Beat Matcher
BPM and tempo control
Beat Matcher
The Beat Matcher lets you set and adjust the tempo for your lighting show.
BPM display
The large BPM readout shows the current tempo. Use the BPM number input to type a specific BPM, or use the ×2 and ÷2 buttons to double or halve it.
Offset
Fine-tune the beat phase with the offset control. Use the offset number input to set a millisecond offset, or use -10ms and +10ms buttons for quick adjustments. The offset shifts the beat phase earlier or later to align with your music.
Beat visualization
The beat display shows 4 blocks representing the current beat in the bar. The active beat flashes with the accent color and fades as the beat progresses.
Multipliers
Quickly scale the tempo:
| Button | Effect |
|---|---|
| ×2 | Double tempo |
| ÷2 | Half tempo |
Useful when the BPM is a multiple or fraction of the true tempo. These are also available as global keyboard shortcuts: ] to double BPM, [ to halve BPM.
Tap tempo
The Tap Tempo button derives BPM from your taps. Tap along with the music four or more times to set the tempo. The running average updates as long as you keep tapping, so a steady hand is more important than hitting the first downbeat.
Tap Tempo is also a MIDI input assignment type, making it easy to map a controller pad to the same action. See MIDI Input Dialog.
Cue align
The Cue Align button realigns the current moment to beat 1 of the bar. Use it to snap the beat grid to a downbeat in the music when the BPM is correct but the phase is drifting. This is a faster alternative to small offset tweaks when your target is the start of the next bar.
Cue Align is also a MIDI input assignment type under "Cue / Align Beat".
Integration
With Timeline
The Timeline uses this BPM. The beat grid aligns to the tempo, effect timing scales with BPM, and changes apply immediately.
With effects
Beat-synced nodes use this tempo. The Time node cycles per beat, the Beat node provides the beat position, and all timing is relative to BPM.
Troubleshooting
BPM is double or half what it should be. Try the ×2 or ÷2 multipliers.
Beats feel off. Use the offset controls to adjust phase. Try ±10ms adjustments until beats align.
Related
- Timeline - Beat-based sequencing
- Beat-Synchronized Effects - Tutorial