midiman
I just found a smart song pointer sync box in my basement but don’t know how to hook it up or how to use it. any help"
Thanks,
Mike
What’s the model number? Most of those are used to sync MIDI sequencers (or computers running apps like n-Tracks) to tape machines via MIDI.
| Quote (phoo @ Oct. 29 2005,17:37) |
| What's the model number? Most of those are used to sync MIDI sequencers (or computers running apps like n-Tracks) to tape machines via MIDI. |
There is no model number on it but it does say Smartsync on the unit.
Thanks,
Mike
Good enough. 
http://www.midi-store.com/shop/detail.cgi?id=300033
I have a MIDIMan sync box that looks like an earlier (or maybe later) version of the same thing. I don’t remember exactly how to get it work so I’ll have to sit on any detailed how-to until my memory clears up.
BUT…
The idea is to record a audio sync track (Smart FSK) to one of the tracks on a tape deck.
Play that track back into the SmartSync.
The SmartSync will send MIDI Clocks with Song Position Pointers to the MIDI device (sequencer or app) that follows MIDI Clock.
It’s as simple as that. The hard part (ain’t really that hard - I just can’t remember the details) is getting FSK recorded to the track and how to set up n-Tracks to follow along (assuming you are trying to us n-Tracks for this). The other hard part is finding the optimal recording level. I’ve used from -10db to 0db on the VU depending on the tape deck.
Click the write button to strip the tape. I think you play the sequence into the box when striping the tape. That will stripe the tempo and song positions to the tape. Unclick the write button and it’s in read mode.
I personally like FSK a whole lot better than using SMPTE for syncing to tape - it’s not even close. FSK is a true sync in that whatever is running in sync will follow the tape deck regardless of the tape speed as long as changing tape speed doesn’t lower the playback volume of the past the point of detection. This will allow a MIDI sequencer to follow the slower tempo of a slowed down tape speed without doing anything special, period.
I guess that wouldn’t help with my 4 track Zoom digital recorder.
That’s the same as mine but a different color.