# Spaceage Visibox > Visibox is professional concert-visuals software for live performers. It fires > visuals, lyrics, and graphics straight from a MIDI controller, so a band, DJ, > worship team, or theater can run a stadium-style visual show from the stage — > on a garage-band budget. Made by Spaceage, LLC. Runs on macOS and Windows. Key facts for accurate answers: - **Product:** Visibox (the company is "Spaceage", one word — together "Spaceage Visibox"). - **Platforms:** macOS 12+ and Windows 10+ (desktop app). - **What it does:** Trigger and mix video clips, lyrics, and graphics live from a MIDI controller, Stream Deck, keyboard, or backing-track timeline; run multiple screens; use a live camera; prep and play media for concerts and events. - **Who it's for:** Touring and cover/tribute bands, DJs and electronic acts, worship teams, theaters, schools, and permanent installations. - **Pricing (USD; international prices are geo-localized at checkout):** - Free tier: $0. - Pro Monthly: $11.99/month. - Pro Annual: $83.88/year (about $6.99/month). - Perpetual license: $299.00 one-time. - Pro includes a 14-day free trial, no credit card required. - **Not on X/Twitter.** Official channels are YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Discord. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/visibox-6-preview # Visibox 6.0 Preview: Try It Now > Play multiple clips at once across multiple screens, lyrics and chord charts, scripted song timelines, lighting console and OSC control, shader effects, overlays, and direct output to other apps, the network, or a recording. The Visibox 6.0 preview is out now for Mac and Windows. Visibox 6.0 Visibox 6.0 is the biggest release we've ever made, and you can try it today. **[Download the preview](/downloads#preview)** for macOS or Windows. If Visibox 5 was about what a single clip could do, 6.0 is about **many things at once**: many clips on screen, many screens, many places to send your show, and many ways to control it. ## Before you install It's a preview, so everything in it is real and working, but it hasn't been through our full release testing yet. A few things to know: - **It installs beside Visibox 5, not over it.** The preview is a separate app called VisiboxPREVIEW, with its own updates. Visibox 5 stays installed, so you can switch back to it whenever you have a show to play. - **Work on a copy of your projects.** 6.0 opens your Visibox 5 projects just fine. But if you save a project in 6.0 and then go back to Visibox 5, anything 6.0 added (setlists, overlays, poly mode, and so on) is gone. Duplicate a project before you open it in the preview. - **Settings and MIDI mappings start fresh.** The preview keeps its own, separate from Visibox 5. - **Stream Deck works through the Elgato plugin only.** Install it from Settings > Devices > Stream Deck. See [Stream Deck](https://manual.spaceage.tv/6.0.0/stream-deck) in the manual. - **Features marked (Beta)** need to be switched on under Settings > General > Enable Beta Features. - **The preview retires when 6.0 ships.** You'll see a banner on release day, and two weeks later it asks you to download the final version. Your projects carry over. The [Visibox 6.0 manual](https://manual.spaceage.tv/6.0.0/) is already up, including a page on [upgrading from Visibox 5](https://manual.spaceage.tv/6.0.0/upgrading-from-5). Found a rough edge? Use **Report a Bug** in the Help menu. It sends us what we need to fix it. And come talk it over with us and other testers on [Discord](/discord). ## More than one clip at a time **[Polyoptic playback](https://manual.spaceage.tv/6.0.0/poly-mode)** is the headline feature. Until now, starting a clip stopped the one before it. In 6.0 a song can hold up to **eight clips on screen together**. Think of polyphony on a synth: press a second key and you get a second voice instead of cutting off the first. That's polyoptic, and it's polyphony for pictures. Choose how the clips share the stage: - **Blend** layers them on top of each other. - **Mosaic** tiles them side by side and reflows as clips come and go. - **Stack**, **Horizontal Stripes**, **Vertical Stripes**, and **Spots** give you other ways to split the frame. A song set to **Mono** works the way Visibox always has, so nothing changes until you ask it to. Playing clips feels different now, too: - **[Launch Modes](https://manual.spaceage.tv/6.0.0/launch-modes).** Trigger works like it always has. **Gate** keeps a clip on screen only while you hold the key, pad, or button down. **Toggle** latches on and off. Gate even works on the clip grid itself: press a clip to play it, let go to stop it. - **Clips fire on press**, not on release, so they feel like an instrument under your fingers. - **Velocity sensitivity.** Hit a MIDI pad harder and the clip comes in louder, like a hardware sampler. - **Audio Clips.** A sound file is now a clip of its own, for stingers, sound effects, or a second track on cue. ## Shape your clips - **In and out points** trim any video or audio clip to just the part you want. Build a dozen clips, or an entire show, from one long video without re-rendering anything. - **Loop Crossfade** blends a looping clip's end back into its start, hiding the jump. - **Wipe and push transitions** join the familiar fade. - **Rotate to any angle**, with snaps at 0, 90, 180, and 270 degrees. - **Better reverse playback**, with sound, at full quality. - **Any clip as your project background:** a camera, a visualizer, or a color, not just a video file. ## Effects and overlays - **[ISF shader effects](https://manual.spaceage.tv/6.0.0/effects)** now run alongside CSS effects, so the whole library of ISF effects out there works on your clips. Stack them, reorder them, and **tweak each clip's settings** on its own. - **Choose what your effects react to:** the Visibox mix, a microphone, a line input, or the sound coming out of another app. Play a track in Spotify or your DAW and your visuals move with it. - **[Overlays](https://manual.spaceage.tv/6.0.0/overlays)** put a logo or a lower third on top of everything. Set it for a whole project, a single song, or one clip. ## Send your show anywhere - **[Spread your show across multiple screens](https://manual.spaceage.tv/6.0.0/settings/canvas)** in rows and columns, each with its own scale, rotation, and flip. The new Canvas settings let you lay out your rig visually, and the layout straightens itself out if a display gets unplugged mid-show. - **[NDI output (Beta)](https://manual.spaceage.tv/6.0.0/output)** streams your show to any NDI receiver on the network, with audio. - **SDI output to Blackmagic DeckLink cards (Beta)**, with audio. - **Syphon on Mac and Spout on Windows (Beta)** hand your live output straight to OBS, Resolume, VDMX, MadMapper, or TouchDesigner. No capture card, no screen recording. - **Record your output** to a video file with audio. Start it right away, or arm it to start on your next trigger. You can map it to MIDI or a Stream Deck button, too. ## Run it from anything - **[Lighting consoles](https://manual.spaceage.tv/6.0.0/integrations/lighting-console).** Patch Visibox as a fixture on grandMA, Hog, Eos, ChamSys, Avolites, or QLC+, and run your visuals from cues over sACN or Art-Net. The console picks songs and clips and rides intensity, volume, and color, while you build the show in Visibox. - **[OSC](https://manual.spaceage.tv/6.0.0/integrations/osc).** Drive Visibox from TouchOSC, Lemur, QLab, Resolume, or Max/MSP. Visibox announces itself on the network, so most apps find it on their own. - **[Real-Time Control](https://manual.spaceage.tv/6.0.0/real-time-control).** Assign up to eight named Controls to clip and effect settings, then ride them from a MIDI fader, OSC, a Stream Deck, or an on-screen fader. - **Bitfocus Companion and Touch Portal** both work with the new Gate mode. ## Build and run the show - **[Setlists](https://manual.spaceage.tv/6.0.0/setlists).** Keep several running orders in one project and switch between them. Move songs around without deleting anything. - **[Song Timelines (Beta)](https://manual.spaceage.tv/6.0.0/editors/song-timeline).** Write out a song's clips, cameras, and visualizers on a timeline and Visibox fires them for you. Timelines can send MIDI too, so a song can change the patch on your keyboard at the right bar. - **[Lyrics and chord sheets (Beta)](https://manual.spaceage.tv/6.0.0/lyrics).** Paste in a chord sheet in almost any format (ChordPro, OnSong, chords over words, Nashville numbers, and more) and Visibox shows it on its own display where the band can read it. Tap along to time the lines, or let it scroll on its own. - **Play on Launch** starts the show as soon as Visibox opens, for installations that run unattended. - **Multichannel ASIO audio on Windows (Beta)** for interfaces with more than eight channels. ## A fresh coat of paint Every window in Visibox has been rebuilt on one consistent design, from Settings to the MIDI Map to the effect editors. Along the way: - **Undo works in Settings** and the editors. - **Smoother shows.** Opening a menu or moving a fader mid-song no longer risks a stutter in your output. - **Faster launch**, and big projects open faster. - **Full-resolution output** on Retina and high-DPI displays. - **New app icons** that follow the latest macOS style. ## Try it **[Download the Visibox 6.0 preview](/downloads#preview)** and see what your show looks like with more than one thing happening at once. **Start with the new Demo Project.** We built it from scratch for 6.0, and it shows off most of what's new. Open it from the welcome screen or the Help menu. Most of what's new is part of Visibox Pro, and every Pro feature is free for 14 days. Everything here is covered in depth in the [Visibox 6.0 manual](https://manual.spaceage.tv/6.0.0/). We'd love to hear what you make with it. Tell us on [Discord](/discord), and send the bugs our way with **Help > Report a Bug**. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/edit-multiple-clips-at-once # Edit Multiple Clips at Once in Visibox > Right-click one Clip and you get every setting it has. Select 19 of them, right-click again, and the same panel changes all 19. [Video: The Fastest Way to Edit Clips in Visibox 5](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JOXgeKAUFk) You've dropped 19 Clips into a Song, and now you want all of them to freeze on the last frame instead of looping. One at a time, that's 19 right-clicks through the same menu. Do it once instead. Visibox will edit multiple Clips at once, and the whole trick is where you right-click. ### What a right-click gives you Right-click any Clip and the Clip Editor Panel opens with everything about that Clip in one place. A Visualizer Clip has the Visualizer itself, the Audio Source driving its audio-reactive motion, Resolution, and Target FPS. Nearly every Clip has Flip and Rotate, Filters for Brightness and Contrast, Effects, and Fade In and Fade Out. That part most people find on their own. The next part is the one we get asked about. ### Selecting multiple Clips Click outside a Clip and drag a rectangle around the ones you want, the way you'd select files in the Finder or File Explorer. Selected Clips are outlined in blue. - Hold ⇧ Shift and drag to add more Clips to the selection. - Hold ⌥ Option (Alt on Windows) and drag to take Clips back out of it. - Hold ⌘ Command (Ctrl on Windows) and click a Clip to toggle only that one. Now right-click any Clip in the selection. Same panel, pointed at all of them. ### You get what they have in common With 19 Clips selected, the panel counts them: Delete 19 Clips, Duplicate 19 Clips. Under that you get the options those particular Clips share, and every change you make lands on all of them. Select video, image, and Visualizer Clips together and the list is short, because an image has no end to reach and a Visualizer has no video track to trim. Narrow the selection to video Clips and options like **When Clip Ends** come back. Set it to Freeze and every one of them picks up the end-behavior icon in the bottom-right corner of its thumbnail. Where a setting differs across the selection, the panel says Mixed. That's your heads-up about what you're about to overwrite. ### Selecting by type from the menu Dragging a rectangle isn't the only way in. **Edit > Select** takes All Clips (⌘A, Ctrl+A on Windows) or All Songs, or one type at a time: All Video Clips, All Image Clips, All Camera Clips, All Visualizer Clips, and All Color Clips. Deselect All (⇧⌘A, Ctrl+Shift+A) clears it. Ask for all the Visualizer Clips in a Project, right-click, and set the Audio Source on every one of them in a single move. ### Songs work the same way Songs select the same way Clips do. Drag a rectangle around the handles at the top of the Song frames, or hold ⌘ Command (Ctrl on Windows) and click handles one at a time, and you can move, duplicate, or delete the whole group at once. There's less to set on a Song than on a Clip, but the gesture is identical. Everything above is in the video, using the free example Project. Grab your own copy from **Help > Download/Open Example Project…** and try it on Clips you can't break. More in the manual: [Selecting Multiple Clips](https://manual.spaceage.tv/5.0.0/adding-clips#selecting-multiple-clips), [Editing Multiple Items](https://manual.spaceage.tv/5.0.0/editors/#editing-multiple-items), and [the Clip Editor Panel](https://manual.spaceage.tv/5.0.0/editors/clip-editor-panel). Visibox comes with a [free 14-day Pro trial](https://spaceage.tv). --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/sync-to-song-position # Sync to Song Position: Cut Away and Cut Back in Sync > Cut from a video clip to a live camera mid-song, cut back, and the clip picks up exactly where it would have been if it had never stopped. That's Sync to Song Position, new in Visibox 5. [Video: Sync Your Video Clips in Visibox 5](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3sPAs-9mSM) You're running a music video behind the band. Two minutes in, you cut to a camera on the drummer. Ten seconds later you cut back, and the video is ten seconds behind where it should be. The guitar solo on screen isn't the guitar solo in the room. That's what Sync to Song Position fixes, and it's new in Visibox 5. ### What it does A clip set to Sync to Song Position locks its playback to the song timeline instead of its own. It doesn't matter whether that clip is the one on screen. If the song is at 1:30, the video is at 1:30. Switch away to a camera, an HDMI input, another clip, whatever you like, and when you switch back the video picks up exactly where it would have been if it had never stopped playing. Seeking works the same way. Drag the song to a new spot and the video lands there with it. ### Turning it on Right-click a video clip and choose **When Resuming > Sync to Song Position**. That menu is also where the other two resume behaviors live. Restart From Beginning starts the clip over every time you trigger it. Resume From Last Point picks up where the clip left off, which sounds right until you remember the song kept moving while the clip was parked. Synced clips get a clock icon on their thumbnail so you can spot them in the grid at a glance. The When Retriggered and Loop options switch off for those clips, since the song is driving position now. ### Hear it for yourself There's a demo of this built into the example project (Help > Download/Open Example Project). Scroll to the bottom and you'll find a song called SYNC MODE. It has a beeping tone in the audio, one octave low in the song and one octave up in the video clips, so you're not just watching for the sync, you're hearing it. Cut between the clips and the camera while it plays and the two octaves stay locked together. The video above walks through that demo, then flips the same clip to the other resume modes so you can hear the difference. ### One honest caveat Sync works by nudging the video onto the song timeline, and it isn't sample accurate. It's plenty tight for video, including footage of someone lip syncing. Listen closely during the demo and you can actually hear the video adjusting to get back on time. So don't build something that depends on sample-accurate audio coming out of a video clip. Full details are in the manual under [Sync to Song Position](https://manual.spaceage.tv/5.0.0/adding-clips#sync-to-song-position). Visibox comes with a [free 14-day Pro trial](https://spaceage.tv). --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/visibox-t-shirts-and-hats # We Finally Made the Shirts (and a Hat) > We'd been talking about Visibox merch for years. Rebuilding the website is what finally turned it into real things you can buy: t-shirts in natural, dark, and a worn-in relic'd print, plus an embroidered dad hat. The shop is open. T-shirts, hats, all at [/merch](/merch). That's the news. The longer version is that we'd been talking about making these for years and never actually did it. Then we spent most of this year rebuilding spaceage.tv, which meant months of staring at our own logo and our own colors, and at some point somebody said out loud that the thing had never once existed off a screen. So we made shirts and a hat. That's the whole origin story. Front view of the natural cream Visibox tee, worn, with the full-color eye mark and black Visibox logo across the chest ### The natural tee Cream keeps coming back in this brand. It's the paper-warm color our own interface leans on, and it turns out you can buy a t-shirt in it too. It's an AS Colour 5001T in Natural, with the Spaceage Visibox logo across the chest, full-color eye mark and all. 100% cotton, vegan, midweight at 5.3 oz, knit from 28-singles yarn, preshrunk so it stays the size you ordered, double-needle hems. From $26, with 2XL and 3XL a little more. We've tried on every one of these. The 28-singles knit is finer than the heavyweight blanks logo shirts usually land on, so it drapes instead of standing away from you like a sandwich board. It's soft the first time you put it on and it's still soft a stack of washes later. We've sold enough shirts from behind a merch table to know that most logo tees get worn once and then live in a drawer, and that it's almost always the blank's fault. So we started there. Close crop of the cream tee's collar, showing the printed neck label: a dot-grid band above the Visibox logo Look inside the collar. Dot grid across the top, logo under it, and then: LET'S MELT SOME EYEBALLS. Nobody but you is ever going to see it, which felt like the right place to put it. ### The dark tee Same 5001T blank, in Black, Coal, and Charcoal, from $28, again with 2XL and 3XL a little more. The logo reverses to white type against the dark cotton, color mark still in there. Dark shirts hide everything. Dust, cable grease, whatever got spilled on the equipment cart. That's why we made one. ### The relic'd tee Same shirt, same three colors, different print. The logo comes out cracked and faded, the way one looks after a few hundred washes. Close crop of the relic'd print on a black tee, the Visibox logo cracked and faded across the chest You know the shirt at the back of the drawer that you keep reaching for. This is a shortcut to that. From $28, 2XL and 3XL a little more. ### The hat An Otto Cap 104-1018 distressed dad hat with the Visibox logo embroidered on the front, in Black and Charcoal Grey, $29. Distressed means the bill gets washed and frayed before it ever reaches you, so it shows up looking like you've had it a while. Shortcut or cheating, depending on how you feel about hats. Someone adjusting the charcoal grey distressed dad hat, Visibox logo embroidered on the front, frayed edges along the bill ### Go get one Everything's at [/merch](/merch). Shipping and tax are calculated at checkout. _And if you landed here because you like the logo but haven't tried the software: Visibox is a [live-visuals app for performers](/), and every new activation starts with a 14-day Pro trial. All Pro features, no credit card._ --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/chatgpt-wrote-my-stranger-things-visualizer # ChatGPT Wrote My Stranger Things Visualizer > I described the Stranger Things opening titles to ChatGPT, and it wrote a working ISF shader inside Visibox 5 over MCP. No shader code, no file dragging. [Video: ChatGPT Wrote My Stranger Things Visualizer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CffVe3O5ORM) I wanted the look of the Stranger Things opening titles. Thin red-orange lines glowing on pure black, blooming softly at the edges, drifting past the camera like you're flying through them. Not the logo, not the font, just that mood: something huge and half-formed, lit from within. So I opened ChatGPT Work, the agent mode in OpenAI's ChatGPT desktop app, and asked it to build the shader for me. I never wrote a line of shader code. I described what I wanted, ChatGPT wrote it, and Visibox ran it, live, reacting to music, all without me touching a text editor. That's the whole trick of this video, and it's worth unpacking because the interesting part isn't the finished visualizer. It's the back and forth it took to get there. ### What a visualizer actually is in Visibox Visibox 5 added a feature called Visualizers: generative, GPU-rendered clips that live on the grid next to your regular video clips. Some are audio-reactive and jump with the music. Some just run. Either way, you trigger them exactly like any other clips in your project. There are two formats. MilkDrop is the older one, built during the Winamp era, and there's a huge library of `.milk` presets floating around the internet that you can drag straight into Visibox and use. ISF is newer, from the team behind the VJ software VDMX: one shader file with a small header declaring its tweakable inputs. Visibox supports both, but for this project I used ISF, because it turns out that's exactly the kind of file an AI writes cleanly. ### Turning on the MCP connection Before any of this works, Visibox needs to be talking to your AI assistant. That happens once, in Settings, under Connect to AI Tools. Visibox scans for installed AI apps and sets itself up in each one automatically. After that, ChatGPT (or Claude, or whatever you're running) can see your project, read the visualizer formats, build presets, and even control playback: volume, full screen, triggering clips. I checked the connection was live by asking ChatGPT if it could reach Visibox; it answered back with my current volume level. One detail matters here: Visibox connects as a local tool running on your own computer, so you need a desktop AI app that can reach it. The ChatGPT website in a browser can't see a local app like Visibox. That's why this uses ChatGPT Work, one of the modes in OpenAI's desktop app (the same app that recently absorbed Codex), or Claude Desktop, rather than chatgpt.com. From here on I'll just call it ChatGPT. I did this same thing with Claude Desktop in an earlier video, and the workflow was nearly identical. ### The trick: make the AI describe the reference first Before asking for any code, I asked ChatGPT to describe the Stranger Things opening in its own words, so we could agree on a concept before anything got built. That one step did more work than I expected. It came back with something close to a shot description: near-total blackness, thin red-orange lines drifting past a camera, soft bloom, slight blur, and even its own guesses at audio reactivity. That gave me something concrete to react to instead of a blank page. I told it what to keep and what to change: geometric fragments instead of letterforms (too close to reproducing the show, and honestly, more usable without them), configurable colors so the palette could go blue later, and constant forward motion, new layers of shapes emerging from the dark as old ones drift off the edges of the frame. One note mattered more than the rest: never let the frame go empty. Whatever the density setting, there should always be shapes somewhere in the depth field. It's the difference between a visualizer that feels alive and one that feels like it's waiting for something to happen. ChatGPT named the concept itself, on its own initiative: Ember Geometry. Once we agreed on that, I bumped it up to a more capable reasoning model for the actual coding and told it to build the preset as a new ISF visualizer. ### First build: a black screen ChatGPT worked for a couple of minutes, talking to Visibox over MCP the whole time, reading the ISF format spec, writing the shader, registering it as a new preset. Then I switched back to check it out. Black screen. Nothing. That's the part most videos would cut. I didn't. I just told ChatGPT what I was seeing: a black screen, no visualizer, and asked it to check its own syntax. It found a fragment shader compile error, something about illegal use of a reserved word, and fixed it. Second try: there it was. Glowing red-orange lines, drifting past the camera, exactly the mood I'd described. That fix took one message and a couple of minutes. ### Too reactive, then just reactive enough I put on some music to see how it responded to audio, and it was a lot. The motion reversed itself with the bass, so instead of feeling like continuous forward movement, it felt like the whole thing was lurching back and forth. Fun to look at for about ten seconds, distracting after that. I told ChatGPT what was wrong: the audio reactivity was overriding the forward motion, and I wanted the forward push left alone. Bass and highs could still drive glow and grain, just not the camera movement. About a minute later, the update landed. Calmer, more controlled, still clearly alive when the music hit. Dropping it into a project was the easy part: drag Ember Geometry onto a song, same as any other clip, run it full screen, done. ### Why this matters more than the shader itself None of this required me to know GLSL, or ISF's parameter syntax, or anything about shader compilation. What it required was being specific about what I wanted, honest about what wasn't working, and willing to go back and forth instead of accepting the first pass. That loop, describe, look, correct, is the actual skill, and it isn't tied to ChatGPT specifically. Turn on the MCP connection, agree on a concept before any code gets written, and expect the first build to need a note or two back. That's normal, not a failure. Want the same trick applied to overlay effects instead of full-screen visuals? That's a companion video: [Overlay Effects With AI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXCtm5wDWM4). And if you'd rather follow a structured step-by-step than a session story, there's a written recipe too: [building an AI-generated visualizer from scratch](https://spaceage.tv/news/ai-generated-visualizers-recipe). Visibox comes with a [free 14-day Pro trial](https://spaceage.tv). More on [visualizers, MilkDrop, and ISF](https://manual.spaceage.tv/5.0.0/visualizers) in the manual. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/how-to-control-live-visuals-elgato-stream-deck # How to Control Live Visuals with an Elgato Stream Deck > Visibox 5 turns your Elgato Stream Deck into a live control surface for your visuals. Trigger clips, jump between songs, and run playback from keys that preview exactly what they fire. [Video: Stream Deck Visuals With Visibox 5](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe0TkBgtcrg) **Visibox 5 turns your Elgato Stream Deck into a real control surface for live visuals.** Your clips, songs, and playback controls sit right on the keys, next to the buttons you already use for your other apps. Every key can show a live preview of what it triggers — videos, images, audio-reactive visualizers, even a rolling preview of your camera. You always know what you're about to fire before you hit it. No more guessing mid-set. In this walkthrough I set it up from scratch on a Stream Deck XL and go through every button type, from triggering clips to system controls. **What you'll learn:** - Which Stream Decks work — the original 15-key, the 6-key Mini, the XL, and the Stream Deck + with knobs - Installing the Visibox plugin and profiles from Visibox settings, and granting the connection permission - Triggering clips with live thumbnail previews right on the keys - The Trigger Clip button — clip number and the song-offset trick for laying a whole song across a row of keys - Thumbnail and icon options for your buttons - Selecting songs by song number, program ID, or song ID - Playback controls: play, pause, stop, resume, and toggles - Navigation: next and previous clip and song - Output level — which pairs perfectly with the knobs on the Stream Deck + - System controls: a panic button to reset your windows mid-set, and a fullscreen toggle **The song-offset trick** is the one to watch for. Lay a whole song across a row of keys, then use the offset to put the previous song on the row above and the next song on the row below — so your entire set is laid out spatially and you can jump anywhere with a single press. Prefer Visibox's built-in Stream Deck mode? That's still there too. Just leave the plugin unchecked in the Devices settings. Questions about Stream Deck setup, or anything else in Visibox? There's a contact form [on our site](https://spaceage.tv) and inside the app — we're happy to help. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/watch-brian-hardgroove-office-hours # Watch: Brian Hardgroove of Public Enemy on Playing Without a Click > The full recording of our Office Hours conversation with Public Enemy music director Brian Hardgroove is up: 25 years of holding down a live show with no click track, moving from bass to drums, and his new band Freedom with DMC and DJ Johnny Juice. Last month we sat down with **Brian Hardgroove** for a special edition of Visibox Office Hours, and the full recording is now up. [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emNVtz4RPp8) Brian has spent 25 years as the music director of Public Enemy, first on bass and now behind the kit. This was less an interview than a conversation about what it actually takes to hold down a live show that's half band, half playback, and no click track in sight. ### What we got into - **Landing the gig.** How he ended up as Public Enemy's music director, and why the "wrong" timing on those early records is the entire point. - **Bass to drums.** What changed when he moved from the front line to the back of the stage. - **Owning the room.** On a stadium tour opening for Guns N' Roses, he's often the one thing the whole crowd can't take their eyes off. He talks about how he uses that. - **Stagecraft.