issue clocking Pam's New Workout with HW Clock Output on Bigwig

[GeraldFjord]

I recently purchased Bitwig as my DAW with the intended goal of syncing my modular synth and my DAW. First and foremost for syncing clocks and recording in time with VST instruments and other audio tracks from various instruments. Also with the intention of sending cv control back and forth.

I have Bitwig's HW CLOCK OUTPUT set to ADAT output 1 which is Output 1 on my Expert Sleepers ES-8. I selected the gate button on the HW CLOCK OUTPUT as recommended and have tried every possible combination of 1/24 (24ppqn) and all the others as well as .5ms, 1ms, 5ms, 50%. (I also went straight from my audio interface which is a UAD Apollo 8p and has DC coupled outputs and got the same results that i'm about to describe). On the ES8's the led's blink with whatever multiplier settings i have on the HW CLOCK OUTPUT. When i plug the output into a different module, such as the FLXS1 sequencer everything is syncing in time to that multiple or divisor. All is good but all my clocking in my modular setup is typically done in Pam's New Workout. When i plug it into the clock input on Pam's it says the clock is unstable. Trying first on 24ppqn with the HW CLOCK OUTPUT set on 1/24. I have the run turned on Yes on Pam's but have also tried it with No and have tried sending a reset setting from the HW CLOCK OUTPUT from a different output with no luck. The only time i got something kind of working was when i had the divisor on HW CLOCK OUTPUT set on 1/96 (Pam's ppqn at 24) and the Pam's DIN, MIDI expander x1 output was in sync all multipliers and divisors were off and the main pam's unit was showing a faster BPM. Stop the playback on Bitwig and everything speeds way up.

Is there anything I can do to get this setup to work? I'm open to other solutions as well. I also have a MOTU midi rack interface which i've never used.

[VariKusBrainZ]

Sound Like an issue with Pams Workout if other modules accept the signal fine.
Does it work if you boost the signal?

[GeraldFjord]

Where would i boost the signal? From the DAW?

[VariKusBrainZ]

Where would i boost the signal? From the DAW?

Using a module that can amplify the signal and patch that to Pams Workout.

Id also suggest posting your issue at MuffWiggler.

[GeraldFjord]

Where would i boost the signal? From the DAW?

Using a module that can amplify the signal and patch that to Pams Workout.

Id also suggest posting your issue at MuffWiggler.

That worked, thanks! Wish i could do that in the HW Clock Output settings rather than using up a module but at least it works!

[VariKusBrainZ]

Yeah, some eurorack modules have idiosyncrasies.
Its normally clocking issues that come to light

[sagetone]

GeraldFjord, what "amplifier" did you use to fix your issue? I just started using a Pamela's New Workout, trying to clock it from Bitwig's HW Clock Out into as ES-3. I'm getting 10V clock pulses out of the ES-3 so that should be plenty. I have no idea why this doesn't work. I'm as stumped as you were originally.

EDIT: I just found a workaround. Bitwig clock out to ES-3 to Marbles clock in, then using Marbles to clock PNW with PPQN = 1. Not really the way I like to do it, but works for now.

[sagetone]

To anyone watching this thread, I created a workaround for this that is stable. I created a 48PPQN clock out using The Grid, as shown in the attached JPG.

Annotation 2020-03-14 123052.jpg (13.2 KiB) Viewed 699 times

Phase in to the Scaler which then scales by 1/192 (to get 48PPQN which Pamela's New Workout really wants). The 192 divisor is just the rate of 16 multiplied by the ratio of 12:1. I'm sure any combination that results in 192 will work. I adjusted the pulse width on the oscillator down to 25%, not sure how critical this is. And then out via ADAT to ES-8 and then into Pam's. This is stable for any BPM setting in Bitwig up to ~300BPM (or higher).

This also tells me that Bitwig may need to improve their HW clock out device!

[Jimantronic]

To anyone watching this thread, I created a workaround for this that is stable.

Thankyou for this I've had exactly the same experience with Pam's New Workout and Bitwig via an ES-3. I can clock other devices ok using the standard Bitwig clock output and if I go via another device and use its output for the PNW that's fine too, but Bitwig > ES-3 > PNW was patchy with BPM detection and just didn't seem very tight. But I've just used your grid clock method and it's now working fine and rock solid. Thanks for that

[sagetone]

Awesome, @Jimantronic, glad to know this works well for you!!

[domtak]

Thank you @sagetone - I was having a lot of issues with Bitwig HW Clock device. I couldn't pin down the issue but figured it has to be Bitwig related as I don't have an issue with Ableton Live's equivalent clock device. It would be great if Bitwig could fix this as it clearly can work - your demo above proves that.

Your solution is great and works perfectly though I like my clock to stop when the transport is stopped. I made this which seems to work well. In the settings for Transport turn 'Free-run when stopped' off. This will then send a 48ppqn pulse only when Bitwig is playing.

PNW Clock.png (41.54 KiB) Viewed 362 times

I also map the active/inactive state of the Clock instance of The Grid to a keyboard shortcut - this allows me to press a key and stop my modular rig entirely - useful for when I don't want my modular to play at all.

[sagetone]

Your solution is great and works perfectly though I like my clock to stop when the transport is stopped. I made this which seems to work well. In the settings for Transport turn 'Free-run when stopped' off. This will then send a 48ppqn pulse only when Bitwig is playing.

Thanks @domtak - that's a helpful improvement for the transport run/stop.

[domtak]

I sent a support request to Bitwig in hope they might look at the HW Clock Out device so we don't need to build our own using the Grid. After breaking down the problem, solution and pointing to this thread, this is their response (literally)...

"the ALM PNW is the only module so far we know of that has problems with the clock and as we don't have one we currently can't say exactly why that is."

Yeah nice one Bitwig Support.

[sagetone]

Hah! Thanks @domtak, that was a good try! At least they know about it. I have hope that they may get to it "someday". In the meantime, I somewhat enjoy little problems like this that have to be solved in The Grid because it helps strengthen the skillset.

[domtak]

Agreed - to be honest - it was the first time I even dabbled with the grid and it was quite satisfying...