MIDI Timing Engine Synchronizes Multi-Source Audio Streams
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electronic music collaboration systems face issues with synchronization due to CPU timing variations between audio files, leading to signal degradation and inferior music quality, especially when combining audio streams from different digital audio workstations.
Innovation Solution
A system with a MIDI timing engine generates a MIDI time code (MTC) timing signature signal to synchronize audio streams from multiple digital audio workstations, using USB audio input hubs and a summing module to combine the signals, reducing CPU jitter and eliminating the need for excessive DA/AD conversions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If CPU timing is used to synchronize audio files from different digital audio workstations, then the system can operate independently without centralized control, but timing accuracy deteriorates with variations of 0.1% in a 99 bpm song, causing drift between 99-101 bpm over four bars
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a MIDI timing engine as an intermediary device that receives audio signals from multiple digital audio workstations and generates a centralized MTC timing signature signal. This mediator synchronizes all DAWs to a common timing reference, eliminating the timing drift caused by independent CPU timing while preserving the ability of each DAW to operate independently. The MIDI timing engine acts as the mediating authority that coordinates timing without requiring direct integration between DAWs.
2Adaptability or versatility
If audio streams from multiple digital audio workstations are combined through traditional means, then collaboration between multiple users is enabled, but signal degradation occurs due to multiple DA/AD conversions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the audio streams from multiple digital audio workstations at the digital level within the MIDI timing engine, before final output. By combining the signals in the digital domain rather than through separate DA/AD conversion chains, the system enables multi-user collaboration while preserving signal integrity. The summing module combines multiple digital audio streams into a single synchronized output, eliminating the need for redundant conversions that would degrade signal quality.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method eliminate the drag associated with CPU drag on experienced by combine audio streams from multiple sources. The embodiments receive audio signals from two separate audio sources and apply a MIDI based timing signature to the audio signals. The audio signals are synchronized according to the MTC signature signal and combined, when synchronized, at a summing module for output as a combined audio stream. Some embodiments include monitoring for and publishing a start/stop command signal to users in the collaboration to help synchronize audio signals from the different users.