Midi Sync from DJM 2000 to Akai MPC 5000

@chris > Well, the BPM does vary with that information being read from the audio it's receiving.  If you are using a CDJ2000 or 900, it's capable of much more accurate BPM signal as the quantize data is being fed to the mixer.  What you could do is press the TAP button ONCE to lock the BPM in place, then the MPC shouldn't have any variation in its timing.  Have you tried chasing the BPM info through a utility like MIDI-OX (Win) or MIDI Monitor (Mac) to see what info is being sent out of the mixer?

I do use the CDJ900's, and tried what you suggested about pressing the tap button once to get a stable BPM. It does seem to keep them in sync at the start but it does still drift out after 20 seconds or so. So I tried the manual way by constantly pressing the TAP button in time with the beat and this does work, however it is a skill which is going to take me a little while to master (so use to pitch control). I am also going to do what you suggested with the MIDI-OX and see what is being sent out with the mixer.

Check my DJM800+Ableton guide and see if anything in that guide or the forum thread helps; what I found was that I'd typically have to either bend or adjust the pitch on the CDJ to match what Live was playing as it was always just a bit off.

I get the same problem with TAP on the djm900.. It goes up and down by a fraction of a bpm almost immediately..

And still could never get auto bpm sync to work exactly right between djm900 and another system.

Very annoying that pioneer wouldnt correct this.. This is such a fundamental feature..

@Kevin > The latest firmware addresses a MIDI timing issue - have you tried that?

Yep, gave that a try but unfortunately still get the same problems.. U think its worth sending the unit in for a technical look? Seems like this should be working, ya? Thnx

@Kevin > When you're saying the BPM fluctuates, where is that being displayed?  Are you in TAP mode (pressed it once to lock the BPM)?

I can only see it via another piece of software like traktor that shows decimals..

If u recall my other prob where i couldnt get djm900 to take to traktors master clock - i basically set it up the opposite way to use djm900 as master and traktor as slave. I can get that connected ok but then i hit tap button on djm900 and set it at 128 for example. Then i immediately see the bpm readout in traktor master clock section jump around from roughly 127.8 - 128.3. It never stops moving, it just keeps going a lil up, then a lil down, etc.

@Pulse: I see there is a firmware update for the DJM900 which incorperates the midi issue, why is there not one for the DJM2000? Is there anything that Pioneer can offer with this problem (an external midi clock, perhaps some new hardware). Its just that it's frustrating when I'm trying to go from one aspect of my set to another.

@chris > It may not be the same issue, hence no fix for that specific item.

I just tested this with the 900 using Ableton and I noticed when set to external sync, even with a locked BPM of 128.00, I was getting readings of 127.93 and 128.07 BPM (which, mind you are quite small differences from 128.00).

Doing the math...

At 128.00BPM, it's 0.46875000 per beat (468.75ms).

At 128.07BPM, it's 0.46849379 per beat (468.49ms).

So 0.07BPM at 128BPM, is a difference of 0.26ms.

Even if you were to take the 0.14BPM swing over the maximum swing, that's a difference of 0.51ms.

MIDI has a variation of up to 1ms per signal ... so only having measured 1/2ms swing, I'd say that's pretty good.

Is there a better way to lock it down?  Maybe, but I'm sure the MIDI-clock hardware to do so is quite expensive.

That does seem pretty spot on, ive conquered the problem anyway by using the jog wheel on the 5000 to modulate the pitch, pretty damn accurate really, feel more comfortable in doing so aswell, just like a deck really and as accurate. Ive also uploaded the new firmware for the DJM 2000, there are some good upgrades on it, but one thing s the bpm seems to sometimes lock at 40 bpm when in auto mode and throws the beat effects off, how can this be conquered? Also what does the new quantize funtion enable me to do? Is it to be used in conjuntion with record box?