boaconstructor
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Seattle, WA US

Hey guys!

I've semi-recently started writing music using nl 2.6 (the cart, not the pcb) on a classic GBA, and even more recently have begun to attempt to sync it with LSDJ. Feeling that I'd finally reached a point of proficiency with nanoloop, I was beyond stoked to finally begin producing tracks which consist of more than a single sound chip :^) but unfortunately, I've run into syncing issues..

Even when both LSDJ (I've been using ver 4.7.2) and nanoloop 2.6 are both set to sync and connected via link cable, the tempo of the nanoloop track starts to drift beyond the point of being usable in a dual-GB track as quickly as 4 bars into the song. This issue immediately becomes especially troublesome whenever I've tried to trigger a new loop in nl while synced to LSDJ. **To be specific, my LSDJ track was playing in song mode with a 3/3 groove while nl was set to loop mode**

I'm not particularly worried about this for recording final tracks, as I've programmed the majority of the track's body and variation in LSDJ, and initially had only planned to use nl as a secondary source of sound design with the goal of adding depth to existing LSDJ instruments via layering. It won't be hard to separately record the GBA and apply those loops underneath the main LSDJ track in a DAW.


SO this brings me to my main question: Can I realistically play nl+LSDJ tracks in my live sets WITHOUT relying on a computer?

I'm aware that you can manually re-cue the nl track by hitting A+B while in sync mode, but the frequency of how often I would need to do this throughout the span of one song ( on top of the fact that I could very easily re-cue the loop too early/late and throw off the entire track) is way too unreliable for a live set.

Assuming that this issue isn't due to user error, I imagine that my only option is to look for a solution via midi sync technology, which I am 100% inexperienced with. Is there a midi box out there that will make this work for me without me needing to bring a laptop into the mix for my live sets?? I know it's stubborn of me, but I have no plans whatsoever of incorporating a computer into my hardware setup for live chip sets.


Any knowledge/theories you might have regarding a solution would be greatly greatly appreciated!! I have so many crazy ideas for syncing nanoloop with LSDJ & am honestly a lil heartbroken right now.

heart

-boa

herr_prof
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You need to sync via midi.

boaconstructor
Offline
Seattle, WA US
herr_prof wrote:

You need to sync via midi.

As was expected. Is there any kind of device that can make this happen without needing to be rooted to a DAW to act as the master clock? I am seriously clueless in all things sync related

KeFF
Offline
Turku, FIN

Maybe a stupid question but have you tried this nl being the master sync? And the other way around too?

For midi, you need 2 arduinoboys or one with 2 link cables and some device that can be a master syncer!

The One Electronic
Offline
Detroit

You're going to need an arduinoboy with a dual split, one for DMG and the other for GBA and then a secondary midi clock source, like the GP2X w/Piggy->MIDI if you're looking to circumvent using a computer.  Hell, even a cheap drum machine that you can set to midi master will work, you just need a device with midi out sync that can send a signal to an Aboy with enough plugs to sync both your gameboys.

nordloef
Online
sweden

Are you using a DMG + GBA? I know in the past there was some issues syncing old nanoloop 2.x on GBA to DMG because of the voltage difference in the link cable. GBA is 3.3v and DMG is 5v, worked better if both were 3.3v. Worth a try at least.

boaconstructor
Offline
Seattle, WA US
nordloef wrote:

Are you using a DMG + GBA? I know in the past there was some issues syncing old nanoloop 2.x on GBA to DMG because of the voltage difference in the link cable. GBA is 3.3v and DMG is 5v, worked better if both were 3.3v. Worth a try at least.

Yes, I was trying with DMG+GBA. Two GBAs might work better?

scannerboy
Offline
Poland, Gdansk

Just wanted to say that I'm using nl2.7.1 on gba with lsdj4.7.3 on gbc with no problems at all

boaconstructor
Offline
Seattle, WA US

UPDATE: they sync perfectly when using 2xGBA!

now if only I could find a way to get the one running LSDJ to have the same quality of audio playback as a DMG ;^)

P.S. Actually yeah does prosounding a GBA have similar results to doing the same to a DMG..? I imagine it will of course make some difference... but close enough to a DMG?

J3wel
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Would this help?

http://www.herbertweixelbaum.com/comparison.htm

boaconstructor wrote:

UPDATE: they sync perfectly when using 2xGBA!

now if only I could find a way to get the one running LSDJ to have the same quality of audio playback as a DMG ;^)

P.S. Actually yeah does prosounding a GBA have similar results to doing the same to a DMG..? I imagine it will of course make some difference... but close enough to a DMG?

rvan
Offline
boaconstructor wrote:

UPDATE: they sync perfectly when using 2xGBA!

now if only I could find a way to get the one running LSDJ to have the same quality of audio playback as a DMG ;^)

Assuming the voltage difference is what caused the problem, you could build a link cable with an inline line level converter.

seatrash
Offline
seattle

when my cart worked, i had 2.6 and LSDJ syncing together no problem. i was running 4.6.2 at the time, nano was the slave. sometimes beatmatching works better than cable syncing, though. and it makes you feel like a DJ, so that's always fun

edit: i never could get 1.6 and 2.6 to sync together correctly for some reason.

Last edited by seatrash (Aug 16, 2014 12:28 am)

e.s.c.
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IL, US

i had 2.3 (master) syncing with 1.6.3 and 1.3 fine..