Timeline control via MTC

[BEX]

Is there any way to control the timeline clock via MIDI time code?

Our goal: to sync a set light show to our backing tracks (we play to a click and want the lights to be the same every gig)

The timeline feature is great, but without a perfect sync to our click it is pretty useless for our needs.
I realize that i could use the auto BPM tool to signal step changes in a scene, but the time tools seem to have no effect on timeline operations. we have a 3 hour set and that sounds like a mammoth programming task, even broken up, we would be talking single scenes of 45+ minutes (and hoping i trigger them manually in perfect time until auto BPM kicks in via splitting the click and sending to computer microphone)

I have already programmed a slew of cue scenes which would be so much easier to drag into the timeline...

Is there anyway to make the timeline time code, which can be operated as a slave to our Alesis multi track (which we already use to send timecode to)? If not, what other options do we have to sync (besides creating MONSTER sized scenes)?

Thanks and much love!

[Earl Harvey]

Curious which Alesis Multi-track you are using and if it would sync to SMPTE... You could drop a SMPTE track on the audio timeline and sync the alesis from it ...
The only solution I could recommend is using a Computer based DAW and trigger the timelines from it via MIDI

[BEX]

Thanks for the reply!

We are using an Alesis Alexis ADAT HD 24, which we run as the master clock, and would like to continue that as at has been beyond reliable..however i think it is possible to run it as a slave in SMPTE with an external master clock.

do you mean triggering both units from a master device?

[Earl Harvey]

Insert a wave file on Timeline with SMPTE recorded on it so you could sync the ADAT to SX using the analog audio out on your computer, this would also sync your audio to any video you have on timeline... Using SX as the Master Clock source would be the only way to achieve it... You could also have your click recorded on the other channel of audio of the waveform on the timeline... Still think using a DAW with Ableton Live,Pro-Tools, Logic or any other recording software that has MIDI would be the way to go until SX sees a bigger demand to provide MTC sync capabilities

[support]

FYI: viewtopic.php?f=33&t=1759

[Earl Harvey]

Curious... I've imported Show... found Fixture MTC,,, but could you clarify? Does it involve MIDI Time Code (MTC)?

[support]

They were not using MTC.

The midi/audio player was playing the audio file, together with a midi track sending basic midi notes to trigger buttons in Live.
The lightshow was quickly done, and the sync was good.

[BEX]

Thank you for the replies!

using a MIDI track to trigger the scenes is a great idea, however the HD24 will not send a regular programmed MIDI cue track, only MMC or MTC.

Maybe a DAW controlling the whole rig and playing back the MIDI cue track time locked is the solution?

[Earl Harvey]

Yeah... You wouldn't need the ADAT at that point just a good Audio interface depending on how many audio tracks you want available to output to your Audio Console...
Everything could all be done on the same computer including Show Xpress acting as a virtual "MIDI Plug-in" being triggered from a MIDI track on the DAW...
If all you need is a click track and one channel for backing tracks you wouldn't need a DAW and interface... Everything could be done from SX by creating a waveform with the click panned hard left and the backing tracks panned hard right...