam? I'm falling in love with it! Amazing thing!

I think the Zaquencer is really something quite special - especially considering the Hardware's original purpose!

It's amazing what Zaq has accomplished and I bought the BCR just to run this Firmware. Some of the features rival those of much more expensive sequencers - skips, swing, pattern length, start/end step adjustment, note repeat, mono/poly/drum tracks etc... all realtime with great hands-on control.

It is one of the things that really made me question the Lemur sequencers code - the Zaquencer behaves perfectly while slaved and has never missed or played a wrong note, no duplicate triggers, no problems at all! I'm pretty sure the CPU inside the behringer unit cannot seriously compete with the one inside the iPad2 so it makes you wonder...why!?

I really appreciate you posting up that you have had these issues too - sometimes I start thinking it must be just me or that my iPad is faulty even though it has never shown any other signs of trouble.

I was hoping this might get fixed soon with some change in the Lemur algorithms or code but my last message from Nick@liine seemed to imply that he believes it is not Lemur but "an OS issue or a hardware issue with some Midi interfaces"!

The iConnectmidi guys say it could be the iPad, Lemur, or a faulty cable!

At least soonish I will be able to rule out some of these variables at last. I should mention that a new iPad sequencing app is soon arriving which looks to be very very promising - "Modstep" its called and is promised to run on even an old first gen iPad1! Exciting! The guys who have developed this sequencer have also developed Midimux and soon Audiomux which are ways to use the regular 30pin to USB connector to send Midi and Audio to and from you computer - no interface needed!

Thanks again Softcore

Anyone else having these issues please post up and let us know about it - Cheers!

Truth be told, the OS and how it handles midi messages, is something I just cant rule out. having created Lemur templates for some iPad apps I have noticed unreliable midi connection (lost CC messages,hanging notes, etc etc) too many times.

As for the Zaquencer, yeah its the biz. I had bought Arturia Beatstep a few weeks before it came out - its going to collect dust now, Zaquencer kills it!

You might well be right about the OS's midi handling - I just don't know, but I have heard reports about other sequencers running stable from the iPad without problems. ( Nord-step, Auria, Little Midi Machine, Nord Beat,Genome, Midistepsequencer,..ect)

Come to think of it I have never tried any of these others to check and see - I dedicated my iPad to Lemur and wiped it clean to fee up memory and keep it as snappy as poss.

I think there will be a few Beatstep's in the same position soon with the upcoming release of the PRO unit which has 64 steps, drum mode, song mode, and 8 CV outs! - but yeah, the Zaquencer even does things the new Beatstep PRO can't do, like poly mode!

On another note - the Novation Launchpad Pro looks great too. The news that they will make it open-source is very exciting. I already sent Zaq a message - Imagine if he made a ZaqPad Pro!