Unlike many sequencers and VST hosts, Bidule does not automatically synchronize a plugin to a master host tempo. In fact, you always have to synchronize plugins or bidules manually, if they can be synched.

To properly synchronize a plugin/bidule, certain criteria has to be met:

• Only a plugin or bidule with the little s appearing beside its icon in the patchbay can be synchronized.
• Some plugins cannot be synchronized until their outputs have been connected to a set of inputs. This is due to an oversight in the plugin's code, where the plugin doesn't report to Bidule that it can be synched until connected.
• A bidule with a tempo master must exist somewhere in the layout, to which the tempo slave bidule can be synchronized. These tempo-generating bidules are identified by the little m beside their icons in the patchbay. If no master tempo-generating bidules can be found, then Bidule assumes a default tempo of 120 BPM for any plugins that use time info.

You can choose from four native bidules to generate a master tempo:

• MIDI Step Sequencer
• MIDI To Sync
• MIDI File Player
• Rewire devices
  (which can usually act as either master tempo or slave)

However, there are also a few third-party VST plugins that can generate their own internal tempo: (please contact me if you know a plugin that should be added to this woefully short list)

• Tobybear MetroGnome
• Tobybear Stepper

The following tutorials demonstrate:
A how to synchronize a VST plugin to a Step Sequencer bidule playing a drum line,
and B how to use multiple master tempos at the same time.

A1 Right-click the patchbay and select MIDI > Step Sequencer. Right-click the patchbay again, and select Instruments > AnalogKit (C, D, E, F only). Right-click once more and select Mixing > Mixer to add a Mixer bidule (to mix the individual drum instruments).

Connect the MIDI output from the Step Sequencer to the input on the AnalogKit. Hold down CTRL and drag the first audio output from the AnalogKit to the first input on the Mixer bidule. This should connect all of the outputs to the Mixer. Finally, connect the Mixer's outputs to your audio interface (or to whatever is in front of your soundcard output).

A2 Time to program some rhythm into the Step Sequencer. The AnalogKit bidule is a synthesized drum kit that responds to notes on any pitch of C, D, E, and F. The bass drum is on C, the snare on D, open hihat on E, and closed hihat on F.

Double-click the Step Sequencer bidule to open it, and resize it so that it only shows the relevent notes in the top octave. Program in a one-bar drum loop.

When the loop is ready, press on the Step Sequencer's toolbar to play the rhythm, and close the GUI.

A3 Now we'll add Bram's SupaTrigga plugin to the layout, to mix up the beats a bit. Right-click the the patchbay, and select VST > Bram @ Smartelectronix > SupaTrigga. Disconnect the outputs from the Mixer to the soundcard, and then connect the Mixer outputs to the SupaTrigga inputs, and connect the SupaTrigga outputs to your soundcard.

If your drum loop is still playing, you can hear that the audio is just passing through SupaTrigga - the plugin does nothing until it is synchronized. You can tell that it is not synchronized because the letter s next to its bidule has no number.

To synchronize the plugin, right-click SupaTrigga, and select Sync to > MIDI Step Sequencer. Start the sequence playing (if it isn't already). After one bar, the plugin will start cutting and rearranging the beats.

A4 Double-click the SupaTrigger bidule to open its interface.

Increase the granularity slider from 4 (slices/measure) to 16 (slices/measure). Listen for a bit, then double-click the Step Sequencer bidule. Click in the BPM text box, and change the tempo to 75 (don't forget to press Enter to accept the change). Listen to the changes to the rhythm now.

Return the tempo back to 120, and set the granularity in SupaTrigga to 4. If you like, save the layout as Sync Tut.bidule so you can use it for the second part of this tutorial.
(Click here to do it now)