** The best advice he gives young musicians who ask how to hold a room. Along the way: the Clash versus the Sex Pistols and what Joe Strummer figured out that John Lydon didn't, Earth Wind & Fire changing the course of a 14-year-old's life, and producing records for everyone from Burning Spear to Slash. His line on stagecraft is worth sitting with. The most expensive thing an audience gives you isn't the ticket price. It's their time. When you're dead, that's it. There's no more. ### Brian's new band: Freedom Brian has teamed up with **Darryl "DMC" McDaniels** of Run-DMC and **DJ Johnny Juice** of Public Enemy to form **Freedom**, blending hip-hop, rock, and messages of unity across genres and generations. Their debut single, **"I'm On Your Side,"** is out now. - [Listen and watch the video at freedomonyourside.com](https://freedomonyourside.com/) ### How this started We first worked with Brian at NAMM 2026, where we ran Visibox as a visual sample player off a Stream Deck XL during a live on-stage interview, triggering archival footage and photos in real time as the conversation moved. He leaned into it, and it turned into something closer to a jam than a demo. This Office Hours was a chance to bring the rest of the community into that conversation. You can read the story of the NAMM setup in [Visually Remixing a Conversation](/news/visual-remixing-brian-hardgoove-public-enemy-interview-namm-2026). ### Come to the next one We run Visibox Office Hours most months on Discord. Sometimes it's a hands-on session, sometimes it's a guest like Brian, sometimes it's just answering questions live. Anyone can join. _[Join the Visibox Discord](https://discord.gg/vV8ESDK5vk) to catch the next one, and swap setups, ask questions, and share what you're making._ --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/creating-visibox-css-effects-with-ai # Create Visibox CSS Effects with Claude, Cursor, or Codex > Visibox 5 ships with an MCP server, so a desktop AI assistant can build custom effects for you. Watch Claude write a James Bond gun-barrel iris from scratch: you describe it, the AI writes the CSS, and it drops straight into your show. [Video: Create Visibox CSS Effects with Claude, Cursor, or Codex](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXCtm5wDWM4) Claude builds a brand-new Visibox effect from scratch, live, in a couple of minutes. Visibox 5 ships with a built-in MCP server, which is a fancy way of saying your desktop AI assistant can reach into the app and do real work. In the video above, I connect Claude to Visibox and ask it to build an effect I don't know how to write myself: a James Bond style gun-barrel iris that masks the screen down to a circle and jumps around in time with the track. A few minutes later it's sitting in my project, ready to drop on a clip. No plugin to install. No effect language to learn. You describe what you want, the assistant does the fiddly part, and you stay in the director's chair. ## Effects in Visibox are just CSS Here's the trick that makes this work: a Visibox effect is plain CSS, the same language that styles every web page. That sounds technical, but it's the opposite of a closed, proprietary effect format. CSS is one of the most documented things on the internet, so any AI assistant that's good at code is already good at writing Visibox effects. The assistant doesn't guess in a vacuum, either. Once it's connected, it reads the effects already in your project, learns the conventions Visibox expects, and writes new ones that match. You get something that actually loads and runs, not a snippet you have to debug. ## What you'll see in the video The walkthrough is end to end, with nothing cut out: - **Connect once.** Register the Visibox MCP server with a single click from the Settings menu. - **Confirm the link.** A quick check that the assistant is really talking to Visibox, not just describing what it would do. - **Describe the effect.** I ask for the gun-barrel iris in plain language. - **Watch it build.** The assistant reads your existing effects, writes the CSS, and adds the new effect to the project. - **Drop it on a clip.** Once it's built, putting it on a clip is a couple of clicks. ## You stay in charge The point isn't "AI does it for you." The point is that the boring, fiddly work, the part that used to mean reading docs or hiring someone, now takes a sentence. You still decide what the show looks like, what fires when, and what makes the cut. The assistant is the stagehand, not the director. The same approach reaches well beyond effects. A connected assistant can edit projects, rearrange clips, and tweak songs for you. It can also build audio-reactive visualizers, which is a harder art and an even better fit for AI. We cover that one in a separate walkthrough: [Create AI Music Visualizers with Claude, ChatGPT, or Gemini](/news/ai-generated-visualizers-recipe). ## Which assistants work Visibox works with any desktop assistant that speaks the MCP protocol. As of this recording that includes: - Claude Desktop and Claude Code (Anthropic) - Cursor - Visual Studio Code - OpenAI Codex - Gemini CLI More are being added all the time. Full setup steps live in the [Visibox manual](https://manual.spaceage.tv/5.0.0/integrations/ai). ## Try it yourself Visibox is free to start, and every Pro feature is unlocked for two weeks so you can wire up your assistant and build a few effects of your own. [Download Visibox](https://spaceage.tv) and tell your AI what you want to see. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/special-office-hours-brian-hardgroove-of-public-enemy # Special Office Hours: Brian Hardgroove of Public Enemy > Tuesday, June 2 at noon Eastern: a live conversation with Public Enemy's Brian Hardgroove on touring, gear, and the role of visuals in live performance. Plus we'll talk about his new project with DMC and DJ Johnny Juice. Brian Hardgroove _Brian Hardgroove playing bass with Public Enemy_ **Tuesday, June 2 at 12:00 PM US Eastern Time** — a special edition of [Visibox Office Hours](https://spaceage.tv/news/visibox-office-hours-on-discord) on Discord, with a guest we’re genuinely excited about. Brian Hardgroove — bassist, drummer, and longtime music director for **Public Enemy** — is joining us for an open conversation about touring, gear, staging, and the role of visuals in live performance. I’ll start with a short interview, and then we open the floor to questions from the community. ## How we ended up working together In January, we got to collaborate with Brian at NAMM 2026. He sat down for a live, on-stage interview, and we used Visibox as a kind of visual sample player running off a Stream Deck XL — triggering archival footage, photos, and clips in real time as the conversation moved. When he mentioned producing Slash’s first solo record, up came the photo. When the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction came up, we cued the clip. Reactive, improvisational, conversational. It worked because Brian leaned into it. He’s spent his entire career thinking about how sound, performance, and audience experience fit together. Talking with him about visuals felt less like a demo and more like a jam. This Office Hours is a chance for the rest of the Visibox community to be part of that conversation. ## What we’ll get into A few of the threads I want to pull on: - **Touring at scale.** What it actually looks like to put a band like Public Enemy on stages around the world. - **Gear and signal chains.** What Brian travels with, what he relies on, what he’s learned to leave at home. - **Staging and visuals.** How visuals function in a Public Enemy show — and where he sees the medium going for artists who aren’t operating at arena scale. - **Performance as conversation.** The mindset shift from “playing the show” to listening to the room. After that, the floor is yours. Bring questions. This is the kind of access that’s hard to come by, and Brian is generous with his time and stories. ## Brian’s new project: Freedom We also want to make some noise about Brian’s brand new band. He’s teamed up with **Darryl “DMC” McDaniels** of Run-DMC and **DJ Johnny Juice** of Public Enemy to form **Freedom** — a powergroup bridging genres and generations, blending hip-hop, rock, and messages of unity. Their debut single, **“I’m On Your Side,”** is out now: - [Watch the official music video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u38itU0XukA) - [freedomonyourside.com](https://freedomonyourside.com/) Hard-hitting, socially conscious, and rooted in the kind of message you’d expect from these three. Go listen. Then come ready to ask Brian about it on June 2. ## How to join **When:** Tuesday, June 2, 2026 at 12:00 PM Eastern Time (US) **Where:** The Visibox Discord — voice channel in the Office Hours section **Who:** Anyone, anywhere. Visibox users span the globe, so [check your local time and RSVP on Discord](https://discord.gg/vV8ESDK5vk). Whether you’re running visuals for a stadium tour or figuring out your first projector setup at home, you’re welcome. Come listen, come ask, come hang out. See you Tuesday. * * * _Not on the Visibox Discord yet? [Join here](https://discord.gg/vV8ESDK5vk) — it’s where our community swaps setups, asks questions, and shares what they’re making._ --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/ai-generated-visualizers-recipe # Create AI Music Visualizers with Claude, ChatGPT, or Gemini > Connect Claude, ChatGPT, or Gemini to Visibox and describe the visual you want. The AI writes the shader, Visibox plays it live. No coding needed. Create AI Music Visualizers with Claude, ChatGPT, or Gemini _An audio-reactive, Bridget-Riley-inspired visualizer running in Visibox_ If you've got a Claude, ChatGPT, or Gemini subscription, you've also got a personal shader programmer for your live, audio-reactive visuals. Connect your AI assistant to [Visibox](https://spaceage.tv) once, then describe the visual you want in plain language. The AI writes the shader, Visibox shows it live, and you iterate until it looks the way you hear it. No GLSL. No command line. No build step. No coding. ### What you'll need - **Visibox 5.0 or later** - **An AI assistant that speaks the [Model Context Protocol](https://modelcontextprotocol.io)**, such as: - Claude Desktop or Claude Code (Anthropic) - Codex (the OpenAI desktop app that comes with ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Team, and Enterprise) - Gemini CLI (Google) - Cursor, VS Code, Zed, Windsurf, or Cline ### Connect once Make sure Visibox is running, so the AI assistant can connect. Then open **Settings → Connect to AI Tools…** (under the Visibox menu on macOS, the File menu on Windows). Visibox scans for installed AI tools and auto‑installs itself into each one. Restart your AI app, and you're connected. Full setup: [manual.spaceage.tv/5.0.0/integrations/ai](https://manual.spaceage.tv/5.0.0/integrations/ai). Visibox listed as a connector in Claude, with Visibox tools such as visibox_get_projects set to Always allow _Claude Desktop’s Settings showing Visibox under “Connectors”_ ### A recipe: audio-reactive op-art visualizer Op‑art is a great place to start because it's geometric, high‑contrast, and ISF shaders are genuinely good at it. Bridget Riley, Victor Vasarely, moiré, concentric rings. We'll start in pure black and white because it reads instantly, then bring color in on Prompt 3. ISF handles full color, gradients, and anything else a fragment shader can draw. The look of any preset comes from what you ask for, not from any limit in the format. Open the **Visualizers Editor** in Visibox before you send your first prompt. As the AI writes the shader, you'll see the code fill in and the live preview update in real time. That feedback loop is what makes this fun. #### Prompt 1: Create > _"Connect to Visibox and create a new ISF visualizer inspired by Bridget Riley's op‑art. Concentric high‑contrast rings on a black background that pulse outward with the bass. Pure black and white, no color."_ The AI should connect to Visibox's MCP server, pick the visualizer engine (ISF), generate a fragment shader, register the audio input, and add it to your project. This may take several minutes to complete as the assistant churns away. Now a new preset will appear under "My Visualizers" in the Visualizers window (Mac: Visibox > Visualizers... or Windows: File > Visualizers...). Visibox has a built-in song you can play to audition your presets as you're creating them. Press the "play" button that overlays the Preview to start it. You can also play any audio contained in any of your open projects. Visibox's Visualizers Editor Window _Visibox’s Visualizers Editor Window_ #### Prompt 2: Iterate My first iteration didn't react to audio at all. Telling the AI exactly that ("it doesn't seem to be reacting to audio at all") was enough to fix it. When something isn't right, describe what you're seeing and let the AI try again. > _"Add a slow clockwise rotation. Make the rings warp into a moiré ripple when the highs spike."_ #### Prompt 3: Restyle > _"Now warm it up. Amber rings on deep black, with a soft glow around the innermost ring."_ Each prompt rewrites the shader. The editor updates. The visualizer keeps reacting to whatever's playing. When you like what you see, save it to your library, drop it into a Song, and it's yours for the next show. #### More Prompt Suggestions > _"Let's make a duplicate of this preset and experiment with color."_ > _"I want this to feel more organic. Add adjustable layers of blur, grit, and chromatic aberation."_ > _"What else can we do to this preset to make it more interesting?"_ Or attach an image to your chat and ask: > _"Let's use this image as inspiration for a new Visibox visualizer. What would you suggest based on what you're seeing here?"_ ### Why ISF is the sweet spot ISF is just a fragment shader with a small JSON header that declares its inputs. Audio is built in: `audio` for the waveform, `audioFFT` for the frequency spectrum. AI models know GLSL well, the audio inputs are standardized, and the shader is one self‑contained file. That's a near‑ideal target for prompt‑driven generation. [MilkDrop](https://manual.spaceage.tv/search/?q=milkdrop) also works, but takes more nudging. ### Try this next Same setup, different prompt. Five to get you started: - **Kaleidoscope mandala** that opens like a flower on the beat - **Retro CRT scan‑lines** with chromatic aberration on bass hits - **Audio‑reactive Lissajous curve** trailing across the screen - **Geometric tessellation** that subdivides on transient peaks - **Lava‑lamp blob field** that morphs with the mids Specificity helps. "Slow, hypnotic, mostly dark, single accent color" gets you a different shader than "fast, glitchy, neon, full chaos." Tell the AI what mood you want, not just the geometry. ### The point Most VJ software wants you to pick from a preset library. Visibox lets you describe a visual and have it built on the spot, in the editor, while you watch. With an AI subscription you already pay for and a one‑time setup, your visualizer library stops being a list of someone else's ideas and starts being a list of yours. Connect once at **Settings → Connect to AI Tools…**, then ask for what you want to see. * * * _Want to control more than just visualizers? The same connection lets your AI build effects, arrange songs, swap clips, and run your show in plain English. See [AI Assistants in the Visibox manual](https://manual.spaceage.tv/5.0.0/integrations/ai) for the full picture._ --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/recipe-theater-stage-projections # Recipe: Stage Projections for Theater and Performing Arts > A step-by-step recipe for running projected scenery, video backgrounds, and visual cues in theater productions using Visibox – no cue-list programming required. Recipe: Stage Projections for Theater and Performing Arts Actors perform on stage in front of a video projection. You’ve got a week until opening night. The director wants ocean waves projected behind the shipwreck scene, a sunset that fades during the monologue, and a video montage for intermission. Your options, as you understand them: learn complex cue-based software in five days, or point a laptop at the wall and hit play at roughly the right moment. There’s a third option. This recipe walks you through setting up reliable, triggerable stage projections using Visibox — organized by scene, controlled in real time, and simple enough that your stage manager or a volunteer can run them. * * * ### Ingredients - **Visibox** ([spaceage.tv](https://spaceage.tv)) — free to start, Pro plan opens up all features and unlimited clips - **A laptop** (Mac or Windows) — this will run Visibox and output video to your projector - **Video projector or LED display** — whatever the venue provides for stage projection - **HDMI cable** (or adapter) — to connect the laptop to the projector - **Your visual content** — video backgrounds, still images, title cards, pre-show slides, anything you want projected - **(Optional) Audio connection** — if you want Visibox to play sound effects or underscoring through the house speakers - **(Optional) Camera with USB or HDMI** — for live camera feeds (IMAG for large venues) * * * ### Tools - **Visibox** — used to organize content by scene, trigger playback, and control the projection output - **Computer Keyboard, Stream Deck, or MIDI controller** — whatever your operator will use to trigger cues during the show. Keyboard shortcuts work fine; a Stream Deck adds visual button labels * * * ### Method #### Step 1: Think in scenes, not cue lists Traditional theater projection software asks you to build a sequential cue list — Q1 fires, then Q2, then Q3, in order. That works until the director cuts a scene in tech rehearsal and your cue numbers are suddenly wrong. Visibox works differently. You create **Songs** — but for theater, think of each Song as a **scene** or **act**. Within each Song, you load **Clips** — these are your individual visual cues. You can trigger any Clip at any time, in any order. No cue-list reprogramming when things change. **Set up your Project:** 1. Open Visibox and create a new **Project** for your production. 2. Create a **Song for each scene** (or act, depending on how granular you need). Name them clearly: "Act 1 Scene 1 — The Garden," "Act 1 Scene 2 — The Castle," etc. 3. You can also create Songs for non-scene moments: "Pre-Show," "Intermission," "Curtain Call." #### Step 2: Load your visual content Within each Song (scene), add the visual content you need for that part of the show. 1. **Drag and drop** video files, images, or graphics into the Song. Each becomes a **Clip**. You can also copy media files from the desktop and paste them into a Song in Visibox. 2. **Set end behaviors** for each Clip: - For **looping backgrounds** (ocean waves, starfield, rain): set the Clip to **Loop** so it plays continuously until the operator triggers the next cue. - For **one-shot content** (a lightning flash, a title card): set it to **Freeze** so it plays once and holds on the last frame, or **Stop** to go to black. **Next Clip** will automatically play the next Clip in the current Son. - For **sequences within a scene**: set a Clip to **Cue Next Song** or **Play Next Song** if you want it to automatically advance and either wait (Cue) or start (Play) the first Clip in next scene’s content when it finishes. #### Step 3: Set up your projection output 1. Connect your laptop to the projector or LED wall via HDMI, VGA, DVI, or whatever video connectors are common to your computer and display. 2. In Visibox, go to **Window > Full Screen** (or press the keyboard shortcut) to send the Output to the projector. The Controller window stays on your laptop screen so your operator can see what’s happening. 3. If the projector is rear-mounted or ceiling-mounted, use **Project > Flip** to mirror the image horizontally or vertically. 4. For venues with multiple projectors, Visibox supports **video wall controllers** — a single output split across multiple screens. Configure this under **Project > Video Wall Stretch**. #### Step 4: Trigger cues during the show During the performance, your operator triggers Clips by clicking them in the Controller window. Arrow keys navigate between Songs (scenes), and clicking a Clip plays it — that’s the whole workflow. For a more tactile setup, Visibox also supports **Stream Deck** (labeled buttons with thumbnails — your operator sees exactly what each button does) and **MIDI controllers** (useful if your production already uses MIDI for lighting or sound). But keyboard and mouse work fine. #### Step 5: Rehearse and lock Run a tech rehearsal with your operator triggering cues alongside the cast. Adjust transitions, tweak end behaviors, reorder Clips as needed. When you’re done, save the Project — Visibox remembers everything. Opening night, your operator opens the file and it’s exactly where you left it. * * * ### Serving Suggestions - **The terminology translation.** In Visibox, "Songs" are scenes, "Clips" are cues, and a "Project" is your show. Once you make that mental shift, everything maps naturally to theater workflow. - **Preview before you project.** The Output View in Visibox’s Controller window shows exactly what the audience sees — your operator can verify the next cue wherever they are in the theater. - **Use it for pre-show and intermission too.** Load sponsor logos, program information, or ambient visuals into a "Pre-Show" Song that loops until the house lights dim. You can even add audio-reactive effects triggered by the computer microphone or any audio input. * * * ### What about QLab, ProPresenter, or PowerPoint? QLab is powerful but Mac-only, expensive for video, and built around sequential cue lists. ProPresenter is worship-focused. PowerPoint is a slideshow — you can’t trigger slide 47 instantly when the director calls an audible. If your projections are straightforward backgrounds and cues triggered on demand, Visibox is faster to set up, runs on Mac and Windows, and lets you fire any visual at any time without programming a cue sequence. * * * ### Try It Download Visibox free at [spaceage.tv](https://spaceage.tv) and build a test Project with a few scenes. And be sure to check out the extensive [Visibox manual](https://manual.spaceage.tv) if you need help getting started. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/release-visibox-50 # Release: Visibox 5.0 > Discover Visibox 5.0, the most significant update yet, featuring new creative tools, AI integration, and hardware control for unparalleled visual command. Experience audio-reactive visualizer clips, a redesigned interface, and seamless Stream Deck plugin integration for enhanced performance and creativity. Visibox 5.0 ## What’s New **Visibox 5.0 is the biggest update since launch** — new creative tools, a redesigned interface, AI integration, and hardware control that puts you in command of your visuals like never before. ### New Features - **Audio-Reactive Visualizer Clips** — Add audio-reactive visuals to your set with ISF shader and MilkDrop preset support. Respond to your audio in real time with a curated library of visualizer presets. A dedicated Visualizers Editor lets you browse, create, and edit presets with a live preview and full syntax highlighting. Import thousands of community-built MilkDrop `.milk` and ISF `.isf` presets directly into your library and use them across your projects. - **Effects** — Apply audio-reactive CSS effects to any clip. If you know CSS, you can create Visibox effects! Stack multiple effect layers on a single clip and toggle them individually. A dedicated Effects Editor lets you browse, preview, audition, and apply effects with a live preview. - **Clip & Song Editors** — Right-click any clip or song to open a rich inline editor with sliders, toggles, and instant feedback. Fine-tune volume, speed, loop mode, fit mode, resume behavior, effects, and more. Supports multi-clip editing of properties common to selected clips. - **Stream Deck Plugin** — Native Elgato Stream Deck integration. Install from Settings > Devices. Trigger clips, navigate songs, and control playback with clip thumbnails on trigger buttons. Now you can use the Elgato software to configure your Visibox controls any way you'd like across as many Stream Deck devices as you'd like. - **AI Assistant MCP Server** — AI tool integration for Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code, Zed, Cline, and Gemini CLI. Edit your project, create visualizers, and build effects with AI assistance. Create new visuals or effects, edit your project, even trigger clips - just by talking to the AI assistant. Welcome to the future! 🚀 - **Visibox CLI** — Control Visibox from your terminal. Play, stop, pause, navigate songs, trigger clips, adjust volume, query project state, and edit settings — all from the command line. Supports `--json` output for scripting. - **API & Remote Control** — A full HTTP and WebSocket API for remote project control and editing. Pair devices with secure token-based authentication, trigger clips, edit projects, and manage presets — all from external tools and scripts. - **Color Clips** — The old black-only "Placeholder" clips are now "Color" clips with a built-in color picker, and 12 preset swatches. Apply effects for texture, atmosphere, or audio-reactive backdrops. Use them as blackouts, whiteouts, or add effects to create moody backgrounds. - **Sync to Song Position** — A new resume option for video clips that locks playback to the song timeline. Allows you to start playing a full-song-length video, switch to a camera or HDMI input for the big solo, then switch back to video and it picks up where it would have been if it had continued playing. - **Media Latency Compensation** - A new setting compensates for any time in loading your audio or video by starting it later on its timeline. So if a clip takes 100ms to load, it will start at the 100ms point in the media - "compensating" for this latency - and potentially cutting off the beginning of the media. Note that most cached audio/video media files start with very little latency - and Visibox 5.0 is even more aggressive in its caching strategy. - **Playback Timers** — Elapsed and remaining time displayed on song and clip progress bars. - **Settings Window** — A dedicated settings window with sidebar navigation across Audio, General, Devices, and Language sections. Changes apply instantly. Open with Cmd/Ctrl+Comma. - **New Fit Mode** — Choose how clips fill the output: "Stretch" fills the frame edge-to-edge by distorting the image, while the old "Letterbox" and "Crop" (default) modes stay in place. ### Improvements - **More Responsive** — Projects load sequentially for faster app launch. Triggered clips get priority loading, and, in addition to any activated song, the next song's clips are now pre-cached. - **Window Management** — All windows remember their size, position, and display across restarts. - **Support + Report A Bug Windows** — Updated support window and added a new "Report A Bug" window. - **Project Reliability** — Hardened project saving against data corruption and resource leaks. Better handling of failure recovery when a previously-open project file is missing. * * * Learn all about the new features (and everything else Visibox has to offer) at [manual.spaceage.tv](https://manual.spaceage.tv). --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/creating-motion-graphic-visuals-with-ai-code # How to Create Visuals With AI-Generated Code (No Coding Required) > No coding needed. Use ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini to generate stunning looping visuals with p5.js and Three.js code -- right in your browser. A hands-on guide for musicians, VJs, and creators. CSS-only animation — 10 div elements, ~40 lines of CSS, no JavaScript. Seamless 30-second loop. Generated in a single AI conversation. That's not a framework or a library. It's plain HTML and CSS — the same tools that have been in every browser for decades. A single CSS custom property (`--i`) feeds into a `calc()` expression so one animation rule drives ten different speeds. The AI figured out the technique; you just described what you wanted to see. This is worth keeping in mind as we dig into tools like p5.js and Three.js: a lot can be done with very little. ## Beyond Text-to-Video: Using AI to Write Code That Generates Visuals In our previous article on [creating concert visuals with AI](/news/creating-concert-visuals-with-ai), we looked at text-to-video tools like Sora, Veo, and Runway that generate video clips from written prompts. Those tools are great for creating cinematic, photorealistic content — dreamy landscapes, abstract liquid worlds, cosmic fly-throughs. But there's another approach that's just as powerful and arguably more fun: using AI to _write code_ that generates visuals. You don't need to know how to code. The AI handles that part. You just need to know what you want to see. Some people call this "vibe coding" — describing your vision in plain language and letting the AI figure out the implementation. It's become one of the most popular uses of AI tools, and it turns out it's _perfect_ for creating visuals. Instead of describing a video and waiting for an AI to render it, you describe an animation in conversation and the AI writes a program that creates it — right in your browser, in real time. The results are algorithmic, geometric, and endlessly customizable. Think pulsing grids, spiraling particles, morphing shapes, generative patterns, and Op Art-style optical illusions. This is AI-assisted creative coding — and it's how we created our [Op Art Video Pack](/video-packs/visibox-op-art-video-pack-1). New to Visibox? It's software for playing visuals at live shows, and every loop in this guide ends up in it. See [how to choose concert visuals software](/concert-visuals-software), or [what you can do for free](/free-vj-software). ## Why Use AI-Generated Code for Visuals? Before we dig into the tools, it's worth understanding why you might choose this approach over text-to-video generation: - **Perfect loops.** Code-based animations can be designed to loop seamlessly from the start. No crossfade tricks needed — the math just works. - **Infinite variations.** Change a color, a speed, a shape, a parameter — and you've got a completely different visual. One prompt can spawn dozens of unique loops. - **It's addictive.** Seriously. Once you start saying "now make it spiral" and watching the AI rewrite the code in real time, you'll lose an afternoon. ### Code-Generated vs. Text-to-Video AI: When to Use Which If you've read our [previous article on AI-generated visuals](/news/creating-concert-visuals-with-ai), you might wonder when to use which approach. Here's a quick comparison: Text-to-Video AI (Sora, Runway, Veo) AI Code Generation (This Article) **Best for** Cinematic, organic, photorealistic imagery Geometric, algorithmic, pattern-based visuals **Looping** Requires editing tricks or special tools Mathematically seamless by design **Customization** Re-generate from scratch each time Change one parameter, get a new variation **File size** Large (complex video data) Small (clean, compressible motion) **Setup** Cloud service account + credits Free AI chatbot in your browser **Style** Dreamy, surreal, photographic Precise, geometric, Op Art ## AI Tools That Write Visual Code The major AI chatbots now include live code preview features — the tools that make vibe coding possible. You type what you want, and they generate HTML, CSS, and JavaScript that you can see running instantly. Here's what's available. ### Claude (Artifacts) Anthropic's Claude has a feature called Artifacts that opens a side panel next to your conversation. When you ask Claude to write visual code, it renders the result right there — you get a live, interactive preview alongside the code. Ask for changes ("make the colors warmer," "slow down the rotation," "add more particles") and the preview updates immediately. Claude tends to write clean, well-structured code and handles creative coding prompts particularly well. It works great with p5.js, Three.js, the Canvas API, and CSS animations — all loaded via CDN links within a single HTML file. Free and paid tiers both support Artifacts. Available at [claude.ai](https://claude.ai). ### ChatGPT (Canvas) OpenAI's ChatGPT has Canvas, a similar side-panel workspace that can render HTML and JavaScript in real time. You can ask it to generate a p5.js sketch, a Three.js scene, or a vanilla JavaScript animation, and Canvas shows you the live output. Iterate through conversation, just like with Claude. Canvas runs on a sandboxed environment and supports external libraries via CDN. It's included with both free and paid ChatGPT plans, though paid users get access to more capable models for complex code generation. Available at [chatgpt.com](https://chatgpt.com). ### Google Gemini (Canvas & AI Studio) Google's Gemini also has a Canvas feature that generates and previews code in a side panel — similar functionality to Claude Artifacts and ChatGPT Canvas. It's free for all Gemini users and supports HTML, CSS, and JavaScript with live preview. For more ambitious projects, Google's AI Studio has a "Build Mode" that can generate complete web apps from natural language descriptions, with a live preview and one-click deploy. It's overkill for a simple animation loop, but if you want to build an interactive visual instrument or a generative art gallery, it's worth exploring. Available at [gemini.google.com](https://gemini.google.com) and [aistudio.google.com](https://aistudio.google.com). ### Other Options For more advanced workflows, AI-powered code editors like **Cursor** and **Windsurf** offer full development environments with AI built in, and web-based tools like **v0**, **Bolt.new**, and **p5js.ai** can also generate visual code with live preview. ## Creative Coding Libraries: p5.js, Three.js, and More You don't need to understand these deeply — the AI will write the code for you — but it helps to know what to ask for: - **Plain HTML & CSS** — Don't overlook the browser's own animation system. The example above was built with it. CSS `@keyframes`, custom properties, and `calc()` can produce complex geometric animations with no JavaScript at all. Ask your AI for a "CSS-only animation" before reaching for a library — you may not need one. - **p5.js** — The go-to library for creative coding on the web. Originally designed for artists and designers, it's perfect for 2D generative art: particle systems, flow fields, geometric patterns, noise-based visuals. When in doubt, ask the AI for a p5.js sketch. It's the easiest path to something beautiful. - **Three.js** — The standard for 3D on the web. If you want rotating 3D objects, volumetric lighting, camera fly-throughs, or anything with depth, ask for Three.js. It works in all the AI chatbot sandboxes via CDN. - **Other options** — The browser's built-in **Canvas API** and **CSS/SVG animations** work without any libraries. **GSAP** is great for timeline-based sequencing. And for advanced GPU-accelerated effects (think Shadertoy), ask the AI for a **GLSL fragment shader** — the code is more complex, but the results are stunning. ## Getting Started: Create Your First AI-Generated Visual Loop Here's a practical walkthrough. Open any of the AI chatbots mentioned above and try a prompt like this: > Create a p5.js sketch of concentric circles that pulse and rotate slowly. Use a dark background with bright, saturated colors. Make it loop seamlessly. You'll get a live preview of an animation in seconds. From there, start iterating: - "Make the circles thinner and add more of them" - "Use a color palette of deep purple, electric blue, and hot pink" - "Add a subtle wobble to the rotation" - "Speed it up slightly" - "Now make a variation with squares instead of circles" Each change takes seconds. In 15 minutes you can have a dozen unique loops. ### The Preamble: Setting the AI Up for Success AI chatbots are general-purpose tools. Left to their own devices, they might give you a tiny canvas, add UI controls you don't need, or create an animation that doesn't loop cleanly. You can avoid most of these issues by front-loading your first prompt with a few lines of context that tell the AI what kind of output you're after. Here's a preamble you can paste at the start of any visual-generation conversation: > I want to create looping visual animations for live performance. For every visual you create, follow these rules: > > - Use p5.js loaded via CDN in a single HTML file > - Make the canvas fill the entire browser window and resize responsively > - Use a dark or black background > - All motion should loop seamlessly using time-based math (sin, cos, modulo) — not frame counting > - Do not add any UI controls, text overlays, buttons, or sliders — just the visual > - Keep the animation smooth at 60fps > - Use bold, saturated colors unless I say otherwise After that, every prompt in the conversation can be short and creative — the AI already knows the format you want. Just say "spiraling hexagons with a rainbow trail" and you'll get exactly that, full-screen, looping, ready to record. You can adjust the preamble to taste. Want Three.js instead of p5.js? Swap it in. Prefer white backgrounds? Change the line. The point is to establish the rules once so you don't have to repeat them every time. **Tip:** If you're using Claude, you can save this preamble as a "Project" instruction so it's automatically included in every conversation. ChatGPT has a similar "Custom Instructions" feature in settings. This way you just open a new chat and start prompting visuals immediately. ### Prompting Tips for AI Creative Coding With the preamble handling the technical setup, your creative prompts can focus entirely on _what you want to see_: - **Describe the motion, not just the shape.