- +

KINDS OF SYNCHRONIZATION

DO NOT CONFUSE THESE KINDS OF SYNCHRONIZATION

• Positional: "where are we?"
• Speed: "how fast are we going?"

Positional Sync

• typically a transport signal
• SMPTE, MTC, JACK transport info
• MIDI Time Code is SMPTE
• MIDI Song Position is not MIDI Time Code
• MIDI Time Code is not MIDI Clock

Speed Sync

• typically a sample clock or equivalent
• Word clock, ADAT Sync, SuperClock, Blackburst
• also tempo clocks: MIDI Clock

Notice how sample clocks and tempo clocks both provide speed sync, but one is based on free-running time (samples) and the other on a user-defined static map (transport position and/or tempo map).