Clock IN from Volca Sync

[gopilot]

I've been trying to get the NDLR to accept external clock from a volca drum using the Sync Out to the NDLR Clock IN. 
I've set the NDLR Clock In to "ClkIn CV" yet the NDLR isn't affected by the volca's Tempo. Is it that the Sync rate isn't really CV but rather a simple square pulse?
My big question: is there a way to get Clock In from a volca?

[House de Kris]

I don't have a Korg Volca Beats, so I downloaded the manual from the web. According to the manual, it produces a 5V pulse for 15 ms on each step. Since there are 16 steps which appear to be spread across 4 beats, my math indicates that the Volca creates a 4 PPQ clock. The NDLR manual says that the NDLR expects a 5V clock at a rate of 24 PPQ. This suggests that the NDLR will be operating 6x too slow when compared to the Volca.

To test this, I threw together a crude circuit to simulate the Volca consisting of two 555 timers. This generated a 15 ms pulse every 500ms. Equivalent to the Volca running at 30BPM. My NDLR reported this as 5.1BPM. Seems to work!  As a further check, I sent a clock out of my deluge and it was read by the NDLR exactly correct.

Pulse waveform of test circuit:
   

If you are having issues beyond six times too slow, there are additional things to investigate. We don't know the input impedance or minimum acceptable level for the NDLR, or the output impedance of the Volca. But experiments can be run to see if an inordinately high output impedance of the Volca would render the NDLR incapable of detecting the clocks.

I should note that I do not work for Conductive Labs, so nothing I say is binding. I'm just a satisfied customer who hates to see queries go unanswered.

HdK

[gopilot]

I should note that I do not work for Conductive Labs, so nothing I say is binding. I'm just a satisfied customer who hates to see queries go unanswered.

Thanks for getting back with me with your calculations. That explains a few things and was nice of you to figure out. Too bad bc volcas are perfect to integrate with the NDLR. I wonder if a firmware addition could address this issue (such as a new Clock In Menu setting)? Maybe someone at CL could look into this?

[House de Kris]

They kinda hint at the possibility of PPQs other than 24 in the manual as a future enhancement, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Otherwise, could you use the NDLR as the clock master and sync the Volca to that? This would be using the MIDI connection between the two.

[gopilot]

They kinda hint at the possibility of PPQs other than 24 in the manual as a future enhancement, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Otherwise, could you use the NDLR as the clock master and sync the Volca to that? This would be using the MIDI connection between the two.

You are correct on the MIDI connections. But, what I'm trying to do is use the volca Drum as the master Clock -> running into the NDLR which is synced via a MIDI hub to four other volcas.  I like using a drum machine as my Master Clock and since I don't control the Drum from the NDLR I'd rather not have it hooked up via MIDI but alas, if I want them sync'd I must.

[Jesse Johannesen]

They kinda hint at the possibility of PPQs other than 24 in the manual as a future enhancement, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Otherwise, could you use the NDLR as the clock master and sync the Volca to that? This would be using the MIDI connection between the two.

You are correct on the MIDI connections. But, what I'm trying to do is use the volca Drum as the master Clock -> running into the NDLR which is synced via a MIDI hub to four other volcas.  I like using a drum machine as my Master Clock and since I don't control the Drum from the NDLR I'd rather not have it hooked up via MIDI but alas, if I want them sync'd I must.

While it is possible to run the NDLR as a secondary device to another master device, I usually recommend against it as when the clock stops, it tends to leave notes hanging. If at all possible I would figure out an alternate method, as the current firmware has the PPQN issue with the volcas already. It should be possible to use the Analog clock out from one of the MIDI synced volcas to drive the V. Drum maybe?

Jesse

[gopilot]

They kinda hint at the possibility of PPQs other than 24 in the manual as a future enhancement, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Otherwise, could you use the NDLR as the clock master and sync the Volca to that? This would be using the MIDI connection between the two.

You are correct on the MIDI connections. But, what I'm trying to do is use the volca Drum as the master Clock -> running into the NDLR which is synced via a MIDI hub to four other volcas.  I like using a drum machine as my Master Clock and since I don't control the Drum from the NDLR I'd rather not have it hooked up via MIDI but alas, if I want them sync'd I must.

While it is possible to run the NDLR as a secondary device to another master device, I usually recommend against it as when the clock stops, it tends to leave notes hanging. If at all possible I would figure out an alternate method, as the current firmware has the PPQN issue with the volcas already. It should be possible to use the Analog clock out from one of the MIDI synced volcas to drive the V. Drum maybe?

Jesse
------

Thanks for the official reply, Jesse. What you suggest - the analog sync from one volca (Master) to another (Slave) where the Master is receiving MIDI clock doesn't work but I can connect five volcas to my Meeblip thru-board so I have the capacity to sync my gear that way. The only thing I have to do with this arrangement is to change the MIDI channel on the V.Drum as to not receive on any channels the NDLR is sending on. So, while not my optimal setup, everything does work from the the master brain of the NDLR.

[tkrhen]

I've been trying to get the NDLR to accept external clock from a volca drum using the Sync Out to the NDLR Clock IN. 
I've set the NDLR Clock In to "ClkIn CV" yet the NDLR isn't affected by the volca's Tempo. Is it that the Sync rate isn't really CV but rather a simple square pulse?
My big question: is there a way to get Clock In from a volca?

Hello,

Try using mono jack cable (TS) for NDLR, the ones that came with Volcas don't work for sync in/out.

[Jesse Johannesen]

I've been trying to get the NDLR to accept external clock from a volca drum using the Sync Out to the NDLR Clock IN. 
I've set the NDLR Clock In to "ClkIn CV" yet the NDLR isn't affected by the volca's Tempo. Is it that the Sync rate isn't really CV but rather a simple square pulse?
My big question: is there a way to get Clock In from a volca?

Hello,

Try using mono jack cable (TS) for NDLR, the ones that came with Volcas don't work for sync in/out.

Good thinking, I do believe it is a mono jack on the NDLR, so that could be the issue, however I have to ask @gopilot when you say the Volca doesn't affect the NDLR's tempo that suggests that the NDLR does in fact exhibit a tempo to begin with? If so the settings aren't correct. If it is set to external clock, the NDLR will not operate at all without a clock signal at the input. Can you clarify that before we proceed with further troubleshooting.
Thanks,
Jesse

[gopilot]

I've been trying to get the NDLR to accept external clock from a volca drum using the Sync Out to the NDLR Clock IN. 
I've set the NDLR Clock In to "ClkIn CV" yet the NDLR isn't affected by the volca's Tempo. Is it that the Sync rate isn't really CV but rather a simple square pulse?
My big question: is there a way to get Clock In from a volca?

Hello,

Try using mono jack cable (TS) for NDLR, the ones that came with Volcas don't work for sync in/out.

Thanks for the idea. Testing I can say that using a mono cable from Volca Out to NDLR Clock In doesn't work. However, using a NDLR Clock Out to Volca In works.
My latest workflow has been to use my Korg ER-1 MIDI Out to the NDLR In to control the master tempo.