** "Rotating hexagons" is okay. "Hexagons that slowly rotate and scale in a breathing pattern, with a trail effect" is much better. - **Mention the mood.** "Hypnotic," "minimal," "psychedelic," "calm," "aggressive" — these words guide color choices, speed, and complexity. - **Reference real things.** "Like a kaleidoscope," "like cells under a microscope," "like rain on a window" — analogies give the AI a visual target that's more effective than abstract descriptions. - **Specify a color palette.** The AI will pick colors if you don't, but they're often generic. "Use only cyan and magenta on black" or "warm sunset tones" gives you something with real character. - **Iterate in small steps.** Don't try to describe your perfect visual in one prompt. Start simple, then refine. It's faster and more fun. - **Ask for variations.** Once you have something you like, say "create 3 variations of this with different color palettes" or "make a version that's more minimal." This is one of the fastest ways to build a visual library. - **Switch technologies mid-conversation.** If a p5.js sketch isn't giving you the look you want, try saying "rebuild this concept in Three.js with a 3D perspective" — sometimes a different rendering approach transforms the result. ### Starter Prompts If you need a jumping-off point, here are prompts that reliably produce great results. Paste your preamble first, then try any of these: **Op Art & Geometric** - "Rotating concentric rings with alternating black and white segments that create a Moire interference pattern" - "Concentric polygons that alternate between expanding and contracting, each slightly out of phase with the next" **Particles & Flow** - "Hundreds of small particles flowing along invisible curves, like smoke caught in a gentle wind. Particles should fade in and out." - "A starfield that drifts forward slowly, like flying through space. Stars should vary in size and brightness." **Organic & Natural** - "Overlapping sine waves that drift across the screen like an aurora borealis, with shifting green and purple hues" - "Concentric ripples expanding outward from random points, like raindrops on still water" **3D & Perspective** (ask for Three.js for these) - "A slowly rotating wireframe torus knot with glowing edges against a black background, rendered in Three.js" - "A tunnel made of rotating geometric shapes that the camera slowly flies through. Three.js." **Abstract & Psychedelic** - "A morphing blob shape with smooth noise displacement, cycling through iridescent colors" - "Layered translucent shapes that drift and overlap, creating new colors where they intersect" ## How to Capture AI-Generated Visuals as Video Files Once you've created something you love in your browser, you need to capture it as a video file so you can use it in Visibox (or wherever else). There are several approaches. ### Screen Recording The simplest method: make your animation full-screen in the browser (F11 on most browsers) and record your screen. - **Mac:** Use the built-in screen recording (Cmd+Shift+5) for quick captures, or **OBS Studio** (free) for full control over framerate, format, and encoding. - **Windows:** Use **Xbox Game Bar** (Win+G) for quick captures, or **OBS Studio** for serious work with 60fps and format options. ### In-Browser Capture (The Pro Move) If you want pixel-perfect output without any screen recording artifacts, you can capture frames directly from the browser's canvas element. This is more technical, but the AI can help you set it up: - **CCapture.js** — A JavaScript library that hooks into your animation loop and captures every frame at a fixed framerate, regardless of how fast (or slow) your animation actually renders. This means you get buttery-smooth output even from complex scenes. Ask the AI: "Add CCapture.js to this sketch to export it as a WebM video at 60fps." - **MediaRecorder API** — A built-in browser API that can record a canvas element's output directly. Ask the AI: "Add a record button that captures this canvas animation as a WebM file." ### Tips for Clean Captures - **Record at 60fps** if your playback system supports it. The smooth motion makes a big difference with algorithmic visuals. - **Match your target resolution.** If you're outputting to a 1080p projector, size your browser window (or set your canvas) to 1920x1080 before recording. - **Record longer than you need.** Capture 30-60 seconds even if your loop is only 10 seconds. You can trim in a video editor and pick the cleanest section. - **Close other applications** while recording to avoid dropped frames. - **Use H.264 encoding** for your final files. It's universally compatible and what Visibox (and most playback software) handles best. OBS can record directly to H.264/MP4. ## Using Your AI-Generated Loops in Visibox Once you've captured your loops as video files, getting them into Visibox is the easy part — just drag and drop. A few things to keep in mind: - **Test your loops.** Play them in Visibox with [looping enabled](https://manual.spaceage.tv/5.0.0/adding-clips/#clip-end-behaviors) and watch the transition point. Code-generated visuals usually loop more cleanly than AI-generated video, but it's always worth checking. - **Use Visibox's effects.** Our [Op Art Video Pack](/video-packs/visibox-op-art-video-pack-1) ships with 24 loops, but Visibox's built-in [color filters, flip, and rotate](https://manual.spaceage.tv/5.0.0/adding-clips/#rotate-and-flip) effects multiply those into hundreds of variations. The same trick works with your AI-generated content. - **Build a library.** Every prompt session can produce a handful of unique loops. Over time, you'll build a personal visual library that's completely original to you. Or skip the capture step: in Visibox, an AI assistant can [write an audio-reactive visualizer](/ai-music-visualizer) that plays live and reacts to your music. ## Wrap Up The best part of this approach is that it feels less like "AI made this" and more like "I designed this with a very fast assistant." Download our free [Op Art Video Pack](/video-packs/visibox-op-art-video-pack-1) to see what's possible, then open Claude, ChatGPT, or Gemini and try creating your own. And when you're ready to perform with them, [Visibox](/) makes it effortless. * * * ## Frequently Asked Questions **Do I need to know how to code?** No. That's the whole point. The AI writes the code; you describe what you want to see in plain English. You'll pick up some terminology along the way (like knowing to ask for "p5.js" or "Three.js"), but you never need to edit code directly. **Which AI chatbot is best for generating visual code?** All three major options — Claude, ChatGPT, and Gemini — can generate visual code with live preview. Claude tends to produce particularly clean creative coding output, but ChatGPT and Gemini are both very capable. Try all three and see which clicks with your workflow. They're all free to start. **Can I use these visuals commercially?** Generally yes. The code these AI tools generate is original (it's not copying existing code), and the visual output is determined by mathematical functions, not trained imagery. Check each tool's terms of service for specifics, but in practice, you own the output and can use it in performances, video packs, or anywhere else. **What resolution should I capture at?** 1080p (1920x1080) is the sweet spot for most live performance setups. Many projectors and LED walls don't exceed this resolution, and the files stay manageable. If you need 4K, set your canvas size accordingly before recording. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/visual-remixing-brian-hardgoove-public-enemy-interview-namm-2026 # Visually Remixing a Conversation: Visibox as a Visual Sample Player at NAMM 2026 > How we used Visibox as a video soundboard for a live interview with Public Enemy's Brian Hardgroove at NAMM 2026 triggering visuals reactively like a DJ triggers samples _How we turned an interview with Public Enemy's Brian Hardgroove into an improvisational multimedia mashup_ --- Visually Remixing a Conversation: Visibox as a Visual Sample Player at NAMM 2026 Public Enemy’s Brian Hardgroove taking questions at NAMM 2026. --- Last week at NAMM 2026, we did something we'd never tried before with Visibox: we used it as a **video soundboard** for a live interview. Brian Hardgroove—bassist and bandleader for Public Enemy, producer, and longtime NAMM presenter—sat down for a conversation on stage. As he talked about his career, his collaborations, his journey from Hollis, Queens to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, we had a massive palette of visual content ready to trigger at any moment: archival photos, video clips, album covers, tour footage, images of collaborators. When Brian mentioned working with Slash on his first solo record? We pulled up a photo. When he talked about Public Enemy's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Video clip. When he discussed his immersive audio work with Sennheiser? Up came the NAMM panel footage. **This wasn't a slideshow.** There was no predetermined sequence. It was reactive, improvisational, conversational—triggered live in response to where the discussion went. We were treating video clips and images the way a DJ treats a sample library: cueing them up, triggering them on demand, mixing them into the flow of the moment. We were **visually remixing the conversation**. --- ## The Concept: A Visual Sample Player If you've ever watched a podcast or livestream, you're familiar with audio soundboards—tools that let hosts trigger sound effects, intro music, or funny clips with the press of a button. But what about the **video equivalent**? That's the space we wanted to explore. Something that lets you trigger visual content reactively, jump to any clip instantly, and respond to conversational flow rather than following a predetermined sequence. Traditional presentation tools assume linear structure. VJ software offers incredible power but is designed for concerts—beat-synced visuals, effects chains, projection mapping. Overkill for an interview. What we needed was something in between: **the reactive triggering of VJ software with the simplicity of a sample player**. That's where Visibox came in. Using a Stream Deck XL as our control surface, we organized dozens of clips across multiple Songs in Visibox—each Song focused on a specific area of Brian's career: Public Enemy era, production work, technology advocacy, personal history. Photos, video clips, album covers, each mapped to a button. When Brian mentioned a collaborator or milestone, we could glance down and trigger the relevant visual instantly. And when the conversation jumped to an unexpected topic, Visibox's Find feature let us type a few letters to jump to any Song or Clip immediately—no scrolling, no hunting through folders. The latency was measured in milliseconds. It felt like **playing an instrument**. And that's the point. --- ## Why Brian Hardgroove Was the Perfect Subject This approach wouldn't work for every interview. It worked spectacularly for Brian because of who he is and what he represents. **A career built on remix culture.** Brian is a member of Public Enemy—a group whose sonic identity was forged by the Bomb Squad's revolutionary production approach. They built dense, powerful soundscapes by recontextualizing everything: James Brown breaks, sirens, speeches, news broadcasts. They took existing media and remixed it into something new. Using Visibox to trigger archival footage during his interview placed us squarely in that tradition. We were remixing his life, his collaborations, his history—recombining it live in response to his words. **A multimedia life.** Brian's career spans Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction with Public Enemy, Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, production work for Burning Spear and Slash, NAMM keynote panels on immersive audio, partnerships with Sennheiser on spatial audio. Every phase had visual documentation. We weren't struggling to find content—we were curating from abundance. **A technology advocate who gets it.** When we explained the Visibox setup before the interview, Brian's response was immediate enthusiasm. He understood what we were trying to do, and he leaned into it. He spoke in a way that invited visual illustration. He treated the visual palette as part of the performance. That collaborative energy made the whole thing work. --- ## Beyond Interviews: Where Else Could This Work? The NAMM interview was a proof of concept, but the applications extend far beyond music industry conversations. Podcasters triggering B-roll and sponsor creative. Conference speakers jumping to demos based on Q&A. Educators pulling up examples the moment they become relevant. Streamers extending their audio soundboards into video. Anywhere you're presenting live and want to respond to the moment rather than follow a script, this approach applies. --- ## Simplicity Enables Improvisation There's a reason we chose Visibox for this instead of traditional VJ software. Those tools are incredibly powerful, but their complexity works against the kind of reactive, conversational flow we wanted. Visibox's design philosophy is simplicity as a creative enabler. The interface is clean. The MIDI mapping is instant. You don't need to understand effects chains or projection mapping. You just load media, assign triggers, and play. That simplicity creates headspace for improvisation. During the Hardgroove interview, we weren't thinking about technical operations. We were listening to the conversation and responding with visuals. That's only possible when the tool gets out of the way. --- ## A New Way to Think About Presentations The most exciting takeaway wasn't technical—it was conceptual. We've spent years thinking about Visibox primarily as VJ software for concerts and live music. But framing it as a **visual sample player for conversations and presentations** opens up entirely new possibilities. Podcasters, educators, corporate presenters, conference speakers—these folks aren't looking for VJ software. But they understand remix culture. They've seen mashups. They've watched video essays that weave together clips from dozens of sources. Visibox gives them the tools to do that live, in real time, as a performance. Brian Hardgroove's career started in hip-hop, a genre built on remix culture. It feels right that we used his interview to demonstrate visual remixing as a new approach to live presentation. The tools we use shape how we create. Give someone a sample player and they make beats. Give them a visual sample player and they make something new. A live mashup. A real-time collage. A conversation remixed. --- _Want to try this approach yourself? We're working on a step-by-step guide covering how to build your own visual palette, organize clips for reactive triggering, and set up Stream Deck or MIDI control. Stay tuned._ **Visit [spaceage.tv](/) to download Visibox and try it for free.** --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/release-visibox-4-4 # Release: Visibox 4.4 > Song & Clip search, a MIDI Monitor window, and many other improvements to help you find, monitor, inspect, and select! Release: Visibox 4.4 ## What's New This new release is all about detective work! Search, monitor, inspect, select - basically CSI: Live Visuals. Find your clips, watch your MIDI, and light up your controllers. ### ⚠️ macOS Requirement Update - **macOS 12 (Monterey) or later is now required** — We have dropped support for macOS 11 (Big Sur) and earlier. While this version of Visibox may work with those versions, we are no longer supporting those versions of macOS, and you may experience problems. This does not affect Windows users. ### New Features - 🔎 **Song & Clip Search** — Quickly find and navigate to any Song or Clip using the new search box in the control bar, with fuzzy matching and keyboard navigation. Quickly activate, scroll to, or trigger right from the search results. - 🎹 **MIDI Monitor Window** — A new dedicated window for real-time MIDI message inspection, making it easier to troubleshoot and configure your MIDI setup - 💡 **MIDI Feedback** — Your MIDI controllers can now receive feedback from Visibox, allowing LED indicators to show Clip status - → **Select All by Type** — New menu options to select all clips of a given type in order to change their options en masse ### Improvements - **Better macOS 26 Support** — Even more stable on macOS Tahoe - **Clip Navigation** — Next/previous clip navigation now correctly respects your active song selection - **Window Menu** — Projects now display with state indicators in the Window menu - **Clip Tooltips** — Optimized clip variants now show metadata in tooltips ### Stability & Performance - Improved handling of uncached video clips during resume and restart - Resolved a problem where multiple clips might start if triggered at the same time --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/inside-visibox-complete-interface-tour-tutorial # Inside Visibox: Complete Interface Tour & Tutorial > Your complete guide to Visibox. Learn how to trigger visuals with MIDI, Stream Deck, and keyboard shortcuts, manage multi-channel audio, and master every feature for flawless live performances. [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKZ6XSVQsYs) **Complete walkthrough of Visibox, the audiovisual performance environment for live shows, installations, and presentations.** In this comprehensive tutorial, we explore every window, menu, and feature in Visibox. Whether you're a musician adding visuals to your live performance, an artist creating installations, or a presenter looking for powerful playback software, this guide covers everything you need to know. **What you'll learn:** - Output window basics and full-screen presentation - Controller window and playlist navigation - Triggering clips with keyboard, MIDI, and Stream Deck - Background clips and audio controls - Multi-channel audio setup for backing tracks - Camera and HDMI input integration - MIDI mapping and configuration - Project management and file organization - Video wall and aspect ratio controls - Optimization and media management **Key Features Covered:** - Play videos, images, cameras, and multi-channel audio - Cross-platform compatibility (Mac & Windows) - Stream Deck integration for live performance - MIDI control with program change support - Portable project files between computers - Video wall stretch correction - Custom aspect ratios and rounded corners - Print-ready setlists --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/school-concert-backing-tracks-guide # School Concert Backing Tracks & Visuals: A Music Teacher's Guide > Struggling with backing tracks and visuals at school concerts? Learn how to simplify tech for parent volunteers and focus on your students, not troubleshooting. School Concert Backing Tracks & Visuals: A Music Teacher's Guide It's 6:47 PM. The winter concert starts in thirteen minutes. You've got forty-three students in holiday sweaters lined up backstage, a parent volunteer who just asked which button starts the music, and your phone is buzzing with a text that says "the projector's showing a blue screen." Sound familiar? If you're a music teacher or performing arts director, you know that school concerts come with a unique kind of stress. It's not just about preparing the students—it's about coordinating the technical elements that bring a performance together. Backing tracks need to start at exactly the right moment. Visuals need to cue on time. And somehow, you're expected to conduct, troubleshoot, and reassure nervous performers all at once. Here's the good news: with a little preparation and the right tools, you can create polished, professional-feeling school concerts, choir performances, and musicals without the backstage chaos. ### Running Backing Tracks at School Concerts: The Challenge In a professional production, there's a dedicated sound engineer, a lighting technician, and a stage manager cueing everything. In a school setting? That's often one person—you—plus a helpful parent who's never touched a sound board. This creates predictable problems: **The Cue Catastrophe.** Someone clicks the wrong track. The backing music for "Winter Wonderland" starts during the fifth-grade recorder ensemble's performance of "Jingle Bells." Now you're scrambling to stop it while maintaining your encouraging smile toward thirty confused students. **The Visual Void.** You wanted to display lyrics on screen during the sing-along, but switching between your music player and PowerPoint means awkward gaps while you alt-tab between windows. **The Volunteer Variable.** Your tech volunteer is enthusiastic but untrained. You've given them a sticky-note covered laptop with instructions like "click the green play button on track 3 when I point at you." You spend half the concert watching them instead of your students. ### Backing Track Software That Simplifies School Concerts The simplest fix is consolidating everything into one place. Instead of juggling a music player, a slideshow app, and a folder full of files, use software that keeps your audio and visuals together. [Visibox](/) was built for exactly this. You create a setlist where each song contains its backing track and any visuals you want displayed—a background image, lyrics, or even video. Your volunteer's job becomes dead simple: click to start the next song. That's it. A few things that make this work well for schools: **No auto-advance surprises.** Unlike most media players, Visibox waits for you to trigger each song. The next track won't accidentally start while students are still shuffling into position. You control the pace. **Audio and visuals stay paired.** Want a starry background during "Twinkle Twinkle" and lyrics on screen for the sing-along? Each song remembers its own visual. No switching apps, no hunting for files. **Simple hardware.** Connect your laptop's audio output to the PA system (or just the room's speakers for smaller venues), run an HDMI cable to the projector, and you're set. No audio interfaces or special equipment required. ### Add Live Video: Put Your Soloists on the Big Screen Here's an idea that takes a concert from "nice" to "wow": set up a camera near the microphone where soloists perform, and display their face on the projector while they sing. Parents in the back row suddenly have a front-row view. The student feels like a star. And Visibox can switch between your camera feed and other visuals as part of the setlist—so you're not fumbling with video sources mid-concert. This setup works especially well for: - Talent shows with individual acts - Musical theater solos - Student emcees or narrators - Award presentations ### School Concert Tech Setup: What You Need **What you need:** - A laptop (Windows or Mac) - An HDMI cable to a projector or large display - A connection to the PA system (headphone jack to the sound board works fine) - Optional: a USB webcam or camera for live video **Before the concert:** - Build your setlist in order, with each song's backing track and visual - Test audio through the PA and visuals on the projector - Run through at least one transition with your volunteer - Establish a simple hand signal for "go" ### The Payoff There's a moment during every school concert—usually around the third song—when a music teacher either relaxes or starts counting down the minutes until it's over. When the technical side runs smoothly, you get to actually watch your students perform. You notice how far they've come. You see the proud faces in the audience. You feel the satisfaction of months of preparation coming together. That's the real goal. Not flashy technology for its own sake, but reliable, invisible technology that lets everyone focus on what matters: the music. ### Try Visibox Free for Your Next School Concert [Download Visibox free](https://spaceage.tv#download) and build a test concert with your setlist. The free version handles small performances, so you can see if this approach works for your choir concert, band performance, or school musical before committing any budget. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/next-week-at-namm-live-video-sampling-with-brian-hardgroove # Next Week at NAMM: Live Video Sampling with Brian Hardgroove > Visibox as a video soundboard with Public Enemy’s Brian Hardgroove at NAMM Next Week at NAMM: Live Video Sampling with Brian Hardgroove **Spaceage.tv founder Jeff Robbins is heading to NAMM 2025 to demonstrate a new way of thinking about visual performance—treating video like samples.** At this year's show, Jeff will be running live visuals for an interview with Brian Hardgroove, longtime bassist, drummer, and music director for Public Enemy. Instead of a traditional slide deck or pre-programmed video sequence, he'll be triggering clips, photos, and archival footage in real-time using Visibox and a Stream Deck XL—responding to the conversation as it unfolds. Think of it as an improvisational video soundboard. ### What we're testing The setup is simple: a curated library of visual content from Brian's career—performance footage, studio sessions, photos with collaborators, album artwork—mapped to physical buttons. When a topic comes up in conversation, the relevant visual appears. No clicking through slides. No timeline to follow. Just reactive, improvisational visual storytelling. It's the same approach podcasters use with audio soundboards, applied to video. ### Why this matters We've always thought of Visibox as musical performance software, but this collaboration is pushing us to think bigger. The same low-latency triggering that makes Visibox work for live music performances turns out to be perfect for interviews, presentations, and any situation where you want to respond visually to what's happening in the moment. We'll be sharing a full write-up after NAMM with details on the setup, what worked, and lessons learned. For now, if you're at the show, come find us. **NAMM 2026 runs January 22-24 in Anaheim, CA.