Specifications

converter 1.5

2000 - 2005 urr Sound Technologies Inc.
33
midi clock generator
In addition to being able to synchronize its lfo generators to incoming midi clock, converter also features
its own internal midi clock generator. This clock generator was designed to be fast and direct to
control, making it optimal for use in a live performance application, or in jam / improvisational sessions
in a studio, where acoustic (human-played) rhythm sections define the tempo of a given performance.
To enable this type of application, converter provides tap tempo functionality (insert key, or 0 on the
numeric keypad) and a dedicated start / stop key (del key) for its midi generator.
Note that in order to be used, the clock engine must be enabled in the real-time engine settings menu.
In order for converter to clock as accurately to the given musical situation at hand, it is important to tap
the desired tempo as accurately as possible. Even though not displayed on the screen, converter uses
high internal precision to enable it to generate fractional tempos. The tempo displayed on the screen is
the fractional tempo rounded to its nearest bpm.
Keep in mind that almost any midi clock source will eventually drift over time, even two separate clock
sources which are set to the same bpm (which is why a single midi clock source is always used in
recording applications), and as a result it is important to make playing decisions based on this fact – for
example, if sync’ing a synthesizer’s arpeggiator to converter’s clock in a band situation, don’t set the
arpeggiator to its indefinite ‘hold pattern’ position; use a key triggered or one shot mode instead.
When incoming midi clock is received by converter, the midi clock generator is automatically halted,
converter auto-syncs to the incoming clock messages and the tempo becomes that of the external
clock source.
For more critical applications, overall clock accuracy can be improved (if necessary) by using converter
in one of its midi input only modes (without audio input), due to the interrupt frequency and priority of
the audio input code versus the interrupt priority and frequency of converter’s midi clock generator.
However, the difference in accuracy is slight, and would likely only be an issue if converter’s midi clock
is being used in certain recording situations demanding a large degree of precision. Certainly for live
performance applications this should not be an issue.
Metronome ‘click track’ functionality is embedded in converter, providing a useful aural cue source for
human performers in a live situation where they must follow the tempo of an electronic source. The
metronome generates midi note messages on an assignable midi channel and note number with
programmable accenting, which would be used on an external midi sound module. In addition,
converter provides the ability to generate a visual tempo count using the LEDs on the computer’s
keyboard, which can provide a silent means for a musician to keep track of current tempo or current
count location which may be useful in studio recording applications. These “click tracks” are generated
either by the internal clock in converter, or auto-synchronized to external clock received from another
source such as a sequencer. Refer to the section in this manual on Auxiliary Realtime Settings for
information on configuring these features.
Certain computers may have difficulty using the default midi clock engine in converter. If this is the case,
converter will detect the problem, automatically update the force clock parameter in
hardware.cfg
,
and begin using an alternative ‘compatibility’ midi clock engine. While this alternative clock engine will
normally perform well on the sorts of machines which would have problems with the original clock
engine, it is possible that overall system performance might be affected on specific motherboards. In
this rare event, it is best that the clock engine be disabled (in the realtime engine settings menu, [Alt]-[E])
unless it is required for the current application.