Title: | * * Computer Music, MIDI, and Related Topics * * |
Notice: | Conference has been write-locked. Use new version. |
Moderator: | DYPSS1::SCHAFER |
Created: | Thu Feb 20 1986 |
Last Modified: | Mon Aug 29 1994 |
Last Successful Update: | Fri Jun 06 1997 |
Number of topics: | 2852 |
Total number of notes: | 33157 |
Can somebody tell me how the MIDI clock scheme works? Specifically, I don't understand how the thing starts. I read somewhere that when a sequencer is stopped, it outputs STOP messages at the same rate that the CLOCK messages would be coming if the sequencer was running, so that the other devices can stay in sync. Does the sequencer just power up outputing STOPs without any controls being touched? (assuming that it is set up to generate external sync). What happens when you want to start? Does it put a START message where the next STOP message would have been and then send CLOCKs from there on? Is the START message, or the first CLOCK message the first beat in the piece? Presumably a CONTINUE message could just be substituted for a START message where appropriate? Thanks, Steph
T.R | Title | User | Personal Name | Date | Lines |
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873.1 | attempted answers | SAUTER::SAUTER | John Sauter | Mon Jul 20 1987 10:22 | 19 |
I don't have the MIDI spec with me, but I believe that START, STOP and CONTINUE messages are one-shots. The CLOCK messages can continue to be sent while stopped, so that other devices can stay in sync, though I'm not convinced of the value of this. When START is sent, things don't really start until the next CLOCK. CLOCK messages are sent 24 times per quarter note, so they aren't necessarily beats, though usually they have a simple relationship to beats. After START, the next CLOCK is the first CLOCK of the song. After CONTINUE, the next CLOCK is the first clock after the last CLOCK before the last STOP. In other words, the receiver ignores CLOCK between STOP and CONTINUE. I hope the above is accurate--it's from memory of the MIDI spec, and it's been too long since I read it. If you need reliable answers, I recommend you read the spec. John Sauter | |||||
873.2 | Enter a title for your reply: | ECADSR::SHERMAN | one rubber nose! | Mon Jul 20 1987 13:35 | 6 |
re -.1: The value I find with the clock continuing is that, for example, my drum maching continues to respond to the tempo I've set in the sequencer. So, I can work out drum suff at tempo on the drum machine, then dump this stuff to the seqeuncer. FWIW Steve |