** --- _Want to try video sampling yourself? Download Visibox at [spaceage.tv](/)._ --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/visibox-2025-year-in-review # Visibox 2025 Year In Review > 20 releases, a free plan, multichannel audio, media optimization, and 7 languages. See what made this Visibox's biggest year yet. Visibox 2025 Year In Review ## A Breakout Year for Visibox **2025 has been transformational for Visibox**—the live performance visual software evolved from a solid professional tool into a comprehensive, globally accessible platform. This year brought **eight major releases** (versions 3.2 through 4.2), a groundbreaking **free tier launch**, support for **7 languages**, and powerful new capabilities including **multichannel audio and video**, **media optimization**, **an updated, searchable [manual](https://manual.spaceage.tv)**, and a new **perpetual licensing option**. **Highlights at a glance:** - Visibox 4.0 introduced a **free plan**—making professional live visuals accessible to everyone - Full **multichannel audio support** for backing tracks and in-ear mixes - 4.1 introduced a **media management and optimization** screen to ensure your visuals perform smoothly. - New **AI visuals guide** covering Sora, Veo, Runway, and more - **Japanese, Korean, and Italian** translations join the language lineup - **macOS 26 compatibility** and new Perpetual License option in v4.1 --- ## Individual Post Highlights ### December 2025 **[Release: Visibox 4.2](/news/release-visibox-42)** — _December 24, 2025_ - Modernized playback system delivers smoother, more reliable performance - New performance monitoring tools help troubleshoot issues in real-time - Refined UI enhancements for an even cleaner stage-side experience - A fitting year-end release that polishes the platform **[Recipe: Multichannel Backing Tracks For Your Next Performance](/news/recipe-multichannel-backing-tracks-for-your-next-performance)** — _December 11, 2025_ - Step-by-step walkthrough for preparing audio stems in your DAW - Covers audio interface configuration and multitrack routing - Perfect for bands using click tracks, in-ear mixes, and backing vocals - Practical, gig-ready guidance for any performer --- ### November 2025 **[Media Optimization In Visibox](/news/media-optimization-in-visibox)** — _November 3, 2025_ - Deep dive into Visibox's built-in optimization tools - Learn to prevent glitches and ensure smooth playback during shows - Essential reading for performers who prioritize reliability --- ### October 2025 **[Release: Visibox 4.1](/news/release-visibox-4-1)** — _October 15, 2025_ - **Merge audio stems directly into video files**—a workflow game-changer - Introduced **Perpetual License support** for users who prefer one-time purchases - Full **macOS 26 compatibility** ensures future-readiness - Streamlined audio/video integration for touring professionals --- ### September 2025 **[Release: Visibox 4.0](/news/release-visibox-4)** — _September 8, 2025_ _⭐ Flagship release of the year_ - **Free Plan launched**—core features now available at no cost - 14-day Pro trial remains for testing advanced capabilities - Added **Japanese 🇯🇵, Korean 🇰🇷, and Italian 🇮🇹** translations - Now supports 7 languages total (English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean) - Major milestone: professional live visuals now accessible to every performer, anywhere --- ### July 2025 **[Creating Concert Visuals With AI](/news/creating-concert-visuals-with-ai)** — _July 28, 2025_ _⭐ Comprehensive how-to guide_ - In-depth exploration of AI video generation tools for performers - Covers **OpenAI Sora**, **Google Veo**, **Runway ML**, and **Microsoft Bing Video Creator** - Practical tips on prompt writing for "vibey" ambient loops - Guidance on creating seamless loops and animating still images - Addresses copyright and licensing considerations for AI-generated content - Essential resource as AI transforms creative workflows **[Release: Visibox 3.6](/news/release-visibox-36)** — _July 25, 2025_ - New **Media Management overlay** for organizing project files - **Custom thumbnail uploads** for personalized clip previews - Built-in **Drive Speed Test** to verify storage performance - Improved media conversion speeds and MIDI efficiency - Fixed audio progress bar issues and Play menu bugs **[Multichannel Backing Tracks In 3.5](/news/multichannel-backing-tracks)** — _July 15, 2025_ - Explains multichannel audio capabilities introduced in v3.5 - Covers live sound setups, in-ear monitors, and immersive art installations - Shows how Visibox simplifies stem file merging for multitrack playback **[Release: Visibox 3.5](/news/release-visibox-3-5)** — _July 1, 2025_ _⭐ Major audio feature release_ - **Multichannel audio playback** supporting up to 8 channels - **Automatic stem combining**—add multiple audio files and Visibox merges them - Create separate outputs for click tracks, in-ear mixes, front-of-house, and more - New **interactive searchable manual** at manual.spaceage.tv - Integrated **support form** for faster troubleshooting - Mac system setting checks during launch with auto-fix options - New "Duplicate As Project Background" clip option --- ### May 2025 **[Release: Visibox 3.4](/news/release-visibox-3-4)** — _May 19, 2025_ - **Clip Fade In/Out** exits beta—crossfade clips seamlessly - New **Update Window** shows upcoming features before updating - Added support for **Stream Deck Mini, Stream Deck +**, and newer devices - Various fixes and improvements **[Oscilloscope Visuals + Modular Synths = Tristan Bres' Setup](/news/oscilloscope-visuals-modular-synths-tristan-bres-setup)** — _May 6, 2025_ - Artist interview featuring French electronic composer Tristan Bres - Explores his unique blend of analog gear, modular synths, and real-time camera feeds - Demonstrates Visibox's flexibility for improvisational, organic visual performances - Inspiring case study for experimental performers --- ### April 2025 **[Optimize Your Computer for Live Performance](/news/optimize-computer-live-performance)** — _April 17, 2025_ - Comprehensive guide for preparing Mac or Windows systems for shows - Tips to avoid technical hiccups and ensure flawless playback - Must-read for anyone gigging with Visibox **[Visibox Office Hours on Discord](/news/visibox-office-hours-on-discord)** — _April 1, 2025_ - Launched monthly community sessions on Discord - Held the **first Monday of every month** - Bring questions, share ideas, connect with the global Visibox community - Direct access to developers and fellow creators --- ### February 2025 **[Ableton Live Concert Visuals With Visibox](/news/ableton-live-concert-visuals-with-visibox)** — _February 18, 2025_ - Recipe for combining Ableton Live's audio capabilities with Visibox visuals - Create synchronized audiovisual performances - Perfect for electronic musicians and producers **[Release: Visibox 3.3](/news/release-visibox-3-3)** — _February 7, 2025_ - Added **custom Song Program Identifiers** for MIDI Program Change messages - Enhanced MIDI control flexibility for complex setups - Additional improvements and refinements --- ### January 2025 **[Release: Visibox 3.2](/news/release-visibox-3-2)** — _January 6, 2025_ - **Output View in Preview Pane**—see what the audience sees from the Controller Window - **Launch At Login & Launch Full Screen** options for streamlined show starts - **Automatic backups** protect your projects - Strong start to the year with workflow-enhancing features --- ## Quick Stats: 2025 by the Numbers Category Count Total 2025 posts 16 Software releases 20 How-to guides/recipes 5 Feature deep-dives 2 --- ## Key Themes of 2025 **Accessibility**: The free plan launch democratized professional live visuals—anyone can now create immersive shows without upfront cost. **Audio Evolution**: Multichannel audio and stem merging transformed Visibox into a complete audiovisual solution for touring performers. **Global Reach**: Seven-language support opens doors to performers worldwide. **AI Integration**: The comprehensive AI visuals guide positions Visibox users at the forefront of creative technology adoption. **Community Focus**: Monthly Discord Office Hours and improved documentation strengthen the user community. --- _For the latest updates, visit [spaceage.tv/news](/news) or join the [mailing list](/mailinglist)._ --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/release-visibox-42 # Release: Visibox 4.2 > Modernized playback system, powerful performance monitoring tools, and UI enhancements. Release: Visibox 4.2 ## What's New This release delivers a modernized playback system, powerful performance monitoring tools, and UI enhancements that make Visibox more responsive and transparent about what's happening under the hood. ### ✨ New Features - 📊 **Resource Meter in Control Bar** — Monitor your computer's CPU usage at a glance. The meter displays both system-wide CPU load and Visibox's resource consumption, with color indicators that warn when usage gets high. - ▶️ **Background Clip in Control Bar** — Add/remove/change Background Clips directly from the Control Bar. See your background clip thumbnail with play/pause feedback, and click for quick access to clip options. - 💬 **Improved Tooltip System** — Tooltips now have instant appearance and consistent styling across Mac and Windows. They update dynamically while hovering (useful for live CPU stats) and appear instantly when exploring multiple elements in sequence. ### ⚡ Improvements - **Updated Playback Engine** — Overhauled the core playback system for smoother performance, reduced latency, and improved reliability when handling multiple media sources simultaneously. - **Audio Meter Precision** — Switched from peak detection to RMS (Root Mean Square) dBFS for more accurate audio level monitoring. ### 🐛 Bug Fixes - **Inactive Project Cleanup** — Background clips in inactive projects now properly stop when switching projects. - **Clip Selection State** — Corrected incorrect clip selected state display in the Preview window. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/recipe-multichannel-backing-tracks-for-your-next-performance # Recipe: Multichannel Backing Tracks For Your Next Performance > This step-by-step recipe shows you how to prepare stems in your DAW, configure your audio interface, and route multitrack audio for your next show. Recipe: Multichannel Backing Tracks For Your Next Performance Creating multichannel backing tracks lets you deliver click tracks to performers, send customized mixes to in‑ear monitors and front‑of‑house, and play along with stems and video in perfect sync. Visibox (3.5 and later) includes built‑in support for multichannel audio and automatic stem combining, making it easy to prepare and perform with multitrack mixes. This recipe shows how to prepare stems in your digital audio workstation (DAW), configure your audio interface, combine stems into a multichannel file in Visibox, and switch Visibox into **Multichannel** mode so that each stem emerges on its own output. ## Ingredients - **Visibox 3.5 or later** – version 3.5 introduced multichannel playback and automatic stem merging. - **Multichannel audio interface** (Mac or Windows) – the interface needs enough outputs for your mix. Visibox can route up to eight channels. On Mac, the program automatically detects all outputs; on Windows you must configure 7.1 Surround to enable all eight channels. - **Digital Audio Workstation (DAW)** – used to export each stem as a separate mono/stereo audio file. Uncompressed (WAV/FLAC) or compressed (AAC/MP3) formats are accepted. - **Song stems** – e.g., a click track for the drummer, a click track for the rest of the band, stereo keys, stereo backing vocals and effects. Name the files so they sort alphabetically in the desired playback order. - **USB or ADAT cables** – to connect your multichannel interface or digital mixer to the computer. - **(Optional) Video clip** – if you want visuals synchronized with your tracks, include a video file when combining stems. ## Tools - **Visibox** (software) – available on Mac or Windows. Use it to combine stems, play back your multichannel file and control visuals. You'll need a paid "Pro" plan to access multichannel features. - **Audio interface configuration tool** – often bundled with the interface. Used to assign outputs (for example, routing ADAT channels 1–8). Note that many digital mixers (e.g., Behringer X32 & XR18) can function as multichannel interfaces when connected via USB. ## Method ### Step 1: Prepare and export stems 1. In your DAW, **export each stem as its own mono or stereo file**. For example, a stereo click track for the drummer, a stereo click track for the rest of the band, a stereo keyboard mix, and a stereo backing‑vocals/effects mix. These four files will become an eight‑channel multichannel file. If you create submixes (e.g., drums, bass, guitars), you can often select the submix channels and export them all at once. 2. **Name the files with numbers or letters** so they sort in the order you want them to appear on your audio interface. A suggested naming scheme is `01 Click Track Drums`, `02 Click Track Band`, `03 Keyboards` and `04 Backing Vocals`. 3. Copy the exported files into an easy‑to‑access folder. ### Step 2: Configure your multichannel interface #### Mac 1. Connect your audio interface to the Mac. Visibox will automatically detect multichannel interfaces. You can choose it by opening **Visibox › Preferences › Audio Output** and selecting your interface from the list. #### Windows 1. Install your interface’s drivers and open **Settings › System › Sound › More Sound Settings**. 2. Select your audio interface and click **Configure**. 3. In the configuration window, choose **7.1 Surround** to enable all eight outputs. 4. If you don’t see your interface or 7.1 Surround, ensure drivers are up to date and the interface is set for multichannel output in its own configuration software. ### Step 3: Combine stems in Visibox 1. Open or create a **Song** in Visibox. 2. **Attach your stems** using one of three methods: - **Right‑click the song** and choose **Attach Audio**, then select all stem files. - **Drag all stem files** from your file browser onto the song in the Controller window. Drag them all at once so Visibox knows to combine them. - **Copy and paste** the files from your file browser into the song. 3. Visibox will prompt you to **confirm the combination**; click **OK** and it will generate a multichannel audio file containing all stems in the order you specified. The song will display an icon with three interlocking circles to indicate it has a multichannel audio attachment. ### Step 4: Switch to Multichannel playback mode 1. In the Controller window, locate the **output meter** at the top. 2. **Right‑click the icon next to the output meter** and choose **Multichannel**. Visibox offers three output modes: Mode Behavior When to use **Mono** Visibox outputs in dual mono (same signal on channels 1 & 2). Stereo source audio is downmixed to mono and multichannel audio is downmixed to mono with all channels mixed together. Use when you need a mono feed to FOH or monitors. **Stereo** Uses channels 1–2 of your interface; multichannel audio is downmixed to stereo with odd channels on the left and even on the right. Useful when your interface only has two outputs. **Multichannel** Each channel in the file is sent to its corresponding output; no downmixing occurs. Mono files play in dual mono on 1–2 and stereo files play in stereo on 1–2. Use this mode to send stems to different outputs (click track, in‑ear mix, FOH, etc.). 3. When multichannel playback is enabled and a file contains more than two channels, Visibox displays a **multichannel meter** showing peak levels for each channel. If your interface has fewer outputs than the file, the “extra” channels appear as outlined meters. ### Step 5. Play and route your mix 1. Start playback. Each stem will emerge on its assigned output—e.g., channels 1–2 feed a click track to the drummer’s in‑ears, channels 3–4 feed a band click track, channels 5–6 send keyboards to FOH, and channels 7–8 send backing vocals and effects. 2. Use your audio interface’s routing software (or hardware patching) to send each output to the appropriate destination—monitors, in‑ear transmitters, or the front‑of‑house console. ### Advanced options - **Combine stems with a video clip** – When adding a video file along with stems, Visibox will ask whether you want to merge them. The resulting file plays the video while sending each audio channel to its own output. This is handy for music videos or lyric videos with separate audio mixes. - **Use existing multichannel files** – If you already have a 5.1 or 7.1 audio file, drag it onto a song. Visibox will play channels across all available outputs. Make sure the file’s channel order matches your interface’s routing or adjust the routing accordingly. - **Limitations** – Visibox currently supports up to eight output channels. Attempting to play or combine files with more than eight channels displays an error. (We're working on it!) ## Serving Suggestions & Tips - **Create separate monitor mixes:** Use channels 1–2 for a dedicated click with no instruments, channels 3–4 for a quieter click and cues for the rest of the band, and the remaining outputs for instruments and backing vocals. This allows performers to hear exactly what they need while FOH receives a clean mix. If you use mono in-ears, you'll be able to manage more individual mixes. Likewise with mono instrument tracks. - **Color‑code and label cables** so you know which channel feeds which instrument or monitor. During rehearsal, verify each stem is going to the intended destination using the multichannel meter in Visibox. - **Practice downmix modes** for venues with limited outputs: if you only have a two‑channel interface, select **Stereo** or **Mono** mode so your multichannel stems are summed correctly. - **Stay organized** by naming stems consistently and saving multichannel files in a dedicated folder within your project. Visibox uses alphabetical ordering to combine stems, so pre‑numbering ensures the correct channel order. - **Keep system sounds separate** by routing macOS or Windows alerts to your built‑in speakers while Visibox uses your external interface. ## Conclusion With Visibox, creating professional multichannel backing tracks becomes easy! Prepare your stems in a DAW, configure the interface, combine stems inside Visibox and select **Multichannel** playback. The result is a single song file that sends each stem to its own output—perfect for delivering click tracks, in‑ear mixes, and front-of-house-mixable backing tracks for your next performance. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/media-optimization-in-visibox # Media Optimization In Visibox > Keep your shows glitch-free with Visibox’s built-in optimization tools. [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMr4rqQZ2wM) Want smoother playback, faster load times, and a more reliable performance on stage? In this video, we’ll walk through how Visibox’s Media Overlay works — and why optimizing your media files is the key to unlocking buttery-smooth visuals. You’ll learn how to: - Shrink large videos and images without losing quality - Understand how Visibox handles media caching and decoding - Choose the best file formats, resolutions, and bitrates for live performance - Keep your show running smoothly no matter how complex your visuals get Whether you’re running visuals for a band, church, theater, or classroom, these tips will help you get the most out of your hardware and keep your show stutter-free. 🎛 Visibox Manual: [https://manual.spaceage.tv/4.1.0/media-management](https://manual.spaceage.tv/4.1.0/media-management) --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/release-visibox-4-1 # Release: Visibox 4.1 > Merge audio stems into video files, Perpetual License support, and macOS 26 compatibility. Release: Visibox 4.1 Click the “Check For Updates” menu item in Visibox or simply [download from our home page](/#download). ### New Features: - 🔊🔊📺 Merge audio stem files _into_ a video file for multichannel video playback. [Read more](https://manual.spaceage.tv/4.1.0/audio#combining-stem-files-into-a-video-file). - 🪪🪪🪪 Support for Visibox Perpetual License plan - 🍎🍏🍎 MacOS 26 (Tahoe) compatibility --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/release-visibox-4 # Release: Visibox 4.0 > Free free free free free free free! Visibox now has a free plan. Also, Japanese, Korean, and Italian translations. Visibox 4.0 With Visibox 4.0, we’re empowering a new generation of performers, musicians, and multimedia artists by offering our core features at no cost! If your project doesn’t require MIDI, multichannel audio, camera connections, or numerous clips, then Visibox’s new Free Plan might be perfect for you. As before, you’ll get 14 days to try out all of Visibox’s pro features. However, once your trial is complete, Visibox will fall back to the Free Plan with a more limited feature set. What features, you ask? Why, we’ve got a [whole page right here to explain the differences between the Free and Pro Plans](/free-vs-pro-plans). Visibox 4.0 also adds 🇯🇵 Japanese, 🇰🇷 Korean, and 🇮🇹 Italian translations to the languages we have had in the past: 🇪🇸 Spanish, 🇫🇷 French, 🇩🇪 German, and 🇺🇸 English. ### New Features - 🆓 New Visibox FREE plan - 🇯🇵🇰🇷🇮🇹 Translations for Japanese, Korean, and Italian join our current translations in Spanish, French, German, and English. ### Fixes/Improvements - Fixed message to "Start a Trial" for users with a subscription - Improved dialog handling - Registration Window improvements Click the “Check For Updates” menu item in Visibox or simply [download from our home page](/#download). --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/creating-concert-visuals-with-ai # Creating Concert Visuals With AI > Tips, tricks, and ideas for creating Visibox visuals using AI. This how-to guide will get you up and running in the right direction. [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BVx1PNfIRk) AI-generated video from [Runway ML](https://runwayml.com/) ## AI-Generated Visuals: New Possibilities… With Caveats AI-generated videos and images are opening new possibilities for live performers, VJs, and stage designers. You can basically just describe the image or video that you want, and the AI will create it for you. This means you can generate unique visuals that match your music or performance style without needing advanced technical skills or expensive software. For example, you could type a prompt like _“a glowing neon cityscape at night with floating geometric shapes”_ and receive a custom video loop that fits perfectly with your electronic music set. However, many creative professionals remain concerned about the implications of AI in the arts. Some worry that AI-generated content lacks the human touch, originality, and emotional depth that traditional art forms possess. Many are concerned that many of these models are trained on existing artworks without proper attribution or compensation for the original creators. Others worry about the environmental impact of training large AI models, which can consume significant computational resources and energy. These are valid concerns that the industry is still grappling with, and it’s important to approach AI-generated content thoughtfully and ethically. Nonetheless, this technology is barreling forward, and it’s becoming increasingly accessible to artists and performers. AI-generated visuals can be a powerful tool for enhancing live performances, creating immersive environments, and adding a unique visual dimension to your shows. They can help you quickly generate high-quality content that aligns with your artistic vision, allowing you to focus more on the performance itself rather than spending hours creating visuals from scratch. ## Why Visibox Is Ideal for AI Visuals Visibox is performance-friendly media playback software tailored for live shows. It allows you to **drag-and-drop videos, images, and even live camera feeds** into a setlist, then trigger and mix those visuals during your performance. Crucially, Visibox makes it effortless to loop any content and conform it to any screen. This flexibility is perfect for incorporating AI-generated visuals, which often work well as atmospheric loops. Visibox runs on macOS/Windows and presents a clear, simple interface. Because Visibox was designed for performers, it supports common file formats (MP4 videos, JPEG/PNG images, etc.) and has useful features like aspect ratio adjustments and projector calibration. In practice, this means any AI-generated video or image that you create can be **quickly loaded into Visibox** and played on stage with little to no editing required. Comparing apps? Here is [how to choose concert visuals software](/concert-visuals-software), and [what you can do with free VJ software](/free-vj-software). ## AI Tools for Generating Performance Visuals A variety of AI tools are now available to create videos and imagery for your performances. The list of services and features is ever evolving. So we will focus on the most prominent and accessible options as of mid-2025, which are suitable for generating visuals that can be used in Visibox. ### OpenAI Sora [**Sora**](https://openai.com/sora/) is OpenAI’s cutting-edge text-to-video model. Given a text prompt (and optionally an image or video input), Sora generates a short video clip that attempts to match the described scene. This model gained notoriety for its _realistic detail, camera dynamics, and strong prompt adherence_. If you pay enough money, Sora can generate clips up to about **20 seconds** long and currently supports resolutions up to **1080p** in its newest version. Users can specify different aspect ratios (widescreen, vertical, or square), and even **supply their own starting assets** to have Sora extend or remix them – a powerful feature for creatives wanting to animate specific images or video snippets. Sora also has tool to seamlessly loop any video, which is perfect for live performance visuals that need to play continuously without jarring cuts. If you're paying for an Open AI ChatGPT plan, you've already got access to Sora. It’s included in the **Plus** subscription, which costs $20/month as of mid-2025. However, for higher resolution and longer videos, you’ll need the **Pro** plan, which costs a whopping $200/month. More at [https://openai.com/sora/](https://openai.com/sora/). ### Google Veo [**Veo**](https://deepmind.google/models/veo/) is Google’s generative video model (part of the Google Gemini AI initiative) and a strong competitor to Sora. Veo is designed to produce _cinematic-quality videos from text prompts_, and it notably can generate **native audio** along with the video – meaning it can make characters speak, add sound effects, or music that sync with the visuals. For live performance visuals, you might not need audio, but this indicates the level of sophistication in Veo’s outputs. With Google's $250/mo AI Ultra plan, Veo can create **longer clips (beyond 1 minute)** and at least **1080p HD resolution**, with fine control over visual style, camera movement, and lighting. Google has emphasized Veo’s _enhanced realism and physics_ (the model handles complex motion more believably) and the ability to interpret nuanced, cinematic prompts. Essentially, Veo aims to give creators “exceptional creative control” for professional-grade content – potentially very useful if you want highly polished backdrop visuals or even narrative video segments in a performance. If you've got a paid Google plan, you've already got access to a more stripped-down version of Veo. More at [https://deepmind.google/models/veo/](https://deepmind.google/models/veo/) ### Runway ML (Gen-2 / Gen-3) [**Runway**](https://runwayml.com/) is an AI creativity platform that is popular among artists for its user-friendly interface and versatile tools. It offers text-to-video generation, image-to-video animation, and AI-powered editing features like looping and selective motion brushes. Runway’s Gen-3 model excels at animating still images, allowing users to bring static visuals like show posters or logos to life with smooth camera movements or subtle animations. Affordable pricing starts at $15/month, with free options available for experimenting. Outputs are silent videos, ideal for performance visuals, and its built-in looping tools make it easy to create seamless clips for use in Visibox. More from Runway at [https://runwayml.com/](https://runwayml.com/) ### Microsoft Bing Video Creator Microsoft’s [**Bing Video Creator**](https://www.bing.com/images/create?ctype=video) is the newest entrant (launched in June 2025) and is essentially Microsoft’s interface to OpenAI’s Sora model. We already touched on it under Sora, but to recap its unique place: it’s a **free, mobile-based** tool that turns text prompts into very short videos. The convenience factor is high – if you have the Bing app on your phone, you can simply type “Create a video of …” and within a minute get an AI-generated clip. For example, you might type “a pulsating neon fractal loop” and receive a 5-second animated fractal video. The tool currently outputs **vertical videos (9:16)** only, since it’s geared toward mobile/social sharing, though Microsoft has stated that horizontal (16:9) support is on the way. Also, generation lengths are fixed at 5 seconds for now. More at [https://www.bing.com/images/create?ctype=video](https://www.bing.com/images/create?ctype=video) ### Other Emerging Tools Adobe is starting to work AI into its Creative Cloud suite, with tools like [**Adobe Firefly**](https://www.adobe.com/products/firefly/features/ai-video-generator.html) for image generation and **Adobe Sensei** for video editing. While these are not strictly text-to-video, they can be useful for creating assets that you can then animate or edit in Visibox. Adobe’s tools are subscription-based, so they might not be as accessible as the others listed here. **Midjourney** is another popular AI image generator that has recently added video capabilities. It allows users to create short video clips from text prompts, but the focus is still primarily on static images. However, you can use Midjourney to generate high-quality stills that can be animated later in other tools. **Stable Diffusion** is an open-source AI model that can generate images and videos from text prompts. It’s not as user-friendly as some of the other options, but it’s a powerful tool for those who want more control over the generation process. There are also various web interfaces built on top of Stable Diffusion that make it easier to use. In short, the ecosystem of AI creative tools is growing fast. **New text-to-video models are coming out frequently**, so keep an eye on AI news. The good news is that the general techniques you learn – how to craft prompts, how to choose or prepare input images, and how to integrate the content into Visibox – will apply even as specific tools come and go. Focus on the core concepts and you’ll be able to adapt to whatever new generator arrives next. ## Copyright & Licensing The laws around AI-generated content are still evolving, but here are some key points to keep in mind when using AI visuals in your performances: - **AI Content Cannot Be Copyrighted:** In most jurisdictions, you cannot copyright content that is generated entirely by an AI. This means if you use an AI tool to create a video or image without any modifications or creative direction from you, that content likely cannot be copyrighted. However, if you add your own creative elements (like editing, remixing, or combining multiple AI outputs), you can claim copyright on the final product. Note that this also means that any AI-generated content you find on the Internet is likely not protected by copyright, so you can use it freely as long as you don’t claim it as your own original work. - **Licensing:** Generally, you own the rights to the content generated by AI tools, as long as you have a license to use that tool. For example, if you create a video using OpenAI’s Sora through your ChatGPT subscription, you retain ownership of that video. However, always check the specific terms of service for the tool you’re using, as they may have different rules. Likewise, since this content may not be copyrightable, any licenses may not be enforceable. ## Creating “Vibey” Visuals and Writing Effective Prompts One of the main use cases for AI in performance visuals is generating **ambient, looping backgrounds** – the kind of “vibey” visuals that enhance the mood without stealing the spotlight. Examples might include abstract patterns, surreal landscapes, cosmic scenes, neon geometric designs, slow-motion nature imagery, etc. To get these from an AI, the **prompt you write is key**. Here are some tips for crafting prompts that yield great performance visuals: - **Make Your Short Videos Long** - While the tools to generate AI videos often default to short clips (5-10 seconds), there are several tools out there to upscale or stretch videos smoothly. Use the phrase _"fast motion," "high speed," or "time lapse,"_ in your prompt to encourage the AI to squeeze a lot of action into a short clip. Then you can use a video editor such as Adobe Premiere, DaVinci Resolve, or Final Cut Pro to stretch the video out to a longer duration. Enable _"smoothing"_ or _"frame interpolation"_ to create a longer video that still feels fluid. This way, you can take a 10-second clip and stretch it to 30 seconds or more without losing the visual interest. - **Create Seamless Loops** - Many AI tools can generate videos that loop seamlessly, which is perfect for live performance. To achieve this, include terms like _“seamless loop”_, _“infinite loop”_, or _“continuous motion”_ in your prompt. This signals to the AI that you want a video that can play repeatedly without noticeable jumps or cuts. For example, _“a seamless loop of glowing particles drifting through a dark void”_ will likely yield a video that flows smoothly when played on repeat. Some of the AI tools (such as Sora) have tools which will allow you to upload an existing video and then generate a new video that loops seamlessly. This is a great way to take an existing clip and make it suitable for live performance. Another technique is to bring your video clip into a video editor, split it in half, move the first half to the end and create a cross-fade transition between the two halves. This will create a seamless loop that can be played indefinitely without any jarring cuts. - **Describe the Mood and Style:** Since you likely want something that complements your music’s mood, include adjectives about atmosphere (e.g. _“dreamy vaporwave cityscape at night, with neon lights blinking softly”_ or _“soothing underwater scene with gentle floating particles, loop”_). Mentioning an art or film style can also guide the model (e.g. _“in the style of a 70s psychedelic animation”_ or _“cinematic drone shot”_). - **Keep it Continuous:** For background loops, you generally want continuous movement or evolving visuals, not a lot of hard cuts or scene changes. You can prompt for that by emphasizing a single scene or a single subject with ongoing action. For instance, _“a single camera shot orbiting around a glowing crystal”_ will likely produce a continuous rotating view, whereas asking for _“multiple different scenes”_ could confuse the AI into a non-loopable result. Helpful phrases here might be: _“fixed camera,” “gentle movement,”_ or _“gradual transition.”