The Link quantum value sets the loop length for phase synchronization, aligning loop boundaries across apps

Phase synchronization extends beat alignment to loop-boundary alignment. An app tells Link its quantum — the number of beats in its loop (e.g., 4 for a 4-beat loop, 8 for an 8-beat loop). Link guarantees that any two participants with the same quantum value are phase aligned, meaning their loop start points always coincide. When quanta are multiples of each other (e.g., 4 and 8), the smaller loop always aligns with some subdivision of the larger. Choosing the quantum is app-specific: Ableton Live ties it to the Global Quantization setting; some apps fix it; others make it dynamic. In practice, the quantum is often set to the bar length the user is working with.

Examples

Strudel with quantum=4: each cycle starts on beat 1, 5, 9… Live with quantum=4: clip triggers at the same boundaries. If one app has quantum=8 and another has quantum=4, a 4-beat boundary always lands on either the start or middle of the 8-beat loop.

Assessment

A DJ has Live set to 4-beat global quantization and connects Strudel with quantum=4. When the Strudel pattern starts, where in Live’s loop will it enter? What would happen if Strudel used quantum=3 instead?