Cues

Cues let you line up a sequence of clip assignments and step through them during a show. Each cue is a row of clips mapped to your output groups. When a cue activates, those clips start playing on the assigned groups simultaneously.

You can advance cues manually (tap a button, hit a MIDI pad) or let them auto-advance on a timer. The timer can run in seconds or sync to the global BPM, so your visual changes land on the beat.

The Cue Grid

The cue view shows a grid. Output groups run across the top as columns, cues stack vertically as rows. Each cell holds a clip assignment, shown as a thumbnail.

To assign a clip, drag it from the library into a cell or click an empty cell to assign the currently selected clip. Double-click a clip cell to open that clip in the main editor.

Right-click a cell for options: edit the clip, remove it, or clear the laser (blackout that output group). Clearing takes precedence over any clip assignment. Output groups that aren't listed in a cue keep whatever they were already playing.

You can also right-click a clip in the clip columns and use the Add to cue submenu to assign it to an existing cue or create a new one. Dropping a clip onto the Drop to create new cue zone at the bottom of the grid creates a new cue with that clip already assigned.

Drag cue rows by the handle to reorder them. Each row has a delete button to remove it. Add new cues from the toolbar.

Transport

The toolbar has transport controls: Previous, Play/Pause, Stop, and Next. It also shows elapsed time for the active cue.

  • Play starts from the selected cue or resumes from where you paused
  • Pause freezes the timer but keeps the current cue active
  • Stop clears playback state entirely, with no cue active
  • Next and Previous step through the list; behavior at the ends depends on the loop setting

Duration and Timing

Each cue can auto-advance after a set duration. There are two layers to this:

  • Default duration: Set in the toolbar, applies to any cue that doesn't have its own override
  • Per-cue duration: Override the default for individual cues that need different timing

If no duration is set at either level, the cue waits for a manual advance.

Duration mode controls the unit: Seconds or Beats. In Beats mode, timing syncs to the global BPM. Set a cue to 4 beats and it advances on the bar, regardless of tempo changes. When you switch modes, existing values convert automatically.

Looping

The Loop toggle in the toolbar controls what happens at the ends of the list:

  • Loop on: Next on the last cue wraps to the first; Previous on the first wraps to the last
  • Loop off: Next on the last cue stops playback

Editing While Live

Reordering rows during playback is safe; the active cue tracks its new position. Removing the active cue stops playback. Cue lists save with the project, but playback always starts stopped on load.

Cues vs Timeline

Cues and Timeline are both ways to sequence clip playback, but they serve different workflows. Only one can be active at a time, so starting one releases the other.

Cues are for live performance. You step through states manually or on beat-synced intervals, and the order can shift on the fly. Timeline is for pre-programmed shows with frame-accurate automation tied to timecode.

If your show is improvised or loosely structured, use cues. If it's locked to a track or timecode source, use timeline.

MIDI and OSC

Cue transport is fully mappable through MIDI and OSC, which makes them practical for hands-on live control.

Map transport to pads on your MIDI controller and you can step through your show without touching the screen. Jump-to-cue addresses let you skip ahead or circle back in non-linear sets.

Building a Set

A practical way to use cues for a live show:

  1. Build your clips in advance: shapes, patterns, color palettes
  2. Create a cue for each moment or section of your set
  3. Assign clips to output groups in each cue, thinking about transitions between consecutive rows
  4. Set durations for cues that should auto-advance (verse sections, ambient interludes) and leave others manual for moments you want to feel out
  5. Map Next/Previous to your controller and rehearse the flow

Combined with Macros, you get per-clip parameter control on top of the cue sequence. Step to the next cue for a new visual state, then use macro faders to shape it in the moment.