Ableton Link

What is Ableton Link?

Ableton Link is a protocol developed by Ableton that synchronizes tempo, beat phase, and transport state across multiple applications on the same network. It's peer-to-peer — no master clock, no configuration — apps simply discover each other and lock together.

Link was originally designed for music apps to jam together, but it has been adopted by show control software like Pangolin BEYOND, Resolume, and others for BPM-driven visual effects.

Link vs. Timecode: Complementary, Not Competing

Ableton Link and TimecodeLink solve different synchronization problems:

• Ableton Link syncs tempo and beat phase — "we're all at 128 BPM, beat 3 of bar 4." It keeps rhythmic effects (strobes, beat-synced patterns) locked to the DJ's tempo.
• TimecodeLink syncs timeline position — "we're 2 minutes 30 seconds into Track A." It drives pre-programmed timelines where specific cues happen at specific moments.

For the best results, use both together: Ableton Link for BPM-driven effects, and TimecodeLink for timeline-driven show programming.

How TimecodeLink Integrates

TimecodeLink integrates the Ableton Link SDK directly, joining the Link session as a native peer. This allows TimecodeLink to read the current BPM and beat phase from the Link session and use them for output calculations — no additional software or bridges required.

Both Serato DJ Pro and Rekordbox support Ableton Link natively — enabling Link in the DJ software automatically shares tempo with the entire Link session, including show control software.