MIDI-SYNC (was Re: simple MIDI?)

[Mikko Helin]

>I thought once about a MIDI-Sync out for a sequencer, with a 4017 clocked by
>31.5K and some gates to provide start, data and stop bits, and of course a
>hold
>state where it waits for the next step of the sequencer.
>For sending one (or two, three) command/s this is practical.
>For receiving use shift registers, and a discrete logic.

Even when it's possible to build a discrete MIDI sync out for an
analog sequencer, it's not much easier to build that decent
microcontroller sync box. With an Atmel 87C2051 FLASH programmable
8051 compatible 20-pin uC chip (with UART) it's quite simple to do, and
when you've done it once, you've learned how to use the same design
for other purposes (and there are many like MIDI-cv, trigger-MIDI,
MIDI controller input, DCO etc.). If the 2 kB of FLASH PROM is not
enough, there are other models with up to 20 kB of FLASH PROM.

In this case, the microcontroller could be the master and output both
the sync to analog sequencer and the MIDI start, MIDI clock and
MIDI stop bytes to MIDI system. At the same time it could send the DIN
start/stop, continue and clock (24 and 48 ppq) signals to drum machine.

Atmel's home page on net is www.atmel.com.

-Mikko