Livestream setup [May 2022]
Original setup [Jan 2022]: https://medium.com/@ScruffyFox/livestream-setup-26f39b13d8f0
Setup Update [Oct 2022]: https://medium.com/@ScruffyFox/livestream-setup-oct-17df724fa809
Setup Update [Mar 2023]: https://medium.com/@ScruffyFox/livestream-setup-mar-2023-24fe479fa98a
Setup Update [Jun 2023]: https://medium.com/@ScruffyFox/livestream-setup-jun-2023-eb15d7fc6b4f
Setup Update [Sept 2023]: https://medium.com/@ScruffyFox/livestream-setup-sept-2023-38cf8053c2db
Latest Update [Jun 2024]: https://medium.com/@ScruffyFox/livestream-setup-jun-2024-e5d7285ed527
A lot has changed, but the core principles are still the same (audio routing, midi mappings mostly the same but expanded, etc)
Most of my equipment is the same but with a couple of new additions, and a repurpose.
The main difference between now and January is the addition of the Faderfox PC4, the Stream Decks, and the Shure MV7.
The Faderfox replaced a few mappings from the Launch Control in order to free up mappings on that for other things. One of the biggest issues I was facing was ensuring that tracks were muted for stream when I was recording/looking for sounds (as to not affect the main loops). I previously used the top row of the default template of the Launch Control to do this, but when changing templates, these knobs would control something else and therefore the physical position would no longer reflect if the track was outputting to the stream or not. Now with the Faderfox, I have dedicated knobs for this which only control the output. This allows me to be able to see at a glance what is and is not being outputted.
This is also true for the “filter” knob I previously had mapped to the Launch Control. Previously I had 1 knob assigned to a low pass and high pass filter. Now with the Faderfox, I have a dedicated knob for both the low pass and high pass which gives much much finer control when bringing in sounds.
The next addition is the StreamDeck. I bought these for my partner and I during our time with GTARP to use as hotkeys but now I have repurposed them to be Midi macros using the Stream Deck midi macro plugin. I originally used the default macro buttons available in the plugin but because I essentially have 5 tracks that are the same, changing the macros was very cumbersome. I proposed a new feature to the developer and he very kindly added it in. Now with this new plugin, I am able to write very basic scripts in plain-text to execute midi CC messages. This allows me to mass-edit the macros making it much easier to maintain.
The last addition was the Shure MV7 which I purchased last year during my Just Chatting/casual gaming streams.
Finally, I repurposed my Korg nanoKONTROL2 to control REAPER instead of Ableton Live as I was rarely using it to control Live because the faders are very small and difficult to make small adjustments. Now I use it in REAPER which allows me to mute/solo tracks just for me without affecting the stream output. This is really useful when trying to find which sound is playing on which track.
I also have a button mapped to create a marker in REAPER when pressed. I use this to mark when I have a track muted for stream and mark when I bring it back in. This helps speed up my editing to cut those parts out for the playlist set.
This is a script I found online that allows you to create custom marker colours. I use this to denote certain actions during the recording such as when I am away from the keyboard. https://gist.github.com/scruffyfox/a274349faea4e11ae4651fd9de981827
I use the arrangement view in Live for my sets. I probably would use Session view, but my Launch Pad is broken so I don’t have a nice way to control that view. Plus, I prefer the look of arrangement view because it visually makes sense to me, and also gives me the ability to see the midi that’s being played where as Session view you have to click on the clip to see it. When i’m done with a loop I move it to the end to free up space for the next loop.
My track outputs are the same. I use the BeatStep Pro for the 2 drum racks with channels 5 and 4, and the last 2 midi “utility” tracks on channel 2 and 3. The Drum Seq runs XLN Audio’s XO plugin so accepts no input. All the rest listen to channel 1 from any input.
Each track outputs to n and n+1 for ReaRoute, and then received on the same input in REAPER.
XLN Audio XO drum sequencer plugin. I use this as my secondary drum sequencer. I have a list of pre-made sequences with various patterns and samples. The accentuator and groove parameters are very useful for creating nice swings.
My primary drum track uses a simple Ableton Live drum rack with select samples from my library.
My second primary drum track uses Polyplex as a supporting kit between the primary and XO tracks.
Although I use Polyplex for my second drum track, this is more of a ‘floater’ track that I can re-purpose to do other things, but always pad-based sample launching.
This is the full device chain for each track in my set. You’ll notice a few common devices that I save as audio effects and midi effects racks so when a change is made, I can easily swap out the same device on the other tracks. They are all created to utilise the device macro knobs so they retain their Midi CC mappings when swapped out.
The main difference between the Bass track and the other instrument tracks is that I have an additional audio in from the Behringer Neutron synth that I use as a sub.
The last 2 tracks are connected to the first and second sequencer on the BeatStep pro. The first sequencer goes to Seq.1 and creates chords. The second goes to Seq.2 and plays straight notes. Any armed track will pick up the notes and so the sequencer on the BSP is only used to record to clips. I have an additional Max4Live device called “The Poser” which allows me to map the pads to the key I’m in, with the first pad always being the root note of that key.
Devices
From left to right, the following devices for the instrument tracks;
- Live Util
This device provides the ability to hold notes and quantise/add swing. I don’t typically use the quantise and swing knobs as I will quantise the clip itself rather than what is being played. - Arp
Simple arpeggiator with the basic parameters mapped. - Midi Util
This provides a few utility functions for manipulating the midi signal such as % chance to play, transposing +/- 1 octave, applying a random amount of velocity, adding an additional +/- octave note, and a velocity curve. - Auto Gate
This device is a series of chains that can be selected and on each chain (except the “open” chain) have a mute sequencer device. This device allows me to filter in melodies without the need to edit the clip. I use the StreamDeck macros to select a different sequence. I also modified the original Max4Live device to expand it to 64 steps for better flexibility. - Instrument
VST Device for Komplete Kontrol, with the option to change (using chains) to using an Ableton instrument device. - Repeat
Simple beat repeater - 1 Knob Filter
This was the original filter device used before the Faderfox, but now I use it as an additional filter for devices that don’t have one mapped to the Komplete Kontrol macro knobs. Also helps shape sounds. - FX/Dirt/Crunch/Chorus/RC20
This is a hot-swappable effects device to distort the sound in some way - Delay (Replika)
This is my main delay device. Replika creates a nice delay I prefer much over Echo or the other delays in Live - Reverb (Raum)
Another very nice reverb device by Native Instruments - Compression
Simple compression helps with volume - Sidechain
I was previously using an actual sidechain compressor here, but I decided to change the device to use a autopan set to 1/4 notes instead as sometimes when the kick from the primary drum track isnt being played, the audio effectively becomes muted. - Autopan
Additional autopan to create movement - EQ
Simple 3 knob eq with an additional compressor to squash the +12db range - Looper
Phrase looper device to record into when automating/changing the sound - Tone
Boosts the low and high ends - Track Filter
The final filter used when bringing the sound in and out of the mix
This is the output from Ableton. The Stream return track is what each track is sent to for stream output. Everything else (including the sound previews) will still pass through to the master bus, which goes to my headphones.
The stream audio is then routed from REAPER via ReaStream to VSTHost which then outputs that audio to a VoiceMeeter Banana virtual cable
This virtual cable is then used in OBS for the stream to hear.
After each stream, the audio recorded in REAPER is edited and then mixed into the main live set and uploaded to SoundCloud
