In this article, we will explore how you can stream your DJ set using TRAKTOR on YouTube Live or Twitch via OBS.
Note: for more information on these streaming services, click here for YouTube Live and here for Twitch. Additionally, we recommend using a third-party application called OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) in order to stream from your computer to Twitch. It can also be used with YouTube Live but is not necessary. Click here to find more information on how to use OBS.
There are three different main methods that you can utilize in order to route your audio back into your stream. This scheme shows the pros and cons of the individual setups - followed by step-by-step instructions:
Here, you can find step-by-step instructions for the three setups:
SETUP A: Routing audio from a controller/mixer to a secondary audio interface
This method is possibly easiest but not necessarily accessible to all. If besides your mixer or DJ controller you have a second audio interface, follow the steps below:
- Connect your DJ controller or DJ mixer to the laptop as you usually do and launch TRAKTOR PRO (or TRAKTOR DJ). Play a song and do a quick soundcheck to verify that audio is output on the Main-Out and Headphone-Out as expected. If you are experiencing issues, please refer to our Traktor & DJ Help.
- Connect the outputs of your mixer or controller into the inputs of your secondary audio interface. In this case, we are routing the RCA outputs of a TRAKTOR KONTROL S2 MK3 into the In 3 and In 4 of a KOMPLETE AUDIO 6 MK2. The Left (L) output goes to In 3 and the Right (R) output goes to In 4. Depending on how you connect your speakers, you can also use a TRS 1/8" to dual mono 1/4" cable and connect the 1/8" jack to the S2 MK3 and the 1/4" jacks into In 3 and In 4.
Note: if you are using In 1 and In 2 of the Komplete Audio 6, make sure that the inputs on the audio interface are set to LINE and adjust both GAIN knobs equally to get a perfect stereo balance and low enough to avoid distortion. - Download and install the free streaming app OBS Studio from the OBS Project website.
- Open OBS. In the Sources area at the bottom of the main OBS window, click on the + icon and select Audio Input Capture.
- In the window that opens, select Create New and name the device according to the soundcard you are using; here, we are naming it KA6MK2 for the KOMPLETE AUDIO 6 MK2.
- Click on the box next to Make source visible and save your settings by clicking on OK.
- In the new window that opens, select your audio interface as a Device. In our example, we are selecting Komplete Audio 6 MK2:
- Make sure that the meters in OBS are reacting to sound playing in TRAKTOR. After connecting OBS to your YouTube Live or Twitch accounts, you are now ready to start streaming your performance! Find more about how to setup and trouble shoot OBS on this OBS website.
SETUP B: Routing audio with one audio interface via spare line input
If you want to stream audio from your software and you have an audio interface that has one unused stereo inputs or two unused mono inputs, you can then do the following:
- Connect your DJ controller or DJ mixer to the laptop as you usually do and launch TRAKTOR PRO 3 (or TRAKTOR DJ 2). Play a song and do a quick soundcheck to verify that audio is output on the Main-Out and Headphone-Out as expected. If you are experiencing issues, please refer to our Traktor & DJ Help.
- With two RCA cables, connect your Main Out Left and Right outputs into Line In D Left and Right inputs on the back of your S4 MK3.
- Download and install the free streaming app OBS Studio from the OBS Project website.
- Open OBS. In the Sources area at the bottom of the main OBS window, click on the + icon and select Audio Input Capture.
- In the window that opens, select Create New and name the device appropriately; here, we are naming it S4MK3 for the S4 MK3 that we are using.
- Click on the box next to Make source visible and save your settings by clicking on OK.
- In the next pop-up window, select the Traktor Kontrol S4 MK3 as your Device.
- Make sure that the meters in OBS are reacting to sound playing in TRAKTOR. After connecting OBS to your YouTube Live or Twitch accounts, you are now ready to start streaming your performance! Find more about how to setup and trouble shoot OBS on this OBS website.
SETUP C: Routing audio internally via virtual audio cable (Mac only)
If you have no additional external audio interface available or if your DJ controller does not have any spare inputs, follow these steps:
1. Installing Soundflower
- Download the Soundflower installer here: https://soundflower.en.softonic.com/mac/download
- Unpack the downloaded file Soundflower-2-0b2.dmg. The package contains the installer, instructions and an uninstaller, which allows to restart from scratch in case of installation problems.
- Double click the installation contained in the package Soundflower.pkg.
- You will instantly receive a warning message that Soundflower is from an unidentified developer. Confirm with OK:
- Open the macOS System Preferences and go to the Security and Privacy tab. There, you will find a notification about the blocked Soundflower.pkg installation. Click Open anyway:
- The installation will resume now. Follow the instructions and enter your macOS password, when prompted.
- After the installation process, restart your computer.
After launching the Audio MIDI Setup from Applications > Utilities, there should be two new entries Soundflower (2ch) and Soundflower (64ch) in the sidebar on the left:
For our purpose the Soundflower (2ch) interface will be sufficient. Audio sent by any application to this virtual output is available for any other audio application on the respective Soundflower (2ch) inputs - as if this was a virtual audio cable between the applications.
2. Creating a new Aggregated Device:
As TRAKTOR can only output audio to a single audio device, the virtual audio cable has to be "aggregated" with your DJ audio interface into a new single audio interface with all inputs and outputs.
- Start the Audio MIDI Setup from Applications > Utilities. Click on Window > Show Audio Devices.
- Click on the + logo at the bottom left of the Audio Devices window and select Create Aggregate Device.
- Select your S2/S4 MK3 and Soundflower (2ch) by ticking the little box in the Use column. If you do not have a TRAKTOR KONTROL device, you can simply select your MacBook Pro Speakers or External Headphones – the latter option will only appear if they are plugged into your computer.
Here, we have named the Multi-Output Device S4 + SF by simply double-clicking on its original name.
3. Setting Up TRAKTOR PRO
- Launch TRAKTOR PRO 3 > Preferences.
- In the Audio Setup tab, select S4 + SF as an Audio Device. Additionally, a Sample Rate of 48000 is recommended for synchronizing visuals in OBS, whether it is a video feed from a webcam or CGI.
- Go to the Output Routing tab and select the output device that you created in step 4 as Output Record. Here, we are selecting S2/S4 + SF. The Output Record is the one that will be used for providing your audio to the streaming app running on the same computer. Your output routing should look similar to this:
- Open the Mix Recorder settings and set the Source to Internal to make sure that the signal provided to the Output Record is the internal recording signal.
- Download and install the free streaming app OBS Studio from the OBS Project website.
- Launch OBS and click on the + logo in the Sources column, then select Audio Input Source.
- In the window that opens, select Create new and name the input source. We have named it Soundflower in this instance. Tick the Make source visible box and click on OK.
- In the Device dropdown menu, select Soundflower (2ch) and press OK.
- After connecting OBS to your YouTube Live or Twitch accounts, you are now ready to start streaming your performance! Lower the volume fader in OBS in order to avoid distortion. Also, make sure that you have pressed the Unmute button on your computer, as Soundflower is affected by this.