6.0

275
Synchronization
lower quality, because of the (very slight) “fluttering” of
the tape, but they are perfectly adequate for time code).
Connect the SMPTE out of the interface with the input of
the tape machine (or the input of the mixing desk, if you
want to route the time code, and set a level). It is custom-
ary to use the track with the highest number. Set the level
of the time code to −10 VU. Avoid recording stationary
time code by starting the time code generator before the
recording. For several reasons—for example to avoid
drop-outs which can lead to gaps or jumps in the time
code, and to give you the option of extending a song
later,—it is a good idea to record the time code throughout
the whole tape (this is known as “striping” the tape). It is
also customary to set a SMPTE code start time of just un-
der one hour (01:00:00:00). The first song on a tape then
always begins at exactly one hour. Other tapes of the same
project can be given SMPTE times with consecutive
hours, which means the SMPTE time can be used to
clearly identify a tape, if the tape boxes get mixed up.
Synchronizing Sequencers to Tape: Connect the output of
the time code track to the SMPTE input of the computer.
To minimize crosstalk, it is better to make a direct connec-
tion rather than routing the signal via the mixing desk.
The computer does not have to begin bar 1 at a SMPTE
time of 0 hours, 0 minutes, 0 seconds and 0 frames
(00:00:00:00), you can set an “offset”, to make the se-
quencer wait for the correct SMPTE position, before it
starts the song. If the second song on tape begins at (say)
01:04:50:00, you need to set the SMPTE offset to match.
Make a note of the SMPTE offset on the track sheet for the
song, or next to the song title on the tape box.
The bar position which is reached at a specific SMPTE
time position depends on the tempo of the sequencer. If
you have begun to record onto tape, you won’t be able to al-
ter the tempo without disrupting the synchronization.
You should, therefore, also make a note of the precise
tempo on the track sheet.
The SMPTE offset and tempo settings are saved with the
song, but it is not unheard of for the song file and the tape
to be separated.
Synchronizing Several Sequencers: If you want to synchro-
nize several sequencer programs with a tape machine act-
ing as the master, you should try at all costs to synchronize
just one sequencer via SMPTE or MTC. You can then syn-
chronize the other sequencers to this one, via MIDI
Clock/SPP. When synchronizing several sequencers (with
no tape machine) you should only use MIDI clock/SPP.