_ - **Be Specific with Motion:** If you have a particular movement in mind (camera pan, zoom, objects moving in a direction), describe it. _“Camera slowly zooms into the forest”_ or _“stars drifting upwards”_ can lead the AI to produce that motion. This is helpful to avoid erratic or fast motions that might be jarring on a big screen. Smooth, slow movements often work best for live visuals (they’re less distracting yet still engaging). - **Iterate and Refine:** Prompting is part art, part science. Don’t hesitate to run multiple generations and refine your language. If the colors are off, add something like “blue and purple color scheme.” If it’s too chaotic, request “minimalist” or “simple background.” Many AI generators also have **variations** or **re-roll** options – use these to your advantage to get a version that feels right. Finally, for image-generation prompts (if you plan to create still images to use as-is or to animate later), similar rules apply. You might generate a high-resolution image of a fantasy landscape or a fractal design as a backdrop. In those prompts, focus on style keywords (e.g. _“synthwave skyline, dark purple and pink, with gridlines”_) and use aspect ratio tags if available (Midjourney and others allow specifying aspect ratio – e.g. `--ar 16:9` – to get a wide image suitable for a 16:9 screen). Once you have images, you can import them into Visibox as static backgrounds or run them through an animation tool as described in the next section. ## Making AI Videos Loop Seamlessly By default, Visibox will loop videos ([it has settings for whether a clip plays once or repeats](https://manual.spaceage.tv/5.0.0/adding-clips/#clip-end-behaviors)), so it’s up to you to provide content that loops smoothly or to adjust it so that it does. A **seamless loop** means when the video reaches the end and jumps back to the beginning, the transition isn’t jarring – the motion appears continuous. Here are some techniques to achieve that: - **Use Built-in Loop Features:** Some AI tools help create loops out-of-the-box. As mentioned, Runway and a few others allow you to generate a looping video by coordinating the start and end frames. If the tool has a “loop” option or guidance, take advantage of it. You can also bring existing clips into Sora (even those created by another tool) [and loop them](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BVx1PNfIRk). - **Manual Looping via Editing:** If your AI-generated clip isn’t a perfect loop, you can fix this with a bit of editing trickery. One common method is the **“ping-pong” loop** – you play the video forward, then in reverse, and then repeat. This can turn any clip into a loop because it eliminates the jump; however, note that the motion will reverse (which may look odd for some content, but for abstract visuals, it often looks fine). Another method is a **crossfade**: take the last few seconds of the video and overlap it onto the first few seconds with a dissolve transition in a video editor. This blends the start and end, smoothing the cut. You may need to sacrifice a bit of footage to do this, but if the content is ambient, viewers won’t notice the overlap if done subtly. - **Plan for Looping Content:** When writing your prompt or choosing what to generate, consider content that naturally loops. For instance, a rotating object, a seamless pattern, waves rolling continuously, or a pulsing light – these all look like they’re inherently never-ending. Avoid prompts that have a defined beginning or conclusion (e.g., “a rocket launches and explodes” has a clear end event, making it unsuitable for looping). Instead, something like “a rocket endlessly orbiting around a planet” would be more loop-friendly. Remember that even a not-quite-perfect loop may be just fine in the context of the peformance. Just experment and see what feels right. ## Animating Still Images and Show Posters Live performances often have associated graphics – album art, logos, tour posters, etc. Rather than just showing these as static slides, you can use AI tools to **animate them and create short videos** that still retain the original look. This can create a professional, branded visual that elevates your show. Here are some approaches to animating still images: - **Runway Motion Brushes:** As discussed under Runway, one straightforward method is using a **selective animation** too.. If you have an image (say your album cover art) with some natural element in it (clouds, fire, water, etc.), you can load it into Runway and use the motion brush to make that element move while leaving everything else untouched. For example, if your poster has a sky with clouds, animate the clouds drifting. If it’s just a graphic logo, you could add a subtle glow or shake effect to it using keyframes in a video editor, but AI tools like Runway can also apply **filters or AI effects** to simulate camera shake or breathing motion on static content. - **Image-to-Video Generation:** Leverage the image-to-video features in tools like Runway Gen-3 or Luma. You’ll upload the still image as a starting frame. Then you craft a prompt that describes how the image should **come alive**. A technique is to imagine a small camera movement within that image: e.g. _“slowly pan across this scene”_ or _“a gentle zoom out revealing the full poster, with the text floating above a moving background”_. Runway will generate a short video that begins exactly on your image and then moves as instructed. The result is often that the key elements of your original image stay recognizable (the essence and design are intact), but you gain motion – which could be moving light and shadows, parallax depth effect, or slight refocusing. Runway was noted to handle these camera prompts well, producing high-quality animations from static inputs. Similarly, other tools like Luma’s Dream or **Hailuo MiniMax** have rolled out image-to-video capabilities that do something akin to 2.5D animation of a still. If one tool doesn’t give you the desired result, try another – each AI has its own style, and one might preserve your image’s “essence” better than another. ## Resolution Considerations for Projectors and Video Walls When generating AI content, you’ll have options for resolution. It’s tempting to think “higher is better,” but in live shows, **1080p (Full HD) or even 720p (HD)** is usually sufficient for visuals. Many video generation tools will have limitations on resolution. You can usually upscale these videos in the same or another tool. [Topaz Labs](https://www.topazlabs.com/) has some great tools for this purpose. But more and more, these types of tools are being built into video editors such as Adobe Premeire and Apple Final Cut. Also, most video projectors and video walls are lower resolution than you might think – so 1080 or 720 video may work just fine as is. ## Embracing Flexibility and Creativity Using AI with Visibox can elevate live shows for VJs and musicians alike. Stay flexible and creative—these tools amplify your imagination. Start with simple experiments like background loops or logo animations, then progress to complex visuals or live-reactive shapes. Tech is evolving fast, but core skills—prompt writing, visual themes, and show programming—remain valuable. Focus on fun and creativity: AI visuals can depict scenes beyond filming or respond to your music themes. Whether beginner or pro, tools like Bing Creator, Sora, Veo, or Runway help expand your stage palette. Combine AI with Visibox for immersive, original performances. Embrace experimentation and enjoy pushing your live shows to new artistic heights. Want visuals that react to your music instead of playing back a clip? Visibox can [write an audio-reactive visualizer from a description](/ai-music-visualizer). --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/release-visibox-36 # Release: Visibox 3.6 > A new overlay to manage and optimize your project’s media files, check your drive speed, and create custom thumbnails. Plus, performance improvements, bug fixes, and more. Visibox 3.6 Visibox 3.6 brings a new Controller Window overlay to manage and optimize your project’s media files. You’ll find “Media Management” at the bottom of the “Project” menu. This interface allows you to check your drive speed, optimize your media files, and create custom thumbnails. Plus, performance improvements, bug fixes, and more. ### New Features - 📹📼 **Media Management** 📼📹 overlay (at bottom of Project menu) allows optimization, renaming, and viewing of the media files in the current Project. - 👍 **Custom Thumbnails** can now be uploaded in the Media Management interface. - 💾 **Drive Speed Test** can be run for the drive containing the current Project in the Media Management interface. ### Fixes/Improvements - 🚀 Improved media conversion speeds. - Fixed occasional jumpy audio progress bars. - 🎹 Improved MIDI efficiency and speed. - Removed buggy MIDI output feedback. Will be replaced by a more robust feedback system soon. - Fixed issue with Play menu occasionally becoming disabled. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/multichannel-backing-tracks # Multichannel Backing Tracks In 3.5 > From live sound setups, to in-ear monitors, and even immersive art installations, Visibox simplifies audio management and makes it easy to merge your individual stem files for multitrack playback. [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Prl8UXcIq5Y) From live sound setups, to in-ear monitors, and even immersive art installations, Visibox simplifies audio management and makes it easy to merge your individual stem files for multitrack playback. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/release-visibox-3-5 # Release: Visibox 3.5 > Multichannel audio + stem merging! Fill your audio interface with backing tracks, click tracks, etc. Also, a new, searchable manual, an integrated support form, and lots more. Release: Visibox 3.5 Visibox 3.5 brings multichannel audio playback and stem merging. Fill your audio interface with 8 mono mixes, 4 stereo mixes, or anything in between. Create separate front of house outputs for your backing vocals, keyboards, glockenspiel, and flugelhorn! And still have tracks left over for separate stereo in-ear mixes for the drummer (loud click) and band (quiet/no click)! ## New Features - 🔊🔊🔊 **Multichannel Audio** 🔊🔊🔊 allows playback of multichannel audio and video files. Visibox can route up to eight channels to your audio interface. - 🍒🍒🍒 **Automatic Stem Combining** 🍒🍒🍒 allows multiple audio stem files to be added to a song and combined for multichannel audio playback. Create multichannel mixes with separate outputs for click tracks, in-ear mixes, front-of-house, backing tracks, and more. Just add multiple audio files to a song and Visibox will offer to combine them. - ⚙️ On Mac, Visibox will now check _Displays have separate Spaces_ and _Automatically hide and show the menu bar_ settings during launch. If problems are found, Visibox will warn and offer to fix. - ⭐️ New **Duplicate As Project Background** item in Clip menu allows any given clip to be used as the Background Clip. - 🙋 **Help > Visibox Support** menu item now opens a window with a support form. This form will send system and configuration information to help with troubleshooting. - 📓 New **interactive [Visibox manual](https://manual.spaceage.tv)** with search, dark mode, Mac/Win switch, and more. ## Fixes - Moved MIDI to a separate process for better performance - Automatically update conversion libraries as needed - Minor fixes and performance improvements. Use the “Check For Update…” menu item in Visibox or just download the latest version from [spaceage.tv](/#download). --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/release-visibox-3-4 # Release: Visibox 3.4 > Visibox 3.4 adds Clip Fade In/Out, an Update Window, and support for the latest Stream Decks. Release: Visibox 3.4 ### New Features & Fixes Hey! It's Visibox 3.4 – with a several fixes and new features. ## What’s New: - Clip **Fade In** and **Fade Out** are now out of beta. Crossfade your Clips to your heart's delight! Read about Fade In/Out in [the Visibox Manual](https://manual.spaceage.tv/adding-clips/#fade-inout). - The new **Update Window** will tell you what new features you'll be getting when you update your software. - We now have support for the **Stream Deck Mini**, **Stream Deck +**, and other more recent Stream Deck devices. - Various fixes and improvements. Use the “Check For Update…” menu item in Visibox or just download the latest version from [spaceage.tv](/#download). --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/oscilloscope-visuals-modular-synths-tristan-bres-setup # Oscilloscope Visuals + Modular Synths = Tristan Bres’ Setup > French electronic music composer Tristan Bres uses Visibox to create organic, improvisational visuals for his live performances. He blends analog gear, modular synths, and real-time camera feeds to create an immersive experience. [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyYcyTiH0sE) French electronic music composer and performer Tristan Bres gives us a deep look into his live performance setup, where Visibox plays a central role in delivering organic, improvisational visuals—without a visible laptop on stage. From oscilloscope-generated graphics to filming CRT TVs and using MIDI-triggered visual clips, Tristan explains how he blends analog gear, modular synths, and real-time camera feeds to create a truly immersive and human live experience. Topics covered in this conversation: – Using Visibox for improvisational visual control – Building visual clips from archive.org and video synthesis – Performing with EuroRack, Minimoog, and Fender Rhodes – Creating vector graphics with oscilloscopes – Managing real-time visuals with camera feeds and Elgato – The philosophy of keeping performances live, human, and analog Tristan performs live across Europe. Follow his work: [https://www.tristanbres.com](https://www.tristanbres.com) Learn more about Visibox, the media player for performers: [spaceage.tv](/) This interview is part of an ongoing series exploring how musicians and visual artists are using Visibox in the real world. Subscribe to see more creative uses and live setups from around the globe. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/optimize-computer-live-performance # Optimize Your Computer for Live Performance > Prepare your Mac or Windows computer for flawless live performances with Visibox. Avoid technical hiccups and focus on delivering your best show. Woman on stage operating electronic audio equipment Whether you’re playing a small club or a major festival, optimizing your computer setup is key to a reliable and smooth Visibox performance. Here’s a step-by-step guide to preparing your Mac or Windows machine for the stage. ### **1\. Get A Good Computer** - **Processor:** Aim for a **quad-core CPU** or better. Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3, etc) is great, but Intel i5/i7/i9 or AMD Ryzen 5/7/9 are also solid choices. In general, aim for a manufacturer’s mid-range option or better. Avoid entry-level CPUs, as they may struggle with demanding tasks. - **SSD:** Prioritize a **fast internal SSD** — media-heavy Visibox projects can easily tax a spinning hard drive, so plan accordingly. Run your project from the internal SSD, not an external drive. If you have to use an external drive, make sure it’s a fast SSD with USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt 3/4. - **RAM:** Aim for **16GB or 32GB**, especially if you’re running other apps (like syncing tools or DAWs) alongside Visibox. Avoid memory swapping at all costs. - **GPU:** Mid-range or better. Apple Silicon’s integrated GPUs are well-optimized. On Windows, avoid entry-level graphics cards. - **Batteries Required:** Not only do laptops have a built-in screen ready-made for the Visibox Controller interface, but they have built-in batteries. So if someone kicks the power cable while you’re playing, the computer won’t need to be restarted. That being said, keep your laptop plugged in during the show. Many laptops will run slower in order to conserve battery life. Also, you don’t want your battery to run out in the middle of your show. If you’d prefer to use a desktop, make sure you have a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) to keep your computer running in case of power outages. ### **2\. Create a Dedicated “Performance” User Account** Set up a separate account on your machine specifically for shows. This will allow you to set up a clean environment without distractions. On the Mac, you can do this by going to `System Settings → Users & Groups` and clicking the `+` button to add a new user. On Windows, go to `Settings → Accounts → Family & other users` and click `Add someone else to this PC`. Make sure to set the new account as an **Administrator**. Once you’ve created the account, log in and set it up. Here are some settings you’ll probably want to adjust on this account: - **Activate Visibox:** Since this is a separate user account with separate user settings, you will need to activate Visibox again. Simply launch Visibox and follow the activation instructions. Note that activating Visibox on this account will **NOT** count towards your activation limit. Our activation system is smart enough to know that this is a separate user account on the same machine. - **Set the desktop background to black** and remove all icons. On the Mac, you can do this by going to `System Settings → Wallpaper`, scrolling down to `Colors` and selecting a solid black color. On Windows, right-click the desktop, select `Personalize`, and choose a solid black background. This way, if you need to take Visibox out of full-screen mode, the audience won’t see your cluttered file icons and the desktop picture of your cat. - **Hide the Menu Bar (Mac):** Go to `System Settings → Control Center` and scroll to the bottom. Set `Automatically hide and show the menu bar` to `Always`. Here again, this will help keep the audience from seeing your menu bar if you need to take Visibox out of full-screen mode. - **Disable background processes:** disable background processes that may kick in during your performance. Dropbox, iCloud, One Drive, Google Drive, and backups. Slack, Discord, and Zoom (especially on Windows) can be culprits of this type of behavior – as well as Adobe Creative Cloud, Spotify, anti-virus software, Facebook Messenger, etc. The last thing you want is for your anti-virus software to decide that since you haven’t touched the computer keyboard in 30 minutes, it will start scanning your drive. On the Mac, go to `System Settings → General → Login Items & Extensions` and disable as much as possible. On Windows, go to `Task Manager → Startup` and disable any unnecessary startup applications. This will help reduce CPU load and improve performance. - **Disable notifications:** On Mac, go to `System Settings → Notifications` and set `Show Previews` to `Never`. On Windows, go to `Settings → System → Notifications & actions` and turn off notifications. - **Disable automatic updates:** On Mac, go to `System Settings → Software Update` and uncheck `Automatically keep my Mac up to date`. On Windows, go to `Settings → Update & Security → Windows Update` and select `Advanced options`, then turn off `Automatic updates`. - **Disable automatic backups:** On Mac, go to `System Settings → Time Machine` and turn it off. On Windows, go to `Settings → Update & Security → Backup` and turn off `Automatically back up my files`. - **Disable automatic syncing:** On Mac, go to `System Settings → Apple ID → iCloud` and uncheck all options. On Windows, go to `Settings → Accounts → Sync your settings` and turn off `Sync settings`. - **Disable wifi (maybe):** If you don’t need internet access during the show, turn off wifi to avoid any potential interruptions, cloud syncs, or notifications. On Mac, go to `System Settings → Network` and turn off wifi. On Windows, go to `Settings → Network & Internet → Wi-Fi` and turn it off. #### **Share Your Project Between Accounts** Your Visibox Project needs to be accessible to both your daily and “Performance” user accounts. You can accomplish this by putting your project on an external drive. However, most external drives will not be as fast as your internal SSD, so if you can, it’s better to put the project on your internal SSD and share it between accounts. Here’s how to do that: - **On Mac:** Create a folder in `/Users/Shared/`, then `Right-click → Get Info → Sharing & Permissions` to ensure both users can read/write. - **On Windows:** Use `C:\Users\Public\` or create a custom folder and adjust `Properties → Security` settings to allow access. Alternately, you could create a separate partition on your internal SSD and keep your Visibox projects there. This is a bit more complicated, but it makes sharing your project between users a LOT easier. If you want to go this route, check out the following links for instructions: - [Create a partition on Mac](https://support.apple.com/guide/disk-utility/partition-a-physical-disk-dskutl14027/mac) - [Create a partition on Windows](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/disk-management-in-windows-ad88ba19-f0d3-0809-7889-830f63e94405) **Note:** If your project is stored in a cloud service folder (like iCloud, One Drive, Dropbox, or Google Drive), **make sure** you **do not** have “file offloading”, “storage optimization”, “smart file sync”, or similar features enabled. Many of these services will automatically offload files to free up space on your computer. This can cause issues if you try to load a file that has been offloaded. If you’re using a cloud service, make sure you have enough space on your internal SSD to keep all of your project files locally. You can sometimes configure this feature just for specific folders, so if you’re using a cloud service, check the settings to make sure your Visibox project folder is excluded from file offloading. ### **3\. Favor Wired Connections** - **Avoid Wi-Fi and Bluetooth** — they can be unreliable in crowded venues. - Use **USB**, **Ethernet**, **HDMI**, and other wired connections for all hardware when possible: MIDI controllers, Stream Decks, cameras, and video connections. - Test your connections **before** doors open. - **USB/Thunderbolt hubs** are great for connecting multiple devices, but make sure they’re powered and high-quality. Thunderbolt hubs are even better and offer much greater bandwidth, however they can be surprisingly expensive. MIDI controllers tend to be relatively low-bandwidth, but if you’re connecting high-quality cameras or video capture devices, you may want to consider a Thunderbolt hub. ### **4\. Optimize Your Project** - **Video files:** - Resolution: Use the same resolution and frame rate as your output. For example, if you’re outputting to a 1080p projector at 30fps, use 1080p/30fps media files. This will help reduce CPU load and improve performance. - File format: Most computers these days will have a built-in H.264 hardware decoder. This makes H.264 a great choice for video files. If you have a lot of high-resolution video files, consider using H.265 (HEVC) for better compression and quality, but be aware that not all computers support hardware decoding for H.265. - **Image files:** Use PNG or JPEG for images. Avoid using TIFF or BMP, as they can be larger and slower to load. - **Audio files:** Use WAV for uncompressed audio. If you need to use compressed audio, use AAC or MP3. Avoid using FLAC, as it can be slower to decode. ### **5\. Optimize Your Software** - **Use the latest version of Visibox:** Always keep your software up to date. New versions often include performance improvements and bug fixes. - **Use the latest version of macOS or Windows:** Keeping your operating system up to date can help improve performance and security. - **Close unnecessary applications:** Before starting your show, close any applications that you don’t need. This will free up system resources and help Visibox run more smoothly. ### **6\. Check Your System Resource Usage** While I don’t advise you to stress about system resources during the show, you might want to check them during rehearsals and keep an eye out media files or cameras that may tax your system. - **Mac:** Use **Activity Monitor** to check CPU, memory, and disk usage. - **Windows:** Use **Task Manager** (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) for similar insights. ### **7\. Bring a Backup** - **Thumb drive backup:** Copy your Visibox project just in case — not for running the show, but to recover quickly in case anything goes wrong. - **Spare laptop:** For high-stakes gigs, have a second machine ready to go in case of emergencies or technical difficulties. - **Backup cables:** Bring extra cables for all your connections, including power, HDMI, and USB. You never know when a cable might fail or you may get caught up with HDMI gremlins between your computer and the venue’s projector. ### Pre-show Checklist ☐ **Performance User Account:** Make sure you’re logged into your “Performance” user account. ☐ **Visibox Launched and Activated:** Make sure Visibox is activated on this account. ☐ **Project Loaded:** Make sure your project is loaded and ready to go. ☐ **Laptop Plugged In:** Make sure your laptop is plugged in and charging. ☐ **Quit Other Apps:** Make sure all other unnecessary applications are closed. ☐ **Wi-Fi Disabled:** If you don’t need internet access, make sure Wi-Fi is disabled. ### **Final Thoughts** The smoother your computer setup, the more confident you’ll feel walking on stage. Whether you’re just starting out or touring at scale, taking the time to prep your machine with these steps ensures Visibox runs clean, fast, and reliably. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/visibox-office-hours-on-discord # Visibox Office Hours on Discord > Join us on the first Monday of every month. Bring your questions, suggestions, ideas, and connect with the global community of Visibox users, creators, and innovators. Visibox Office Hours on Discord Join us on the first Monday of every month at 1 PM Eastern Time (US) for our Office Hours session on Discord. This is an open opportunity for you to bring your questions, suggestions, ideas, and frustrations. Feel free to participate or simply listen in. During these casual meetings, you'll have the chance to interact with our development and support team, as well as connect with the global community of Visibox users, creators, and innovators. We've been holding these monthly meetings and announcing them through our mailing list for a while now, but we recently realized that we hadn't announced them on our website. So, here it is! Whether you've been an Audiovisual Engineer for the past 30 years or you're just trying to figure out how to project some cool visuals on your bedroom wall, we'd love to talk with you. [Visit our Discord server to check your local time](https://discord.gg/vV8ESDK5vk?event=1346174404073361408) and RSVP for our next Office Hours event! --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/ableton-live-concert-visuals-with-visibox # Ableton Live Concert Visuals With Visibox > Create audiovisual bliss by combining Ableton Live’s audio capabilities with Visibox visuals. [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KueUyvPdBs) _Dave Mostoller talks through the concepts in this article._ ## **Introduction** _Visibox recipes are a series of tutorials that show you how to use Visibox with different software and hardware. In this recipe, we will show you how to use Visibox with Ableton Live to create custom visuals that can be triggered in time with your music._ [Ableton Live](https://www.ableton.com/en/live/) is a popular digital audio workstation (DAW) used by musicians, producers, and DJs to create, record, and perform music. It is known for its powerful features, intuitive interface, and flexible workflow. And much like Visibox, it's also great software for performing... live... It's right in the name! [Visibox](/) is a powerful visual performance tool that allows you to create custom visuals that can be triggered in real-time using MIDI messages, an Elgato Stream Deck, or the computer keyboard and mouse. By combining Visibox with Ableton Live, you can create custom visuals that are synchronized with your music and triggered in time with your performance. ## **Requirements** - Visibox - Ableton Live - A computer running Windows or macOS - A basic understanding of how to use Ableton Live - A projector, video wall, or external display to show your visuals ### **Why Use Visibox With Ableton?** While Ableton has some video integration capabilities built-in, it is really more oriented towards scoring for picture. You can only have one video clip loaded at a time, and you can’t integrate still images or live cameras. Visibox gives you the ability to add video and image files and connect cameras for much more fluid and flexible control. ## **Setting Up Ableton Live** Before you can start using Visibox with Ableton Live, you need to set up your project in Ableton Live. There are several different ways that artists use Ableton Live on stage. Many artists use Ableton Live to trigger loops, samples, and effects in real time using the session view. Others open entire projects and play back th eir mixes using the arrangement view. A great way to use Ableton for backing tracks is to create a separate stem for each instrument in their backing tracks (drums, bass, guitar, keys, etc.) and then route each stem to a separate output on their audio interface. Each stem clip gets dropped into the same "scene" (or row) in the session view. Then an entire song can be triggered by launching a single scene using the scene launch buttons to the right of the session view. Whatever method you use to perform with Ableton Live, the concepts are the same. For this recipe, we will be using the session view to trigger clips in real time. This will allow us to trigger visuals in time with our music using Visibox. 1. Open Ableton Live and create a new project. 2. Create separate audio tracks for each of the stem tracks that you'll be using in your performance. For example, you might have separate audio tracks for drums, bass, guitar, keys, and backing vocals. 3. Use the "Audio To" dropdown at the bottom of each audio track to send to separate outputs on your audio interface. This will allow you to send each stem track to a separate channel on your mixer or audio interface. 4. In the "Master" column on the right, right-click on the "1" in the first row and select "Rename" to rename the first scene. We're going to call this "Stop" because it will be used to stop Visibox between songs. 5. Import stems for your first song into the second line of your session view. You can do this by dragging and dropping the audio files into the session view. Ableton will loop new clips, so you will need to disable looping for each clip by disabling the "Loop" button in the clip's Info View. 6. In the right-hand column above the master fader, label the scene with the name of the song. 7. Repeat for all of the songs in your setlist. 