Guides

Who Owns Timecode When disguise Is in the Rig?

A media server with its own transport changes the master question. When disguise should own the clock, when it should chase, and how to draw the seam.

Guides3 min read

Automating Avolites Titan Playbacks from Live Audio

Titan takes OSC directly — playbacks, cues, faders and macros with no middleware. What to map, and what belongs to the operator on a corporate show.

Guides3 min read

Audio-Triggered Playbacks on ChamSys MagicQ

MagicQ's OSC surface takes playback activation and fader levels with no console-side scripting. What to send, and where the free PC version fits.

How to Chase External Timecode with a Cue Stack

Most guides cover generating timecode. Following someone else's is the harder half — locating, re-syncing, and deciding what happens when it stops.

QLab or GrandMA3: Which One Should Be Master?

Two systems that both want to own the show clock. How to decide which is authoritative, and why the wrong answer only shows up under pressure.

How to Trigger Lighting Cues Without a Click Track

A click track buys the lighting op a clock and costs the band their timing. What to do when the show is played rather than played back.

How to Trigger ETC Eos Cues from Live Audio

Eos speaks OSC out of the box. The exact command surface, why the Go key is not a cue fire, and how to drive the desk from music without an operator.

MIDI Show Control: Still the Most Reliable Cue Trigger

MSC is a 1991 spec that still runs theatres. The SysEx byte format, the command families, the 128-byte cap, and four ways it fails without an error.

How to Convert TCNet to SMPTE Timecode

TCNet carries deck position over UDP 60000, but no lighting console reads it. How to turn it into LTC, MTC or Art-Net timecode a desk can actually chase.

Where Should Your Show's Timecode Come From?

Reaper, QLab, the console's internal clock, a hardware generator, or the live performance itself. Four architectures, and how to pick between them.

Audio-Reactive Cues Over OSC: What QLab Can and Cannot Do

Reacting to live audio usually gets built from QLab network cues, OSC queries and patience. What that does, where it stops, and what analysis adds.

Guides8 min read

How to Send Timecode to GrandMA3: LTC, MTC, Art-Net and TCNet

GrandMA3 can follow SMPTE/LTC, MIDI timecode or Art-Net timecode. How each reaches the console, which to choose, and what happens when the source drops.

Resolume Arena + Timecode: CueSync's Sub-Frame Sync in 2026

How to combine Resolume Arena with CueSync timecode for sub-frame video synchronization — SMPTE, Ableton Link, and drift protection.

Wedding DJ Lighting: 7 Presets That Always Work (2026)

Seven tested wedding DJ lighting presets — ceremony, cocktail, dinner, first dance, open floor, bouquet, grand exit — using CueSync and a mobile rig.

How to Migrate from SoundSwitch to CueSync (2026 Walkthrough)

A practical migration guide for DJs moving from SoundSwitch to CueSync — what transfers, what doesn't, and how to rebuild your workflow in under an hour.

Best Art-Net / sACN Node for CueSync in 2026 (Buyer's Guide)

A 2026 buyer's guide to Art-Net and sACN nodes that work with CueSync — budget picks, multi-universe picks, and the winner for each use case.

How to Set Up an ENTTEC ODE Art-Net Node with CueSync

Step-by-step setup for the ENTTEC ODE (Open DMX Ethernet) node with CueSync — the standard way to get DMX out of CueSync over a network.

Pioneer DJ Auto-Sync for Lighting: CueSync + Pro DJ Link Setup (2026)

Auto-sync lighting and visuals to Pioneer CDJs in real time. CueSync reads PRO DJ LINK natively — BPM, beat phase and metadata, no bridge box. Setup guide.

sACN vs DMX: What's the Real Difference in 2026?

DMX512 is the serial standard; sACN (E1.31) carries DMX over multicast Ethernet. Here's how they differ and when to pick each one.

What Is Art-Net? A 2026 Explainer for Lighting Engineers

Art-Net is an Ethernet protocol by Artistic Licence that carries DMX over UDP. Learn how it works, Art-Net 4 features, universes, and how CueSync uses it.

Guides8 min read

The Complete Guide to Stage Automation for DJs in 2026

Stage automation replaces manual cue stacks with audio-reactive lighting, visuals, and timecode. The full 2026 playbook for DJs and lighting designers.

Which CueSync Edition Is Right for You? (DJ vs Theatre vs Production)

DJ, Theatre, or Production? A practical decision guide for choosing the CueSync edition that fits your workflow, venue size, and production complexity.