Ableton Live + VJ Project Advice

Oli · Post by **Oli** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 2:05 pm

Hi there,

I've decided to embark on a project involving Ableton Live and visuals. I've been making music for a good while (although I haven't been using Live for long), but have never become very involved in the visual side of things. What I want to achieve is as follows:
I want to have a number of audio samples in Live, each with its own video clip assigned to it (in VJ software). I then want to be able to manipulate each sample in Ableton Live, and as I do so, the video clip is manipulated accordingly. For example, when I slow the audio sample down, the corresponding video slows, and when I apply a certain audio effect to a sample, that effect is represented by a corresponding effect to the video. In effect, everything that I do to the audio would be represented by the visuals, in an automated kind of way.

As I'm new to this, I don't know how achievable this is, or how I would go about getting things started. I'm not sure which VJ application to use, I have been looking into Arkaos and VDMX 5. If I could be pointed in the right direction I would be very grateful.

Forgive me if I'm asking anything too obvious!

Thanks,

Oli

RePeter · Post by **RePeter** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 1:05 pm

I'm no master at this, but had a similar idea a while back (unfortunately my aging lappie won’t cope).

Using arkaos I was able to link each midi assignment in ableton to a corresponding effect in arkaos.

So for example each audio clip triggered in live would also trigger a video clip, midi volumes in live would also effect the video’s transparency and eq’s and filters in live would change the clips colour.

You can also write midi patterns in live which you can trigger and send straight to arkaos.

If your computers powerful enough, and you have the time to prep, this could be amazing… don’t give up.

Freekster · Post by **Freekster** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 2:21 pm

Jam looks very good, but it's only for mac. It's the first VJ thingy for Ableton Live. Ofcource allmost all same things can be done with other VJ softs, but that would need lot of handwork.

I haven't tried it out yet, but as it cost's $70 i'm gonna get it.

bengazale · Post by **bengazale** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 7:31 pm

RePeter wrote:I'm no master at this, but had a similar idea a while back (unfortunately my aging lappie won’t cope).

Using arkaos I was able to link each midi assignment in ableton to a corresponding effect in arkaos.

So for example each audio clip triggered in live would also trigger a video clip, midi volumes in live would also effect the video’s transparency and eq’s and filters in live would change the clips colour.

You can also write midi patterns in live which you can trigger and send straight to arkaos.

If your computers powerful enough, and you have the time to prep, this could be amazing… don’t give up.

may I ask how you linked the audio clip triggering to the visual ?
was it by using the same midi controler or someother way ?
i'm working on a similar project, and so far ( i'm using 16 clips per track) i've been working by creating a parallel midi track, with a midi clip per audio clip and a midi note in each clip to which the visual is linked. The midi controller triggers both the audio and midi clip in each of the 8 tracks i'm using.
but if there's a more simple way, it would be great

friend_kami · Post by **friend_kami** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 1:36 am

well, if you dont mind getting your hands a bit dirty and program some of your own, vvvv might be a good solution for you.

its ultra stable, lightweight (depending on your programming obviously), and it supports osc and dmx + they have an vst->osc vridge specificallt designed to control it from your DAW, written with live in particular.

wouldnt mind getting hands on a PC version of JAM though *cough make it happen cough*

RePeter · Post by **RePeter** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 9:18 pm

bengazale wrote:
RePeter wrote:I'm no master at this, but had a similar idea a while back (unfortunately my aging lappie won’t cope).

Using arkaos I was able to link each midi assignment in ableton to a corresponding effect in arkaos.

So for example each audio clip triggered in live would also trigger a video clip, midi volumes in live would also effect the video’s transparency and eq’s and filters in live would change the clips colour.

You can also write midi patterns in live which you can trigger and send straight to arkaos.

If your computers powerful enough, and you have the time to prep, this could be amazing… don’t give up.
may I ask how you linked the audio clip triggering to the visual ?
was it by using the same midi controler or someother way ?
i'm working on a similar project, and so far ( i'm using 16 clips per track) i've been working by creating a parallel midi track, with a midi clip per audio clip and a midi note in each clip to which the visual is linked. The midi controller triggers both the audio and midi clip in each of the 8 tracks i'm using.
but if there's a more simple way, it would be great

Not quite sure to be honest, can't quite remember, but I think I ran my controller in through bidule (not essential for this), out into a midi yoke channel, and sent that to both ableton and arkaos.
I use a faderfox controller (the LX2) to trigger my clips, it has so many buttons you can have each individual clip in live assigned to it's own midi note, as opposed to each scene.
In arkaos just place you video clips in banks along the piano roll to match where your ableton clips are (ie which midi notes trigger that clip.)

I'm sure that if you don't have bidule you could just run a midi thru ableton, and out to a midi yolk channel.

Sorry I can't be more help, I leave the visuals down to a mate now, who has really got on top of them...

itsthejayj · Post by **itsthejayj** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 1:45 am

Just Add Music - Uses core technology for mac making it one of the fastest video processing applications out there.

Dead simple connection to Ableton.
Designed by the leading DVJ a/v acts
continuously being developed for improvements

more information can be found at

www.youcanbespecialtoo.com

craw · Post by **craw** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 4:30 pm

+1 for vvvv

very steep learning curve, but together with MIDI yoke and a controller or 2 you can do some nice stuff.

Down side is that AISO soundcard drivers aren't supported

JustAddMusic · Post by **JustAddMusic** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 4:36 pm

craw wrote:+1 for vvvv

very steep learning curve, but together with MIDI yoke and a controller or 2 you can do some nice stuff.

Down side is that AISO soundcard drivers aren't supported

Not to sure about MIDI yoke i believe thats for windows.

regarding the steep learning curve of some VJ packages, we at Just Add Music have try to design JAM so no additional learning is involved, once the minimal setting up is accomplished you use ableton exactly like you usually do.

nobbystylus · Post by **nobbystylus** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 4:49 pm

[quote=I haven't tried it out yet, but as it cost's $70 i'm gonna get it.[/quote]

Its being listed at £100, which is over $200 obviously.. so not that cheap..