How to Use Timecode to Control ProPresenter with Ableton Live

Learn how to use timecode to control ProPresenter with Ableton Live.

If you control ProPresenter with Ableton Live — you need to learn this! The update to support timecode has massively changed the way these two programs can work together.

What you’ll learn:

-What is timecode?
-Why timecode in ProPresenter is important
-Sending timecode from Ableton to ProP (starter tutorial)
-The 2 most important things to know when working with timecode
Get FREE Timecode Template and Files 👇

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PS. How are you controlling ProPresenter with Ableton Live? Let me know in the comments and what you think about the timecode update!

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0:00 Using Ableton Live and ProPresenter Has Changed with Timecode
0:42 This is a Huge Update Since ProPresenter Came Out
1:36 What is Timecode and why is it powerful?
3:37 What You Need #1: Download my Free Timecode Templates
4:40 What You Need #2: Take Audio from Ableton Live to ProPresenter
6:10 Consider subscribing to use Ableton Live as a pro!
6:38 What to Know #1: LTC Timecode is Audio
7:18 Step 1: Take Audio Out of Your Computer
8:57 Step 2: Set Up Your Timecode Input
9:46 What to Know #2: Framerates Must Match
10:14 Step 3: Change Your Framerate
10:47 Step 4: Check if Your Timecode is Engaged
11:48 Step 5: Choose Your Timecode Playlist
12:10 Pro Tip: How to Quickly Kill Timecode Support
12:37 Step 6: Configure Your Timeline
13:39 Step 7: Enable and Set Your Timecode
15:14 Benefits to Using Timecode
16:12 How to do Multiple Songs
19:05 Wrap Up and Summary of Things to Know

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Download my free Gear Guide:

Download free Click Tracks for Ableton Live:

Download free Guide Cue files for Ableton Live:

Download free ProPresenter 7 MIDI cues template:

Download my free Getting Started with Live 11 Guide:

Download free LTC/Timecode files for Ableton Live:

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[michael_b_drumming]

Thanks for this tutorial! Everything make sense now!

[themix]

I tried this feature out sometime ago but, only recently stubbled across your video.I'm not sure if it's me but, I've been using the midi side of PP7 since it's release and then tested last year's timecode features and what the LTC triggers/cues don't do is tell PP7's song items beneath the playlist side column to follow along. You have to manually click on that song title item to see what's going on as Will does in this video. During a show it's crucial to have some continuity in PP7 GUI without having to manually do that. I did suggest this to Renewed Vision support but, don't recall any news on it happening. Ideally it would be optional control which could be disabled or enabled. The easiest work around is to use midi from Ableton mapped to the PP7 song title/item list which I always did before when the midi map features were first available which I'm sure most users have already done. It would also be great to drop timecode cues in while locked to code but, from my experience that cannot be done.

[e.j.hughes]

Hey Will! Awesome video! Is there a video on exactly how to record cues to the ProPresenter timeline with Ableton? I'm wondering how it's so much easier to send timecode to ProPresenter operators/volunteers like you were explaining.

[johnforman]

Does this time code option eliminate the need for midi slide cues? If so, is it easier to work with? It seems this is what you’re using timecode for? Sorry, so new to all of this, my head is trying to wrap around it all.

I just learned how to use midi to control Pro7… now it seems this is the better way to go.?.?

[LopezMinistry]

love your videos - but was trying to access the timeline file and it appears not to be available anymore... /timecode link goes to other files links. help!

[connorbraun]

Thanks for the video! How would this work for announcement loops in Pro7?

[rob]

Question: I saw in one of your other videos you mentioned that if you change the tempo last minute it can create problems. What do you have to do in this case? Do the timecode cues in the ProPresenter timecode timeline all have to be adjusted manually one-by-one?

[crossexaminevideos]

Question: we've got this set for our Ableton/ProPrsenter but in testing we found that, once we run tracks via Dante (and send Timecode to ProP computer), the latency (or something) from Dante pushes the slide changes to be slightly out of sync. Do we just need to build everything (cues, slides, etc.) in ProPresenter with that in mind by just playing the tracks via Dante instead of playing them natively on the ProP computer? To build the cues, we exported the Ableton file, pulled it directly into Pro, and played it in the timeline to build all of the slide cues. But, like I said, once we start playing the same file over Dante, it's almost a third of a second off and it gets really noticeable on faster songs. Thanks!

