Turning a Live Stream into a Song: Our Behind-the-Scenes Process
You might remember that I mentioned turning one of our live streams into a new song. This post kicks off the behind-the-scenes look at how we’re doing it, and if you’re into tech, recording, or just curious about the creative process, you’re in the right place.
Step 1: Downloading the Live Stream Audio
The first thing I needed to do was download the live stream from our YouTube channel. We can download it directly from our YouTube Studio account. Once that’s done, I need to pull the audio from the video, which I discovered a super simple way to do.
I used Audacity, an open-source audio editor, on my Ubuntu Studio setup. Here’s the cool part: I can just drag the video file into Audacity, and it automatically extracts the audio from the video into the software. From there, I can export it as a WAV file to use for working on the song.
Step 2: Why We Use Ubuntu Studio
Now, if you’re wondering what Ubuntu Studio is, let me break it down. It’s a Linux-based operating system specifically designed for creators. It comes preloaded with everything from recording and mixing software to photo editing and video tools—all open-source and free to use.
A few years ago, we decided to fully embrace open-source tools as a band, and Ubuntu Studio has been key to that decision. It allows us to have a complete production setup without expensive licenses, which is why we’ve stuck with it for years.
Step 3: Recording with Ardour
For this song, I’m using Ardour, an open-source multitrack recording DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) that’s comparable to industry tools like Pro Tools. Ardour is our go-to for recording everything from scratch tracks to fully polished songs. It’s loaded with professional features, yet because it’s open-source, it fits right into our philosophy of creativity.
This new song we are going to be working on is experimental, and I’m excited to see how it takes shape using the live stream as a foundation. Ardour is what I'll be using to layer new sounds and develop the track.
Step 4: Collaborating with GitHub
Here’s where things get even more interesting. To manage the collaboration on this project with the rest of the band, we’re using GitHub.
Now, GitHub is traditionally used by software developers, but we’ve come up with our own way of adapting it for our music projects. Using GitHub, we can collaborate on full Ardour sessions—sharing DAW files, effects, plugins, and mixing in real-time across locations.
This approach gives us flexibility and creative control, allowing each member of the band to contribute to the project. It’s a really powerful workflow, and I’m excited to show you more as we continue creating this track.
What’s Next?
Now that I’ve got everything set up—the DAW session, the audio from the live stream, and our GitHub all set up—I can dive into creating the song.
I’ll be sharing more updates as the track takes shape, including more information about the tech and tools we'll be using.
If you’re interested in how we make music or curious about the tech behind our process, I’ll be breaking it down step-by-step, and if you want to learn more about how you can use these tools yourself, sign up for our email list to get updates on what’s coming next.
