Instruction Manual

Audio Loop Sync

You don’t need a special plugin to sync the CR to your DAW. In fact, the CR will just as easily sync

to an audio loop of a sync clock. Tiptop has provided some source clock audio les at various BPMs

on the Tiptop Audio website.

To use the audio sync le, simply follow the directions above for using SW Sync, but substitute the

audio sync le. Loop the le in your DAW for the duration of your project and you’ve got one channel

of clock throughout your session.

These les are simply example templates to demonstrate the technique. Making your own audio

sync les is just a matter of placing the clock and reset pulses at the correct locations in the DAW

timeline.

NB: You’ll need an audio sync le that was generated at your desired BPM. Most DAWs include

time-stretching algorithms to alter the length of audio les to match a sequence’s BPM. However, in

our experiments, we have found audio loop les altered using time-stretching algorithms to match

specic BPMs offer inconsistent levels of sync accuracy. We recommend using an audio loop sync

le created at the BPM you desire.

This method also works in reverse: record the Clock and Reset outputs of the CR into the DAW as

the sync track for all additional overdubs.

A Note About Latency and Sync:

All digital devices have to delay the signal in order to sample and work efciently, this is commonly

called ‘latency’ because it is often a hidden value. The DAW software, USB/Firewire interface, ADC/

DAC chips all have buffers in place for processing and they need to be measured. When setting up

sync with devices outside the computer the round trip delay needs to be compensated for, and often

the setting only works properly when manually set.

The rst step is to measure the round trip delay from the DAW, through the audio interface and back

into the DAW timeline. Send a clock signal from Silent Way or use the audio sync pulse method and

record the output onto a separate audio track via the analog inputs and outputs of the interface (just

like it is hooked up to the CR). In the timeline, measure the time between the clock pulse being sent

out and where the recorded one in samples.

Once the delay is measured it can be entered into the settings of the DAW. The following example

uses Ableton Live, but this manual cannot cover every recording application, so please consult the

DAW documentation for how to enter the same settings.