RE: Frustrated RC-50 user trying to gain bearings with Ableton Live

[Jeff Larson <jeff.larson@sailpoint.com>]

> I suppose I am just not accurate enough to do this. Whenever I do it
> this way after about 20-30 seconds my loop is quite noticeably out of
> sync with whats going on in live, and thats if I do it VERY accurately
> (of course thats VERY subjective).

Okay, that's the fundamental question.  You want to sync to 
backing tracks playing in Live.  

> I just want a loop that I play on guitar to stay in sync with the drum
> loops and delay fx and whatnot in Ableton. My RC-50 was always the
> master when I used it. 

There are two approaches to synching loops with Live.

First let the looper be the sync master sending MIDI clocks to Live.
You start by recording the first loop, then Live starts in sync with
the loop.  The key is that nothing is happening in Live until you've
finished recording the first loop.  The audience will year you
playing, then Live kicks in with backing tracks.  If you want to start
audible playing after Live starts, then you'll need to record an
initial silent loop to give Live a tempo reference.  Then after Live
starts you overdub into the silent loop.  Note that Live is not the
best host for slaving to a MIDI clock.  It seems to be okay if the
master clock never changes tempo but it doesn't respond well to tempo
changes.

The other way is to have the looper be a slave to Live.  Set the tempo
in Live, start the backing tracks and use the Host Bar sync mode.  Yes
you will have to press the record button ahead of the bar.  With the
exception of Musolomo every looping/sampling plugin I know of works
this way.  If it helps you don't have to be near the bar, when I loop
this way I press the button sometime around the second beat of the
lead in bar, you don't have to think hard about timing, just get it
done some time within the previous bar.  It may take some practice but
I don't find it very distracting, it's sort of like checking the
volume knob or arranging your stomp boxes getting ready for the solo.

> I guess I've never really thought about it much. There was a little
> learning curve to get the punch in and out for a loop right, but I
> always did first loop sets tempo and from there I would never punch in
> or out early, just right on the bar as best I could the RC-50 kept it
> all in sync. I am starting to appreciate my RC-50 more! haha.

You're comparing two different things.  You are using Mobius in 
slave sync mode and you were using the RC-50 in master sync mode.
You can use Mobius in master sync mode if you like but it's
a bit harder to set up because you have to use a "MIDI loopback"
device.  I can describe this in more detail if you're interested.

Jeff