MIDI Clock

Sync your visuals to external MIDI clock sources. Whether you're receiving tempo from a DJ mixer, drum machine, or DAW, MIDI Clock keeps your visuals locked to the beat without manual BPM entry.

---

What is MIDI Clock?

MIDI Clock is a timing signal sent by music hardware and software (DAWs, drum machines, DJ mixers) at 24 pulses per quarter note. FXCanvas can receive this signal to synchronize visual effects with your music's tempo — no manual BPM entry or tap tempo needed.

Key capabilities:

Feature	Description
MIDI Clock sync	Receive tempo from any MIDI clock source
Transport tracking	Follow Start/Stop/Continue messages
Beat phase	Track position within the bar for beat-aligned effects
Separate devices	Use different MIDI devices for clock and control

---

Getting Started

Opening MIDI Settings

1. Open Edit → Settings from the menu bar
2. Select the MIDI tab in the sidebar

---

Selecting a Clock Device

The Clock Device section shows available MIDI input ports:

1. Click the device dropdown to see available MIDI inputs
2. Select the device sending MIDI clock (e.g., your DJ mixer, DAW, or drum machine)
3. The connection status updates to show whether clock is being received

tip

If your device doesn't appear, check that it's connected and powered on, then click the refresh button to re-scan MIDI ports.

Using MIDI Clock as Tempo Source

Once a clock device is selected:

1. Open the BPM Sync panel
2. Select MIDI Clock as the tempo source
3. Your visuals now follow the external MIDI clock

The BPM display shows the detected tempo derived from incoming MIDI clock messages.

Connection Status

Status	Meaning
Receiving	MIDI clock messages are being received and tempo is locked
Connected (No Clock)	Port is open but no clock messages received yet
Disconnected	No device selected or device unavailable

Transport Messages

FXCanvas responds to MIDI transport messages:

Message	Behavior
Start	Reset beat phase to downbeat
Stop	Pause phase tracking (hold current position)
Continue	Resume phase tracking from current position

This means your visuals start cleanly on the downbeat when the external source starts playback.

How MIDI Clock Differs from Other Sources

Feature	Internal	Ableton Link	Pioneer DJ	MIDI Clock
Set tempo from FXCanvas	✅	✅ (bidirectional)	❌	❌
Automatic discovery	N/A	✅	✅	❌ (manual port selection)
Phase sync	✅	✅	✅	✅ (via Start message)
Works without network	✅	❌	❌	✅
Hardware compatibility	N/A	Limited	Pioneer only	Universal

MIDI Clock is receive-only — FXCanvas follows the external clock but cannot change the tempo of the sending device.

---

Troubleshooting

No MIDI Devices Shown

• Ensure your MIDI device is connected via USB or a MIDI interface
• Check that no other application has exclusive access to the MIDI port
• On Windows: verify the device appears in Device Manager under "Sound, video and game controllers"
• On macOS: check Audio MIDI Setup utility
• Click the refresh button to re-scan ports

Clock Connected But No Tempo

• Verify the sending device is actually transmitting MIDI clock (not all devices send clock by default)
• Check your DAW/mixer settings — MIDI clock output often needs to be explicitly enabled
• Some devices only send clock during playback (press Play on the source)

Tempo Is Unstable or Jittery

• MIDI clock resolution is 24 ppqn — some jitter is normal at very low or very high tempos
• USB MIDI can introduce timing jitter; a dedicated MIDI interface may improve stability
• If using a DAW, ensure it's not under heavy CPU load (which can cause clock jitter)

---

Tips and Best Practices

DJ Setups

Most DJ mixers (Pioneer DJM, Allen & Heath, etc.) can output MIDI clock derived from their BPM analysis. Enable MIDI clock output in your mixer's settings and connect via USB. This gives you rock-solid tempo sync without needing Pioneer DJ Link.

DAW Integration

When using a DAW (Ableton, Logic, FL Studio):

• Enable MIDI clock output in your DAW's MIDI preferences
• Route clock to the port FXCanvas is listening on
• Consider using Ableton Link instead if your DAW supports it (lower latency, phase sync)

Live Performance

• Test MIDI connections before the show
• Have a fallback plan (Internal tempo with tap) in case MIDI fails
• Use the BPM Sync panel to verify tempo is tracking correctly
• MIDI Clock works without network — useful in venues with restricted networking

---

Related Topics

• BPM Sync — Overview of all tempo sources including MIDI Clock
• Audio Input — Audio-reactive effects and BPM detection from audio
• MIDI Mapping — Map MIDI controllers to FXCanvas actions