SOLVED: Windows 10, Ableton Live 10 & Video

Its been over 3 years since I posted anything here, but this was so frustrating, I thought I would post all the solutions in one place if it could potentially help you save a few hours of tearing your hair out.

Its Easter Monday. One of my tasks today, before the end of the long weekend was to create a soundscape for my friend Adam’s short animation. Sounds easy enough, but I wasted hours trying to get Ableton to load and export video.

I am running:

• Windows 10 Home (1903) 64-bit
• DirectX 12.0
• Ableton Live 10.1.9
• Laptop with:
  • NVIDIA Geforce GTX 1060
  • Intel Integrated Graphics 630

 

PROBLEM : Can’t load video in Ableton Live 10 using Windows 10
SOLUTION: Install Matroska Splitter and FFDShow.

When I tried to drag a video in to the timeline in Ableton, it would crash or show error messages like “The file could not be read. It may be corrupt or not licensed”.

See: https://help.ableton.com/hc/en-us/articles/209773125-Using-Video

The first option, CCCP did not work for me. Neither did K-Lite Codec Pack Mega.

Only Option 2, Matroska Splitter and FFDShow, solved this issue.

 

PROBLEM : Video not playing in Ableton Live 10 using Windows 10
SOLUTION: Set NVIDIA to Integrated Graphics

Now that I could load the video, it wouldn’t play in Live. Instead I would just get a black screen in the video player.

In my case, I have a laptop with:

• NVIDIA Geforce GTX 1060
• Intel Integrated Graphics 630

See: https://forum.ableton.com/viewtopic.php?t=232488

Open the NVIDIA Control Panel and select “Manage 3D Settings”.

Click on Program settings, and add Live into the list.

Set the preferred graphics processor to “Integrated graphics”.

 

PROBLEM : Can’t export video from Ableton Live 10 using Windows 10
SOLUTION: Set the Export PCM Bit Depth to 16

The final problem was that I couldn’t export the video. Live would export the WAV and then just crash.

See: https://forum.ableton.com/viewtopic.php?t=231960

1. Click on File > Export Audio/Video
2. Set the PCM > Bit Depth to 16
3. Select the Video Encoder Settings as you wish
4. Click Export
5. Voila!

 

And that’s it. I hope this one consolidated is helpful to you. Seem like a lot of people have issues with Live and Video.

 

Cheers,

Your friendly neighbourhood Ben X Tan.

MCA ARTBAR Futures Quartzite Hologram & VR

On Friday the 26th of June 2015, a collaborative VR artwork between Vaughan O’Connor and myself was exhibited at the MCA. The 2 artworks, a holographic print and a Virtual Reality (VR) experience were both based on 3D scans of quartzite rocks from Oberon, NSW.

The artworks were on display at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) ARTBAR – Futures, curated by Dara Gill. Facebook event link here.

I created the VR component of the artwork based on the scans that Vaughan supplied.

Inspiration

Inspiration came from lyrics to a song by Covenant called Bullet.

“As the water grinds the stone,
we rise and fall.
As our ashes turn to dust,
we shine like stars.”

Idea

The idea behind the artwork is that it is a place outside of time. Here, concepts such as gravity, space and time do not behave as you would expect. Tempus Incognito. The events that occur here, in the event horizon, cannot affect an outside observer. The 4 classical elements, fire, air, water and earth are present in this place, reflecting the essential building blocks for all things. Even though we are outside of time, matter still exists albeit in a rather astonishing manner.

Technology

The Quartzite VR artwork was created using Unity (a game engine) and experienced via the Oculus Rift DK2 (a virtual reality headset). The ambient soundscape was composed in Ableton Live and is binaural.

