**Download, install and open OBS.**
You may import our Echio Profile for OBS.
It will automatically import settings optimized for a low-to-average internet connection. You may then read our Recommended Settings for OBS to fine-tune your settings if you have a good internet speed and fast computer to create a high quality livestream.
Download the preset Profile and import it in OBS :
Click on Profile and Import. Then select Echio as the Profile.
Create a Scene
In OBS, click on “+” in the Scenes section to create a Scene. A Scene is a combination of audio, video and images (like your mic, a screen capture of Ableton, a side camera, your webcam etc...). Note that there’s always at least one scene created by default in OBS.
Add Sources
Click on “+” in the Sources panel to add everything you want in that scene in terms of video and sound (cameras, screen captures, image layers, audio, mic etc.).
To add a webcam or camera, choose Video Capture Device.
- Choose “Create New” to create a new video source or “Add Existing” if you already created it in the previous steps.
- If you’re creating a new Video Capture Device :
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choose the camera you want to use in the menu (in this example, the Logitech C920 Webcam HD Pro).
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leave “use preset” checked ☑︎ .
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choose a preset (usually the highest or “high” if available).
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leave “use buffering” unchecked ☐.
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<aside> 👉🏽 If you need help about how to use a smartphone as a webcam or connect a DSLR camera, read this. If you want recommendations about good cameras and accessories, read this.
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To share your screen, choose Window Capture or Display Capture.
<aside> ⚠️ Choosing between Window Capture and Display Capture depends on what you want to do during your Live Session. If you have 2 screens, choose Display Capture. If you have only one screen, Window Capture is recommended as it will only capture the app/window you choose and hide unwanted things happening on your computer (you navigating between apps, OBS, your browser, notifications etc.) from viewers. BUT there is a major downside to the Window Capture : any plugin you would open in your DAW won’t show in the video because OBS considers the plugin as another window. So if you want to show how you use plug-ins, you will have to do a Display Capture anyway.
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<aside> ⚠️ On Mac OS, don’t forget to allow OBS to use screen-recording on your system by going to → System Preferences → Security & Privacy → Privacy → Screen Recording → Check ☑️ “OBS”
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To add a Window Capture :
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Choose "Create New" to add a new Window Capture or "Add Existing" if already listed.
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Select the window you want to share (in this example we chose Ableton Live).
<aside> ⚠️ Be aware that if the app you want to capture is minimized, it won’t appear in the list even though the app is open.
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To adjust the window size to the OBS frame, right click on the image or on the Window Capture in Sources and go to Transform > Fit to screen.
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Be aware that everytime you’re re-open OBS you’ll have to reassign the Window capture.
To add a Display Capture :
- Choose "Create New" to add a new Display Capture or "Add Existing" if already listed.
- Choose your display (screen). This is much better if you have 2 displays, one you share for your livestream and one that is only for you to control OBS, Echio etc.
- If you don’t have 2 displays, the best solution is to select “Crop : To Window” and select the Window that will define the area of your display that you’ll share for your Live Stream.
The yellow frame shows the Ableton Live window that is being shared during the Live Session, while the browser on the right side of the screen won’t be visible for fans watching the Session.
<aside> 💡 Tip : a good way to keep a small browser window to read the chat and send messages during the session is to make the window very narrow and tall like in the image below. But it won’t work if you’re on the session cockpit, you’ll need to go on your artist page.
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To add an internal or USB mic, go to Settings > Audio and select the mic you want to use in Mic/Auxiliary Audio.
Then add an Audio Input Capture in the Sources window and choose "Add Existing / Mic/Aux".
To add audio from your DAW or external mixer, click again on Sources "+" and choose Audio Output Capture.
<aside> 👉🏽 Before doing this, you should read the Audio Setup page.
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Choose “Create New” to create a new Audio source or “Add Existing” if you already created it in the previous steps.
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If you’re creating a new Audio Output Capture, choose BlackHole 2ch as the device (or Loopback, depending on your choice).
Create all the scenes you want for your live session with combinations of all your sources.
As an example your could have :
- scene 1 = your webcam full screen + audio from your DAW + your mic
- scene 2 = your DAW window capture + a small webcam embed + audio + mic
- scene 3 = a wide angle showing your studio
<aside> 💡 When you have multiple image/video sources in one scene, like a Window Capture combined with a Webcam, you can re-order them from front to back by moving (drag and drop) them up and down in the Sources window.
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Here's how Scene 2 (Ableton window capture + webcam) would look like :
Adjust OBS preferences for optimal performances.