How To Stream Ableton On Twitch (Step-By-Step Guide)

How do I stream Ableton Live on Twitch

To stream your music live on Twitch from Ableton Live, use software such as OBS (Open Broadcasting System), route the audio from Ableton to it, and stream. You can also share your computer screen or video from an external video camera connected to your computer. 

Whether you are a DJ, a producer, or a musician of any kind, live streams on Twitch have become the new norm. It is now possible to have live gigs online and reach an even bigger, more global audience than ever before. 

But setting up for it can be a little bit tricky. You want to look and sound as professional as you would be when performing at a physical venue. 

Software such as OBS and Soundflower make it possible to deliver high-quality content from the comfort of your own home. 

All you need is a stable internet connection, a high-performance computer, an audio interface (optional), and gear such as instruments, microphones, DJ equipment, etc.  

What Is OBS?

Open Broadcasting System (OBS) is free to download and use software for Mac, Linux, and Windows users. 

It is open source and lets you broadcast audio and video to Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook Live. 

You can use it to mix your sound and deliver a professional-sounding live stream using your mixer. 

You can live stream your DJ set, and if you keep a few things in mind, it will not have latency or any other audio issues. 

What Is Soundflower?

Just like an external audio interface, Soundflower is software that lets you route the input and output audio from a DAW such as Ableton, Logic Pro, or FL Studio. 

Having software such as this one means that you do not need to rely on your physical audio interface.

Soundflower is compatible with macOS devices; however, there are alternatives for Windows machines. 

Setting Up OBS On Mac 

1. Download and install OBS and Soundflower.
2. Open the ‘Audio MIDI Setup‘ on your computer. You can do this by using the ‘CMD’+Spacebar, which opens up your search bar. This can be found in the ‘Other‘ folder in your Launchpad.

1. Click on the ‘+’ sign at the bottom left of the window and ‘Create Multi-Output Device.’

1. Add your audio interface and set Soundflower as your ‘master device.’
2. Open OBS, select the ‘Desktop Audio’ from the Properties, select ‘Soundflower‘ as your device.
3. Open Ableton Live and go to ‘Preferences.” Select ‘Multi-Output Device‘ as your Audio Output Device.  

Setting Up OBS On Windows

1. Download and install OBS. 
2. Open OBS, go to ‘Properties,’.

3. Select your primary output device under ‘Device.’ Click ‘OK.’

1. On Ableton Live, go to ‘Options‘ (1), and ‘Preferences‘ (2).

2. Select your Audio Device as your Audio Output Device.

Setting Up Twitch

First things first, set up an account on Twitch and download Twitch Studio from here.

If you are using Twitch for the first time, the Twitch Studio will prompt you to select your default microphone. You can change this later with the ‘Change Mic’ button. You can also personalize your settings.

The ‘audio mixer‘ can be found on the bottom left of your screen. You can add your new audio device using the ‘+’ icon. Since you have already set up OBS as your default audio out, you should be able to hear your music from Ableton on Twitch. 

Latency Issues

Occasionally you might run into latency issues. In this case, go back to Ableton and open your ‘Hardware Settings‘ by going to Options > Preferences > Audio > Hardware Setup.

In the hardware Setup settings, you can adjust your Buffer Size (Latency). Reducing your Buffer Size will reduce the latency.

Dos and Don’ts

• Remember to do a trial run of your live set before you start streaming. You should record your performance during the trial run. This will allow you to playback your audio and make changes to your mix if needed.
• Don’t have too many plugins in your Ableton Live project. During a live stream, your CPU will find it difficult to process a lot of information all at once. This can cause latency and even glitches. Running too many VSTs (virtual instruments) at the same time can cause the project to crash. You can resample some of the tracks to avoid this. 
• If you are using a Windows machine, switch your audio output device on Ableton if it is set to ASIO. ASIO does not let you route the audio to OBS.
• Just like a live gig at a physical venue, be careful of your mic placement to avoid feedback. 
• Additionally, check your latency during a trial run and adjust it as needed.

What Equipment Do You Need For A Live Stream?

Apart from the software, it would help if you had a solid PC or laptop with adequate RAM and storage space. 

If your machine is not powerful, you will hear pops and clicks in your music. The audio will distort in Ableton if your project has a high CPU usage. 

Many professional musicians will use an iPad or any other tablet and run specific controls from it. This takes some load off the computer.

Studio headphones are a good investment. Get yourself headphones that are flat and can give you a good idea of the sound. This will help you mix properly. 

Monitors are also crucial. But make sure to set your microphone away from them if you are using one in your stream.

If you are playing live instruments, you will need an audio interface, also called a ‘sound card.’ 

Related Questions

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