Triggering Visuals Live ?

[Randolf Reimann]

hello all,

This is an area that i have no idea about but, I am keen to get into at some stage.

It was inspired by seeing Alva Noto performing live recently. i was blown away by the visuals.

I loved how the sound and visuals seemed so closely related. How the visuals were (seemed to be ?) triggered by the sound.

I would like to know how this type of thing is done ?

What software and hardware people are using ?

What works well with Ableton ?

any insight ?

[flippo]

there are many options. If you do some google searching you can vind various types of VJ applications, all have quite different approaches. Some common ones include resolume, arkaos, arkaos grand VJ.

Most of them accept midi data, so you can easily control them from ableton - just a case of sending midid data from a midi track via IAC (mac)/Midi Yoke (pc) to the VJ software. You'd probably want a separate machine to run the video if you want to do a lot of real-time video manipulation. If you're going to pre-prepare/render your video then you could probably get away with running something lightweight like Arkaos on the same machine as ableton - I've been able to do this without too much CPU drain on a quad core.

[Randolf Reimann]

thanks Flippo

[jockstrap]

it is possible to do all of this on one machine. I'm using ableton for the midi cc messaging output to modul8, then traktor pro with the midi clock sent to ableton and modul8 via IAC. Hardware wise i'm runnng this on octo core, 16gb of ram, SSD drives for the video drive, apc 40 for triggering ableton midi clips, and a 32 channel tascam digital desk for modul8 (the motorised faders are all midi, as well as each pan control+mute buttons. Although i'm hoping to replace this with an ipad running touch osc when it arrives in uk), an allen+heath xone 3d for controlling traktor+mixing and lastly a digi rack 002 sound card (because the xone 3d's sound card sucks and i can run 4 decks through the rack, then ableton out of the headphone jack on mac then into the fx return on the xone) theres also a few dmx light fixtures hooked up to modul8 and i'm working on a dmx controlled motor that i can fix to projectors so i can swivel+rotate them accurately. Other software that the pro visual guys use- Isadora, MAX cycling 74, resolume, Quartz composer, VDMX, and after effects. i'm sure i've missed some out tho.

[Ben_Binary]

there are many options. If you do some google searching you can vind various types of VJ applications, all have quite different approaches. Some common ones include resolume, arkaos, arkaos grand VJ.

Most of them accept midi data, so you can easily control them from ableton - just a case of sending midid data from a midi track via IAC (mac)/Midi Yoke (pc) to the VJ software. You'd probably want a separate machine to run the video if you want to do a lot of real-time video manipulation. If you're going to pre-prepare/render your video then you could probably get away with running something lightweight like Arkaos on the same machine as ableton - I've been able to do this without too much CPU drain on a quad core.

I am using resolume for this - works nice

[elementv]

I use livid celldna which came with my ohm and arkaos which has a bunch of automap features.