Damien Vdb

I don’t know a thing yet about max programation but would it be possible to multiply or divide the midi clock coming out of ableton with max for live?

For example i have a running midi scene of 120 BPM and my synth is running with the same Midi clock but on 60 BPM ?

I know that kind of hardware does exist, but not yet in software not I schearched it and found nothing. Not even a max patch or something :s

mtc-dividermultiplier-with-max

if i'm not mistaking you'll need to go *out of* live to so this.

live doesn't run it's clock(ing) through your midi tracks but globally.

so: you'd have to route the clock out of live

-> into max (doing some divisions or recalculations)

if i'm not mistaking you'll need to go *out of* live to so this.
live doesn't run it's clock(ing) through your midi tracks but globally.
not completely sure though.

so: you'd have to route the clock out of live
-> into max (doing some divisions or recalculations)
-> and then into your synth (via max).


Yes Ableton is running the clock trough a midi track. I'm using a midi track routed trough my sound card to my synth. I would like to create a patch in max to use in Ableton.

Orignally I found this wich make me think it's possible with max.

https://cycling74.com/docs/max5/refpages/msp-ref/sync~.html

i think i have to correct you – place a live device with a [rtin] object on a midi track and monitor (print) its output within max. you'll see that there's no clock-byte transmitted. live generally tends to filter these things (=sysex!), which often doesn't – in this case how ever does make sense. sysex is filtered on in- and output, which means you can't easily fool live and create an "own" clock to be output on your midi-track that's routed to your synth.

syncing is set up globally and not passed via midi-tracks. if the later was the case, muting a midi-track (or disabling it's input as a matter of fact) would bump your device out of sync (because no clock would be transmitted any longer).

in abletons global setting, you set your soundcard('s midi out) to send out sync. this is what your synth receives.

i have sketched the route you'll want to go in a seperate max patch. you will have to run this from within max and it *grabs* the clocking-byte from live.

if you only want to subdivide the outgoing clock (make it slower), this is a way you can achieve it. if how ever you want to multiply the clock (=make your synth run faster than your settings in live), it get's a more tricky.

i think i have to correct you – place a live device with a [rtin] object on a midi track and monitor (print) its output within max. you'll see that there's no clock-byte transmitted. live generally tends to filter these things (=sysex!), which often doesn't –  in this case how ever does make sense. sysex is filtered on in- and output, which means you can't easily fool live and create an "own" clock to be output on your midi-track that's routed to your synth.

in abletons global setting, you set your soundcard('s midi out) to send out sync. this is what your synth receives. 

i have sketched the route you'll want to go in a seperate max patch. you will have to run this from within max and it *grabs* the clocking-byte from live. 

if you only want to subdivide the outgoing clock (make it slower), this is a way you can achieve it. if how ever you want to multiply the clock (=make your synth run faster than your settings in live), it get's a more tricky. 

Yeah you're right about the sync thing thanks for the correction.

I'll try your patch (thanks for that btw) today and tell you how it's working.

Mate the clock is coming in but not coming out. I tried it internally with an other ableton but it doesn't seem to work either.

1) have you selected the correct midiout port (on the bottom dropdown)?

2) be sure you disable the sync output from ableton to your soundcard / synth (remember: 

 uncheck "sync" button on soundcard output) otherwise you would be sending two clocks – one from max und one from live

3) reassure that your synth is actually receiving a clock. did it work with live?

4) did you set up the router (in the example patch) to actually output the divided clock signal?

2) be sure you disable the sync output from ableton to your soundcard / synth  (remember: live » settings » midi sync » uncheck "sync" button on soundcard output) otherwise you would be sending two clocks – one from max und one from live

1) Yes i did selected midi in from max 1 or 2 as you said

2) I disabled the sync midi in ableton pref.

4) Yes I selected in the router to divide the clock and saw the button right after tickling.

I just tried it with some chord coming out of ableton. it's seem to change the delay and some stuff but not the BPM indicator.

1) Yes i did selected midi in from max 1 or 2 as you said
2) I disabled the sync midi in ableton pref.
3) It did worked when the sync is on
4) Yes I selected in the router to divide the clock and saw the button right after tickling.

