Panels
Beat Matcher Panel
BPM detection and tempo synchronization
Beat Matcher Panel
The Beat Matcher helps you synchronize your lighting to music by detecting or setting the tempo.
BPM Display
The large BPM readout shows the current tempo:
- Click to type a specific BPM
- Use +/- buttons for fine adjustment
- Displays detected BPM when analyzing audio
Tap Tempo
Manually set the tempo by tapping:
- Click the Tap button repeatedly
- Tap along with your music (at least 4 taps)
- BPM is calculated from your tap intervals
- Continue tapping to refine
Keyboard Shortcut
Press T to tap tempo without clicking.
MIDI Tap
Assign a MIDI button to tap tempo:
- Go to Settings > MIDI
- Map "Tap Tempo" to a button
- Tap on your controller
Audio Analysis
Automatic BPM detection from audio:
Enable Analysis
- Click Enable Audio Analysis
- Select your audio input source
- Play music through that source
- Spectralite analyzes and suggests BPM
Detection Quality
- Works best with steady, consistent beats
- May struggle with complex or variable tempos
- Use tap tempo for challenging material
Apply Detection
When confident in the detection:
- Click Apply next to the detected BPM
- The main BPM updates
- Continue analyzing for changes
Beat Alignment
Align the downbeat with your music:
Nudge
Fine-tune the beat phase:
- Nudge Left - Shift beats earlier
- Nudge Right - Shift beats later
- Small adjustments for precise sync
Reset Downbeat
Press Reset on a downbeat to align:
- Listen for the "one" of a bar
- Press Reset exactly on that beat
- The beat counter resets
Visual Indicator
The beat display shows:
- Current beat in the bar (1-4)
- Beat flash on each beat
- Bar counter
Tempo Modes
Fixed
A constant BPM throughout:
- Set once, stays constant
- Best for pre-programmed shows
- No drift or variation
Following
Continuously adapt to audio:
- Adjusts BPM in real-time
- Follows tempo changes in music
- May introduce slight variations
Manual
Full manual control:
- Use tap tempo exclusively
- No automatic adjustment
- Complete control over timing
Multipliers
Quickly scale the tempo:
| Button | Effect |
|---|---|
| ×2 | Double tempo |
| ÷2 | Half tempo |
| ×1.5 | 150% tempo |
Useful when the detected BPM is a multiple of the true tempo.
Integration
With Timeline
The Timeline uses this BPM:
- Beat grid aligns to tempo
- Effect timing scales with BPM
- Changes apply immediately
With Effects
Beat-synced nodes use this tempo:
- Time node cycles per beat
- Beat node provides beat position
- All timing is relative to BPM
Troubleshooting
Detection is wrong
- Try ×2 or ÷2 multipliers
- Use tap tempo instead
- Check audio input selection
Beats feel off
- Use nudge to adjust phase
- Reset on a clear downbeat
- Verify BPM is exact
Variable tempo music
- Use Following mode
- Or tap tempo throughout
- Consider fixed tempo with manual triggers
Related
- Timeline - Beat-based sequencing
- Beat-Synchronized Effects - Tutorial