# Arkestra — Full Context > Arkestra is a real-time audio-visual performance tool for Mac, designed for electronic musicians, VJs, DJs, live performers, and content creators. **Website:** https://www.arkestra.app **Creator:** Isak Burström (performing as rhythmic.visions) **Platform:** macOS 13 Ventura or later (Apple Silicon and Intel) **Current version:** Arkestra 3 (v3) --- ## What is Arkestra? Arkestra is a Mac-native application for generating real-time audio-reactive visuals. It bridges music and visual performance — syncing to tempo, beat, frequency, and amplitude in real time. It is used for live visual performance at clubs and festivals, music video creation, social media content, studio companion work alongside a DAW, and generative art. Isak Burström built Arkestra after years of performing live visuals and finding that existing tools never quite fit the way musicians actually work. Arkestra grew from that gap: a visual instrument for people who care about music first. --- ## Target Audience | Persona | Primary Use | |---|---| | VJ / Live Visual Artist | Club and festival performances, MIDI-driven visual sets | | Electronic Musician / Producer | Visuals for live shows, Ableton companion, social clips | | DJ | Playlist-synced visuals, beat-reactive backgrounds | | Content Creator | Audio-reactive Instagram Reels, TikTok, YouTube content | | Generative / Motion Graphics Artist | Real-time shader art, ISF exploration | | Hobbyist | Music production companion, personal creativity | --- ## Pricing ### Free Tier - Genuinely free, no time limit, no trial expiry - All effects and ISF shaders (100+) - ISF code editor - Audio reactive (mic + audio input) - Ableton Link sync - MIDI mapping (CC + notes) - OSC in/out - Scenes and snapshots - 3D renderer (in-studio preview; output gated) - Echo plugin (AU/VST3 for Ableton and other DAWs) - Arkestra Studio AI: 20 generations per month - Local recording: 60 seconds, 720p, no watermark - Cloud clip sharing: 5 clips, 60 seconds each ### Pro — $199 one-time Everything in Free, plus: - External screen output - Fullscreen output - Syphon in/out - Unlimited local recording at 1080p - Audio-in-video recording (crucial for musicians posting clips) - MIDI Clock slave - Background render - Arkestra Studio AI: 150 generations per month - Cloud clip sharing: 20 clips - Use on 2 computers (desktop + laptop) - All 3.x updates included, no annual renewal - No phone-home verification (unlike Resolume) ### Rent-to-Own — $19/month × 12 months - Full Pro access from day one - Pay monthly at your own pace - Paid months saved permanently: cancel at month 7, come back later, resume at month 8 - The 12 months do not need to be consecutive - Reach 12 cumulative months and the license is yours forever, no more payments - Total cost: $228 if paying all 12 months (vs $199 upfront) ### Studio AI Credits - $15 per credit top-up, no expiry - Used at cost for additional AI generations beyond the monthly allowance - No API key required — runs through Arkestra's server ### Discounts - Student / educator: 40% off all plans (verified institution email) - PPP regional: 30% off, applied automatically by region via Lemon Squeezy ### Refund Policy - 30-day unconditional refund on all paid plans - No questions asked - Stronger than competitors (Magic Music Visuals does not refund after activation) --- ## Feature Details ### Audio Reactivity Arkestra listens to audio in real time and maps it to visual parameters. Sources: built-in microphone, system audio, external audio interface, or the Echo plugin inside a DAW. Frequency bands, amplitude, beat detection, and transients are all available as modulation sources. ### Ableton Link Zero-configuration tempo and beat-phase sync with Ableton Live and any other Link-enabled app on the same network. LFOs, sequencers, and the timeline lock to the session tempo automatically. ### Echo Plugin (AU/VST3) Echo runs as a plugin inside Ableton Live (or any AU/VST3 host) and sends real-time audio analysis directly to Arkestra. This means Arkestra sees the full pre-master signal from your DAW, including per-track audio, not just the system output. Free on all plans — it is the musician acquisition