[zackhinrichs]

Hey Will! Curious about your Pro7 macros! I see what looks like PTZ controls? Are you using that to automate the switching in this vid or have you used that approach to automate cams for a service?

[JGBRC]

I'm trying to do timecode programming with running Ableton and ProPresenter on the same device with a digital audio interface and it seems to work, but ProPresenter doesn't want to listen to the timecode all the time. It'll listen for a few seconds, not run any of the cues even in those few seconds, and then just stop listening. The timecode window just shows freeze frames with the status as still running. I am using Ableton and ProPresenter with their unlicensed versions, so I don't know if that's my entire problem. I tried to just play a timecode audio file outside of Ableton and pipe it through the digital audio interface into ProPresenter and it's giving me similar issues. Do you think It's just my digital interface or something to do with ProPresenter or something else? I don't think it's my computer since neither the ram nor the memory get above 50% utilization according to task manager on Windows 11.

[bobbytravers]

Great video! I’ve followed all the steps, but for some reason the light never turns green once I run timecode. Is there any reason why pro presenter isn’t noticing the timecode?

I’ve tested with another device, and the interface is successfully outputting the timecode.

[kalebdenney]

In order for Pro7 to hear timecode we had to enable the mic in the privacy settings. Then our Mac put the orange dot on all our displays. Any work around for this?

[rob]

I just wanted to say something that may help someone else. I followed all these instructions exactly and could still not get ablelton to sync with propresenter or get the timecode clock rolling. I noticed that my “Hour 1” song still had 00:00:00;00 on my timecode timeline even though I had set the timecode for that song to 01:00:00;00. I shut down propresenter, restarted it, put my value in again, and it worked. Weird. The other strange thing is that when I restarted, the song now had a timecode of -01:00:00;00. Must be some glitch in the software. Hope this saves someone the thirty minutes that I lost. :)

[jonathanscott]

Have you had any issues with it losing the connection over time? At propresenter startup, Timecode is working great, but if I wait about 30 minutes or so (like between services), my connection is lost and I have to restart propresenter.

[coldsandwich_skates]

my boss wanted me to know how to use timecode since we are switching to using it so it’s easier and i have to do a little more work since i’m just the propresenter operator 😂
thanks for the info

[huntereubanks]

I wish it worked this well on PC..it’s still so buggy I’ve abandoned this idea for now but looking forward to the future to use this.

[aiaccident]

Hi! Unfortunatelly. I have Ableton on my (shit) PC and I am now preparing my second attempt to go live ( at chipwrecked festival in denmark ). First attempt I had to cancel due to audio glitches from my (shit) PC (shit) UA Apollo (shit PC) driver and eco system. When I can afford it, i will buy my first Mac. Meanwhile, I want to setup and use main audio from my (awesome) RC-600 loop pedal. So. Do you know how I can use my Ableton live as slave, triggered by my RC-600, including timeline and fram info? I want to use my popping and cracling ableton as my no-audio programmed midi controller for my dmx light show (awesome in this role) and ableton is (hopefully still) hotlinked to resolume (synced video). So: How can I also trigger Ableton OR resolume (as these are connected vis LINK, WITH timeline info so I can sync video and dmx lights with my RC-600 audio where the RC-600 is main audio master? I have prepared my Rac-600 channel 6, routed separately out on ”sub 2 out Left mono”, with timecode audio (LTC), but I cant get Ableton to listen to this signal. Another separate software can infact even read slash SMPTE code from this very signal I setup, but, i cant connect Ableton OR resolume here (in Resolume I activate smpte in signal but the smpte buttons never appear). So the longest question in the world, in a short version: How can I setup my Ableton as a slave, triggered by LTC or SMPTE. Help me with this and I will paypal you a lunch or 2 :) Sorry for the spam. I can access an ipad if this . Note: I have midi connecticuty with resolume and I see that my RC-600 sends out valid SMPTE (as it successfully can trigger the software Timecode expert in demo mode).