VDMX and Ableton Live: A Beginner's Guide to Animate your Music.

Want to make a visual synthesizer to go along with your Ableton performances or projects? Here’s a quick run down on how you can link VDMX and Ableton Live together to do just that.

(DOWNLOAD: Link to the project files from this video)

Note: This tutorial is a quick way to link the two applications. When it comes to visual ideas, the sky is the limit! There’s a huge library of generative ISF visuals for you to explore: https://editor.isf.video/ or you can use the same process to launch video clips directly out of the media bin.

Do you want to record your output? Then use VDMX’s built-in Movie Recorder to capture a high quality stream of audio and video at the same time. So much to learn, so jump in and get started today!

This can be done with a demo of Live and VDMX6. To learn more about VV EDU and the live visuals curriculum, click here: https://docs.vidvox.net/vv-edu/

1. Setting Up Your Audio Synth in Ableton Live

First, you need to create a simple, MIDI-controllable synthesizer in Ableton Live.

  • Start a new project in Ableton Live.

  • Add a new instrument track.

  • Find the 505 kit in the library and drag it onto the new track.

  • Set the MIDI channel to channel two for this setup.

  • Add a basic phase flanger audio effect to the same track by dragging it onto the instrument.

This setup gives you a basic instrument and an effect that you can control.

2. Creating a Virtual Interface in VDMX

Now, switch over to VDMX to build a control interface for the Ableton Live synth. This interface will send MIDI values to Ableton. You'll use a control surface plugin to create a virtual interface for the MIDI values you'll be sending.

  • To control the 505 kit, add a multi-button interface.

  • Change the grid to a 4x4 layout.

  • Set the buttons to be momentary but also mutually exclusive.

  • In the sending tab, add a new MIDI sender.

  • Set the MIDI channel to two.

  • Set the note range to 36 to 51, which corresponds to the 505 kit's usable range.

  • You can now test the connection. (Optional / If needed for Troubleshooting) In VDMX, use a MIDI monitor to check if MIDI values are being sent. Once you've confirmed it's working, the virtual pads will trigger sounds from Ableton Live.

  • Next, add a slider to the control surface and name it "505 flange wet dry".

  • Under the slider's sending tab, add another MIDI sender and set its channel to two.

3. Connecting VDMX Controls to Ableton Live

With the virtual controls in place, you need to link them to Ableton Live's parameters.

  • In Ableton Live, enable MIDI learn mode.

  • Click on the Wet/Dry parameter of the flanger effect.

  • In VDMX, move the "505 flange wet dry" slider. This action sends the MIDI signal that Live needs to learn the connection.

  • Return to Ableton Live and disable MIDI learn mode. The slider in VDMX should now control the flanger's wet/dry knob.

4. Visualizing the Audio from Ableton Live

Now for the "visual" part of the synthesizer! You can pull the audio from Ableton Live back into VDMX to drive your visuals.

  • Add an Audio Analysis plugin in VDMX.

  • In the plugin's inspector, set the source to grab audio directly from Live.

  • You can now use this audio data to generate visuals. For example, add a solid color generator or an audio waveform shape from the built-in sources under ISF.

  • Link parameters of these visual generators, such as filter controls or colors, to the audio analysis outputs. This creates a visualizer that reacts to the sound coming from Ableton Live.

  • Finally, you can add a preset controller to save and quickly recall this manual control setup.

5. Automating Controls with LFO and Step Sequencers

Manual control is great, but automation takes your synth to the next level.

  • Add a Step Sequencer plugin in VDMX. This can be used to control your 505 kit.

  • Right-click on the 505 kit's note slider and select the data source from the step sequencer track.

  • Add an LFO plugin.

  • Right-click on your flange wet/dry slider and connect it to the sine wave output of the LFO. This will automate the effect.

  • To keep everything in time, open the VDMX Clock plugin and enable Ableton Link. This synchronizes the BPM between VDMX and Ableton Live.