One Clock to Rule Them All

Getting a groovebox, a synth and a drum machine to play in time together, without tears.

When you connect several machines, they each want to be the boss of the tempo. The fix: pick one device as the clock (the “leader”) and make everything else follow it.

Pick your leader

• Jamming without a computer: let the groovebox (Circuit Tracks) lead. Its MIDI tracks can also play the other synths’ notes.
• Recording into Ableton: let Ableton lead and send MIDI clock out to your gear, so recordings line up with the grid.

Connect it

• Most modern gear speaks MIDI clock, over USB or MIDI cables (often small 3.5 mm “TRS” jacks with adapter cables).
• Korg Volcas also use a simple sync pulse cable, a plain 3.5 mm audio cable between sync jacks.
• Every device has a setting for whether it sends clock or follows it. Check the manual for “clock source”, “sync” or “MIDI clock receive”.

Troubleshooting

• Something’s racing ahead? Two devices are both trying to lead. Set one to follow.
• Everything’s in time but starts late? Make sure the followers respond to start/stop messages, not just tempo.
• Swing sounds wrong? Swing is usually set on each device separately. Keep it on one, or match them.

Getting sync right once feels like magic: press play on one box and the whole studio starts together.

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