The eISF plug-in enables you to use ‘ISF shaders’ in your Live set. The eISF plug-in is optimised for generative shaders. The eFX-ISF plug-in is optimised for filters/FX shaders.
Adding the eFX-ISF plug-in to your Live set
To add the eISF plug-in to your Live set, just drag the plug-in from the EboSuite plug-in folder to a MIDI/audio track.
What are ISF shaders?
ISF shaders are pieces of code that deform an incoming video stream or generate visuals. Learn more about ISF on the ISF website or use the links below to find more detailed information.
How to use ISF shaders
There are more than 2000 ISF shader files available at the Interactive Shader Format website. You can easily download these shader files and load them into the eISF or eFX-ISF plug-ins. The eISF plug-in will automatically generate an interface that suits the functionality of the shader file, so you can control it live in your Live set and automate its behaviour.
Importing ISF shaders – Downloading
It is very easy to download ISF shader files. Goto the Interactive Shader Format website’s ISF shader browser. Look for an ISF shader you like. You can easily try out the shaders on the ISF website. When you found an ISF shader you like, press the download button in the top menu bar to download it (in a .zip file).
Note: the ISF website has recently been updated. This manual describes the old website, but the basic principles are still the same.
Importing ISF shaders – Add to EboSuite/ISF folder
Collect downloaded ISF shaders in EboSuite’s ISF folder. You’ll find this folder in the EboSuite folder in the Users/Shared folder or in the Users/[your name]/Documents folder (depending on your configuration). So the possible file paths are:
Importing ISF shaders – Load in EboSuite ISF plug-in
ISF shaders in the ISF folder will automatically appear in the file browser of the eISF and eFX-ISF plug-ins. Use the shader browser in the ISF plug-ins to find and load a shader into the ISF plug-in. The shader browser consists of four sections:
1. Folder Selection Menu – Use this menu to search and select a folder in the EboSuite/eFX/ISF folder. Select a folder from the list, or select ‘Go directory higher’ to move one folder up.
2. ISF Shader-type Selection Buttons – Use the ‘FX’ or ‘Generator’ buttons to filter out FX shaders or generator shaders, so only they will show up in the Shader Selection Menu.
3. ISF Shader Category Selection Menu – Available categories for the selected shader-type will be shown in this list. Select a category to filter out shaders, so only these shaders will show up in the Shader Selection Menu.
4. Shader Selection Menu – Use this menu to find and select an ISF shader.
5. Refresh Button – Use the refresh button to reload the currently loaded ISF shader and to refresh the browser when you made changes to the folder structure (e.g. made new sub folders) or when you added new files.
Set the render resolution
Use the Render Resolution Menu to determine at what resolution the ISF is rendered. You can choose to match this with your current render resolution of the EboSuite output window or choose a lower or higher resolution. ISF shaders can be demanding for the GPU to process, so try out different render resolutions for optimal performance.
Opacity
Use this menu to determine how the opacity is controlled. You can choose to set the opacity manually (or with automation) or link opacity to the track volume or to the clip start/stop.
Controlling ISF parameters
The eISF and eFX-ISF plug-ins will automatically generate an interface that suits the ISF shaders behaviour.
All interface elements can be automated or controlled live. Hoover over de parameter name to see the name as it will appear in the automation parameter menu.
Editing ISF shaders
You can edit the ISF shaders easily within Ableton Live. Each time you save your edits they will be applied directly, so you can check the effect of your work immediately in Live. You can edit the shaders in two ways:
- in the ISF plug-ins themselves
- in the ISF Editor developed by VIDVOX (the creators of ISF)
Editing ISF shaders in the ISF plug-ins
Click on the ‘Show code and credits’ button to view the shader code and information about the author. You can edit the code in this window, making it very easy to fine-tune your shader or to make alterations to an existing shader to make it fit perfectly in your composition.
When the code viewer is opened a few new interface elements will appear in the ISF plug-in’s interface.
Use the ‘Save’ button to save your edits. The shader will be reloaded and your changes will be applied directly. This means that added interface elements (like sliders, buttons, menu’s etc.) will appear in the ISF plug-in’s interface directly and new functions or altered variables, constants etc. in the code will be used immediately to generate the image.
Note: the code viewer doesn’t give feedback about errors and there is no undo function. Use the ISF Editor (see below) for more advanced editing.
Use the ‘Copy UI code’ menu to copy the code necessary to add a slider, toggle, menu, color selector or button. Once a menu item is selected the code is copied to the copy buffer and you can paste it into the shader code using the CMD-v keyboard shortcut. Once the altered shader is saved the interface elements will immediately appear in the ISF plug-ins interface.
Use the ‘Save as new’ button to save a copy of the shader. This newly created copy will be placed in the same location as the original shader and will be loaded in the ISF plug-in.
We recommend you to use this ‘Save as new’ feature to create a copy of your shader before editing it.
Editing ISF shaders in the ISF Editor
Click on the ‘Open in ISF Editor’ button to open the shader in the ISF Editor developed by VIDVOX, the creators of ISF. To use this feature you’ll need to have version 2.9.9 (or later) of the ISF Editor installed. Click on the ‘?’ button to download the latest version.
The ISF Editor is a separate application, but each time to you save your edits the shader will automatically be reloaded and updated in the ISF plug-in. Your changes will be applied directly and the interface will change according to your edits. This way, you see the effect of your work immediately in Ableton Live.
Use the ‘Make Duplicate’ button to create a duplicate of the shader. This newly created copy will be placed in the same location as the original shader and will automatically be loaded in the ISF plug-in.
We recommend you to use this ‘Make Duplicate’ feature to create a copy of your shader before editing it.
Tips for Getting Started
There are some great online resources for learning how to write your own shaders and ones that can be used as starting points for remixes:
- ISF Documentation: Main / Quickstart / Reference
- Introductions to GLSL: The Book of Shaders / Fragment Foundry
- 2D SDF functions: Pixel Spirit Deck / Pixel Spirit Deck in ISF
- Ray Marching: Jamie Wong tutorial
- Remixing: ISF sharing site / Shadertoy / GLSL Sandbox
- Advanced topics: Inigo Quilez articles / ISF Primer
Also be sure to try Google search :))
Standard ISF shaders
Currently EboSuite comes with 254 standard shaders. Four shaders developed by EboStudio (Blending Boxes, Texture Deform, Celluloid and Tunnel) and 250 shaders developed by VIDVOX (the creators of the ISF format).
You’ll find other shaders developed/remixed by EboSuite on the EboSuite channel and the OLAV channel on the ISF website. You can easily download these shaders and add them to your EboSuite ISF library (see description above).
Tutorial (version 1.6)
Tutorial Quick-tips (version 1.6)
How to use ISF in EboSuite
How to add an ISF shader to EboSuite
How to turn other shaders into ISF shaders
How to edit and remix shaders in the ISF Editor