Photos

Some photos by @mightandwonder

• https://instagram.com/p/4ZC9KfRUHL/
• https://instagram.com/p/4ZDwMmRUIp/
• https://instagram.com/p/4ZCSOMxUGU/

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Keorattana Luangrath (@pandakero)

 

Observations

A few interesting things that happened on the night:

• one of the computers decided to misbehave (no audio, no projector)
• someone decided to walk about 2 metres away from the desk. The Oculus is plugged into a computer!
• 2 people decided to look under the desk
• a lot of people stood up to experience the artwork rather than sit down in the seats provided
• People were amazed at the Oculus Rift
• People found the experience soothing, calming and meditative.
• Some people wanted to stay in side the artwork forever!
• People asked a lot of questions about the technical aspects of the artwork

More

Futures also featured performances, lectures and music by: Vaughan O’Connor & Ben X Tan, Michaela Gleave, Josh Harle, 110%, Mark Brown, Eddie Sharp & Mark Pesce, Andrew Frost, Claire Finneran & Alex Kiers, Kate MacDonald, Sitting & Smiling, Baden Pailthorpe, Hubert Clarke Jr, Polish Club and Ryan Saez.

Mini-rant on music that I sent to someone in an email tonight.

“I believe that there are many ways to be creative within the tools that we use.
Even though the tools are the same, there are still many possible outcomes.
The creativity comes from within.
The individual absorbs and consume the world around them, and their sub conscious processes all this.
The sounds you hear in your head.
The things you see with you eyes.
The emotions you feel with your heart.
All that combined with the technical knowledge of music and how to use your instruments, your software, your hardware etc.
Sometimes you have to detach yourself from the world too. Get away from the mainstream.
Sometimes you get caught in the flow and it grabs you and you can’t get away.
Go for a holiday. Live in another country. Listen to music that is nothing like what you normally listen to.
Same as before. Combine existing elements to make something new.
That is the essence of creativity.”

This is the email as is. Stream of consciousness with no editing.

Easter Long Creative Weekend – Phase 1: Drawing – COMPLETE

Digital Samurai

Heres a drawing I did today. Phase 1 of me creating things this Easter long weekend.

This drawing was done with a black Artline 200 and generic red ball point for the red in the eyes.

Photo was taken with my iPhone since I don’t have access to a scanner at the moment. Might scan it properly later.

I’ve also put it on facebook under the guise of ‘Eye Also Ink’ here.

UPDATE 1: Heres a short loop created in GarageBand in iPad to go with the drawing

(2011-04Apr-23) Digital Samurai.mp3

UPDATE 2: Heres a better quality image.

http://svenisnumb.deviantart.com/art/Digital-Samurai-205997270

Rockstar Hookups

If you are a musician, check out rockstarhookups.com.au. A mate and I made this site together in our spare time for Australian musos. Rockstar hookups helps you find musicians, bands, gigs and lessons.

• Looking for a band member to complete your band?
• Looking for some vocal lessons?
• Looking to give guitar lessons?
• Looking for a theremin player?

Its free to sign up and create an ad. So, watcha waiting for? Signup and let me know what you think of it!

Next Stage

I’ve been playing a lot of drums lately now that I have a Yamaha DTXplorer in my room (thanks Scotty!). I’ve been saving clips in Ableton Live of the loops and fills that I create. I realised that I haven’t played my bass in a while so I plugged it in today and started playing along to some of the drum loops I made. Many hours later, this song was born.

I’m doing a little experiment and posting it on wordpress as well as the usual benxtan.com, twitter and facebook. This way I can write about it and people can leave comments. Have a listen and let me know what you think!

benxtan – Next Stage

I skipped lunch and dinner to make this.

Technical Details:

Drums – Programmed in Ableton Live (using Impulse). All inspired by beats I made up on a Yamaha DTXplorer. I think they sound a lot better (both composition and sound quality) compared to my older stuff. Having a physical kit to play with helps a lot, and is loads of fun too!

Bass – Recorded using a Schecter 5 string bass through Line 6 POD Farm VST.

Guitar – Recorded using an Ibanez RG1570SDB through Line 6 POD Farm VST. I decided to put a middle eastern sounding lead at the end as a change to my usual pentatonic/blues solos that I always do.

Vocals – Recorded using a Shure SM58. Applied lots of effects in Ableton to hide my bad singing 🙂 Lyrics are a mix of old and new. Didn’t really put that much thought into them. Just needed something to fill the space.

Bass, guitar and vocals recorded using an M-Audio Firewire 410 and Ableton Live.