Sending Audio to Lights

Spectralite captures audio directly from any input device (microphone, line-in, aggregate device, loopback) and exposes it to effect nodes. Use it to make lighting react to a live band, a DJ set, or a track you are rehearsing to.

Enable audio input

1. Open Edit > Inputs > Audio.
2. Toggle Audio input enabled.
3. Pick a device in the Audio Device dropdown. Default uses the system default input; named entries force a specific device.

After this, the Audio Spectrum panel renders a live FFT, which is the easiest way to confirm audio is arriving.

Capturing system audio

Spectralite records from a standard input device. To capture the computer's own output as audio input, use an OS-level loopback:

• macOS: BlackHole, Loopback.app, or an aggregate device.
• Windows: VB-Audio Cable, or a loopback feature exposed by the audio interface driver.

Create the loopback device, route the source application through it, and pick that device in the Audio Input dialog.

Using audio in effects

Quick wins

• Use an Audio Level or Audio Level Decay node for a single overall-loudness value (0 to 1).
• Use an Audio Bands or Audio Bands Decay node for a six-band split: sub, bass, mid-bass, low-mid, upper-mid, treble.
• Use an Audio Spectrum Range node to pull energy from a specific frequency window (for example, 40-80 Hz for kick drums).
• Use an Audio Reactive node to get a smoothed value suitable for driving brightness directly.

Beat-sync vs audio-reactive

Beat-sync (BPM + time nodes) is predictable and stays aligned to the bar. Audio-reactive responds to what is actually playing. Mix both for a show that feels tight to the grid but still breathes with the music.

Pitfalls

• Silent lights. If the Audio Spectrum panel is empty, audio input is not enabled or the OS is refusing the device. Check the dialog's status and system privacy settings.
• Gain mismatch. A quiet source produces low-amplitude values; effect nodes need to be scaled to compensate. The Audio Reactive node has a sensitivity input for this.
• Pops and clicks. Usually buffer underruns at the OS level, not Spectralite. Raise the OS audio buffer size or pick a device with less contention.

Related

• Audio Input Dialog
• Audio Spectrum Panel
• Input Nodes: full list of audio-reactive nodes.
• Beat Matcher: pairs well with audio-reactive effects.