Tap tempo switch for GCP

[stm113]

I have a GCP that I use to control my Fractal Audio Axe FX II. I recently set up one of my I/As to use as a tap tempo. I am running into a problem with my tempo's on my delays not synching up when Inset then this way, we're playing to a click track so I know I'm getting a good count but doing tap tempo is new to me so it's possible I could be missing something.

I had been thinking that maybe the I/A switches in the GCP may not be the best option for this I have pedal Jack 2 on my GCP available if there is a better switch for me to do this with. Thanks for your help!

[JohnClark]

The Instant Access button should be able to do this correctly. What are the symptoms of the problem? Does it not work at all? Do your taps register in double time or half time?

[stm113]

They register, just not in time, like there's a lag in communication that causes a 120 to register as a 115, u haven't verified this with hard data, I just know that I tap my foot to the click track at the start if the song and the delays seem to rarely match up to the beat. One thing that just occurred to me while sitting here are work is, I previously had the I/A set up to turn an effect block on and off but I think the only thing I changed was the midi assignment of the switch, should it be set to momentary for this use by chance?

[JohnClark]

I would think that if it is that close then you have the Momentary/Latching action set correctly.

I'd try messing with the AxeFX's "Average" setting. For Tempo you can set the AxeFX to compute an average tempo based on your taps, or set it to read only the last two taps.

Let us know what you find!

p.s. Is the Click Track being generated using any sort of time clock?

[stm113]

I will try that, tap tempo especially in this context is very new to me.

We use Ableton Live, the click is from that. There is a click track, a prerecorded guide track which has a generated voice that will say something like "Verse, 2,3,4,Verse" and then there is the loop track with any backing synths, sometimes prerecorded guitar or bass etc.

Thank you all for your help. By the way which should I have the switch set to monetary, latching etc? I am going to check tonight.

[stantonj]

Intuitively, you would think that the tap tempo button would be momentary. However, it works in the normal mode. Ignore the state of the led light on the IA button regarding your tap tempo. It will illuminate on/off depending how many times you tap it. That said, the time locks in place either way.

[JohnClark]

^^^ well there you go... what he said, Latching is the answer, and I am reasonably certain Latching is what you will find your button is currently set to

The AxeFX manual I have doesn't seem to detail the switch action needed just the Control Change number that Tempo is on (Control Change 14). But here is why I asked my original question on half time or double time...

If a device is expecting a Momentary action, but the button is set to Latching, the result would be that the device would only count every other button push as a Tap. This would result in a tempo that is Half of what you tapped.
If a device is expecting a Latching action, but the button is set to Momentary, the result would be that the device would count the button press as a Tap, then the button release as a second Tap. This would result in a tempo that is about Double of what you tapped.

Since the resulting Tempo is so close to what you want there are really only two possibilities... AxeFX is giving you exactly what you are tapping, or AxeFX is calculating the subtle difference between your taps and giving its best guess. Since there is a setting within the AxeFX specifically meant to do this sort of calculation, I'd entertain starting there

Also, to touch on part of the original post, there is no reason to believe that an external switch on one of the Expression ports would work any better. In fact, it has more chance of working even worse since it will not be filtered for "switch bounce" and I am unsure exactly what data values the AxeFX will detect as a Tap.


p.s. Ableton Live is actually capable of generating MIDI Clock, you could simply route that to the AxeFX and set the AxeFX to sync directly to Ableton Live rather than have to use a Tap Tempo button.