CueSync vs QLab for DJ Shows
QLab is the macOS theatre standard for scripted cue playback. CueSync is built for the live, improvised, beat-driven side of the show. If you run a hybrid theatre+DJ rig, the right answer is usually "both" — and CueSync's QLab integration is first-class for exactly this.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
CueSync
- 1.0Connect
- 2.0Cue
- 3.0Fire
- 4.0Coordinate
- 5.0Recover
QLab
- 1.0Connect
- 2.0Cue
- 3.0Fire
- 4.0Coordinate
- 5.0Recover
Why Teams Choose CueSync
Beat-Reactive vs Operator-Driven
QLab fires cues when the operator presses GO (or a timecode/MSC trigger). CueSync fires cues when the music hits a phrase boundary, an energy threshold, a hot cue, or a beat — without operator intervention. Different jobs; different tools.
Pioneer-Native
CueSync joins PRO DJ LINK as a virtual CDJ — BPM, beat phase, hot cues, phrases. QLab is silent on Pioneer integration; users typically need a separate bridge tool. CueSync IS that bridge, plus the show automation layer.
Peers, Not Replacements
For a hybrid show — DJ set into a theatrical moment back into a DJ set — running CueSync (DJ side) + QLab (theatre side) is the right architecture. CueSync's QLab handler dispatches both TCP cue triggers and OSC for everything QLab can't address.
Live-Set Beat-Event Processing
QLab plays pre-loaded audio files with industry-leading routing. CueSync analyzes whatever's playing — including the CDJs — to drive cues. The Theatre Edition stacks these: scripted cues for the show, audio-reactive cues for the band/DJ moments.
Common Questions
Have more questions? Contact us
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