One of the biggest nights for live visual performers is New Years Eve and in particular there is responsibility in particular that can be unexpectedly tricky to get right. That is handling the countdown to midnight. Often it can mean coordinating with other performers or workers at the venue. Depending on what is required of you during the show there are a few different approaches you may want to take when setting up your projects. It also helps to have an idea in advance of what your options are for running a visual countdown.
Read MoreStreaming the output of a VDMX VJ set to Twitch
For VJs with access to a fast upstream Internet connection one of the places that can be a place to perform is over the net by streaming the output of VDMX (or any other Syphon output enabled application) with Twitch. In this video tutorial we'll look at the basic steps involved in getting this set up.
Read MoreGuest Tutorial: Using Lumen and VDMX together with Syphon
Today we have special guest Wiley Wiggins bringing us a video tutorial showing off how to use the video synth Lumen alongside VDMX by connecting them over Syphon.
Read MoreIntroduction to The Timecode Plugin
When designing preplanned shows and working alongside other software, one of the common tasks is keeping the timing of everything in sync. Within VDMX there are two main ways of working with time – the Clock plugin which is used for working in measures and beats and the Timecode plugin which counts in SMPTE time.
In this set of tutorials we'll cover the basics of using the Timecode plugin which publishes several data sources in VDMX, and is capable of both receiving and sending SMPTE timecode in a variety of formats.
Read MoreUsing VDMX as a Syphon Mixer
One of the best things about being a VJ on the Mac these days is Syphon which makes it possible for all of the different tools that are available to work together in countless ways. Within VDMX it is possible to have as many Syphon inputs and outputs as your computer can handle, which allows for it to be used as a source, mixer, FX processor or final output for other software you may want to work with.
In this video tutorial we'll look at a simple use case for connecting several Syphon enabled applications to and from VDMX by creating a two channel mixer that fades between two Syphon sources and publishes back out for other applications to use.
Read MoreMedia Bins: Triggering Multiple Clips At The Same Time
One of the common things you may want to set up using media bin plugins is the ability to trigger multiple clips to different layers at the same time. Within VDMX this can be configured in a few different ways depending on your use case.
Read MoreAnalyzing multi-track audio from Live in VDMX using Soundflower
For musicians working in Ableton Live or other multitrack production software one of the most useful tricks for driving real-time visuals is to output each sound track on a different set of audio channels before they are mixed together to get more accurate results for each sound when performing audio analysis in VDMX.
Read MoreConnecting VDMX and Unity3D by Syphon
While mainly designed for cross platform game development many Mac VJs take advantage of the Unity3D engine for the purposes for creating 3D worlds and other real-time generated graphics for use in visual performance. By connecting these environments to other VJ applications like VDMX over Syphon and OSC we can control these worlds and mix, process and output the virtual camera signals from a scene like any other live media source.
Read MoreLuma Key Techniques for Layer Composition
One of the most powerful techniques for combining multiple layers of video into an output is the use of masking, also known as luma keying. With this process, two video sources are combined to create a "cut out" layer that can be composited over others image like a collage instead of simply blending them together. This style is commonly found in music videos, graphic design, and by VJs for live performance. Masking is also an important technique used when projection mapping video onto surfaces.
Read MoreMore Fun Audio Analysis Techniques
Using individual plugins to directly automate the control of different aspects of a video performance or interactive installation can create some pretty awesome results, but one of the most powerful capabilities of VDMX is the ability to connect these plugins to each other to create more complex behaviors and visual effects that can be switched between during live VJ performance.
For this set of tutorials we'll look at a few ways that the Audio Analysis plugin can be used alongside the LFO plugin and standard interface controls as a demonstration of this technique.
Read MoreUsing a Step Sequencer to trigger media clips
Along with being able to control any standard UI elements like sliders, buttons and color pickers, tracks in the step sequencer plugin in VDMX can be used to automate the changing of the media files playing back on a layer and create visuals rhythms. This general technique can be useful for a lot of projects such as VJ performances and building interactive video installations.
