Linking LSDJ to Nanoloop

The easiest way nowadays is to use an analog source and slave both lsdj and nanoloop to it. I have read some lsdj versions having "lsdj analog out" but Ive never messed with, but that would be great if nanoloop could sync to it without an adapter or modding a link cable. I doubt it though.

I also want to sync my two Gameboys DMG-01, on first is old LSDj 4.4.0 (i never upgraded since purchase from Johan because it works good) and on second is nanoloop mono, in LSDj is sync option off/slave/master/midi/nano/keybd so maybe i will buy on ebay original Nintendo DMG-04 link cable and i will see if that works.

Shitbird you probably mean method like was used in Teenage engineering Pocket operators; when is devices cascaded via ordinary 3,5” stereo jack sync tick is sent by left side, so output is at the end mono signal.

Last edited by martin_demsky (Jan 2, 2019 10:50 pm)

In my case it is a little problem, because a lot of my lsdj tunes use stereo panning with arpeggios, because i simply love them, and i dont think that lsdj or nanoloop mono have some intelligent algorithm like have teenage enginnering pocket machines, and when machines detect that are cascaded then create output to mono right side. so rest of my programming can be lost.

on nanoloop mono site is not mentioned nintendo link cable, so i dont know if it works, because lsdj is more tracker and nanoloop more like fruity loops drummachines, but probably it can "think" of new sequence like know teenage pockets, and on next cycle of slave machine sequence will synchronize.

otherwise i will start to practice sync manually with purrfect start button

Last edited by martin_demsky (Jan 4, 2019 8:36 am)

You'll need something with an analog sync pulse output. The monotron duo doesn't have any form of clocking (not even an LFO like on the original), so unless you just use a square wave with no filter and mod it so it runs super slow, you likely won't get a sync pulse out of it.

Octatrack sending MIDI sync to volca only, no note information.. but that's not important, as the volca sends a sync pulse to the SYNC OUT regardless of whether it's being clocked internally or externally.

I used a cable with a 3.5mm plug on one end and a DMG link cable plug on the other, that I made according to the specifications on the nanoloop site. The volca was set to send 16th note pulses. I'm not sure if it's 5v, but it's definitely enough to drive nanoloop's sync. Nanoloop was set to analog sync slave mode (mode "c").

You should be able to use the ANALOG OUT mode on LSDJ and the SLAVE "c" mode in nanoloop, and it should sync, using a link cable between the two gameboys. Keep in mind that even though it says "analog out" it actually means that it's going through the link port, and not the 3.5mm output. I think you were a little off track earlier in the thread and nobody noticed.

I don't think it'll work in the way you describe though; nanoloop will start as soon as LSDJ does. It's sometimes tricky to get nanoloop to actually stop/start at the beginning of a bar, as its sequencer runs constantly when not in slave mode. In that case I recommend actually having nanoloop as the sync master (with both still using analog sync mode) and then starting LSDJ in time with the next bar in nanoloop. Neither way is ideal, but it's chiptunes after all

Last edited by pselodux (Jan 4, 2019 1:44 pm)

Thanks for all the help on this, however, when I go to slave Nanoloop I only see options "a" and "m". Following the manual, I just went to the ">>" button, pushed A + B to 'prepare slave', then hit B + Select, but it just cycles through "a" and "m", I'm not seeing the "c" mode. I'm using Nanoloop 2.8.2, so I think it should have that option, any help would be appreciated!