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Synchronization
Background
What is synchronization?
Synchronization is said to exist when you make two pieces
of equipment agree on time or tempo and position info. You
can establish synchronization between Cubase AI and a
number of other types of devices, including tape recorders
and video decks, but also MIDI devices that “play back”,
such as other sequencers, drum machines, “workstation
sequencers”, etc.
When you set up a synchronization system, you must de-
cide which unit is the master. All other devices are then
slaved to this unit, which means they will adjust their play-
back speed to the master’s.
Cubase AI as slave
When a synchronization signal is coming in to Cubase AI,
from another device, this device is the master and Cubase
AI is the slave. Cubase AI will adjust its playback to the
other device.
Cubase AI as master
When you set up Cubase AI to transmit synchronization
information to other devices, Cubase AI is the master and
the other devices are the slaves; they will adjust their play-
back to Cubase AI.
Cubase AI – both master and slave
Cubase AI is a very capable synchronization device. It can
operate as both master and slave at the same time. For ex-
ample, Cubase AI might be slaved to a tape recorder trans-
mitting timecode, while at the same time transmitting MIDI
Clock to a drum machine, acting as a master for that.
Synchronization signals
Basically there are three types of synchronization signals
for audio: timecode, MIDI clock and word clock.
Timecode (SMPTE, EBU, MTC, VITC, etc.)
Timecode appears in a number of guises. No matter which
“format” it has, it always supplies a “clock on the wall”
type of synchronization, that is, a synchronization related
to hours, minutes, seconds and two smaller units called
“frames” and “subframes”.
• LTC (SMPTE, EBU) is the audio version of timecode. This
means that it can be recorded on the audio track of an audio
or video recorder.
• VITC is the video format timecode, stored in the actual video
image.
• MTC is the MIDI version of timecode, transmitted via MIDI
cables.
• ADAT sync (Alesis) is only used with the ASIO Positioning
Protocol, see “About the ASIO Positioning Protocol (APP)” on
page 238.
For the ASIO Positioning Protocol, other high precision
timecode formats may also be supported.
Format recommendations for timecode – without ASIO
Positioning Protocol
• When using synchronizer to synchronize your system to exter-
nal timecode, the most common timecode format is MTC.
Contrary to some reports you might have heard, MTC delivers
good precision for external sync. This is due to the fact that
the operating system can “time stamp” incoming MIDI mes-
sages, which increases precision.
Format recommendations for timecode – with ASIO
Positioning Protocol
• LTC and VITC are the formats with the highest precision and
are recommended when available.
• MTC is the next best option and probably the most common
choice, since few audio hardware solutions have built-in LTC
or VITC readers. However, LTC and VITC offer even higher
precision when available.
!
For a description of the VST System Link feature
(with which you can synchronize separate computers
running Cubase AI or Nuendo for example), see
“Working with VST System Link” on page 240.