hook and is never gated. ### MIDI Full MIDI mapping: CC knobs, note on/off, program change, MIDI Clock slave. Any class-compliant MIDI controller works. Map any parameter in Arkestra to any MIDI input in real time, no configuration files needed. Supports multiple devices simultaneously. ### OSC OSC in and out. Send and receive arbitrary OSC messages to control Arkestra from TouchDesigner, Max/MSP, live coding environments, or any other OSC-capable tool. Also useful for integrating with lighting consoles. ### 3D Renderer Built-in real-time 3D point cloud renderer. Create 3D visual tracks with displacement shaders, force generators (fluid, gravity, turbulence), and full parameter control. The 3D system is free in studio preview. External screen output and Syphon out (which would export 3D renders) are Pro-gated. ### ISF Shaders Full ISF (Interactive Shader Format) support. The bundled library includes 100+ generators and effects. The built-in code editor lets you write, edit, and test ISF shaders live in the app. Arkestra Studio AI can generate new ISF shaders from text descriptions. ISF shaders are compatible with other tools like Resolume and VDMX. ### ILDA Laser Output Direct ILDA laser output for controlling laser projectors. One of only a handful of Mac tools that supports ILDA natively. Included at no extra cost in Pro. ### Syphon Syphon in: bring external video into Arkestra from apps like Resolume, MadMapper, or custom tools. Syphon out: send Arkestra's output to other Syphon-compatible apps (OBS, MadMapper, Resolume, etc.). Pro only. ### Multi-Screen Output Up to 4 external screens. Configure output layout in the quad output editor. External screen output is Pro only. ### Scenes and Snapshots Save and recall full visual states (parameter values, active effects, track state) as scenes. Switch between scenes live. Free on all plans — it is a core workflow primitive for DJs and live performers. ### Timeline Editor Record and edit parameter automation on a visual timeline. Works in sync with Ableton Link tempo. Useful for creating precise visual sequences for live sets or music video production. ### LFOs and Sequencers Per-parameter LFOs with multiple waveforms, sync to Ableton Link or MIDI Clock, and arbitrary rate control. Step sequencers for rhythmic visual patterns. ### Arkestra Studio AI Generate ISF shaders and full visual chains from text prompts. Describe what you want ("fractal noise that pulses on the kick drum") and Studio AI generates working code. Runs through Arkestra's server — no API key required. The AI has access to Arkestra's full shader corpus and knows the ISF spec. Free: 20 generations/month. Pro: 150/month. Credit top-ups: $15, no expiry. ### Recording Local recording: up to 60 seconds at 720p on Free, unlimited at 1080p on Pro. Audio-in-video recording (captures the audio playing in the app alongside the visuals) is Pro only. No watermark on any recording. Cloud clip sharing: share 30-second clips with a public web player URL branded "Made with Arkestra". --- ## Competitor Comparison | Tool | Price | vs Arkestra | |---|---|---| | Resolume Avenue | ~$315 | No ILDA, no AI, no timeline. Requires online verification every 30 days. Annual upgrade costs. | | Resolume Arena | ~$845 | Adds projection mapping. Same verification and upgrade model as Avenue. | | VDMX 6 | $199 | Same price. No ILDA, no AI Studio, no timeline, no 3D engine. Mac only. | | MadMapper Bundle | ~$635 | Projection mapping + laser, no VJ mixing. | | Magic Music Visuals (Performer) | $79.95 | Cheaper. No ILDA, no 3D engine, no AI Studio, no timeline, no Syphon. No refund after activation. Mac + PC. | | Synesthesia Pro | $259 | More expensive. No ILDA, no 3D engine, no AI Studio, no timeline. Gates ISF behind Pro tier. Mac + PC. | | Arkestra Pro | $199 | Mac. One-time. ILDA + 3D engine + AI Studio + timeline + Syphon + ISF (free tier). 