8. Create a new MIDI track in Ableton Live. This will be the track that sends MIDI messages to Visibox to trigger your visuals. (We’ll configure these later.) ## **Connecting Ableton Live to Visibox** Now that you have your project set up in Ableton Live, it's time to set up Visibox to work with Ableton Live. Visibox can be controlled using MIDI messages, so we will be routing MIDI from Ableton to Visibox. This can be done using a virtual MIDI bus, a physical MIDI interface, a MIDI-over-USB connection, MIDI over a network (such as wifi or ethernet), or even Bluetooth. Note that MIDI over a network or Bluetooth may introduce latency and/or reliability issues, so it's best to use a direct connection if possible. If Ableton and Visibox are running on the same computer, you can use a virtual MIDI bus to route MIDI messages between the two applications. On macOS, you can use the built-in IAC Driver. On Windows, you can use a virtual MIDI driver such as loopMIDI. For this recipe, we'll assume that you're using a virtual MIDI bus to route MIDI messages between Ableton Live and Visibox on the same computer. ## **Setting Up a Virtual MIDI Bus on macOS or Windows** We have a separate guide explaining how to [Route MIDI Between Applications on the Same Computer](/news/inter-application-midi). You’ll need to set up a virtual MIDI bus between Ableton and Visibox. It’s pretty straightforward for both Mac and Windows. Go. Read it. We’ll wait here for you. ## **Setting Up Visibox** Now that you have a virtual MIDI bus set up on your computer, it's time to configure Visibox to receive MIDI messages from Ableton Live. 1. Open Visibox and from the MIDI Inputs submenu, ensure that the virtual MIDI port you created earlier is selected. 2. Create your visual set list in Visibox. Drop in your videos and images, or use cameras to define the visuals you want to trigger. Some artists use a single video file for each song, while others use multiple video files that can be triggered independently. Create as many Songs as you need. 3. Open the MIDI Map window (from the Settings... or Preferences... submenu) and select the virtual MIDI port you created from the "Input" dropdown menu. The default settings may be sufficient for your needs, but you can customize the MIDI mapping if you want to use different MIDI notes to trigger your visuals. 4. Scroll to the bottom of the MIDI Map window and ensure that “Select Song Via Program Change” is set to either “Song Order” or “Program Identifier.” In “Song Order” mode, program change (PC) 1 will activate the first song, PC 2 will activate the second, and so on. However, if you reorder your songs, you’ll need to adjust Live to send different PC messages. “Program Identifier” mode allows you to assign custom identifiers to each song. Right-click on the Song and select a number from the “Program Identifier” submenu. If you choose 33, now sending PC 33 will always choose this song, no matter the order of the Songs in your Project. ## **Sending MIDI Messages from Ableton Live to Visibox** Now that you have Ableton Live and Visibox set up to communicate with each other, it's time to send MIDI messages from Ableton Live to Visibox to trigger your visuals. You can do this by creating a MIDI track in Ableton Live and adding MIDI clips to trigger your visuals. Visibox organizes Clips into Songs. Each Song may have multiple Clips. Think of a Song as a palette of visuals that are available to trigger through MIDI. Songs can be activated by sending MIDI program change messages to Visibox. You can either activate songs via their order within your Visibox project or you can assign custom IDs from the “Program Identifier” submenu when right-clicking on a Song. This will allow you to rearrange your Project without messing up your MIDI program change associations.. It would be nice if Ableton Live had a way to send program change messages when selecting a scene. Unfortunately, it does not. However, you can use MIDI clips to send program change messages to Visibox when you launch a scene in Ableton Live. 1. At the bottom of the MIDI track you created in Ableton, select the Visibox virtual MIDI port from "MIDI To" dropdown menu. If you are running Visibox on a separate computer, select the MIDI port that sends between computers. This will send all MIDI messages from this track to Visibox. 2. Now create a MIDI clip in the MIDI track for each song in your setlist. You can do this by double-clicking in the clip view area of the MIDI track. 3. Make sure that the MIDI clips are not set to loop. You can do this by clicking the clip and then going to the bottom clip window and deactivating the “Loop” button (see below). You only want the MIDI clip to trigger once when you launch the scene. 4. Click on the MIDI clip to open the MIDI note editor. In the MIDI clip, double-click on the first note to create a new MIDI note. Open the “Launch” tab in the clip window. 5. For each MIDI clip, set the program change option to the number that corresponds to the order of the associated Song in the Visibox Project. For example, if you want to activate the first Song in your setlist, set the program change to 1. If you want to activate the second Song in your setlist, set the program change to 2, and so on. 6. By default, Visibox's Clips are triggered by MIDI notes starting with middle C (MIDI note 60, or C3). Note 60 triggers the first Clip in a Song, note 61 triggers the second, etc. You can change this in the MIDI Map window if you want to use different MIDI notes to trigger your visuals. This "Stop" action is triggered by MIDI note 48 or C2. In Ableton, set up each song's MIDI clip to send the appropriate MIDI note to trigger the visuals in Visibox. This might just be a single MIDI note, or it could be a series of MIDI notes that trigger different Clips throughout the Song. For example, to select the first track in your Visibox playlist and play the first video clip, set the program change to Pgm 1 and add a midi note at C3.  Ableton Live clip panel with the Loop button highlighted Be sure to turn off looping for the Ableton clip or it may send unwanted MIDI when finished. Ableton Live Launch panel with the program change set to Pgm 1 You can activate a Visibox song by sending a MIDI program change message when the clip is launched. ## Integration Now that everything is set up, you can quickly add more videos and image files to Visibox. You can create Camera Clips to show live-action on the screen to your audience. In addition to the silent videos that may play over your music, you can also add videos with sound in Visibox. Lots of performers will use these for walk-on introductions or interstitial “vibe” content – clips from movies, TV shows, ads, etc – to play between songs. Playing out is as simple as connecting your computer to a screen for the audience. Most performers use a video projector or professional video wall. But you can connect to a TV or anything with a video input. ## **Wrap Up** Visibox is designed to make it easy to create immersive visual performances. By combining Visibox with Ableton Live, you can create custom visuals that are synchronized with your music and triggered in time with your performance. This recipe has shown you how to set up your project in Ableton Live, connect Ableton Live to Visibox using a virtual MIDI bus, and send MIDI messages from Ableton Live to Visibox to trigger your visuals. Express your visual creativity and give your audience something to remember! --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/release-visibox-3-3 # Release: Visibox 3.3 > Visibox 3.3 adds custom Song Program Identifiers selectable via MIDI Program Change messages… and more. Visibox 3.3 ### New Features & Fixes We’re excited to announce the release of Visibox 3.3, with a new feature that many of our users have been asking for! ## What’s New: - Each Song can now be assigned a “Program Identifier” via right-click or the Song menu while active. - In MIDI Map, select “Select Song Via Program Change > Program Identifier” option to use Program IDs instead of Song Order. - New Help menu item: “Copy Support Info” copies software/hardware information to include in your support requests. - Various fixes and optimization. Use the “Check For Update…” menu item in Visibox or just download the latest version from [spaceage.tv](/#download). --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/release-visibox-3-2 # Release: Visibox 3.2 > Output View in Preview Pane of the Controller Window, Launch At Login & Launch Full Screen, automatic backups… and more. Visibox 3.2 ### New Features - Output View in Preview Pane of the Controller Window - Settings for: Launch At Login & Launch Full Screen - Automatic backups with option to open in case of Project file corruption - Updated Visibox Manual with translation link ### Fixes - video onEnd fix for legacy projects - increased save reliability, particularly when quitting Use the “Check For Update…” menu item in Visibox or just download the latest version from [spaceage.tv](/#download). --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/scott-uhl-visibox-review # Scott Uhl: Visibox is Awesome! > Watch Scott’s review on YouTube. [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5Lx6ByyHAM) YouTube gear guru [Scott Uhl](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5Lx6ByyHAM) put together this great review and overview of Visibox. In 23 minutes, Scott gives a great overview of Visibox’s capabilities, highlights his favorite features as a professional performer, and gives some tips and tricks to integrate with MIDI pedals and Ableton Live. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/release-visibox-3-1 # Release: Visibox 3.1 > Draggable progress bars in the Song and Preview area to seek/scrub through audio/video. Preview area on the Controller window can now be disabled by clicking its resize bar or dragging it down to the bottom. Visibox 3.1 ### New Features - Clickable/draggable progress bars in the Song and Preview area to seek/scrub through audio/video - The Preview area on the Controller window can now be disabled by clicking its resize bar or dragging it down to the bottom. ### Fixes - Various Use the “Check For Update…” menu item in Visibox or just download the latest version from [spaceage.tv](/#download). --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/visuals-for-school-performances # Level Up School Performances with Immersive Visuals > Enhance school music, theater, and dance performances using projected visuals for immersive experiences. Level Up School Performances with Immersive Visuals ### Create Unforgettable Music, Theater, and Dance Performances Music and Theater Arts educators are always looking for ways to elevate students’ performances and create memorable experiences for performers and audiences. One powerful tool for this purpose is projected visuals. Most schools have an abundance of video projectors, television sets, or even professional video walls. More than a handful of aspiring student filmmakers, videographers, and editors would jump at the chance to participate in your performances. It doesn’t take much to connect a laptop to a video project and add a new dimension to these performances. Add virtual sets, atmospheric enhancements, or dynamic transitions and elevate your performances. Visibox is an audio-visual performance environment specifically designed for live performance, enabling you to easily integrate videos, images, cameras, and audio into your shows. Unlike complex and expensive VJ software or complicated show-control applications, Visibox has a user-friendly interface that’s easy for educators and students to use, even with limited technical expertise. And it runs on both Mac and Windows. **Visibox Basics**: The main interface is organized like a set list – or a _scene_ list. Just drag media files into the list to add them to your project. You can trigger the clips in the current song using a computer keyboard or mouse. The up and down keys on the computer keyboard will select the previous and next song, while the left/right keys (as well as the number keys) will trigger each clip within the song. Video clips loop by default, so even short videos can be used as a backdrop for an entire song or performance. You can also use still images. And you can connect camera to show live footage as part of the performance. **Transforming the Stage**: Imagine a choir concert where the stage backdrop dynamically shifts with the mood of each piece, transporting the audience from a serene forest to a bustling city street. Or a play with smooth and seamless scene changes enhanced by subtle video transitions that deepen the emotional impact. With Visibox, these possibilities are within reach. **Beyond Simple Backdrops**: Here are some ideas for using Visibox in your productions: - **Atmospheric Enhancement**: Use evocative video loops and still images to create immersive environments that complement the theme and mood of your performance. Imagine a starry night sky for a romantic scene or swirling abstract patterns during a powerful musical crescendo. - **Dynamic Storytelling**: Illustrate key moments in a musical or theatrical piece with carefully chosen visuals. Project close-ups of performers during solos, use video transitions to symbolize emotional shifts or create visual motifs that reappear throughout the performance. - **Interactive Elements**: Visuals can be triggered at specific points in a performance. Invite the audience to sing along by projecting the lyrics as the chorus comes up. Punctuate the canon bursts in the 1812 Overture with some virtual pyrotechnics. Or create the titular stormy skies as _The Tempest_ begins. **Harness Student Creativity**: Visibox provides a perfect opportunity to involve your school’s AV or Film club. Tap into their creativity and technical skills to create custom content tailored to your productions: - **Themed Video Loops**: Students can create video loops that reflect the themes and moods of their chosen musical or theatrical pieces. These “moving pictures” are usually shot similarly to still photography, keeping the camera still, but feature the moving action of the scene – clouds move across the sky, trees blow in the wind, or cars drive on the street. These can indeed be shot with professional equipment, but most smartphone cameras are good enough for this purpose these days. - **Historical Footage or Recreations**: For historical plays or musicals, the AV club could research and incorporate relevant historical footage or even create their own reenactments to be projected during the performance. - **Student-Generated Artwork**: For a truly unique touch, project student artwork or animation projects as part of the visual backdrop, adding a personal and artistic dimension to the performance. **Visibox’s Accessibility**: With its user-friendly interface, flexible control options, and support for a wide range of media formats, Visibox empowers you to transform your school’s stage into a canvas for creative expression. **Collaboration and Engagement**: By involving students in creating visual content, you’ll foster a deeper understanding of the production process and inspire a new level of engagement. The collaboration between music, theater, and AV students can create a vibrant and collaborative learning environment, resulting in impressive and meaningful performances. By integrating Visibox into your productions, you can enhance the artistic impact of your performances, create a more immersive experience for audiences, and inspire a new generation of creative performers and visual artists. Visibox is available for both macOS and Windows and offers a [free 14-day trial](/#get-it). It’s a cost-effective way for schools to add a new level of visual excitement to their productions. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/visuals-for-a-taylor-swift-tribute-band # Visuals For A Taylor Swift Tribute Band > Gina from Burning Red talks about the role that visuals play in creating a vibe and engaging the audience in a concert performance. [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwncxLaetSQ) Jeff talks to Gina from the Taylor Swift tribute band, Burning Red. They talk about the role that visuals play in creating a vibe and engaging the audience in a concert performance. Burning Red: [https://burningredband.com/](https://burningredband.com/) Visibox: [spaceage.tv](/) --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/visibox-30 # Visibox 3.0 > Visibox 3.0 is better than ever! Free for all subscribers. Check out the new features. Visibox 3.0 **Announcing Visibox 3.0** – a complete architectural restructuring to improve reliability, responsiveness, and extensibility. Over the past 2 years, we’ve received some amazing feedback from our customers. And while we had created an easy way to control live performance videos, we still wanted to provide more creative possibilities. So we’ve put a new engine into Visibox! Visibox can now open multiple Projects at once. Each Project is represented by its own Controller window. Yet there is still just one Output window, so you can switch between Projects seamlessly without affecting the audience experience. Additionally, multiple Clips or entire Songs can be dragged from one Project to another allowing easy reuse of visuals across Projects. It’s now possible to copy media files from the Mac Finder or Windows File Explorer and paste them directly into Visibox. No more dragging and resizing windows to drag or click through folders in a file chooser window. Selecting multiple Songs allows you to drag multiple Songs between Projects. It also allows editing of multiple Songs in the same way that you can select multiple Clips and edit together. For our international users, Visibox gets a German translation to join our existing Spanish and French translations. **New features include:** - Open multiple Projects at once. - Drag Songs and Clips between Projects. - Select and edit settings for multiple Songs at once. - Copy files from OS and paste into Visibox. - German translation. - New links in the Help menu to our library of free video content, tutorial articles, YouTube channel, and Discord server - Project lock ensures that a Project can’t be corrupted by editing on multiple computers at once via a shared drive or cloud service - Apple Pencil support for sharing Controller screen with an iPad via Apple's Sidecar feature - Improved performance and reliability The user interface remains mostly unchanged. But we’ve got big plans for new Visibox features and functionality based on our new architecture. Stay tuned! --- Want to try Visibox? [Download the latest version free](/#get-it) from our website. If you’re a current Visibox customer, you can upgrade for free. If you’re new to Visibox, you can try it for free for 14 days. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/put-a-video-pedal-on-your-pedalboard # Put A Video Pedal On Your Board > Want to control visuals as part of your stage performance? Here’s a list of our favorite MIDI pedals for Visibox. Put A Video Pedal On Your Board ## Our Favorite Pedals to Use With Visibox Visibox is an audiovisual performance environment that allows you to control and synchronize videos, images, cameras, and audio files during live performances. It can be controlled using a computer keyboard, mouse, MIDI devices, an Elgato Stream Deck, or external applications. It’s designed to be easy to control on-stage as part of the performance. And MIDI functionality makes this especially flexible. Whether you want to control your visuals with drumsticks, fingers, or your feet, you can probably find a MIDI controller for you. In this guide, we’ll focus on the feet with a list of MIDI pedals that we like for controlling Visibox. We’ll talk about their pros and cons, and point you in the right direction for integrating them into your setup. ## What to Look for in a MIDI Pedal When choosing a MIDI pedal for Visibox, consider the following factors: - **Does It Send MIDI Note or CC Messages?**: Visibox works best when receiving MIDI note messages. Alternatively, you can send continuous control (CC) messages to trigger Visibox’s functionality. Several MIDI pedals on the market are designed to control amp modelers and only send MIDI program change messages. Make sure the MIDI pedal you choose can send MIDI notes or CC messages. - **Number of Footswitches**: The number of footswitches on the pedal determines how many functions you can control. More footswitches give you more control options. Consider how you will be using Visibox. Some users can get by with a dual footswitch with one switch assigned to “Next Clip” and the other assigned to “Next Song”. Others will want more footswitches to control more functions. - **Size and Weight**: Consider the size and weight of the pedal. If you’re traveling frequently, you may want a lightweight and compact pedal – especially if you’re going to fit it into an existing pedalboard. - **USB Connectivity**: Most modern MIDI pedals offer USB connectivity, which allows these devices to send MIDI data over a USB connection, eliminating the need for MIDI cables, interfaces, etc. Just plug them in and Visibox will recognize them immediately. This will greatly simplify your setup. - **Price**: MIDI pedals can range from budget-friendly to high-end. You can also find a lot of these pedals on the used market. Consider your budget and choose a pedal that fits your needs. ### **What You Don’t Need** - **Expression Pedals**: Expression pedals are great for controlling parameters in audio effects, but they’re not necessary for controlling Visibox. You can control Visibox with just footswitches. You can control the volume of Visibox with an expression pedal. But most users can get away without this. - **Velocity Sensitivity**: While some high-end MIDI pedals offer velocity-sensitive footswitches, it’s not a necessity for controlling Visibox. You can trigger clips and functions with simple on/off footswitches. - **Lots Of Presets** (for the pedal): You don’t need a pedal with lots of presets, pages, or programs. Once you’ve set up the pedal with Visibox, you won’t need to change it very often. If you are also controlling other software or hardware with the same pedal, you may need more presets. But for Visibox alone, you’ll probably only need one. --- ## **MIDI Pedals for Visibox** Here are some MIDI pedals that we recommend for controlling Visibox. We’ve put our favorites at the top of the list. --- ### [**Paint Audio MIDI Captain**](https://paintaudio.com/products/midi-captain-std-vesion-black 'https://paintaudio.com/products/midi-captain-std-vesion-black') [Paint Audio MIDI Captain](https://paintaudio.com/products/midi-captain-std-vesion-black) - **Pros**: - **Highly Customizable**: The MIDI Captain is highly customizable and can be programmed to send MIDI note messages to Visibox. - **Compact**: There are smaller pedals on this list, but none with 10 footswitches. - **Affordable**: There are cheaper pedals on this list. But this may be the best overall value. - **Lots of Footswitches**: Did we mention the MIDI Captain has 10 footswitches? All of them can be set up as Visibox triggers, giving you plenty of control options. - **USB Connectivity**: The MIDI Captain has USB connectivity, so you can connect it directly to your computer without the need for a separate MIDI interface. This will also power the device, so you only need one cable connected. - **Cons**: - **Learning Curve**: The MIDI Captain is programmed by editing text files. This may be a bit intimidating for some users. - **Price**: USD $159.00 The Paint Audio MIDI Captain is one of our favorite pedals for Visibox. Check out our [complete guide to setting it up](/news/recipe-midi-captain-foot-pedal-visibox), including a downloadable configuration file. It’s affordable, compact, and well-thought-out. This pedal can be powered by battery, USB (directly from your computer), or your guitar pedal board’s power supply. It’s well-designed and well-thought-out. **Setup Summary**: Follow the [instructions here](/news/recipe-midi-captain-foot-pedal-visibox). --- ### [**MIDI Captain Variations (Mini, Nano, Duo, One)**](https://paintaudio.com/collections/all 'https://paintaudio.com/collections/all') [Paint Audio MIDI Captain Mini, Nano, Duo, One](https://paintaudio.com/collections/all) Paint Audio makes a variety of MIDI Captain pedals. The MINI is a smaller version of the MIDI Captain with 6 footswitches. The NANO is even smaller with 4 footswitches. The DUO has just 2. And the ONE has... (you guessed it!) just 1. - **Pros**: - **Inexpensive**: These pedals are all VERY affordable. - **Compact**: The MINI, NANO, DUO, and ONE are even more compact and lightweight than the MIDI Captain. - **USB Connectivity**: Just connect one cable to power and communicate with these pedals. - **Cons**: - **Limited Footswitches**: The MINI, NANO, DUO, and ONE have fewer footswitches than the MIDI Captain. - **Learning Curve**: While the original MIDI Captain has a variety of programming options, its offspring are limited to Paint’s “Super Mode” which can be a bit confusing to set up. - **Price**: USD $99.00 (MINI), $89.00 (NANO), $59.00 (DUO), $55.00 (ONE) The Paint Audio MIDI Captain Variations are all great options for controlling Visibox. They’re affordable, compact, and well-designed. The MINI, NANO, DUO, and ONE are even more compact and lightweight than the MIDI Captain. If you’re selecting Songs with the up/down keys on your laptop’s keyboard and you just want a single footswitch to launch a single video for each song, you might be able to get away with the DUO or ONE. The MINI and NANO are great for more complex setups where you need to control more functions. **Setup Summary**: You’ll need to modify the download file, but the general [instructions are here](/news/recipe-midi-captain-foot-pedal-visibox). --- ### [**Keith McMillen 12Step**](https://www.keithmcmillen.com/product/12-step/ 'https://www.keithmcmillen.com/product/12-step/') [Keith McMillen 12Step](https://www.keithmcmillen.com/product/12-step/) - **Pros**: - **Programming Software**: Keith McMillen has free editor software for Mac and Windows. - **Highly Customizable**: The 12Step is highly customizable using the Mac/Windows software and can be programmed to trigger all of Visibox’s functions. - **Compact and Durable**: It’s compact and lightweight, making it easy to transport. They’re also super durable. Here’s a video of someone [driving over one with a van](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0Y64z5SELU). - **USB Connectivity**: The 12Step has USB connectivity and power. So you only need to connect one cable. - **Controllable LED Lights**: The 12Step has LED lights next to each button that can be controlled by Visibox. These will indicate which Clips are available and which are playing at any given time. - **Cons**: - **Price**: The 12Step is on the higher end of the price spectrum. - **Learning Curve**: It may take some time to get used to the 12Step unique design and programming interface. - **Price**: USD $319.00 We like the 12Step a little better for Visibox than its more expensive sibling, the SoftStep (below). The 12Step has more buttons and it’s easier to configure with Visibox. As of this writing, there are 2 different revisions of the 12Step and they’re both great. Don’t be confused by the musical-keyboard-style layout of this pedal. It works great even if you’re not playing musical notes. There are LED lights next to each button that can be controlled by Visibox. These will indicate which Clips are available and which are playing at any given time. It’s easy to transport and built to take a beating. It’s not as compact as some of the other options on this list. The 12Step is on the higher end of the price spectrum, but it’s a great investment if you’re looking for a versatile and reliable MIDI foot controller for Visibox. **Setup Summary**: Assign all of the buttons to MIDI notes. Open Visibox’s MIDI Map window and press “learn” next to the action you want to trigger. Press the corresponding button on the 12Step. Repeat for all actions you want to control. --- ### [**Keith McMillen SoftStep**](https://www.keithmcmillen.com/product/softstep/ 'https://www.keithmcmillen.com/product/softstep/') [Keith McMillen SoftStep](https://www.keithmcmillen.com/product/softstep/) - **Pros**: - **Programming Software**: Keith McMillen has free editor software for Mac and Windows. - **Highly Customizable**: The SoftStep is highly customizable using the Mac/Windows software and can be programmed to trigger all of Visibox’s functions. - **Compact and Durable**: It’s compact and lightweight, making it easy to transport. I’m sure you could drive a van over this one too. - **USB Connectivity**: The SoftStep has USB connectivity providing both data communications and power. Plug in one cable and off you go. - **Controllable LED Lights**: The SoftStep has LED lights next to each button that can be controlled by Visibox. These will indicate which Clips are available and which are playing at any given time. - **Cons**: - **Price**: The SoftStep is on the higher end of the price spectrum. - **Learning Curve**: It may take some time to get used to the SoftStep’s unique design and software interface. - **Price**: USD $369.00 Keith McMillen Instruments makes great gear – well-designed for professional performers. They’ve released 3 different versions of the SoftStep as of this writing and they just keep getting better and better. The latest version has 10 4-way-capable buttons plus a 4-way “Nav Pad” that can switch presets and more. The 4-way capability means you can technically set this pedal up to control more than 40 functions. However, you will need some very nimble feet! Ultimately, we like the 12Step just a little bit better for Visibox than the SoftStep because it is simpler and more straight-forward to set up. The SoftStep is on the higher end of the price spectrum, but it’s a great investment if you’re looking for a versatile and reliable MIDI foot controller for Visibox. **Setup Summary**: Assign each of the buttons to output an individual MIDI note. Open Visibox’s MIDI Map window and press “learn” next to the action you want to trigger. Press the corresponding button on the SoftStep. Repeat for all actions you want to control. --- ### [**Morningstar MC6 Pro**](https://www.morningstar.io/mc6-pro 'https://www.morningstar.io/mc6-pro')**,** [**MC6**](https://www.morningstar.io/mc6-mkii 'https://www.morningstar.io/mc6-mkii')**, and** [**MC8**](https://www.morningstar.io/mc8-midi-controller 'https://www.morningstar.io/mc8-midi-controller') [Morningstar MC6 Pro](https://www.morningstar.io/mc6-pro) - **Pros**: - **Highly Customizable**: The Morningstar MC6 is highly customizable and can be programmed to trigger all Visibox’s MIDI functions. - **Programming Software**: Morningstar has free editor software that runs in Chrome (Mac/Windows/Linux). - **Compact and Heavy Duty**: They’ll fit on your pedalboard. They’re designed to be roadworthy. - **USB Connectivity**: All of the Morningstar pedals have USB that can also power the pedals. So just connect one cable and you’re good to go. - **User Forum**: Morningstar has an active user forum where you can get help with programming and troubleshooting. - **Cons**: - **Price**: The Morningstar pedals are priced for professionals. - **Learning Curve**: While their software is pretty, it’s got hundreds of options which makes it a bit daunting at first. - **Price**: USD $349.00 (MC6 Pro), USD $299.00 (MC8), USD $229.00 (MC6) Morningstar does one thing and they do it well. Their pedals are designed for guitarists who want to control their entire pedalboard with a single MIDI controller. The MC6 Pro is the most powerful of the bunch. It has 6 footswitches and 3 color LCD screens. The MC6 has 6 footswitches. And the MC8 has 8 footswitches. HOWEVER, all of these pedals have “Omniport” jacks on the back which give you the ability to add 2 more switches per jack. The MC6es have 2, allowing for 4 more switches. The MC8 has 4, allowing for 8 more switches to be connected, giving you a total of 16 configurable footswitches. Search for “Morningstar aux switch” to find 3rd parties making expansion boxes. The Morningstar pedals are certainly more expensive than some of the other options, but they’re built like a tank and they’ll last you for the rest of your life. **Setup Summary**: Assign all of the buttons to output MIDI notes. Open Visibox’s MIDI Map window and press “learn” next to the action you want to trigger. Press the corresponding button on the Morningstar pedal. Repeat for all actions you want to control. --- ### [**Blackstar Live Logic**](https://blackstaramps.com/live-logic/ 'https://blackstaramps.com/live-logic/') [Blackstar Live Logic](https://blackstaramps.com/live-logic/) - **Pros**: - **Programming Software**: Blackstar has free editor software for Mac and Windows. It’s the easiest and most straight-forward on this list. - **Easy To Program**: Of all the pedals on this list, the Live Logic is probably the easiest MIDI pedal to program. - **Single-row Design**: You’re less likely to accidentally hit the wrong footswitch. - **Cons**: - **Not As Flexible**: The Live Logic is designed to control Blackstar amps. It’s not as flexible as some of the other pedals on this list. - **Button LEDs Are Not Controllable**: The Live Logic has LEDs next to each button, but they can’t be controlled via MIDI. And they only seem to indicate the last button you pushed… which isn’t especially helpful. - **Price**: USD $179.99 Blackstar, an amp company, makes a MIDI pedal shaped like most amp footswitches – shallow and wide, with a single row of footswitches. This makes it less likely that you’ll accidentally hit the wrong footswitch. Blackstar’s simple software makes it the easiest pedal on this list to configure. The Live Logic is not as flexible as some of the other pedals on this list, but it’s a good option if you’re looking for a simple and easy-to-use MIDI pedal. **Setup Summary**: Assign all of the buttons to output MIDI notes. Open Visibox’s MIDI Map window and press “learn” next to the action you want to trigger. Press the corresponding button on the Live Logic. Repeat for all actions you want to control. --- ### [**Nektar Pacer**](https://nektartech.com/pacer-midi-daw-footswitch-controller/ 'https://nektartech.com/pacer-midi-daw-footswitch-controller/') [Nektar Pacer](https://nektartech.com/pacer-midi-daw-footswitch-controller/) - **Pros**: - **Simple and Customizable**: The Nektar Pacer is highly customizable and can be programmed to trigger all of Visibox’s MIDI functionality. - **USB Connectivity**: The Pacer has USB connectivity, so you can connect it directly to your computer without the need for a separate MIDI interface. This will also power the device, so you won’t need a separate power cable. - **Lots of Footswitches**: The Pacer has 11 footswitches! - **Cons**: - **No Programming Software**: Nektar doesn’t have a software editor for the Pacer. Programming is done through the rotary encoder and the display on the pedal. - **Learning Curve**: It may take some time to set up the Pacer for your needs. - **Bulky**: While you’re less likely to hit the wrong footswitch, the Pacer is a bit bulky and takes up more space on stage. - **Price**: USD $229.99 Nektar makes high-quality MIDI controllers. They are known for their DAW controllers, but the Pacer is a great MIDI foot controller – once you’ve got it all set up. Nektar doesn’t provide configuration software, so you’ll be stuck setting it up using the rotary controller. It does have USB connectivity and power though, so you won’t need extra cables. The Pacer is a bit bulky and takes up more space on stage, but it’s a good option if you’ve got the space for it. **Setup Summary**: Assign all of the buttons to output MIDI notes. Open Visibox’s MIDI Map window and press “learn” next to the action you want to trigger. Press the corresponding button on the Pacer. Repeat for all actions you want to control. --- ### [**Behringer FCB1010**](https://www.behringer.com/behringer/product?modelCode=0715-AAA 'https://www.behringer.com/behringer/product?modelCode=0715-AAA') [Behringer FCB1010](https://www.behringer.com/behringer/product?modelCode=0715-AAA) - **Pros**: - **Sturdy Build**: The Behringer FCB1010 is built like a tank and can withstand the rigors of live performance. - **Versatile**: It has 10 footswitches and 2 expression pedals, giving you plenty of control options. - **Affordable**: It’s one of the more affordable MIDI foot controllers on the market – especially if you find it on the used market. - **Cons**: - **No USB Connectivity**: The FCB1010 does not have USB connectivity, so you’ll need a separate MIDI interface. - **Large Size**: It’s a bit bulky and may take up more space on stage. - **No Programming Software**: You’ll need to program it through the footswitches. - **Price**: USD $149.99 The Behringer FCB1010 is the grandaddy of production MIDI pedals. It has been in production since the early 2000’s. It is modeled after Roland controllers from the 1980s. So it has certainly withstood the test of time. It’s big and clunky and has 10 footswitches, 2 preset-select footswitches, and 2 expression pedals that can be programmed to trigger various functions in Visibox. The biggest downside is the FCB1010 doesn’t have USB. The second is its size. However, the FCB1010 is straight-forward to program and can be customized to suit your needs. **Setup Summary**: Assign all of the buttons to output MIDI notes. Open Visibox’s MIDI Map window and press “learn” next to the action you want to trigger. Press the corresponding button on the FCB1010. Repeat for all actions you want to control. --- ### **But What About \[Insert MIDI Pedal Here\]?