Audio analysis
PlayArc detects BPM, key, time signature, song sections and loudness. Everything runs locally on your Mac. An optional deep analysis gives more precise sections (slower). You can correct BPM, key and sections.
PlayArc sorts your stems, detects BPM, key and song sections, builds click, count-in and voice cues, writes SMPTE-LTC for your lighting desk and hands you a finished Live set as an .als.
Drag your songs' stems into PlayArc. Based on the file names they go into the groups drums, bass, instruments, backing vocals and lead vocal. You can change the assignment per stem.
One click and PlayArc detects BPM, key, time signature and song sections, locally on your Mac. You check the values and correct BPM, key and sections where needed.
Press ⌘B and PlayArc writes the Ableton Live set with click, count-in, voice cues and LTC, then opens it in Ableton.
Sorting stems, entering tempos, building the click, programming timecode: PlayArc does it during import and while building the set.
PlayArc detects BPM, key, time signature, song sections and loudness. Everything runs locally on your Mac. An optional deep analysis gives more precise sections (slower). You can correct BPM, key and sections.
Every song gets its own timecode hour: song 1 starts at 01:00:00:00, up to 23 songs. Longer setlists are split into shorter blocks. Dedicated LTC track, 24, 25 or 30 fps.
Click track with the accent on the one. Plus a spoken count-in and the intro cue, generated from BPM and time signature. Add cues for individual sections with one click.
PlayArc writes the set in the notation AbleSet (sold separately) reads: song locators, SONG END, sections, loops and pauses, plus colours and tags per song. PlayArc puts the count-in on the guide track, so switch off AbleSet's own count-in.
Drag and drop your stems. PlayArc sorts them by file name into five groups: drums, bass, instruments (including keys and guitars), backing vocals and lead vocal. Up to five tracks per group; merge additional stems beforehand. You can change the assignment per stem.
.alsAn Ableton Live set ready to open: tempo and time signature per song, locators at the start and end of each song, sections as coloured clips and every track pre-routed to fixed outputs.
This is how PlayArc routes the set by default. You can re-route any track in Ableton.
| Output | Signal |
|---|---|
| 1/2 | Drums |
| 3/4 | Instruments |
| 5/6 | Backing vocals |
| 7 | Bass |
| 8 | SMPTE-LTC |
| 9/10 | Lead vocal |
| 11 | Click |
| 12 | Voice cues, count-in and your guide stems |
This layout needs an audio interface with at least 12 outputs.
Pay once, use forever. 12 months of updates included.
The real thing — no card needed.
All Standard features with 3 songs — for as long as you like.
Downloads the macOS app (DMG, ~ 730 MB). You start the trial inside the app.
For working bands and worship teams.
Pay once, play forever. 12 months of updates included.
For tour setups with a backup machine.
Unlimited songs and exports, Lightshow and CuePoints export, 3 Macs. One payment.
Already on a subscription? It continues unchanged. If you switch to a one-time purchase, cancel the subscription at LemonSqueezy, otherwise it keeps running.
All prices incl. VAT — one-time payment, processed by LemonSqueezy as Merchant of Record. Licence never expires, 12 months of updates included. Existing subscriptions continue unchanged.
Yes, Ableton Live 12 or 11, Standard or Suite edition. PlayArc creates Live sets for Live 12. For Live 11 you choose the version in the settings and PlayArc converts the set. PlayArc is not a show player: playback runs in Ableton.
macOS 14 Sonoma or newer on a Mac with Apple Silicon (M1 or later). There is no version for Intel Macs.
Yes. On first launch you create an account with email and password inside the app. No payment details needed. There is one free trial per Mac.
Yes, except for the licence check. PlayArc checks your licence online when a check is due: every 30 days for one-time purchases, every 14 days in the free trial (existing subscriptions: monthly every 3 days, yearly every 14 days). If a check is due while you are offline, the open app keeps running. If the last successful check is more than 30 days old, you need to sign in again with internet at the next start.
In the app via the PlayArc menu → “License…” (⌘⇧L) → “Transfer license to a new Mac”. Then sign in on the new Mac with the same email and password. If the old Mac is no longer available, email us at info@creative-production.de.
A quota per calendar month: Standard 20, Pro unlimited, free trial 20. One export is one finished Live set. Existing subscriptions: Basic 5, Pro subscription 20, Max subscription unlimited.
Switching from Standard to Pro isn't automated yet. Please don't buy Pro on top; email us at info@creative-production.de instead. Existing subscriptions are managed in your account as before.
PlayArc writes the timecode to a dedicated LTC track (default: output 8). Up to 23 songs, every song gets its own hour: song 1 = 01:00:00:00, song 2 = 02:00:00:00 and so on. Longer setlists are split automatically into 30- or 15-minute blocks. Frame rate 24, 25 or 30 fps. A CSV with the start and end time of every song is saved in the project folder under PlayArc/.build/plans/.
Plenty — from building a project (⌘B) to navigating the setlist. The full list with descriptions is on the keyboard shortcuts page.
Email us: info@creative-production.de. Standard and Pro customers get a reply within 24 h (business days).