Hi guys
I need a little help setting up Hapax with Ableton. I only need Hapax as a controller for Ableton. I would like to work without Hapax and have Ableton use Hapax’s tempo and clock. Then, once a track is finished, I would like to record it in MIDI format (all tracks simultaneously if possible) and complete the mixing and mastering process in Ableton (possibly with vocal recording, etc.).
What are the ideal settings in Ableton and on the Hapax to make this work? Who is the master? What do I need to keep in mind?
Thanks for any tips from someone who knows this inside out.
I can manage to have this running with the Hapax or Ableton as a Master but I’m not sure which one the best way is or if I even need an additional external Midi-clock.
As far as I know, Ableton Live is usually easier to work with if it provides the clock, rather than following an external clock.
So you’d be better off configuring Hapax so that it uses the clock from Ableton Live.
However, depending on your operating system, the MIDI clock jitter might be pretty bad.
The absolute best timings are only possible using a clock audio waveform, fed into a CV input of Hapax. Here’s the dedicated paragraph in the manual: Hapax Manual | Squarp instruments
As per other threads on the topic, running your DAW as the master clock and using the Hapax’s clock in feature is highly recommended - it works well and is super tight timing-wise.
yes an audio pulse clock at 64th notes fed to hapax cv in 1 is best. it will take fine tuning but is easy and ultra tight. then you can record everything at once.
Is there a tutorial about the CV audio sync somewhere because I’ve been fiddling with it for hours and I’m not getting anywhere. I promise I’ve read the manual. Running the signal from Live into a Focusrite Scarlett and from the Scarlet’s outputs into into the Hapax CV.
Unfortunately the problem may lie with the Focusrite’s lack of DC coupled outputs. I was under the impression that CV clock could be accomplished without trhe DC coupling. Maybe someone else has better experience on the subject?
So I was able to route a track containing Ableton’s CV Clock Output tool through the headphone output on my Mac while routing everything else through the Focusrite and it seems to work, though it drifts off sync after a while if you just let one pattern run continuously. I read someplace that the headphone outs on iPhones and iPads are DC coupled, so maybe the one on my Mac is too?
so, the falling out of sync is most likely the level of the signal which should be very close to max. i assume you miss a pulse here or there, because i have no issues. my levels are just below clipping. although clipping works too. all hapax needs is the leading edge of a pulse. i dont use a loop, i just play a single cycle in reapers sample player.
Hi guys,
thanks for the comments. Actually I tried to go the route to let Hapax be the master and was successfull with it on PC and Mac. Mac is a little tighter but PC works also.
The great thing about that is that you can let the clock always on Internal if you are like me and want to work dawless, with daw only or hybrid.
Here’s a little Video I made (sorry for English and quality): Hapax and Ableton Clock Sync
If you have one master clock for everything, there should be no chance of drift over time unless something is set up incorrectly. Are you sure the Hapax is receiving sync pulses, and not just transport start / stop? Is your output gain calibrated correctly?
Also note that when Hapax is slaved to an audio clock, the Hapax tempo must be manually set or else sent MIDI clock / some internal processing? will not be in sync.
In my experience, sure you can make the DAW software the slave and all may seem good enough, but when you start pushing the limits of your cpu, or have realtime OS processes take priority under the hood you may run into issues.
Also any jitter or minute fluctuation of your DAW tempo when slaved can cause inconsistencies when recording audio.
If I turn the amplitude down on the CV Clock in Ableton the Hapax’s sequencer slows down and eventually stops, so clearly it’s being controlled by the CV. And adjusting the tempo on Ableton adjusts the tempo on the Hapax (although the Hapax’s screen doesn’t change to reflect this)
FWIW the drift is about the same using Midi clock as CV clock; selecting another pattern on the Hapx puts everything back in sync again.
i make pcs for music and i use them since the 90s. i dont have many issues with midi timing of note and cc commands. of course i dont use midi for tempo. but i send live midi as input for plugins and have zero issues. i still think an audio pulse for tempo is best. its honestly the way all those tempo/sync distributor devices work, and i would not hold my breath waiting for a ‘fix’.
i use this utility to dedicate cores to processes exclusively and its amazing! my 4 core devices perform very well! you may have amazing results too but it takes a while to find out what works and what doesnt. i also turn off the ability to ‘park cores’ by windows 11 which was creating pops in audio (though not in my 4 core machines, but my 8 core machines were doing it). i debated about posting this but if you give it a try i promise amazing results! its clear that pcs are made for admin clerical and non multimedia tasks but process lasso changes how the cpu acts when you need real time availability like in a daw. btw im not affiliated.
I can send out an 16th note snare pattern on two different drum machines into CV 1 and it starts/stops and syncs with the Hapax, but if I record that same pattern into Ableton and then run it into CV1 with the meters pegging red nothing happens. Very odd.