I just tried it with some chord coming out of ableton. it's seem to change the delay and some stuff but not the BPM indicator.


mhh.. i have no real idea. i suppose it has something to do with your midi (sync) settings

do me a favor and send me a screenshot of your ableton midi-settings (showing all input- and outputdevices as well as which of their boxes (sync, remote...) are ticked.

your synth not updating it's bpm-display may be a device-specific thing. not all synths show the current bpm when externally synced. if however the synth *sounds* differently from when you only synced it via ableton, at least *something* is happening. (generally check the sync-up via arpeggios, delay-times etc ... chose parameters that very audibly change when you sync in order to judge wether its working or not).

mhh.. i have no real idea. i suppose it has something to do with your midi (sync) settings
and not with the patch itself.

do me a favor and send me a screenshot of your ableton midi-settings (showing all input- and outputdevices as well as which of their boxes (sync, remote...) are ticked. 

your synth not updating it's bpm-display may be a device-specific thing. not all synths show the current bpm when externally synced. if however the synth *sounds* differently from when you only synced it via ableton, at least *something* is happening. (generally check the sync-up via arpeggios, delay-times etc ... chose parameters that very audibly change when you sync in order to judge wether its working or not).


I tried with an arpegiattor and the sync is working for sure but the selector is not "dividing" the Bpm

i don't understand this. what do you mean? which selector? furthermore: are you speaking of the display or the arpeggio rate? does the arp get faster / slower but only the bpm display doesn't change? the later should be ignored, as mentioned.

I meant the router. I'm speaking of the arpeggio rate of course. Anyway Both of them doesn't seem to change at all.

http://www.audiowerkstatt.de/en/midi-clock-divider

I asked them a few question let's see if they answer.

I meant the router. I'm speaking of the arpeggio rate of course. Anyway Both of them doesn't seem to change at all. 

I asked them a few question let's see if they answer.


you'll have to find a different way to upload your images. they're not displayed here :/

I've noticed that your patch doesn't send start/stop (since 'route 250 252 248' outputs just bangs). Also, the modulo operands should simply be the slow down factors. Here is an updated version that works for me for syncing between Live and Reaktor.

damn! how could i have overseen than :O
thanks broc


I tried Broc patch it doesn't seem to work either. I also tried between two ableton.

Give me your mail if you want the screenshots.

I have no clue why it's not working. I tried it again with two ableton and it doesn't seem to work when i pass the midi clock trough max..

I have no clue why it's not working. I tried it again with two ableton and it doesn't seem  to work when i pass the midi clock trough max..


Maybe you didn't select a cell in the [matrixctrl] object for activating the [router]?

Damien, were you able to successfully get you'r midi output to multiply or divide the midi clock coming out of ableton with max for live? I would like to accomplish the same thing. I have a external modular synthesizer that I control with live and I dont have a clock divider module so this would be extremely helpful. I am new to max for live so some of this conversation is a little over my head. I was just wondering if this is possible and if you successfully got it working, and maybe you could point me in the right direction. Thanks

Damien, were you able to successfully get you'r midi output to multiply or divide the midi clock coming out of ableton with max for live?  I would like to accomplish the same thing.  I have a external modular synthesizer that I control with live and I dont have a clock divider module so this would be extremely helpful.  I am new to max for live so some of this conversation is a little over my head.  I was just wondering if this is possible and if you successfully got it working, and maybe you could point me in the right direction.  Thanks


basically, you can follow this thread and the latest patches of it.

broc and i couldn't really figure out why the clock division didn't work for damien –

because in theory it should and for us it does. give it a try and let me know! :)

hello brandon!
basically, you can follow this thread and the latest patches of it.
broc and i couldn't really figure out why the clock division didn't work for damien –
because in theory it should and for us it does. give it a try and let me know! :)

I tried it several times again, for me it doesn't seem to work.. Maybe it's my synth I don't know.. All I can tell. this little thing is my next investment..

http://www.audiowerkstatt.de/de/midi-clock-divider

I  tried it several times again, for me it doesn't seem to work.. Maybe it's my synth I don't know.. All I can tell. this little thing is my next investment..

...119 euro? ssheesh. Why not just do an application that syncs to live, and use that application to halve the tempo, rather than try to do it directly on the clock itself? Save the money?

@Brandon: If you want to sync a modular to Live the easiest method is to completely skip midi, and output analog clocks instead. You can run a click off live's arpeggiator for instance, and do some fun tempo-tweaking in real-time. That setup takes just minutes to do.

@wetterberg. Well do it and sell it your at price ;) U know this is the only thing I found.. And i'm sure that they selling quite well.

MTC divider/multiplier with Max