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

Three Editions, Three Workflows

CueSync isn't a one-size-fits-all tool. The three editions — DJ, Theatre, and Production — are designed for distinct professional workflows. Choosing the right one depends on what you do, where you do it, and how complex your productions are.

This guide walks you through the decision.

CueSync DJ Edition — $15/mo or $129/yr

Built For

• Club DJs running weekly residencies
• Mobile DJs handling weddings, corporate events, and private parties
• Festival DJs performing on stages with provided lighting rigs
• VJs who want audio-reactive visual automation
• Solo operators who DJ and run lighting simultaneously

What You Get

DJ Edition is the complete audio-reactive automation platform:

• AutoPilot Engine — Hands-free automation driven by real-time beat synchronization (beat, phrase, energy, drop detection)
• Beat / Phrase / Energy Triggers — sub-5ms musical event detection
• ProDeck View — Live performance dashboard for DJs
• Track Structure Analysis — AI breakdown of intros, builds, drops, and breakdowns
• CuePad Grid — Tap-to-fire cue grid for manual overrides and one-shot effects
• 13 Output Protocols — GrandMA2 (Telnet + OSC), GrandMA3 (TCP + UDP OSC), Avolites Titan, ETC Eos, ChamSys MagicQ, Resolume, disguise (d3), TouchDesigner, Unreal Engine 5, QLab (TCP + UDP), MIDI Show Control, Pangolin Beyond, Custom OSC. (Pioneer PRO DJ LINK, Ableton Link, and MIDI Clock are native input sources. Timecode in 4 formats — LTC, MTC, Art-Net TC, TCNet — is a Theatre/Production feature, separate from the 13 output protocols.)
• Venue Profiles (limited) — Save and recall per-venue configurations
• StableConnection — Network resilience with automatic reconnection
• Network Discovery — Auto-detect compatible devices on your network
• Unlimited Art-Net / sACN universes, OSC targets, and CuePad cues
• 1 device activation per subscription (macOS 12+ at launch; deactivate from the account dashboard to move to a new machine)

The Decision Test

Choose DJ Edition if your answer is "yes" to most of these:

• Your shows are improvised (not scripted or rehearsed)
• Music drives the lighting — you don't need precise cue-to-cue sequencing
• You work alone or with one other operator
• Four universes covers your fixture count
• You don't need to generate or chase timecode

CueSync Theatre Edition — $24/mo

Built For

• Lighting designers programming theatrical productions
• Technical directors running corporate events with timed segments
• Production managers coordinating scripted multimedia shows
• Award show and ceremony operators with precise musical timing
• Houses of worship with weekly services mixing scripted and live elements

What You Get

Everything in DJ Edition, plus:

• CueStack — Unlimited sequential cue lists with fade times, auto-follow, and conditional logic
• Timeline Automation — Visual time-based editor for programming complex sequences
• Timecode — Generate and chase LTC, MTC, Art-Net Timecode, and TCNet (4 formats)
• Mission Control HUD — Production desk overview of all systems in one screen
• Unlimited universes of Art-Net/sACN output (experimental beta)

The Decision Test

Choose Theatre Edition if your answer is "yes" to most of these:

• Your shows have a script, rundown, or predetermined structure
• You need cue-to-cue sequencing (GO button workflow)
• You synchronize with video playback, backing tracks, or other timed media
• You need timecode generation or chasing
• You operate more than four universes of fixtures
• Your productions involve rehearsals where cues are refined over time

DJ vs Theatre: The Key Distinction

DJ Edition is reactive — it listens to audio and responds in real time. Theatre Edition adds prescriptive control — you define exactly what happens and when. Most Theatre Edition users will use both: AutoPilot for the band's live set, CueStack for the scripted award presentation, and Timeline for the pre-programmed video interlude.

CueSync Production Edition — $35/mo

Built For

• Large-scale festival production teams with multiple operators
• Touring shows that load in and out of different venues weekly
• Immersive installations requiring multi-system coordination
• Production companies managing multiple simultaneous stages or rooms
• Technical teams that need network diagnostics and predictive tooling

What You Get

Everything in Theatre Edition, plus:

• Coordination Bus — Network multiple CueSync instances for multi-operator, multi-zone productions
• Predictive Preview — See what automation will fire before it happens based on audio lookahead
• Unlimited Venue Profiles — No cap on saved rig configurations (DJ caps at 3, Theatre at 25)
• Priority Support — Guaranteed response times for production-critical issues

The Decision Test

Choose Production Edition if your answer is "yes" to any of these:

• You run multiple CueSync instances that need to coordinate
• You have multiple operators who need shared state awareness
• You manage different zones, stages, or rooms from a central position
• You need network performance diagnostics for touring rigs
• You require priority support for high-stakes live events

Quick Reference Table

Common Scenarios

"I'm a club DJ with a GrandMA3"

→ DJ Edition. AutoPilot drives your GrandMA executors over OSC. CuePad for manual overrides. Venue profile for instant recall.

"I run lighting for a regional theater company"

→ Theatre Edition. CueStack for your cue-to-cue show programming. Timeline for pre-show and intermission sequences. Timecode to sync with sound design playback.

"I'm a mobile DJ doing 200 weddings a year"

→ DJ Edition. Build venue profiles for every venue you visit. CuePad cues for first dance, cake cutting, and bouquet toss. AutoPilot handles the dance floor.

"I'm an LD for a touring corporate event"

→ Production Edition. CueStack for the scripted keynote and award segments, AutoPilot for the after-party DJ set — Theatre alone doesn't include AutoPilot, so the both-engines license is the one that covers the whole night. Mission Control to monitor everything from the production desk.

"I run a festival with 3 stages"

→ Production Edition. One CueSync instance per stage, all coordinated via the Coordination Bus. Honest connection status catches network problems during load-in. Priority Support when something goes wrong at 2 AM.

"I'm a VJ who works with DJs"

→ DJ Edition. Map audio analysis to Resolume or TouchDesigner over OSC. AutoPilot runs your visual automation while the DJ plays.

Start with DJ Edition

If you're unsure, start with DJ Edition. It's the foundation — everything in Theatre and Production builds on top of it. You can upgrade at any time without losing your venue profiles, routing maps, or CuePad configurations.

Download CueSync free and explore every feature in read-only mode. When you're ready, choose your edition.