6.0

Synchronization
270
The Basics
Summary
If you want to synchronize MAGIX midi studio genera-
tion 6 to a second sequencer system (workstation, drum
machine) please use MIDI Clock/SPP.
For all other situations where you use external synchroni-
zation (tape machine, stand-alone hard disk recorder,
video recorder) use MTC. To synchronize MAGIX midi
studio generation 6 to a SMPTE signal you need a “syn-
chronizer”, which converts SMPTE into MTC. This can be
done by nearly all interfaces with multiple MIDI ports.
Timecode and Clock synchronization
synchronization involves ensuring that several devices
run absolutely in time with each other. This doesn’t just
mean that the devices start at the same point, and run at
the same speed. To set exactly the same speed would re-
quire infinite precision (even with digital devices). In-
stead, synchronization means that while the devices are
running, every point along the time axis of all the devices
must be linked.
This requires that the devices to be constantly “connected”
to each other. This is only possible if one of the devices
acts as the “master”, defining the current position, while
the all other devices act as “slaves” and constantly try to
follow this position as closely as possible.
There are two different ways of doing this, depending on
the type of devices being used:
1. With devices like sequencers or drum machines, the
positional information shared is expressed in bar po-
sitions—in other words, they use “bar-referenced syn-
chronization”.
2. Devices like tape machines or hard disk recorders
usually use “time-referenced synchronization”—the
positional information shared by these devices is time
information, in the form of so-called time code. Devic-
es that use time-referenced sync include tape ma-
chines for video signals, like VTRs (video tape
recorders) and VCRs (video cassette recorders). With
time-referenced sync, the tape speed or sampling rate
is not dependent on the musical tempo of the record-
ed song.
Bar-referenced synchronization is only appropriate if you
are using devices from the first category. As far as devices
from the second category are concerned, time-referenced
sync really ought to be used. A single tape machine could
theoretically control several devices from the first cate-
gory, by playing recorded bar-referenced time code. How-