a tutorial: syncing SAWStudio with Orion Platinum
With the new JMS Metronome v1.4 plugin update it is now possible to sync an app which support slaving to SPP/Midi Clock
(such as Ableton Live, Propellerheads Reason, or Synaps Audio's Orion
Platinum) to sync directly to SAW's tempo map.
(Please note that Midi Clock & Song Position Pointers are NOT the same thing as Midi Time Code - aka MTC)
Here's step by step instructions on how to directly sync SAWStudio or StudioLite with
Synapse Audio's Orion Platinum.
For those of you not familiar with Orion it is a highly recommended "virtual studio"/VSTi host similar to Propellerheads Reason or Image Line's Fruity Loops.
I prefer it to Reason because:
1) the gui is a lot simpler to deal with - none of these dorky virtual patch cables to connect - it's all already connected and the virtual mixer has the same real time
feel as SAWs - with most parameters also automate-able
2) it supports DX & VST effects plug-ins besides the included native ones so you can still use your favorite stuff for effects.
3) it has full support for VSTi's & DXi's - so you can use a ton of freeware or other cool stuff like Native Instruments B4 right in it - besides a really nice assortment of
native synths & samplers
4) overall it is very intuitive and simple to get great loops going on it
5) Orion's main author is easily accessible through an online forum and to date all the pretty frequent updates (but not upgrades) have been free
You can download the Orion Pro demo at http://www.synapse-audio.com so you can try out Orion's standalone features.
VERY IMPORTANT: ONLY the Platinum version ($200 - available on CD-ROM only) can
slave sync via SPP - the basic and the Pro versions of Orion do NOT have this ability. Overall I think it's well worth the cash though.
1) download the SAWStudio native Metronome v1.4 plugin from http://www.jms-audioware.com/progs/ssclk14.exe
It is a self extracting installer - so just double click the exe file, point it to your SAWStudio folder and it pretty much takes care of the rest for you.
2) If you are running SAW & Orion on the same machine it is recommended to download & install MIDI Yoke NT from
http://www.midiox.com/zip/myokent.exe so
that you do not have to make any hardware connections. Info regarding installing and using MIDI Yoke can be found at
http://www.midiox.com/myoke.htm
3) In Orion Platinum go to "Options" in the menu and make sure that "Enable MIDI In" is checked. Next under "Options" click "Midi In Settings" and make sure that "Receive Stop/Start/SPP (Midi in sync)" is checked. Next choose the MIDI port that you wish to receive sync from SAW with. This could either be a physical port which you have routed a midi cable from or a virtual port such as MIDI Yoke. If you are using MIDI Yoke choose "MIDI Yoke NT: *" with the * being the same number as the MIDI Yoke port you are going to send from SAW with.
4) In SAW place the Metronome plug-in on any track with a region in it. If you wish to hear the regions on the track that the plug-in is set "thru" to a number above 0 (with "100" being full output of the track).
5) right click on the plugin to open the dialog box. Make sure that "Generate MIDI Clock" is clicked. Click "MIDI Setup" and choose the MIDI port that you wish to send out to Orion with. Make sure that this out port is either feeding a cable to the in port that you are feeding to Orion - or if you are using MIDI Yoke make sure that this is the same MIDI Yoke NT port # as you have already chosen for Orion!
6) set the tempo that you wish to sync to by going under the "TimeLine" menu in SAW and choosing "Tempo Settings" and then "Set Tempo".
7) You can now start & stop playback of both Orion and SAW in sync from
SAW's transport. If you are starting from a point other than 0:00 it
helps for quicker and tighter timing lockup to place SAW into Grid mode (which
can be changed into and out of by hitting the "G" key) and setting)
and then . You can then set It usually takes 1 or 2 bars for the 2 to lock up. Timing so far has proven
to be very tight - however for long pieces some drift may be perceptible - and occasionally doing real time tweaks in Orion while playing back in sync might disrupt the
timing. However overall the sync is very workable and useable.