Best way to detect a beat signal from live music?

Ask a generic question about the usage of QLC+, not related to a particular operating system
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Horseflesh
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2021 2:03 am
Real Name: Matt Star

I do home karaoke shows and want to sync some simple light effects to the beat in the music... For example, a chase across 4 fixtures that simply moves faster or slower based on the music.

Sequencing effects to tracks ahead of time would allow for better effects, but since you never know what the playlist will be, live beat detection is really required. Also, the karaoke sound system will not easily be directly connected to a computer, so cheap microphone beat detection will be easiest if possible. I understand the compromises for live mic beat detection, but if QLC+ can somehow get beat data that is as good as what's built in to a sound-reactive fixture, it will be good enough for my purposes.

I'm super new to all this stuff so I would appreciate it if someone would check my head here. As far as I can tell, these are the options for getting beats into QLC+. (Oh by the way, I'll be using Windows but I guess some of these options are platform-agnostic, so I posted in the General forum.)
  • Use QLC+ version 5 which has beat detection (but I don't yet know if beat detection is in the current version.)
  • Buy Lightjams and forget QLC+ for this purpose (last choice, of course)
If anyone has tackled this I would love to hear your thoughts.
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GGGss
Posts: 2732
Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2016 7:15 pm
Location: Belgium
Real Name: Fredje Gallon

On a FB group there was a report that with the latest version, on Windows, the audio widget did get right (sufficient) audio level in. So the standard QLC+ approach may be right?
Have to test it tough...
All electric machines work on smoke... when the smoke escapes... they don't work anymore
Horseflesh
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2021 2:03 am
Real Name: Matt Star

That is encouraging, thanks. I'll try that first.
intamixx
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Mar 19, 2024 11:05 am
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If of any help I ran some tests with Mixxx / Sonic Pi / Hydra, Pure Data / QLC+, Aubio Beat Detection, DMX Lighting, OSC, Midi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvyG7D-vqbc
It can work with live music, as just have to capture microphone and feed into aubio. I'm using jack audio on Linux.
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