Streaming Tips
This One Free Software Will Make You Sound Like A Pro
Are you a YouTuber, Twitch streamer, Instagram Stories creator or all of them and some more? Then this software will take you to the next level.
Since I am a YouTuber and Twitch streamer I am going to write this from my perspective and share my personal experience using the software.
The software is called Voicemeeter Potato. I found Voicemeeter a few months back after I got my first good microphone and I shortly realized how much power Voicemeeter could add to my setup.
Now you probably ask yourself; What is Voicemeeter, and why should I even care? Well, Voicemeeter is a software created by VB-Audio, and there are currently 3 versions of Voicemeeter available: Voicemeeter, Voicemeeter Banana and Voicemeeter Potato. Voicemeeter is the basic version, Banana has a few more features and Potato is the complete kit with all you could ever wish for.
VB-Audio has also created a software called Virtual Audio Cable, which is exactly what it sounds like it is: A virtual set of audio cables that will let you route your sound to wherever you want.
Why Potato over the other versions
Voicemeeter Potato looks rather daunting when you first open it but trust me, you want Potato, not Banana or the basic version. Once you dip your toes in the software you will find Voicemeeter lacking features. Banana is good enough for a lot of people, but it still lacks some of the features Potato has. The most obvious difference between the three versions is the number of inputs and outputs you have access to.
How can all this be free?
It technically is, but it is considered a donationware, which means that after 30 days of use you will be prompted to buy a license, but this is more of an inconvenience than a problem. Remember WinRAR? It’s pretty much the same thing — you dismiss the prompt indefinitely. I bought the license simply because I love the software and I want to see the team keeping the development of the software going.
Remember WinRAR? That program we all had but no one paid for?
How I use Voicemeeter Potato
I first installed the software because I felt like I had no control. I often play games with friends or viewers, listen to music and stream to Twitch at the same time. Everything was just going into OBS (my broadcasting software of choice) as one source, which means I couldn’t do anything but add filters for the entire mix. I sometimes played with friends that didn’t want to be heard on the stream, but I had no way of controlling that either.
Enter Voicemeeter Potato. I have set it up so that my microphone, Spotify, Discord and desktop sounds are all split. I can decide where I want to send every one of those sources and change them with a click of my mouse or a keyboard shortcut.
In OBS I have selected every one of those as different sources. I have added different filters to each of the sources, so my stream sounds good and has a crystal clear production.
I am truly happy for finding Voicemeeter, as the software took my audio production from “meh” to “wow” in a matter of minutes.
