If anyone could help me I would greatly appreciate as I am at my wits end.  I just got an Mbox 2 and can not get the Motif to stay in sync with Midi Beat Clock.  I have used this Motif in various setups, with different DAW’s, and I have never ever had a problem with something so basic as sending midi beat clock to the motif and having it play in perfect sync.  All my other peripherals lock up no problem but the Motif gets triggered and then just falls off after about six measures.  I used to use an old version of Cubase and the Motif worked no problem.  I know that the problem is with the Motif since other keyboards and drum machines stay in sync no problem.  I also tried MTC which absolutely does not work at all but I never had a problem in cubase.  If anyone could help me I would greatly appreciate it.  Im literally about to throe this MBOX2 in the garbage as it has cause me nothing but problems.  Thanks.

Re: Motif Will not stay in Sync

MTC will not work unless you are sending MIDI TIME CODE to the Motif while it is in SONG mode (it requires something called SPP, Song Position Pointer). Just FYI: MTC allows the source (your computer software) and the Motif (in Song mode) to reference the same clock, the movie clock… Tempo must be setup separately in each device. MTC is used when you want to run the two clocks referencing the same Hours, Minutes, Seconds, and Frames reference and run them at the same or at separate tempos. For example, the guy with the knife jumps on screen at a particular frame, you can set the tempo of the MTC slave so that the music it is playing hits that big scary chord and crash at exactly the frame when the knifeman appears.... Not what you want to do…

MIDI SYNC = MIDI is what you want to set the Motif to… You don’t say that but we are certain that is what you are trying.

That is all you need to do in the Motif, as it now will only playback when it receives incoming MIDI Clock from the source.

Make sure that you are delivering the clock via as direct a pathway as is possible… super long MIDI cables, Thru other products, MIDI turnaround adapters, are all known culprits.

Also make sure your software is set to SEND MIDI clock (we are also sure you have checked this but must mention it) most software does not automatically output MIDI clock, it must be turned on in many instances. For example Cubase, you must select the PORT on which to send MIDI clock, it does not automatically just send it… other DAWs are very similar in this - the computer software does not assume you are using any external device with a clock… so you have to turn it ON… you don’t really mention what software you are using but check it out.

Re: Motif Will not stay in Sync

Bad Mr doesn’t comment on this.

However, the MBox2 comes with Pro Tools LE as a DAW, is that the software you are actually using?

If not you may need to make sure that you have the relevant ASIO driver selected. I use my MBox2 with Cubase, so the ASIO driver has to be selected in Device Setup. Also, if I am routed timecode/sync info, it needs to be piped to the motif via the MBox midi driver. I woudl assume these are the default settings in Pro Tools, but may need to be selected in an alternate DAW such as Cubase.

Last thought - I am also assuming since you have used your Motif in this way before that you have set it to respond to MIDI info as opposed to USB info in Utilities/MIDI/Other.

A postscript thought is that I actually use my MBox2 AND my Motif both via USB connections - it gives me more options for MIDI channels and so on (driving my PLGs separately for insance) You can download the USB-MIDI driver from [url=http://www.yamahasynth.com]http://www.yamahasynth.com [/url]

Cheers