Cubase 11 Pro -> MU-1000 -> Midi Timecode

Peter Batah

Peter Batah

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www.cafejoya.com
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DM4800 / MU1000
Hello all,

I pretty much read what I could find on how to setup Midi Timecode so that it would display on the meter bridge of my DM-4800.

I am almost sure that I got this going in Cubase 5.x. But, that's been a while and I can't be 100% certain.

Does this require a midi connection of some sort?

Your time and guidance will be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Peter
 
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@Peter Batah, I don't know Cubase at all, but in PT, I have to use the MIDI ports on the FW card to get input or output MIDI to musical instruments. The MIDI ports on the DM itself seem to work only for Midi Time Code (MTC) and control (tape start/stop/rewind, etc.) to external equipment. The FW and USB connections between the DM and computer/DAW on my system are enough to drive the meter bridge time code. Also, there is a setting on page 42 of the DM user manual that lets you select what the DM display shows in the time code field, whether incoming time code, automation sync, etc. I think I remember reading (a long time ago) that you have to set this setting for incoming time code for the MU-1000 meter bridge to display time code.

FULL DISCLOSURE WARNING: I'm working off of memory in my response above and I'm not sure enough about my comments to assert that I'm right. Therefore, if anyone else has more detailed and reliable information, please feel free to contradict me. I want to help here, but I'm afraid that's all I remember at this time. At least it's something reasonable to try.
 
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@skier Good morning J. My apologies for not getting back to the forum before having you access your memory bank :p You know how it is once you get immersed in what you are doing, or trying to do!

It took me a few minutes but I finally got it figured out. I should have learned my lesson by now. If you come to a road (mind) block just drop it and continue fresh the next day. Which is exactly what I did. Finally, it was a setting in the Automation section that I had completely overlooked. Switched the setting from TC IN -> MTC(USB)

It's been a while!

https://flic.kr/p/2kGpAS4

https://flic.kr/p/2kGmVqu
 
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No apology necessary. Perhaps it will help someone else at a later time. I'm just glad you got it working. And immersion into a passion is wonderful!
 
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@Peter Batah, Thanks for the tip. I've been pulling what's left of my hair out over the this. Who would have thought that you would need to change a setting in the automation section to get the timecode to display on the MU-1000. Works great now. Thanks again mate!
 
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@Juzz Glad that I was able to help. Have a good one. Peter
 
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skier said:
@Peter Batah, I don't know Cubase at all, but in PT, I have to use the MIDI ports on the FW card to get input or output MIDI to musical instruments. The MIDI ports on the DM itself seem to work only for Midi Time Code (MTC) and control (tape start/stop/rewind, etc.) to external equipment. The FW and USB connections between the DM and computer/DAW on my system are enough to drive the meter bridge time code. Also, there is a setting on page 42 of the DM user manual that lets you select what the DM display shows in the time code field, whether incoming time code, automation sync, etc. I think I remember reading (a long time ago) that you have to set this setting for incoming time code for the MU-1000 meter bridge to display time code.

FULL DISCLOSURE WARNING: I'm working off of memory in my response above and I'm not sure enough about my comments to assert that I'm right. Therefore, if anyone else has more detailed and reliable information, please feel free to contradict me. I want to help here, but I'm afraid that's all I remember at this time. At least it's something reasonable to try.
Click to expand...
Hi Peter,
I'm trying do this same set up for PT. Are you saying I need to send a midi out of the MTC on the DM to computer. I have several midi instrument modules hooked already. If you help with this, it would be greatly appreciated. I read pg42 and just couldn't understand it totally.
 
@Jerome Williams Hello. I am using Cubase so I am afraid that I won't be much help in the PT department. However, I would think that the process would be the same or at least very similar. Did you verify the settings in this page in your DM?

https://flic.kr/p/2kGmVqu
 
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Not sure if this is going to be of any use to you. Basically, I can bring up the timecode in several locations

https://flic.kr/p/2mbfwmH
 
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@skier
Peter Batah said:
@skier Good morning J. My apologies for not getting back to the forum before having you access your memory bank :p You know how it is once you get immersed in what you are doing, or trying to do!

It took me a few minutes but I finally got it figured out. I should have learned my lesson by now. If you come to a road (mind) block just drop it and continue fresh the next day. Which is exactly what I did. Finally, it was a setting in the Automation section that I had completely overlooked. Switched the setting from TC IN -> MTC(USB)

It's been a while!

https://flic.kr/p/2kGpAS4

https://flic.kr/p/2kGmVqu
Click to expand...
Hi Skier,
I guess you would be the one to ask. Did you need to hook up a midi cord to the DM for PT? What did you do exactly? I'm having that issue also.
 