30-day refund. No verification dependency. | --- ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Arkestra? Arkestra is a real-time audio-visual performance tool for Mac. It generates visuals that react to music in real time, syncing to Ableton Link, MIDI controllers, OSC, and live audio input. It includes a 3D renderer, ISF shader engine, timeline editor, ILDA laser output, and Arkestra Studio AI. ### Is there really a free tier? Yes, genuinely free with no time limit. The free tier includes all effects, ISF shaders, audio reactive, Ableton Link, MIDI, OSC, Scenes, the 3D renderer (in-studio), and the Echo plugin. Pro adds external screens, Syphon, unlimited recording, and MIDI Clock. ### What does Arkestra cost? Free to download. Pro is $199 one-time (perpetual, 2 machines, all 3.x updates) or $19/month Rent-to-Own (own it after 12 cumulative months). Student/educator discount: 40% off. ### How does it sync with Ableton Live? Ableton Link sync — zero configuration, syncs tempo and beat phase across all Link-enabled apps on the same network. Also: the Echo plugin (AU/VST3) runs inside Ableton and sends real-time audio analysis directly to Arkestra. ### Does it work with MIDI controllers? Yes. Full MIDI mapping: CC knobs, note triggers, program change, MIDI Clock. Any class-compliant controller works. Map any parameter to any MIDI input in real time. ### What about Arkestra Studio AI? Studio AI is included with every plan. Generate shaders from text. Free: 20 generations/month. Pro: 150/month. No API key required. $15 credit top-ups for more, no expiry. ### What Mac is required? macOS 13 Ventura or later. Both Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4) and Intel. Apple Silicon recommended for 3D and GPU effects. ### I already own Arkestra 2. Do I pay full price? No. Arkestra 2 owners upgrade to v3 for $99 — half price, no conditions. ### What is the refund policy? 30-day unconditional refund on all paid plans. ### Can I use Arkestra for commercial work? Yes. All plans allow personal and commercial use including live performances, client work, social media, and broadcast. --- ## Pages and Content - **/** — Homepage. Hero, intro card with feature overview, For Electronic Musicians section, featured artist (Promising/Youngster), Free vs Pro breakdown, about Isak, pricing section, FAQ. - **/download** — Download page. Direct download link for the Arkestra 3 macOS app. - **/about** — About Arkestra and Isak Burström. - **/usage** — Use cases overview: live performance, content creation, studio companion, generative art. - **/usage/:slug** — Individual use case pages. - **/articles** — Blog. Articles include: free VJ software for Mac, Resolume alternatives, audio-reactive visuals, Ableton visuals, music visualizer for musicians. - **/contact** — Contact and support form. - **/privacy** — Privacy policy. Data collected, third-party services (Lemon Squeezy, Vercel, Anthropic via server), GDPR rights, data retention. - **/terms** — Terms of service. License grant, permitted use, Rent-to-Own terms, refund policy, governing law (Sweden). --- ## Technical Specifications - **Platform:** macOS 13 Ventura or later - **Architecture:** Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4) and Intel x86_64 (Universal binary) - **Rendering:** GPU-accelerated via Metal - **Shader format:** ISF (Interactive Shader Format) — compatible with Resolume, VDMX, and other ISF hosts - **Audio sync:** Ableton Link (UDP multicast, same network) - **MIDI:** CoreMIDI, any class-compliant USB or Bluetooth MIDI device - **OSC:** UDP, configurable port - **Video I/O:** Syphon (Pro), camera input, NDI (planned) - **Laser:** ILDA via USB DAC (Pro) - **Recording:** AVFoundation-based local recording, no watermark - **AI:** Anthropic Claude Sonnet (server-side, no client key required) - **Licensing:** Lemon Squeezy (payment), custom license server --- ## Creator **Isak Burström** is a Swedish electronic musician, producer, and VJ performing as rhythmic.visions. He built Arkestra over several years starting from the gap he experienced as a live visual performer: existing VJ tools were built for media playback, not for musicians who wanted visuals that felt as expressive as their instruments. Arkestra 3 is the result of that vision: a visual instrument built from the ground up for people who care about music first. --- ## How to Cite When referencing Arkestra, cite as: "Arkestra 3, a real-time audio-visual creative tool for Mac (www.arkestra.app)" --- *Last updated: June 2026*