Running Your First Show with AutoPilot

What Is AutoPilot?

AutoPilot is CueSync's phrase-aware automation 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)

AutoPilot is available in the DJ and Production 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:

• CuePads — manually trigger supplementary cues over AutoPilot output
• Cues — pair triggers (beat, phrase, energy, and more) with output actions in one master stack
• Looks & Scenes — reusable output presets that fire lighting, video, and effects together
• Show Editor (Theatre/Production) — sequence cues on a timeline against timecode