@Jerome Williams - got your message.

It's been a while (perhaps 8 years or so ago) since I initially sussed this out. When I purchased the DM, I wanted to drive external MIDI tone modules for additional instruments, so I knew I needed to connect MIDI cables among the DM, my computer running PT, and the modules I wanted to drive from Pro Tools' MIDI tracks. MTC also uses the MIDI cable. I was surprised to learn I also needed to connect a USB cable between the computer running PT and the DM.

However, while I initially thought I could use either the DM MIDI jacks or the FW MIDI jacks, it didn't work as I expected and I also could not find enough info on how the functionality of the MIDI jacks on the DM differ from those on the FW card, but they're not identical. The DM User Manual provides some info, but it's not complete nor extensive. And there is no real info on the FW MIDI jacks on the little info available for that expansion card, or actually, any expansion card - TASCAM dropped the ball on User Manuals for the cards. So initially getting MIDI working among the DM, computer, and tone modules was more a process of trial and error.

For personal reasons, I haven't done much in the studio over the last 2 years and composing and recording music have taken a backseat. So, I'm afraid I can't provide the definitive, knowledgeable step-by-step help with which I'd like to help you.

Be that as it may, I just looked at my MIDI connections and the DM OUT is feeding the daisy-chained tone modules and the computer MIDI is coming into the FW IN jack. What I don't recall is what specific MIDI functionality I used the last few times I was in the studio. I've never found one hookup that worked for every process I've wanted to do, so I've made occasional changes as needed. Sometimes I'm playing the keyboard part for a song and I need to drive an external tone module or a PT MIDI instrument while also recording the MIDI track from the keyboard. At other times, I'm driving a tone module or a PT MIDI plug-in instrument from a PT MIDI track and recording an analog track from the output of that instrument. As I said, I was never able to get one hookup configuration that let me do all these different permutations and more without making a MIDI routing change.

I'm sorry I can't be of more help.
 
So you're saying you can't record your instruments a have the MC function on the DM at the same time?
 
No; I'm saying I wasn't able to be able to do all the things I described with one cable configuration. It may be possible, but after several attempts, I gave up and just changed the configuration whenever needed because I instead wanted to spend my time making music. While I am an engineer, I design circuits for a living; I'm not a recording engineer making my income from studio work. While I played professionally in college and for several years thereafter, my primary involvement in music since has been jamming and composing/playing/recording my own music for my own enjoyment.

Perhaps someone who currently uses the DM far more than I could be of help. I'm sure there are heavy MIDI users on this forum who would have either a solution or know the limits and would be willing to share what they know.
 
One more thing; if you already are connected via FW, a MIDI cable, and a USB cable, then the cause of you not being able to display timing on the DM meter bridge is likely to be a setting on the MIDI pages of the DM. PT automatically Sends timing signals out unless you accidentally turned something off.
 
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At the moment, I do not have a midi cable coming from DM or WF card. Just the FireWire cable
 
Well, that is most certainly the problem, or at least one of the problems if there are more than one. Page 55 of the DM User Manual (UM) specifically states that MTC comes out the MIDI Thru port, which is in addition to the OUT port. And the bottom-right of page 96 states that "
the MIDI time code received at the USB MTC port is echoed at the THRU port". This is why I mentioned earlier that the DM uses BOTH the MIDI cable and the USB cable to fully implement MIDI functionality. Also, some MIDI signals also come through the FW cable when it is used. In fact, the bottom-right of page 52 in the FW card section states that the FW card "provides 24 channels of audio I/O in each direction over an IEEE.1394 interface (as well as carrying MIDI to and from a host computer)". (BTW, that was increased to 32 channels a while back by a firmware update.) So my recommendation is to use both USB and MIDI cables whether you use FW or not for sending channel information.

I know that a few people have mentioned in the past that they instead use ADAT or TDIF for audio transfers with their DAW if they only work a track or two at a time instead of buying an FW card. For more than that, the FW makes the most sense and will also carry some MIDI signals.

When you're sure you have all your cables and the connections are correct, display the MIDI screen on your DM and study it. You need to understand it before you can make sure that it is properly set. That screen is described on page 96 of the UM and getting the settings right is critical to using MIDI with the DM.

Finally, it's a REALLY GOOD IDEA to read the UM!

I hope this helps.
 
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