Running Your First Show with AutoPilot

What Is AutoPilot?

AutoPilot is CueSync's real-time audio intelligence engine. It analyzes incoming audio — from a microphone, audio interface, or system audio loopback — and automatically triggers lighting cues, DMX values, and protocol outputs in sync with the music.

AutoPilot responds to:

• Beat & Phrase — fires cues on each beat, bar, or 8/16-bar phrase
• Energy — reacts to volume and intensity shifts (builds, drops, breakdowns)
• Frequency Bands — maps bass, mid, and high-frequency content to separate outputs

AutoPilot is available in the DJ and Ultimate editions.

Quick Start

1. Set Your Audio Source

Go to Settings → Audio Input and select your audio source:

• Microphone / Audio Interface — pick your interface from the dropdown
• System Audio — requires BlackHole or Loopback installed; select the virtual device

You should see the waveform meter moving in the Audio panel.

2. Connect a Protocol

AutoPilot needs somewhere to send its output. For a quick test:

• Go to Protocols → Art-Net and add your lighting console's IP address
• Or go to Protocols → OSC and enter a target IP/port

See the Protocol Setup guides for software-specific instructions.

3. Enable AutoPilot

Click the AutoPilot toggle in the main toolbar (or press ⌘ A). The status indicator turns cyan when active.

4. Play Music

Start playing music through your selected audio source. CueSync will begin analyzing the audio and sending real-time cues to your connected protocol output.

Tips for Best Results

• Use Ethernet for protocol output — Wi-Fi adds latency and packet jitter
• Set a gain level in Audio Input so the meter peaks around -6 dBFS on loud sections
• Save a Venue Profile after dialing in your settings — recall it instantly at the next show
• Use Beat Phase mode for more musically accurate triggering than simple onset detection

Moving Beyond AutoPilot

Once you're comfortable with AutoPilot, explore:

• CuePad — manually trigger supplementary cues over AutoPilot output
• Routing Editor — build custom mappings from audio parameters to specific fixtures
• CueStack (Theatre/Ultimate) — combine automated and manually sequenced cues in one show