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ClipSMPTE

This free Max For Live device outputs a SMPTE audio (LTC) signal with the current playback position of the active clip, taking warp markers and tempo changes into account to guarantee a time sync that is always aligned with the clip playback.

Release Notes

For ClipSMPTE release notes, click here.

System requirements​

  • Ableton Live 11.1 or higher with Max For Live, using Max 8.3 or higher
  • Windows 10 (Build 1909 or later) or macOS 10.13+ (High Sierra or later)
  • A separate audio output for the SMPTE output signal
info

The separate audio output can be a virtual sound device, such as an aggregate device that uses Blackhole or Loopback if you want to route audio to another application on the same computer.

How to use​

ClipSMPTE
  1. Add the ClipSMPTE device to an audio track.
  2. To send the resulting audio timecode to an external destination, select this output in the Audio To drop-down. Also make sure the Timecode format is set the same on your destination.
  3. Clips played in that track will now determine the SMPTE output time.
  4. Use the Hrs : Min : Sec inputs to save an offset for this track in your set.
  5. Optionally, adding a time like +30 to the end of the clip name adds 30 seconds to the resulting SMPTE time.

Tips​

  • The device will start sending timecode audio immediately after selecting an output, you probably don’t want the track routed to your speakers at a high volume.
  • Not all timecode readers support timecode that changes slower of faster than actual time.
  • ClipSMPTE stores & recalls a selected audio output like Live does. For example, when you have Ext. Out 3 selected, and you open the Live Set while having an audio interface with only 2 outputs selected, output 3 will remain stored and recalled when opening the Live Set again while having an audio interface with more than 2 outputs selected. If the user changes the output in the meantime, the stored value is erased.

Timecode in Arrangement view​

ClipSMPTE is developed to generate non-linear time code from the Session view with dynamically changing clip tempos and positions. Using the Arrangement view with linear time code is much easier: just play a waveform with pre-generated SMPTE. Here is an excellent tool that generates a waveform for you. Just drag the generated wavfile into your Arrangement view (making sure it is not warped).

Credits​

The SMPTE output is based on the libltc library by Robin Gareus.

Thanks to Michel Suk for testing and feedback.