This is also how Overbridge achieves its sync, but at a price of 60+ milliseconds of latency added to your DAW project.

Same principle: delivering sample-accurate MIDI clock from a DAW to hardware by encoding the MIDI data as audio. I use a cheaper alternative to the Multiclock - the Expert Sleepers USAMO. Have only used it when traveling with only a Rytm or whatever. I have been using Overbridge-enabled Elektron instruments for 6 years and I have never been satisfied with OB.

OB, you’ve got LOTS work to do… I can see why you’re afraid to show your face… Now I’m back to recording A4 tracks individually but it sure is great having no drifting on my long delays, Arps that stay in time and microtiming that doesn’t sound messy… So goodbye OB, goodbye multi-track recording, goodbye audio over USB… It’s been challenging, slightly amusing, very frustrating and mildly fun… ERM has shown me just how unstable you are and its time we parted ways… There is no way to manage midi offset when using OB (please enlighten me if you know of a way) and as a result, my A4 triggers a whole step out of time when synced to OB through Ableton… ironically, Ableton is clocking my ERM via audio and its tight, super tight… but the internal clock in Ableton has OB drifting all over the place… and I mean stupid drifts that are unusable! So if you gig with keys, that's also an option.So I got an ERM Multiclock because I was sick to death of Midi jitter and needed some stability in my set up… Now I have a super tight set up EXCEPT for Overbridge… I’ve had to abandon OB for my A4 and can’t see myself using it again unless its stability can be drastically improved and the latency can be rectified. *Edit: I've also been known to trigger an arp or sequence on a keyboard, or play a riff with my left hand while I change projects on the Tempest with my right.

You'd be better off loading your Tempest beats into the Octatrack and just bringing that, as suggested above. If you were to ditch the Octatrack, but still hope to create transitions, you're only going to have to bring something else in its stead and suffer yet more limitations. Honestly, when it comes to travelling light, it doesn't really get anymore concise and comprehensive than a Tempest/Octatrack combo. Otherwise, when I'm travelling with a lot of boxes, I use the SND ACME-4, which sends four parallel MIDI clock signals that way I can start, stop, subdivide, and offset the clock source for each device independently and always be in sync. Of course the material will determine which of those techniques is going to work best. When I'm travelling with minimal gear and I need to bridge the silence between tracks, loading new projects on the Tempest for instance, I use one of three tricks depending on what kit I have with me:ġ) I manually trigger a sample on my SP-404SX while I change projects on the Tempest.Ģ) I capture a live loop on either the Octatrack or one of my Boomerang III looper pedals.ģ) I ride the 'infinite' feedback of a tape echo. Onstage, I'm often physically playing the Tempest and improvising sequences on-the-fly but I also do EDM style gigs with prepared beats and sequences, so I do understand your plight.

I work in all capacities as a solo artist, session player, sound designer, engineer, and producer. Yes, I'm a full-time touring musician and recording artist, and the Tempest is one of my main instruments, both on the road and in the studio.

Best multiclock