Ableton Live (macOS)

An overview of working with Sessionwire Studio alongside Ableton Live

There are many use cases and workflows for each DAW when integrating Sessionwire for remote collaboration. We have created templates for each DAW to give an idea of what routing should look like in order to avoid feedback loops between users connected in Sessionwire Studio.

Below are common setups when using Sessionwire alongside Ableton Live.

Sending Audio from Ableton Live

(To send audio to a peer and listen to their remote audio)

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This workflow is the simplest way to get up and running with Live alongside Sessionwire. Simply placing the Sessionwire Send plugin on the Master channel of a Live project will produce the same results as in the downloadable template. We recommend working this way unless your system requires using additional Sessionwire plugins and routing.

1. Set Sessionwire's Talkback Microphone and Talkback Speaker exactly as you would any video conferencing software - in the above image, the input is a webcam microphone and the output is the system's default output (an audio interface in this instance).

2. Ensure the HQ Audio Source is set to Sessionwire Send Plugin.

3. Ensure the HQ Audio Destination is the system's default output.

Sending and Receiving Audio within Ableton Live

(To send audio to a peer and receive remote HQ audio in Live)

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This workflow will allow the sending of audio from a Live project while simultaneously receiving remote HQ audio directly into a Live project.

1. Set Sessionwire's Talkback Input and Talkback Output exactly as you would any video conferencing software - in the above image, the input is a webcam microphone and the output is the system's default output (an audio interface in this instance).

2. Ensure Sessionwire's HQ Audio Source is set to Sessionwire Send Plugin.

3. Set Sessionwire's HQ Audio Destination to Sessionwire Receive Plugin.

4. Place the Sessionwire Receive plugin on the Master track of the Ableton Live session.

5. Create a Return Track in the Ableton Live session and set its Audio To to Ext Out - 1/2 (or whichever stereo pair routes to the system's output) - label this Return "SW HQ Receive".

6. Insert the Sessionwire Receive plugin on the "SW HQ Receive" Return Track.

To record HQ audio from the remote connection, simply use Ableton's built in routing to select the SW HQ Rcv return track as the input of the destination track.

Using an Audio Interface for All Audio

(Users with advanced hardware setups)

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In this workflow, it is assumed that an audio interface is being used as the input and output device of Live. A talkback mic is plugged into any channel of an audio interface and the input of the SW TB Send channel is set to the corresponding channel (circled in image above).

1. Set Sessionwire's Microphone input to Sessionwire Talkback Send Plugin.

2. Set Sessionwire's Speaker output to Sessionwire Talkback Receive Plugin.

3. Create an Audio Track whose Audio To is set to Ext Out 1/2 and Audio In is set to the input that the microphone is plugged into on the audio interface - label this track "SW TB Send".

4. Insert the Sessionwire Talkback Send plugin on the "SW TB Send" track.

5. Create a Return Track whose Audio To is set to Ext Out 1/2 - label this Return "SW TB Receive".

6. Insert the Sessionwire Talkback Receive Plugin on the SW TB Receive Return Track.

7. Create a Return Track whose Audio To is set to Ext Out 1/2 - label this Return "SW HQ Receive".

8. Insert the Sessionwire Receive plugin on the "SW HQ Receive" Return Track.

9. Insert the Sessionwire Send plugin on the Master track of the Ableton session.

To record HQ audio from the remote connection, simply use Ableton's built in routing to select the SW HQ Rcv return track as the input of the destination track.