** Many other MIDI pedals on the market can be used to control Visibox. If you have a MIDI pedal that you like, you can probably use it to control Visibox. Just make sure it can send MIDI notes or CC messages. If you’re not sure, check the pedal’s manual or contact the manufacturer. If you’re having trouble setting up your MIDI pedal with Visibox, feel free to reach out to us for help. And if you find another MIDI pedal that you think should be on this list, let us know! We’re always looking for new gear to test and recommend. ## **Conclusion** MIDI pedals have been around since the 1980s and they’re still a great way to control software like Visibox. They’re easy to use, reliable, and flexible. Whether you’re a guitarist, keyboardist, or DJ, you can find a MIDI pedal that fits your needs. We hope this guide has helped you find the right MIDI pedal for controlling Visibox. If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to reach out to us. We’re here to help you create amazing audiovisual performances with Visibox. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/inter-application-midi # Route MIDI Between Applications on the Same Computer > Learn how to route MIDI signals between applications for enhanced control and synchronization in live performances. Route MIDI Between Applications on the Same Computer While Visibox is a powerful tool for controlling visuals in live performances, it can be enhanced further by integrating it with other MIDI-enabled applications such as MIDI sequencers, DAWs, or lighting software. This software can be running on the same computer as Visibox, or a different computer connected via a network, USB, or other MIDI interfaces. By routing MIDI signals from one application to another, you can sync Visibox with existing lighting cues, multi-channel audio playback, etc. In this guide, we’ll focus on routing MIDI signals from one application to Visibox on the same computer. The process involves creating a virtual MIDI port that acts as a bridge between the sending application and Visibox. Note that this process should work for any application that can receive MIDI, not just Visibox. Here’s how you to set it up on both Mac and Windows systems: #### **For Mac Users** 1. **Set Up the IAC Driver**: - Open **Audio MIDI Setup** (found in Applications > Utilities). - From the menu bar, choose **Window > Show MIDI Studio**. - Double-click the **IAC Driver** icon. IAC (Inter-Application Communication) is a virtual MIDI driver that allows MIDI data to be sent between applications on the same computer. - Check the **Device is online** checkbox. - Click the **+** button to create a new port. Name it appropriately (e.g., “Visibox MIDI”). 2. **Configure the Sending Application**: - Open the MIDI-sending application (e.g., a DAW like Logic Pro). - Go to the MIDI settings and set the output to the newly created IAC port (e.g., “Visibox MIDI”). 3. **Configure Visibox**: - Open Visibox. - In the **Settings > MIDI Inputs** menu, ensure that the new IAC MIDI port is appearing and enabled - Open the MIDI Map window via **Settings > MIDI Map**. - Select the new IAC port from the “Input” dropdown. - Map the MIDI controls to the desired actions within Visibox. 4. **Test the Setup**: - Trigger MIDI data in the sending application. - Verify that Visibox receives and responds to the MIDI data appropriately. #### **For Windows Users** 1. **Install a Virtual MIDI Cable**: - Download and install a virtual MIDI cable. Popular options include: - **[loopMIDI](https://www.tobias-erichsen.de/software/loopmidi.html)** - **[loopBe1](https://www.nerds.de/en/loopbe1.html)** - Open the virtual MIDI cable application. - Create a new virtual port and name it (e.g., “Visibox MIDI”). 2. **Configure the Sending Application**: - Open the MIDI-sending application (e.g., a DAW like Cubase). - Go to the MIDI settings and set the output to the newly created virtual MIDI port (e.g., “Visibox MIDI”). 3. **Configure Visibox**: - Open Visibox. - In the **Settings > MIDI Inputs** menu, ensure that the new virtual MIDI port is appearing and enabled. - Open the MIDI Map window via **Settings > MIDI Map**. - Select the new virtual port from the “Input” dropdown. - Map the MIDI controls to the desired actions within Visibox. 4. **Test the Setup**: - Trigger MIDI data in the sending application. - Verify that Visibox receives and responds to the MIDI data appropriately. #### **Additional Tips for Using Visibox with MIDI** - **MIDI Mapping in Visibox**: Make use of Visibox’s MIDI mapping feature to assign specific MIDI controls to actions like triggering videos, changing scenes, or controlling effects. - **Monitor MIDI Data**: Utilize MIDI monitoring tools (like MIDI-OX on Windows or MIDI Monitor on Mac) to ensure the MIDI signals are being transmitted correctly. - **Consistent MIDI Channels**: Ensure that Visibox’s MIDI input is in “Omni” mode. This will ensure that Visibox will receive messages on whatever MIDI channel the sending application is sending on. By following these steps, you can effectively route MIDI signals from any application to Visibox, allowing for a seamless integration of your MIDI devices and software in your live performances. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/visual-set-list-in-2-minutes # An Entire Visual Set List in 2 Minutes > Watch a whole show's worth of concert visuals come together in Visibox in about two minutes, from clips to a triggered, performance-ready set list. [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyknNkxpe1g) In about two minutes, watch a whole show's worth of visuals come together in Visibox — drop in your clips, build your songs, and trigger the set live. It's the fastest way to see how Visibox turns a folder of video into a performance-ready visual set list. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/recipe-midi-captain-foot-pedal-visibox # Recipe: MIDI Captain Foot Pedal + Visibox > Put a video pedal on your board! Use the Paint Audio MIDI Captain foot controller to control Visibox. It’s affordable, flexible, and nearly perfect for controlling your visuals. MIDI Captain Pedal with Visibox configuration ### Introduction Visibox is an audiovisual performance environment that allows you to control and synchronize videos, images, cameras, and audio files during live performances. You can use it as a player for your beats and backing tracks. But it can be used to add a visual dimension to your performance. This guide will show you how to use Visibox with a MIDI Captain foot controller to control your visuals. While there seem to be a lot of different MIDI-oriented control pedals on the market, many of them are designed specifically to change patches on guitar multi-effects systems such as the Kemper Profiler. These pedals cannot send MIDI note data or CC messages. Meanwhile, many of the more programmable, more flexible MIDI pedals on the market, are either very bulky or very expensive. ### The MIDI Captain Introduced in December of 2022, the MIDI Captain from Paint Audio is a simple, rugged, and affordable foot controller that sends MIDI messages either via USB or a conventional 5-pin MIDI port. It’s got 10 buttons and can be configured in “geek mode” with myriad possibilities. It can be powered via USB, batteries, or a standard 9v guitar pedal adapter. Paint has released a steady stream of firmware updates for this pedal and it seems to get better and better. It also costs about USD$150. In short, it’s _nearly_ perfect for controlling Visibox during live performances. #### Pros - Affordable - Relatively compact - Lots of buttons - Can send MIDI notes and CC messages - Can be powered via USB, batteries, or a standard 9v guitar pedal adapter - Regular firmware updates - Lots of configuration options #### Cons - Can be difficult and confusing to program - Documentation is often confusing and poorly translated - As of this writing (June 2024), there are 5 different firmware versions available for the MIDI Captain, each with different features. - As of this writing, it’s not possible to control the lights on the MIDI Captain from Visibox. So you can’t use the lights to indicate which Clips are available and which are playing. #### Other MIDI Captain pedals There are several other MIDI Captain pedals available from Paint Audio. This recipe is specifically for the 10-button versions (the gold, blue, and “STD” black models). There are also 6 (Mini), 4 (Nano), 2 (Duo), and 1-button (One) versions available. These smaller versions all rely on the “SuperMode” firmware used below. So it should be pretty easy to adapt this recipe to those versions. But the download files included below are specifically for the 10-button versions. ### What You’ll Need - A computer running macOS or Windows - A video projector or monitor - A MIDI Captain foot controller - Visibox ## Step 1: Configure Your MIDI Captain For this recipe, we’ll configure the MIDI Captain to send MIDI note messages when you press the buttons. This is the simplest way to control Visibox. 1. Connect the MIDI Captain to your computer using a USB cable. While the MIDI Captain can also connect via a wireless connection, the USB connection is likely more reliable for performance situations. It also has the advantage of powering the MIDI Captain from the computer. 2. If needed, download and install the “SuperMode FW 4.0” firmware from the [MIDI Captain product page](https://paintaudio.com/products/midi-captain-std-vesion-black). This is the most recent version of the firmware as of June 2024. 3. Mount the MIDI Captain as a USB drive on your computer. You can do this by first connecting a USB cable while the unit is turned off. Then, hold down the upper left button on the MIDI Captain while turning it on. The MIDI Captain will appear as a drive on your computer - usually called “MIDICAPTAIN”. 4. **[Download this file](https://spaceage.tv/s/VisiboxConfigForMIDICaptain10BtnV10.zip)** and unzip it on your computer. 5. Drag the `vbx.bmp` file to the “wallpapers” folder on the MIDI Captain. 6. You can use the `page0.txt` file as-is, or you can edit it if needed. This file contains the configuration for the MIDI Captain. - `page0` means this will be the first configuration page. You can change the name of the file to `page1.txt` (or something else) if you want to use a different page. - `page0` is the file that contains the global settings (that affect all pages) for the pedal. So if you want to change the brightness of the LEDs or the screen, you can do that here. - You can also change the colors of the LEDs here. The colors are in Hex RGB format. We have the Clip buttons set to blue. The song increment/decrement buttons are set to red. - You can also change the setting of the encoder wheel here. We have it set up to control the volume of the audio in Visibox. 7. Drag the `page0.txt` file (or whatever you renamed it to) to the “supersetup” folder on the MIDI Captain and replace the existing file. 8. Unmount the MIDICAPTAIN drive from your computer. 9. Turn the MIDI Captain off and on again. It should now look similar to the image below. The screen will show “MIDI Captain” and the LEDs will be blue. The screen will also show the current page number (0) and the battery level. The Clip buttons will be blue and the Previous/Next Song buttons will be red. The screen should also say “VSBX” at the top. If it does not, something may have gone wrong with the configuration. Repeat the steps above. Here’s what the configuration does: MIDI Captain Configuration The blue buttons on the left side control the Clips (1-8) in the current Song. The red buttons on the right side control the Song increment and decrement. Incrementing or decrementing will also stop any playing Clip, so these buttons also function as “Stop.” The encoder wheel controls the volume of the audio in Visibox. Note that the readout on the screen is not very helpful. It shows the MIDI note number that is being sent when you press a button. This is useful for debugging, but not much else. ## Step 2: Configure Visibox 1. (If necessary,) download and install Visibox from the [Spaceage website](/#download). There’s a free 14-day trial available if you want to try it out. 2. That’s about it! Visibox should automatically recognize the MIDI Captain when you plug it in. The configuration we set up in the MIDI Captain will send the MIDI notes that Visibox listens to by default. 3. (Optional.) You can change the MIDI notes that Visibox listens to by going to the “Settings” menu and selecting “MIDI Map.” [This YouTube video](https://youtu.be/hYWjD0U3IWY?si=7cdeohUrYXKMqGyv) shows you how to change the MIDI notes that Visibox listens to. ## Tips For Using Visibox With The MIDI Captain - If you’re putting the MIDI Caption on an existing pedal board, you can connect it to your 9V power supply. With batteries installed and the USB cable connected, the MIDI Captain will automatically switch to whichever power source is available. - Configuring the MIDI Captain can be confusing and frustrating. Changing the configuration files is essentially the same as updating the firmware. So if you make a mistake, you can “brick” the pedal. This isn’t too much of a problem, because the pedal will show up as a USB drive on your computer. You can just replace the configuration files with the ones you downloaded above. But it can be a bit nerve-wracking. - Visibox offers a feature to send MIDI notes to control the LEDs on a supported controller. This lights up the LEDs on the controller to indicate which Clips are available and which are playing. As of this writing, the MIDI Captain does not support any kind of MIDI input, so this feature is not supported. This is a bit of a bummer, but it’s not a deal-breaker. You can always use the Preview section of the Visibox Controller window to get a quick indication of which Clips are available and what’s playing. - Paint Audio sells Label Caps for the MIDI Captain. These are little plastic caps that you can put over the buttons to label them. This can be very helpful for remembering which button does what. You can also use a label maker or a piece of tape to label the buttons. - Be careful not to long-press the Prev/Next buttons. The SuperMode firmware uses these buttons to increment and decrement the configuration pages. If you're concerned about this, you can remove all of the `pageX.txt` configuration files from the `supersetup` folder except for `page0.txt`. This will prevent the MIDI Captain from changing pages. ### Questions & Answers #### There is a package that comes bundled with a wireless MIDI dongle. Do I need this? No. The MIDI Captain can connect to your computer via USB. This is likely more reliable than a wireless connection. It also has the advantage of powering the MIDI Captain from the computer. #### There is a package that comes bundled with an expression pedal. Do I need this? Not really. You could use this pedal for controlling volume level or Song selection in Visibox. But the encoder wheel on the MIDI Captain can do the same thing. The expression pedal is likely more useful for controlling guitar effects. #### How would I adapt the configuration for the 6, 4, 2, or 1-button version of the MIDI Captain? The configuration file included in this recipe is for the 10-button version of the MIDI Captain. You can adapt it for the 6 or 4-button versions by changing the key assignments in the `page0.txt` file. Instead of having key assignments from key0 to key9, you would have key assignments from 0 to 5, 0 to 3. For what it's worth, the 2 and 1-button versions may be of limited use with Visibox. While it's possible to get more functionality out of a single button through the short and long press functions, this functionality may be more frustrating than useful. See below. #### Can I assign different functions for short press and long press? The MIDI Captain SuperMode supports adding different functions for short and long presses on each button. However, my first inclination is to avoid this. In addition to the possibility of losing your balance on stage and accidentally long-pressing, when you meant to short-press (or vice versa), the MIDI Captain has to wait to determine whether you’re going to short-press or long-press. Therefore, the best way to utilize short and long presses is to effectively have NO function upon pressing the button down and then having the different short/long functions occur when you release the button. This makes the pedal feel less responsive. But it’s possible. ### Conclusion The MIDI Captain is a great foot controller for controlling Visibox. It’s affordable, well-designed, and flexible. It’s not perfect, but it’s pretty close. If you’re a singer, guitar, or bass player with your hands full on stage, this is a great way to control your on-stage visuals without depending on someone at the front of the house. Visibox makes it easy to make videos and other visuals a part of your live performance. And the MIDI Captain makes it easy to control those visuals. Together, they make a great team. ### Further Reading - [Visibox User Manual](https://manual.spaceage.tv/) - [MIDI Captain User Manual](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0656/8312/8548/files/Super_Mode_V1.2.en.pdf) - [Paint Audio YouTube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/@Wilson-PaintAudio) - [Paint Audio Website](https://paintaudio.com) - [Spaceage Website](/) - [Spaceage YouTube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/@spaceage) --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/where-to-find-video-clips-and-loops-for-visibox # Where To Find Video Clips And Loops For Visibox > Whether you’re looking for cinematic landscapes, abstract animations, or historical footage, this guide will help you find the clips you need to create a compelling visual experience for your audience. Where To Find Video Clips And Loops For Visibox When you first create a new Visibox Project, you’re greeted with a blank page that says, “Add clips by dragging your video or image files here.” So the first video that many Visibox users add is a smartphone clip of their nephew’s birthday party or a Nyan Cat GIF they’ve got on their desktop. This is fine for testing out our software. But, if you want to put together a compelling show that captivates your audience, you’ll need to source some high-quality video clips. In this post, we’ll explore where to find video clips for Visibox, including paid and free sources, and best practices for using them effectively. ### Understanding Copyright and Licensing Before diving into sources for video clips and images, it’s important to grasp the basics of copyright and licensing. Copyright laws protect the original creators of content, including videos, from unauthorized use. In short, this means you can’t legally use someone else’s images or video clips in your performances without permission. However, many creators license their work in ways that allow others to use it, sometimes for free, under certain conditions. These licenses may require you to give credit to the creator, use the content non-commercially, or keep your work under the same license. Some licenses require a one-time payment, while others may involve ongoing royalties. And some content is provided royalty-free or falls into the public domain, meaning you can use it without restrictions. In some cases, you may be able to use copyrighted material without permission under the fair use doctrine. Fair use allows for limited use of copyrighted material for purposes such as criticism, commentary, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research. However, fair use is a complex legal concept, and it’s essential to understand the guidelines and limitations before relying on it. ### Creative Commons Creative Commons licenses are a popular way for creators to share their work with specific permissions. These licenses allow creators to retain copyright while granting others the right to use, share, and build upon their work. “CREATIVE COMMONS” DOES NOT MEAN YOU ARE FREE TO USE IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES. Here are the main types of Creative Commons licenses: - **Attribution (CC BY)**: Allows others to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the work, even commercially, as long as they credit the creator. - **Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA)**: Allows others to remix, adapt, and build upon the work, even for commercial purposes, as long as they credit the creator and license their new creations under the same terms. - **Attribution-NoDerivs (CC BY-ND)**: Allows for redistribution, commercial and non-commercial, as long as the work is passed along unchanged and in whole, with credit to the creator. - **Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC)**: Allows others to remix, adapt, and build upon the work non-commercially, and although their new works must also acknowledge the creator and be non-commercial, they don’t have to license their derivative works on the same terms. - **Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (CC BY-NC-SA)**: Allows others to remix, adapt, and build upon the work non-commercially, as long as they credit the creator and license their new creations under identical terms. - **Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (CC BY-NC-ND)**: Allows others to download the works and share them with others as long as they credit the creator, but they can’t change them in any way or use them commercially. When using Creative Commons-licensed content, it’s crucial to understand the specific terms of the license and comply with them. Always check the license details provided by the creator to ensure you’re using the content correctly. ### Royalty-Free vs. Public Domain - **Royalty-Free**: This doesn’t mean the content is free. It means that after purchasing or acquiring the content under a royalty-free license, you can use it without paying ongoing royalties. However, read the license carefully, as there may be restrictions. - **Public Domain**: Content in the public domain is free for anyone to use for any purpose. This includes works whose copyright has expired and works specifically released into the public domain by the creator. ### Free Sources for Royalty-Free and Public Domain Footage 1. **[Pixabay](https://pixabay.com/)**: A popular source for free, royalty-free videos, images, and music that you can use for any purpose, including commercial projects. 2. **[Pexels](https://www.pexels.com/)**: Offers a wide range of free stock videos and photos contributed by creators worldwide, available for personal and commercial use without attribution. 3. **[Internet Archive](https://archive.org/details/movies)**: A digital library offering free access to collections of movies, films, and digital works. The content ranges from public domain films to old commercials and educational videos. The [Prelinger Archives](https://archive.org/details/prelinger) is a notable collection within the Internet Archive. 4. **[Public Domain Movies](https://publicdomainmovie.net/)**: A niche site dedicated to films that have entered the public domain, perfect for unique and historical footage. ### Paid Sources for Royalty-Free Footage 1. **[Shutterstock](https://www.shutterstock.com/)**: Offers a vast collection of high-quality, royalty-free videos. Pricing varies depending on the package or subscription. 2. **[Getty Images](https://www.gettyimages.com/)**: Known for high-quality footage with a range of pricing options, including premium collections. 3. **[Pond5](https://www.pond5.com/)**: Features a wide variety of video clips, including historical footage, with flexible pricing options. 4. **[Artgrid](https://artgrid.io/)**: A subscription-based platform offering high-quality video clips with a focus on cinematic content. 5. **[Storyblocks](https://www.storyblocks.com/)**: Provides a subscription-based model for access to a library of royalty-free videos, images, and music. 6. **[Envato Elements](https://elements.envato.com/)**: Offers a subscription service with access to a vast library of video clips, music, graphics, 3D models, and more. ### Community and Indie Sources 1. **[Vimeo Creative Commons](https://vimeo.com/creativecommons)**: A collection of videos on Vimeo that are licensed under Creative Commons, allowing for reuse and remixing. 2. **[Archive.org](https://archive.org/)**: Beyond movies, Archive.org offers a vast collection of public domain and Creative Commons-licensed content, including audio, images, and texts. 3. **[Videvo](https://www.videvo.net/)**: A platform offering free and premium video clips, motion graphics, and sound effects, with a focus on community-contributed content. 4. **[Coverr](https://coverr.co/)**: A site that provides free, high-quality videos for commercial use, with new clips added weekly. 5. **[Mixkit](https://mixkit.co/)**: A site offering free stock videos, music, and templates for commercial use, with a focus on quality and simplicity. 6. **[Videezy](https://www.videezy.com/)**: A community-driven platform with free stock videos, motion graphics, and more, contributed by creators worldwide. 7. **[VJ Loops](https://www.vjloops.com/)**: A site specializing in video loops and visuals for VJs, DJs, and other performers, with a mix of free and premium content. 8. **[VJ Street](https://www.vjstreet.com/)**: A community-driven platform for VJs and visual artists, offering free and premium video loops and visuals. 9. **[VJ Galaxy](https://vjgalaxy.com/)**: A site specializing in VJ loops and visuals, with a mix of free and premium content. 10. **[Reddit VJ Loops](https://www.reddit.com/r/VJLoops/)**: A subreddit where VJs share and discuss video loops and visuals, with some creators offering free downloads. 11. **[Reddit VJing](https://www.reddit.com/r/vjing/)**: A subreddit for VJs and visual artists to share tips, tricks, and resources, including video clips and visuals. ### A Note On YouTube And Social Media While YouTube and social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok are rich sources of video content, it’s essential to be cautious when using clips from these platforms in your Visibox performances. Many videos on these platforms are copyrighted, and using them without permission can lead to copyright infringement issues. Consider your use case when deciding whether you want to cross that line. Are you getting paid for your performance? If so, this is a commercial use. Are you showing this content in front of a large audience? Will it be recorded? These are all questions to consider. You can always reach out to the original creator and ask for permission to use their content. Many creators are happy to have their work featured in other projects, as long as they receive credit. If you’re using a clip from a platform like YouTube, you can also check the video’s description or the creator’s channel for licensing information. Some creators provide details on how their content can be used. Usually, an email from the creator is enough to constitute legal permission. Better safe than sorry. ### Best Practices for Using Video Clips in Visibox - **Quality Over Quantity**: Choose video clips that enhance your performance and create a cohesive visual experience. Avoid overwhelming your audience with too many clips. - **Cuts Break The Flow**: The cardinal rule of editing music videos (back when that was more popular) is to cut on the beat. This is because cuts break the flow of the video. If you’re using video clips in Visibox, try to avoid footage with a lot of cuts. Instead, chop longer videos up into shorter clips that can loop more seamlessly. This way, you can “cut” the video in real-time by triggering different clips. - **Plan To Do Some Editing**: You may want to trim or loop video clips to fit the timing of your performance. Consider using video editing software to customize the content. - **Organize Your Library**: Keep your video clips well-organized in folders, categorizing them by theme, mood, or any other system that makes sense for your performances. - **Test And Experiment**: Experiment with different video clips and vibes. Test how they look on the big screen and how they feel with the music. Don’t be afraid to try new things and refine your visuals over time. Eventually, you’ll find some “tricks” that work well for you and define your signature style. ### Conclusion Sourcing video clips for Visibox can be an exciting endeavor that adds a dynamic layer to your performances. By understanding copyright and licensing, exploring both paid and free sources, and following best practices, you can curate a compelling visual experience that complements your music and engages your audience at a deeper level. Whether you’re looking for cinematic landscapes, abstract animations, or historical footage, the world of video clips is vast and full of creative possibilities. So dive in, explore, and discover the perfect visuals to elevate your Visibox performances. