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List of Compatible DAWs

Author cognitone

Any DAW that supports one of the plugin formats VST, VST3, AudioUnits or AAX and some combination of MIDI Clock, MTC (MIDI Timecode), MMC or ReWire in slave mode should work fine with Synfire. Add your own setup to the table if it's missing.

Important: Synchronization with a DAW is optional and is not necessary for working with Synfire. Every DAW we know of supports MIDI file import (or drag & drop), which is required to export your work to a DAW for production.

Legend
  • √ Tested and working
  • No Not compatible
  • ? or empty: Assumed to be working but not tested

Reported Setups

Tutorial MTC, MMC, Clock Drones MIDI Drones Drag & Drop Export Load as a Plug-In  
Ableton Live MTC √ √ √  
Logic Pro MTC, MMC √ √ √  
Cubase Pro MTC, MMC √ No * √  
Nuendo ? √ ? √  
Pro Tools ? √ ? √  
Studio One MTC, MMC √ ? √  
BitWig Clock √ √ √  
Digital Performer ? √ ? √  
Reaper Clock √   √  
Reason     ? √ √
Tracktion ? √ ? √  
Sonar √ √   √  
Samplitude   √   ?  
FL Studio Load as plug-in √   √ √
Harrison Mix Bus √ √ ? ?  

 

This document is maintained collaboratively and may not be complete. For the latest official information, please contact Cognitone support.

Here's how to setup your DAW for external synchronization with Synfire.

Cubase 12 *

Cubase 12 also does no longer support MIDI FX plug-ins. It may work if you manage to drop a VST2 MIDI Drone though, which however cannot be selected in the user interface.

With a Cubase 12 license it is still possible to download install version 11 and run them side by side. For the time being this is a workaround you may consider.

ReWire

ReWire is no longer supported or updated by Propellerhead. Most DAWs have removed or replaced it already. Where it is still available it provides a reliable transport control. Since transport control is not very sensitive to latency, it also works fine with MIDI Clock or MIDI Time Code, sometimes in conjunction with MMC. With Synfire Pro you can configure a mix of protocols that works best. 

Comments

Profile picture for user Nick from the Netherlands
Nick from the …
Thu, 2023-09-14 - 17:56 Permalink

Ableton link is working with Akai MPC hardware and MPC v2.12 software on PC.  The play  pause is  working direct.

Without Ableton  link (Reaper DAW)  it is more work with midiclock. Result have to adjust delay and play pause?.

Not sure if Cubase 12 can sync with Ableton Link

 

Profile picture for user Mike J
Mike J
Thu, 2023-09-28 - 10:55 Permalink

Nuendo 12.0.70 tested:

  1. Rewire – Unknown
  2. Midi Time Code, Clock – Unknown
  3. Drones – Works (when selecting a new plugin in Synfire Sound Wizard)
  4. Midi Drones – N/A
  5. Drag and Drop Export – Works
  6. Load as a Plugin – Works

 

Reason 12.6.2 tested:

  1. Rewire – Unknown
  2. Midi Time Code, Clock – Unknown
  3. Drones – Work
  4. Midi Drones – N/A
  5. Drag and Drop Export – Works
  6. Load as a Plugin – Works

 

Digital Performer 11.22.93 tested:

  1. Rewire – Unknown
  2. Midi Time Code, Clock – Unknown
  3. Drones – Work
  4. Midi Drones – N/A
  5. Drag and Drop Export – Works
  6. Load as a Plugin – Works

 

Logic Pro X 10.7.9 tested:

  1. Rewire – Unknown
  2. Midi Time Code, Clock – Unknown
  3. Drones AU – Limited to audio playback only
  4. Midi Drones – Work using MIDI FX slot
  5. Drag and Drop Export – Work using as MIDI FX slot
  6. Load as a Plugin – Works

 

Ableton Live 11.3.10 tested:

  1. Rewire – Unknown
  2. Midi Time Code, Clock – Unknown
  3. Drones – Works as playback devices only 
  4. Midi Drones – Work
  5. Drag and Drop Export – From Synfire Instrument to Ableton Clip Slot when using (command) key MacOS
  6. Load as a Plugin – Works

 

FL Studio 21.1.1 tested:

  1. Rewire – Unknown
  2. Midi Time Code, Clock – Unknown
  3. Drones – Work for playback only
  4. Midi Drones – N/A
  5. Drag and Drop Export – From Synfire Instrument to FL Channel Rack
  6. Load as a Plugin – Works

 

Profile picture for user housekeeper
housekeeper
Sat, 2023-09-30 - 16:07 Permalink

Thanks for taking the time to test and report.

The Load as Plugin column however has a different meaning. Not sure what your assumption was. Most DAWs are not available also as a plugin, so they can't load as such (e.g. Logic Pro). 

Drones only make sense together with a synchronized transport. If a DAW is unable to run in slave mode with either MTC, MMC or MIDI Clock, it is not compatible.