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v2.0.9 Syncing to Logic on an M1 Mac?

Posted

Hi all,

I'm curious how other Logic users are integrating Synfire in to their workflow?

To be clear, my concern isn't with Drones - it's with synchronization.  My understanding (and experience confirms) that ReWire does not work with M1 Macs and will eventually be phased out by the developers.

I have managed to get a very tenuous sync between Synfire and Logic using the IAC Bus, but it doesn't seem complete - I can initiate playback from Synfire and Logic will respond, but playhead location doesn't seem to transmit, nor does any other transport commands.  Strangely, I seem to be able to stop playback in both by stopping playback in Logic.

Perhaps I'm overlooking something obvious... my settings in Synfire are:

Stream: MIDI Time Code
Locate: MIDI Time Code
Start/Stop: MIDI Machine Control

I've looked in the Wiki and forums, and it seems that most posts are about using ReWire and Drones, so, to be clear, ReWire isn't a solution for me right now, and Drones aren't the issue :). If any other Logic users have insight, I'd be very interested in hearing how you've acheived syncronisation.  Actually, I'd be interested in hearing from anyone!

Thanks,
joelsquare


Wed, 2022-09-28 - 21:14 Permalink

I can't verify this at the moment, but you should try MIDI Clock instead of MIDI Time Code. That works fine with Logic here.

Wed, 2022-09-28 - 21:52 Permalink

Hi Andre,

Thank you for taking the time to respond - I can only imagine how busy things are for you these days.

Would you, when you have the chance, be willing to share all the pertinent settings that you have to make Logic & Synfire synchronize?  The best I've been able to do is get Synfire to start and stop playback of Logic, but it doesn't seem to actually be taking control of the playhead; just starting and stopping, so if I stop playback from Synfire, and go back to bar , Logic WILL stop - but not go back to bar one.  This is using MTC - using MIDI Clock doesn't do anything.

I am quite sure that I'm overlooking something obvious, but can't figure out what it is!

Anyway, if you've got the chance, could you please share your Sync settings in Logic and Synfire?  

Sincerely,
joelsquare

Fri, 2022-09-30 - 21:18 Permalink

Synfire

Enable External Sync
Enable MIDI Sync
Port: IAC Bus 1
Protocol: MIDI Time Code
Frame Rate: 24

Logic

Inputs: IAC Bus 1
Global Preferences / Sync: 
    MMC uses Standard MMC

Project MIDI Sync Settings:
General Tab:
    Sync Mode: MTC (Auto-detect format)
    Disable: Auto-enabled external ...
    Frame Rate: 24
MIDI Tab:
    Clock Mode: SPP - Play/Start/Stop/Continue
    Listen to MMC Input
 

Fri, 2022-09-30 - 23:26 Permalink

Thank you so much!  That worked very well.  I have no idea what I was doing wrong before but this is much, much better.  Logic now chases Synfire reliably, and I'm excited to incorprate both in to my workflow!!

Can I ask you 2 additional questions?

1) Logic follow Synfire, but Synfire does NOT follow Logic.  I know that syncing these things can be complex, so, maybe that's just how it works - but is there a way to have Synfire follow Logic as well (or instead of) the other way around?  It is *slightly* better for my workflow to have Logic creating the master tempo for other software, but only slightly.

2) Logic seems to detect Synfire's Frame Rate of 29.97 as 29.97d - is Synfire in fact transmitting 29.97 as 29.97 drop?

Thanks again for taking the time to answer my previous question!

Sincerely,

-j

Sat, 2022-10-01 - 18:41 Permalink

Hi I wonder with this settings can I record directly from Synfire into Logic Pro? I try but fail!

Thu, 2022-10-06 - 08:11 Permalink

Logic follow Synfire, but Synfire does NOT follow Logic

Logic doesn't know about Synfire and therefore can't wait for it to get ready. If you start Logic first, Synfire needs to keep up from behind, for which there is no protocol. Sync roles can't switch dynamically. The way Synfire synchronizes with DAWs is kind of a hostile takeover that DAW developers had not in mind ;-)

Ableton Link seems to handle this better, but can't jump to places in a song. It merely streams forward in time forever.

Don't know if frame rate detection works. I'd use a fixed frame rate. 

@ryland

You could record into Logic, albeit only instruments that send to IAC MIDI ports. Logic (or any DAW for that matter) is not prepared to take MIDI input from plug-ins as a recording source.

It's probably not worth the effort anyway. Why not just drop your MIDI into Logic where you need it.

Thu, 2022-10-06 - 16:23 Permalink

Hi Andre,

Thanks again for your reply!  If only ReWire still worked. As I said, it's only a minor disruption to my workflow and I can still make it work for me but having Synfire being able to chase timecode as well as sending it would be great for future updates - as would the ability to generate / follow all standard frame rates! As a film/tv composer, it would make my life so much easier to be able to work to picture IN Logic, WITH Synfire, if that makes any sense.  I'm sure I can figure out workarounds, but I'm always trying to find the most efficient ways to do things.

Anyway, I know you are busy and I hate to take you away from your primary work, so thank you again for your time, and please consider my feature requests for future updates!

Cheers,
j