Read MoreConnecting the x-OSC wireless I/O board to VDMX
For this guest tutorial we are joined by Will Reardon, a motion designer and artist, currently developing video art objects. Currently Will is using VDMX and the x-OSC I/O board to create a device similar to his previous ‘Compendium’ with added interactive functionality.
We'll start by making a basic test connection between the software and hardware over WiFi, then begin to add a series of sliders and knobs to VDMX that receive values from the I/O board analog inputs.
Read MoreApplying Math Expressions to Slider Receivers
Using control data from other applications, external hardware, and internal providers like LFOs or Audio Analysis is a major component of VDMX- every UI element is capable of being controlled via MIDI/OSC/DMX/other data sources. The procedure for doing so is consistent across all UI items- you add a receiver (which receives data from things) to the UI element you're working with using the UI Inspector.
Typically the range of numbers being received can be automatically translated by VDMX to cover the local minimum and maximum envelopes of a slider UI item. However in some situations you may want to override the default number mapping behavior by using the settings in the sub-inspector panel for receivers. In this tutorial we'll look at some of the common cases you may run into and how to handle them.
Read MoreInstalling and using FreeFrame Generators and FX
Using a mask to apply an FX to only part of a layer
In this guest tutorial we're joined by the Rockwell Group's LAB division who work as an interactive design team within a larger architecture firm where they focus on projects that blend physical and virtual spaces.
For a recent projection mapping installation in NYC, one of the techniques used by the LAB was to apply a real-time video FX on to a specific portion of one of the pre-rendered movies so that part of the image was left unprocessed in the main output while another section was color shifted to match the lighting effects in the room. Today we'll show you how that was accomplished.
Read MoreCreating a multi-channel live camera video sampler
For this technique video tutorial we'll be looking at how to use VDMX to create a multi-camera video sampler setup with the ability to record movie clips from a live feed to be immediately remixed and saved for later editing. As movie clips are sampled they will be automatically added to the bin page where they can be triggered for output making this simple example useful either on its own, or added on to an existing project.
Read MoreHow to make a customized Livid OhmRGB Slim template by eatyourwork
For today's guest post we're joined by eatyourwork who first introduced us to the possibilities of using OhmRGB Slim alongside of VDMX in a blog post a couple of years ago. Since then we've made a few basic templates for new video performers to get started with a simple VJ video mixer setup with the Ohm, but in this video tutorial Simas shows off the extent to which you can customize your layout and MIDI mapping when making your own video performance rig.
Read MoreMaking three templates for the Livid Base
When getting a new MIDI controller to use with VDMX, or other VJ / music making software, one of the most exciting aspects is finding out the best way to map the sliders and buttons to various controls that you want to use during performance, and along with that coming up with new ways that you can configure your software video generators and FX to get the most out of the layout of your instrument.
In this set of technique tutorials we'll be looking at three new example VDMX setups we've come up with for the Livid Base that take advantage of the controller in a few different ways including its multi-color LEDs and pressure sensitive pads.
Read MoreHow to build the Waveclock Demo template
In this tutorial we'll be looking a closer look at using automatic BPM detection for syncing up the timing of visual events with music by recreating the core parts of the Waveclock Demo template that is included with VDMX.
The approach we'll take is to create a virtual video instrument in the form of a Quartz Composer composition and animate its interface controls with Step Sequencer and LFO plugins. Presets for patterns in each plugin can then be saved and switched to match the energy level of the music while VJing during a live set.
Read MoreGuest Tutorial: Connecting Unity 3D Pro and VDMX by Syphon with Alejandro Crawford
For this guest tutorial we are joined by Alejandro Crawford, the visualist for MGMT (among other bands), in which he'll show us one part of the setup he uses for creating his live visuals by connecting a scene rendered in the powerful 3D gaming engine Unity to VDMX using the Syphon to pass video back and forth between the two different programs.
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