Types of Timecode

Timecode is the shared clock that keeps a show from turning into a group project with bad communication. Lighting, video, lasers, playback, automation, and other departments can all follow the same timeline instead of guessing where the downbeat, chorus, blackout, or confetti blast is supposed to happen.

But “timecode” is not just one cable or one format. In live production, you will usually run into three practical flavors: LTC, MTC, and ArtTimeCode, often called Art-Net Timecode in software menus.

They all carry the same basic idea: hours, minutes, seconds, and frames. The difference is how they travel.

LTC: the audio one

LTC stands for Linear Timecode. It is timecode sent as an audio signal. If you listen to it, it sounds like a tiny robot having a terrible day, so please do not send it to the PA unless chaos is the creative direction.

In concert workflows, LTC is the classic workhorse. Playback sends it out of an audio interface, and consoles, media servers, laser systems, or timecode readers lock to it.

Pros

• Very common: Tons of live production gear understands LTC.
• Easy to distribute: It can travel through normal audio infrastructure if routed correctly.
• Great for playback rigs: If your tracks live in a DAW, sending LTC from an audio output is straightforward.
• Good lock behavior: Most devices can lock quickly once they see clean code at the right level.

Cons

• It is audio, so audio problems matter: Bad gain, clipping, mute groups, accidental processing, bad cables, and weird patching can all ruin the party.
• It needs isolation: You do not want LTC in ears, wedges, broadcast mix, stream mix, or front-of-house. Trust.
• It is point-to-point-ish: Big rigs may need distribution, conversion, or dedicated timecode hardware.

Weird nuance

LTC is rugged, but it is not magic. If it is too quiet, too hot, distorted, compressed, noise-gated, or accidentally stereo-summed with something strange, the receiving device may lose lock or chase badly. The boring audio checks matter.

When to prefer LTC

Use LTC when playback is the master clock, when you need broad compatibility, or when multiple departments expect a traditional SMPTE-style feed. It is the “everyone knows how to deal with this” option.

MTC: the MIDI one

MTC stands for MIDI Timecode. Instead of sending timecode as audio, it sends time information through MIDI.

This makes MTC useful in DAWs, MIDI rigs, older devices, software tools, and situations where the receiving device does not have an LTC input but does speak MIDI.

Pros

• Great for MIDI-based gear: Some devices and apps prefer MTC because they already live in MIDI world.
• No audio channel needed: You do not have to burn an audio output just for timecode.
• Useful for software-to-software sync: Virtual MIDI ports can connect apps on the same machine.

Cons

• Not every lighting or video device wants it: Many live production systems prefer LTC or network timecode.
• MIDI bandwidth can matter: Do not cram MTC onto a busy MIDI port full of notes, controllers, clock, and panic.
• It may feel less immediate: Quarter-frame MTC sends the time address in small pieces, so a receiver may need a couple frames before it has the full location.

Weird nuance

MTC is not MIDI Clock. MIDI Clock follows tempo and beats. MTC follows absolute time: hours, minutes, seconds, and frames. One is “where is the beat?” The other is “where are we on the timeline?” Different tools. Different snacks.

Lock time

MTC can be very usable, but its lock behavior depends on the device and message type. Full messages are useful for locating. Quarter-frame messages keep things running, but they arrive in pieces. In practical terms, MTC can be a hair less snappy than LTC or ArtTimeCode when a device is first figuring out where it is.

When to prefer MTC

Use MTC when the device only accepts MIDI, when syncing DAWs or music software, or when you are already in a MIDI-heavy control environment. It is a solid bridge between music gear and show control, but give it a clean lane.

ArtTimeCode: the network one

ArtTimeCode is the Art-Net timecode packet. You may see it called Art-Net Timecode, ArtNet Timecode, or ArtnetTimecode, but the clean official-ish name is ArtTimeCode.

Instead of sending timecode as audio or MIDI, ArtTimeCode sends timecode as network data on an Art-Net network. For lighting and media systems already living on Ethernet, that can be very tidy.

Pros

• No analog audio weirdness: No clipping, no bad audio level, no accidental PA blasts.
• Network-friendly: It fits nicely in rigs already using Art-Net for lighting data.
• Fast position awareness: Each packet carries the time fields, so receivers do not need to reconstruct the address from an audio waveform or a series of MIDI pieces.
• Multiple stream support: ArtTimeCode includes a Stream ID, which can identify different streams of timecode.

Cons

• Support varies: Not every console, server, laser system, or playback tool supports it.
• Your network matters: Bad switches, messy routing, broadcast storms, Wi-Fi experiments, and mystery VLAN choices can make things spicy in the wrong way.
• It is easy to assume it is working: A cable being plugged into a network switch does not mean the right packet is reaching the right device.

Weird nuance

ArtTimeCode lives in the lighting network world, so it feels modern and clean, but that also means it depends on good network hygiene. Audio people are used to chasing buzz. Network people are used to chasing “why is this universe here?” Same stress, different costume.

Lock time

ArtTimeCode can feel very quick because the time address is carried directly in the packet. In practice, lock time still depends on the receiving software, packet rate, network quality, and whether the device is actually listening for Art-Net Timecode. The format gives you a nice lane. The network still has to drive safely.

When to prefer ArtTimeCode

Use ArtTimeCode when your lighting, media, or visual systems already support it and your show network is properly designed. It can be especially nice for software-based rigs, media servers, and lighting environments where staying on Ethernet is cleaner than adding more audio or MIDI plumbing.

Which one should you use?

If you need the safest general-purpose answer, start with LTC. It is the old reliable pickup truck of timecode. Not flashy, very useful, and everyone knows someone who can fix it.

If your gear lives in MIDI world, use MTC. It is great for DAWs, sequencers, music software, and devices that do not accept LTC.

If your rig is network-native and the devices support it, use ArtTimeCode. It is clean, modern, and avoids a lot of analog audio nonsense, but only if the network is actually solid.

Best practices

• Pick one master clock. Playback, show control, or a timecode generator should be the source everyone trusts.
• Choose the frame rate early. Base it on the video/content pipeline whenever live video is involved.
• Confirm drop vs non-drop. Most concert workflows use non-drop unless broadcast or recording has a reason to require drop frame.
• Make a timecode map. Give each song or section its own offset, then share that map with lighting, video, lasers, automation, and playback.
• Keep LTC clean and isolated. No compression, no gates, no accidental PA routes, no “why is the audience hearing fax machine violence?”
• Keep MTC on a clean MIDI path. Do not bury it under a mountain of notes and control changes.
• Keep ArtTimeCode on a healthy network. Use proper switches, known IP settings, and verify that receivers are actually seeing the packet.
• Test from the real show source. Do not only test from a generator if the actual show will run from playback.
• Write down the settings. Frame rate, drop/non-drop, offsets, source device, output path, and who owns changes. Future you deserves peace.

The big takeaway

LTC, MTC, and ArtTimeCode are not competing religions. They are different delivery trucks carrying the same basic package: where the show is on the timeline.

LTC rides as audio. MTC rides as MIDI. ArtTimeCode rides on the Art-Net network.

Pick the one your gear supports, your crew can troubleshoot, and your show can trust every night. That is the move.