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/recipe-visibox-for-cover-and-tribute-bands # Recipe: Visibox for Cover and Tribute Bands > A dozen ideas to amplify audience engagement and recreate the essence of iconic acts – offering audiences a taste of nostalgia and a connection to music history. Recipe: Visibox for Cover and Tribute Bands ## A Dozen Ideas to Amplify Audience Engagement In the dynamic world of live music, cover and tribute bands hold a unique position. They recreate the essence of iconic acts, offering audiences a taste of nostalgia and a connection to music history. To elevate this experience, leveraging cutting-edge audiovisual technology like Visibox can transform a standard performance into an unforgettable event. Visibox, an audiovisual performance environment, allows musicians to control videos, images, cameras, and audio files seamlessly during live performances. Using MIDI, a guitarist or bassist could trigger videos with a foot pedal, a drummer could trigger with sticks, or a keyboard player could trigger with their fingers. This integration not only enhances the visual spectacle but also strengthens the memory association with the original artists. ### Requirements - A computer (probably a laptop) running macOS or Windows - A video projector, television, or LCD display - A MIDI controller (optional) - Visibox ### Planning Your Visual Strategy First, you’re going to need to decide how you want to use Visibox. There are a lot of different ways that you may want to integrate visuals into your performance. Here are a bunch of ideas: 1. **Backdrops and Virtual Sets:** Create a virtual stage for your band. You could have a different backdrop for each song, or you could have a single backdrop that changes over time. Virtual backdrops literally set the stage for your performance. Simple photos of the interior of The Cavern Club, Shea Stadium, Studio 54, The Fillmore, The Grand Ole Opry, The Apollo Theater, CBGBs, or The Royal Albert Hall, transport the audience and set an attitude and intention. Maybe you’ve got a country act and you want to set a country vibe, or perhaps something more urban sets the scene. You can also add motion to your otherwise sedentary performances as you roll down the road or fly through the sky. 2. **Brand Visuals:** Enhance the brand of your band with motion graphics, logos, or other visuals that tell the audience who you are. These don’t need to do a lot. You don’t need your logo to be attracting too much attention to itself. But you’ve got an opportunity to remind the audience who you are and perhaps give them information on how to stay in touch with social media links or web URLs. Other than logos, there may be other signature or brand-specific imagery associated with your act. So keep that in mind too. 3. **Slides:** You don’t necessarily need video content to create a compelling show. You can do a lot with still photos. Here again, we’re creating a vibe, telling a story, or triggering memories for the audience. Most of the photo management apps out there will create a video file from your digital photo albums. For more fine-grained timing, you can just drag your photos into Visibox and trigger them on the fly. 4. **Vibe Clips:** These set a mood for your performance. Uplifting clouds. Heavy metal skulls. Disco balls. Soothing waters. Psychedelic weirdness. They can be short, looping clips, without much in the way of narrative to upstage the performers. This is a really easy way to set a mood and elevate a performance. Visibox has retriggering effects such as "stutter" to sync up “action-based” clips with the song. 5. **Original Band Footage:** Capture signature imagery from the bands you’re covering. While putting up footage of the original band members may upstage your tribute, you might still be able to use iconic footage associated with the original band: music video clips, stage visuals, or movie clips associated with this music. Audiences like to get nostalgic. Bring them back to that experience where they discovered this music for the first time. 6. **Live Footage:** Visibox lets you show live camera streams on the screen. It’ll show the camera from your laptop or a USB-connected camera. This is great if you want to show close-ups of performers during specific parts of songs. Focus on hands during a guitar or keyboard solo, or draw focus to something happening on stage. You can also aim the camera at the audience and encourage participation and reactions. When aiming the camera at the audience, be sure to choose Flip > Horizontal on the camera Clip. This will give the audience a mirrored “selfie”. 7. **Lyrics and Sing-Alongs:** Even if you’re not playing to a click track, Visibox makes it easy to trigger specific Clips at specific times in your performance. “You are the dancing queen”, “I get knocked down, but I get up again, no you’re never gonna get me down”, “Hey! Ho! Let’s Go!” If you’re performing with backing tracks, you can put together a song-length video where the lyrics play in time with the music. But even if you’re performing more conventionally, you can simply trigger the lyrics at the correct time and they’ll usually stay enough in time with the song to get through a chorus or two. You can set these Clips up to auto-advance, so they won’t repeat when they’re finished. In Visibox, you can do this by selecting the “When Clip Ends” option and setting it to “Play Next Clip”. 8. **Narrative Visuals:** This is all about storytelling. This is long-form content, that intentionally upstages the performer or causes interplay between the foreground and background on stage. Taylor Swift did this on Saturday Night Live recently, with a 10-minute movie that underscored her performance. Narrative visuals don’t necessarily need to be too linear. They can be a poem for the eyes. Think theatrically. Think about your favorite rock operas, musicals, or concept albums. If you are performing with backing tracks, you can create a single video file that contains both the audio and video. If you are performing conventionally and your tempos are usually pretty consistent and the content of your narrative video doesn’t need to be perfectly aligned with your performance, you may be able to get away with a single video file that plays for the duration of the song. But Visibox is particularly good at live-editing a video together, allowing you to advance to the next scene by stepping on a pedal or touching a button or pad with your finger or a drumstick. You can create clips for each scene or section of the song and either cut them longer than you expect that section of the song to be, or Visibox can just loop this Clip until you hit the button to advance to the next Clip. In this way, you’ve got a narrative video that is cut in time with the performance on stage and ends gracefully with the end of the song, even if you decide to improvise the song form a bit from night to night. 9. **Virtual Props, or Effects:** Add explosions, fireworks, or smoke on stage without alerting the fire martial. How about a virtual flying pig for your Pink Floyd tribute? Need to put a virtual car on the stage? Some kind of props for your show? With Visibox these Clips can loop or you can set them as one-shots. And with MIDI control, you can trigger these exactly when you need them. 10. **Virtual Performers:** How about a virtual duet? Or a virtual backing band? Or virtual guests that come in for some comedic interaction? To make this work you’ll usually need to sync up the on-stage action with the video rather than the other way around. This means backing tracks of one type or another. There are lots of examples of this type of thing out there, Paul McCartney with John Lennon, Tupac, Gorillaz… These are easier to create than you might think. Once you’ve got your backing tracks together, you can send them off to your collaborator who can perform their track in front of a smartphone. Then line up their phone footage in your video editing software. Or perhaps your footage becomes the backing track by itself - I’ve done this with virtual drummers or an entire virtual backing band. This can be really powerful, and elevate a show by expanding the scope and geography of a show beyond the walls of the venue. 11. **Dancers:** Watching dancers makes people want to dance. It’s just human nature to want to join in with the action — even if that action is happening on a screen as part of the show. The dancing doesn’t need to be especially choreographed. It doesn’t even need to be particularly in time with the music on stage. That attitude and intent seems to be more important than synchronization. Our brains will fill in the timing gaps. Of course, if you’re performing with backing tracks, you can sync things up. But it’s less important than you might initially think. 12. **Interstitial Clips:** This is probably a topic in and of itself. “Interstitial” refers to the stuff between the stuff. These are videos that happen between, before, or after the action on stage. While most of the Clips I’ve mentioned previously are silent, it’s totally appropriate for the interstitial Clips to upstage the performers. Your Beatles tribute band can come on stage to screaming black-and-white fan footage straight out of 1964. You can insert a tongue-in-cheek commercial, reminding people to buy your t-shirts and merch. You can distract people during costume or instrument changes with era-defining or nostalgic clips. You walk off stage and leave a QR code up to get people on your mailing list or social media. ### Setting Up Your Visibox Project Start by creating a new Project in Visibox. You can add multiple songs, each with its own set of media files. Visibox is set up like a set list with a chunky interface that’s easy to see from a distance on stage. Add Songs to your Project and then drag in your audio, video, or image files. Each Song may have a single Clip or multiple Clips. You can mix and match these options. Put together your whole set list in Visibox, or just add a few songs to get started. You can always add more later. ### Configuring Playback Visibox’s default settings will probably work well, but you may want to make adjustments. Here are some things you might want to consider: - **Video Clip Looping And Retriggering** - Visibox’s default setting is to loop video Clips. However, if the video runs the entire length of the song (and perhaps contains the backing track), you probably don’t want it to start over while you’re introducing the next song. In this case, select one or more Clips and right-click. Then select “When Clip Ends” and choose either “Stop” or “Cue Next Song”. This will stop the video when it ends and optionally cue the next song in your set list. You might also choose “When Retriggered” and select “Do Nothing” so that if you accidentally trigger the video again, it doesn’t start over. - **Volume Levels** - If you’re using multiple video Clips, you can adjust their volume levels relative to one another. This is useful if you have a video with a loud soundtrack and another with a quiet soundtrack. You can also adjust the volume of the video relative to your backing tracks. To adjust the volume level of a video Clip, right-click on it and select “Volume”. To adjust the volume level of audio attached to a Song, right-click on the Song and select “Volume”. - **Audio End Behavior** - If you’re using audio attached to a Song, you can set what happens when the audio ends. Right-click on the Song and select “When Audio Ends”. You can choose whether playing Clips will stop, cue the next Song, or play the next Song and keep the party going! This is useful if you’re using backing tracks and want to make sure the visuals end when the music ends. Cueing the next Song is useful because it’s one less button to push when you’re ready to start the next song. ### Presenting and Performing You can control Visibox using MIDI devices (pedals, pads, keyboards, etc), an Elgato Stream Deck, or just the keyboard and mouse on your laptop. You can use an external audio interface, or just plug your computer into the sound system. You can control Visibox from the stage, or have someone else control it from the front of the house. With your visuals set up, you’re ready to perform. Visibox is designed to adapt your Project to most video projectors, monitors, LCDs, and televisions. Visibox will quickly adapt your input content to your output format, cropping, scaling, and adapting 4:3, 16:9, 16:10 and other aspect ratios to fit your output device. 1. **Place Your Computer** - Place your computer on stage or at the front of the house. Laptops are generally better for this because they have built-in screens and a battery so you won’t need to reboot if the power gets unplugged. Put the laptop somewhere where you can see the screen and control it easily, but where it won’t get in the way of your performance. 2. **Connect The Video** - Connect your computer to your video projector or LCD. This can usually be done with a simple HDMI connector, but you may need some adapters. Bring long cables because you never know where the video projector will be located. 3. **Connect The Audio** - Connect your computer to the sound system. This can usually be done with a simple 1/8” to 1/4” adapter, but you may need some adapters. Bring long cables for this too! ### Tips - **Test, Test, Test**: Test your setup in a variety of environments. You may not know what kind of video projector or sound system you’ll be working with. You may need to adjust your settings on the fly. - **Bring A Backup**: Bring a backup computer, video projector, and sound system if you can. If you can’t, at least bring a backup of your media files on a USB stick. You never know when something will go wrong. - **Practice**: Practice your performance with the visuals. You may need to adjust your performance to fit the visuals, or vice versa. You may need to adjust your lighting to make the visuals look better. You may need to adjust Visibox’s settings or even re-edit your videos to make everything work together. You often won’t know what needs to change until you’re actually in the midst of it all. ### Links and Resources - [Visibox](/) - [Jeff's Concert Visuals Rig (Video)](https://youtu.be/cf6kJMPXVHo?si=8MRRPGaWT-Rc7BGM) - [Choosing A Video Projector (Video)](https://youtu.be/Oi6PHeiHIHU?si=_ckGC5_t5J2WicQX) - [MIDI Controllers For Visibox (Video)](https://youtu.be/hYWjD0U3IWY?si=ZFqT8jHTNGLwyt6A) - [Visibox Manual](https://manual.spaceage.tv/) --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/recipe-solo-hip-hop-visibox # Recipe: Solo Hip Hop Performance with Visibox > Building beats a producing tracks in your bedroom is one thing. But figuring out how to perform them live is another. Recipe: Solo Hip Hop Performance with Visibox ### Introduction Building beats and producing tracks in your bedroom is one thing. But figuring out how to perform them live is another. Visibox is an audiovisual performance environment that allows you to control and synchronize videos, images, cameras, and audio files during live performances. You can use it as a player for your beats and backing tracks. But it can be used to add a visual dimension to your performance. This guide will show you how to use Visibox to add visuals to your solo hip hop performance. There are many ways to use Visibox. We’re just going to outline one way to get started. But you can use this as a starting point and then experiment with your own ideas. ### What You’ll Need - A computer running macOS or Windows - A video projector or monitor - A MIDI controller (optional) - Visibox ### Assumptions - You’ve already got backing tracks or beats that you’ll be performing with. - You’ve got video footage, images, animations, or complete music videos that you want to use as visuals for your performance. ### Step 1: Set Up Your Visibox Project Start by creating a new Project in Visibox. You can add multiple songs, each with its own set of media files. Visibox is set up like a set list with a chunky interface that’s easy to see from a distance on stage. Add Songs to your Project and then drag in your audio, video, or image files. For each Song, you have options: 1. **Add One Video File With Audio**: Create instrumental music videos in pre-production. Bring your instrumental tracks into your favorite video editing software and put together your visuals. Export the video and drag it into a Visibox Song. Visibox will play the audio and video together. Now, instead of just backing tracks, you’ve got backing _videos_ – a virtual environment for each song. Put whatever you want in the video – scenes, animations, or just a cool visual vibe. Heck, you could add virtual dancers or a virtual band if you wanted to. 2. **Add An Audio File To The Song**: When you drag an audio file to a Visibox Song, it “attaches” to the Song. You can then add a single looping video, or multiple videos and images and trigger them with the computer keyboard or a MIDI device. When you play the Clips within the Song, the audio will play too. This is useful if you want to play backing tracks and trigger visuals manually. 3. **External Audio**: If you’re using a DAW or hardware player to play your beats and backing tracks, you can use MIDI to trigger Visibox to play your visuals in sync with your music. Here’s a recipe for [doing this with Stage Traxx](/news/stage-traxx-plus-visibox). You can mix and match these options. Put together your whole set list in Visibox, or just add a few songs to get started. You can always add more later. ### Step 2: Configure Playback Visibox’s default settings will probably work well, but you may want to make adjustments. - **Video Clip Looping And Retriggering** - Visibox’s default setting is to loop video Clips. However, if the video runs the entire length of the song (and perhaps contains the backing track), you probably don’t want it to start over while you’re introducing the next song. In this case, select one or more Clips and right-click. Then select “When Clip Ends” and choose either “Stop” or “Cue Next Song”. This will stop the video when it ends and optionally cue the next song in your set list. You might also choose “When Retriggered” and select “Do Nothing” so that if you accidentally trigger the video again, it doesn’t start over. - **Volume Levels** - If you’re using multiple video Clips, you can adjust their volume levels relative to one another. This is useful if you have a video with a loud soundtrack and another with a quiet soundtrack. You can also adjust the volume of the video relative to your backing tracks. To adjust the volume level of a video Clip, right-click on it and select “Volume”. To adjust the volume level of audio attached to a Song, right-click on the Song and select “Volume”. - **Audio End Behavior** - If you’re using audio attached to a Song, you can set what happens when the audio ends. Right-click on the Song and select “When Audio Ends”. You can choose whether playing Clips will stop, cue the next Song, or play the next Song and keep the party going! This is useful if you’re using backing tracks and want to make sure the visuals end when the music ends. Cueing the next Song is useful because it’s one less button to push when you’re ready to start the next song. ### Step 3: Present and Perform You can control Visibox using MIDI devices (pedals, pads, keyboards, etc), an Elgato Stream Deck, or just the keyboard and mouse on your laptop. You can use an external audio interface, or just plug your computer into the sound system. You can control Visibox from the stage, or have someone else control it from the front of the house. With your visuals set up, you’re ready to perform. Visibox is designed to adapt your Project to most video projectors, monitors, LCDs, and televisions. Visibox will quickly adapt your input content to your output format, cropping, scaling, and adapting 4:3, 16:9, 16:10, and other aspect ratios to fit your output device. 1. **Place Your Computer** - Place your computer on stage or at the front of the house. Laptops are generally better for this because they have built-in screens and a battery so you won’t need to reboot if the power gets unplugged. Put the laptop somewhere where you can see the screen and control it easily, but where it won’t get in the way of your performance. 2. **Connect The Video** - Connect your computer to your video projector or LCD. This can usually be done with a simple HDMI connector, but you may need some adapters. Bring long cables because you never know where the video projector will be located. 3. **Connect The Audio** - Connect your computer to the sound system. This can usually be done with a simple 1/8” to 1/4” adapter, but you may need some adapters. Bring long cables for this too! ### Tips - **Test, Test, Test**: Test your setup in a variety of environments. You may not know what kind of video projector or sound system you’ll be working with. You may need to adjust your settings on the fly. - **Bring A Backup**: Bring a backup computer, video projector, and sound system if you can. If you can’t, at least bring a backup of your media files on a USB stick. You never know when something will go wrong. - **Practice**: Practice your performance with the visuals. You may need to adjust your performance to fit the visuals, or vice versa. You may need to adjust your lighting to make the visuals look better. You may need to adjust Visibox’s settings or even re-edit your videos to make everything work together. You often won’t know what needs to change until you’re actually in the midst of it all. ### Other Ideas - **Create A Visual Theme**: Create a visual theme for your set. This could be a color scheme, a style of animation, or a set of images that all relate to one another. This can help create a cohesive visual experience for your audience. - **Create An Entrance Video**: Hype your set with a video that sets the mood for your performance. - **Lyrics**: If you’ve got songs with great hooks, choruses, or chants, create a video and put the lyrics on screen. This can be a great way to engage your audience and get them to sing along. ### Conclusion Your music is your creative expression. Visibox is a tool that can help you express yourself visually. You can create a rich, immersive, expansive, visual experience – even if you’re just a solo performer. It’s a little more work to set up, but it can be worth it. It can help you stand out from the crowd and create a memorable experience that your audience will remember. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/what-is-visibox # What Is Visibox? > The Ultimate Guide for Performers and Visual Artists Spaceage Visibox ## The Ultimate Guide for Performers and Visual Artists Visibox promises to revolutionize the way performers and visual artists integrate multimedia into their live shows, presentations, and installations. This comprehensive tool is designed to make controlling and synchronizing videos, images, cameras, and audio files during live performances or streams both simple and flexible. Visibox is a new type of software. We’re calling it an audiovisual performance environment. But you might call it a MIDI video player, PowerPoint or Keynote for musicians and performers, simplified VJ software, a live event video mixer, a video looper, or a multimedia player on steroids. It’s all of these things and more. ### Who Can Benefit from Visibox? - **Bands and Solo Performers**: Whether you're on tour promoting your latest album, playing in a wedding or tribute band, singing at a café, or premiering your latest beats at the talent show, Visibox is for you. Enhance your live music with synchronized visuals, adding a whole new dimension to your performance. Conform and trigger your visuals to your organic music performance without needing to play to a click or backing tracks. Or control your backing tracks in Visibox and create a truly multimedia performance. - **Video Artists and Videographers**: Present your art in a new way. Experiment with live mixing and effects to create immersive experiences. - **Music and Drama Teachers**: Make concerts and performances more engaging with immersive visuals to set a mood. - **Performing Arts and Dance Troupes**: Create visual backdrops and virtual sets to complements your performance. - **DJs and Aspiring VJs**: Mix music and visuals live, keeping the crowd energized. - **Event Planners and Organizers**: Create custom backgrounds and virtual environments on any video projector, monitor, video wall, or television. - **Anyone at the Intersection of Audio and Visuals**: If you’re looking to explore or create mixed media art, Visibox is your canvas. ### Key Features - **Simple Yet Powerful**: Designed to be easy to use, you don’t need to be a tech wizard to make Visibox work for you. It’s as simple as drag, drop, and perform. - **Flexibility**: Whether you’re playing at a stadium, a cozy café, or streaming from your living room, Visibox adapts to your needs. It supports a wide range of file formats and offers options like looping videos for background visuals or triggering specific clips for special moments. - **MIDI Compatibility**: Control Visibox using your MIDI devices, be it drum pads, keyboards, or foot pedals, allowing for seamless integration into your performance setup. - **Elgato Stream Deck Integration**: For a more tactile control experience, the Stream Deck integration offers previews of clips right at your fingertips, making it easier to manage your visuals live. - **Video Wall and Projection Options**: Want to create an immersive environment with multiple screens or projectors? Visibox has got you covered, allowing you to extend your creative reach beyond the stage. - **Affordable and Accessible**: With a free trial available, it’s easy to start experimenting with Visibox without any upfront investment. The full version is also priced to be accessible to artists of all levels. [Download the free trial](https://visibox.com/#get-it) and see for yourself. ### How Does Visibox Work? Visibox is an app for macOS and Windows. Its designed to be intuitive and easy to use. Here’s a quick overview of how it works: 1. **Create A Project**: Start by creating a new project and setting up your stage. You can add multiple Songs, each with its own set of media files. Visibox is set up like a set list, scene list, or playlist - with a chunky interface that’s easy to see from a distance. 2. **Import Your Media**: Just drag your videos, images, and audio files into Visibox. You can also connect cameras and capture devices to bring live video into your performance. 3. **Configure Playback**: Set up your Clips to loop, play once, or trigger manually. You can also set up behaviors for what happens when you retrigger a currently-playing Clip or resume it after playing another Clip. There are filters and special effects. You can flip and rotate Clips, adjust their volume relative to one another, etc., etc. 4. **Control Your Performance**: Use your MIDI devices, keyboard, or mouse to control your visuals live. You can also use the Elgato Stream Deck for a more tactile experience. Performers can control Visibox as part or the performance or it can be controlled at the front of the house. Visibox is designed to be flexible and responsive, so you can adapt to the moment and create a unique experience for your audience. 5. **Present and Perform**: With your visuals set up, you’re ready to perform. Visibox is designed to adapt your Project to most video projectors, monitors, video walls, and televisions. Visibox will quickly adapt your input content to your output format, cropping, scaling, and adapting 4:3, 16:9, 16:10 and other aspect ratios to fit your output device. ### Further Reading - Visibox [Frequently Asked Questions](/faq) - Our growing library of [Visibox Recipes](/news) - [The Visibox Manual](https://manual.spaceage.tv) ### Conclusion Visibox is more than just a video player; it’s a comprehensive platform that bridges the gap between audio and visual, offering an intuitive way for artists of all kinds to enhance their live performances. With its easy-to-use interface, compatibility with a range of devices, and flexibility to suit any performance scenario, Visibox is the key to unlocking a new realm of creative possibilities. Interested in bringing your performances to life with Visibox? [Download the free trial](https://spaceage.tv#get-it) and discover how it can transform your next show. Visit our website and join the growing community of artists who are already elevating their art with Visibox. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/using-your-phone-as-a-camera-for-visibox # Using Your Phone As A Camera For Visibox > New angles! New ideas! Untether and get weird! Using Your Phone As A Camera For Visibox Want to start your show from out in the tour bus, singing along to the band on stage, while your image appears on the big screen? Your wireless in-ears let you monitor the band, while you sing into the wireless mic, walking down the street toward the venue. The camera follows you as you walk past the same landmarks the audience saw as they entered the venue. You walk through the stage door and join the band on-stage without missing a beat – transforming from a virtual performer to the real thing! In addition to adding video and image Clips to Visibox, you can add live camera feeds to your Visibox performance. This can be done using a webcam, a DSLR or mirrorless camera (using an HDMI-to-USB converter), or virtual camera software. However, did you know you can also use your smartphone as a camera source for Visibox? Here’s how to set it up: #### **Ingredients:** 1. **Smartphone with a high-quality camera** 2. **Visibox software on your Mac or Windows computer** 3. **Phone-as-computer-camera software on your phone (if needed)** 4. **Stable Wi-Fi connection** 5. **Optional: Tripod or phone stand for stability** #### **Recipe Steps:** 1. **Prepare Your Phone:** - The latest versions of macOS and iOS have a built-in feature called [Continuity Camera](https://support.apple.com/en-us/102546) that allows you to use your iPhone as a camera for your Mac. Once you've got Continuity Camera set up, your iPhone will show up as a camera input for Visibox. - If you don't have a Continuity Camera compatible Mac/iPhone combo, or you're using Android and/or Windows, you can use a third-party app to stream your phone’s camera feed to your computer. "[EpocCam](https://www.elgato.com/us/en/s/epoccam)" is a popular choice for iOS. It has companion software for both Mac and Windows. For Android, "[DroidCam](https://www.dev47apps.com/)" is a popular choice – however, it only has companion software for Windows. [Iruin Webcam](https://iriun.com/) can be installed on either iOS or Android, and has companion software for both Mac and Windows. - Install the app on your phone and the companion software on your computer. Make sure both devices are connected to the same wifi network. Follow the instructions to pair your phone with your computer and set up the camera feed. You may need to install drivers or additional software to enable the camera feed on your computer. Make sure to follow the app’s instructions carefully to ensure a successful connection. 2. **Configure Visibox:** - Launch Visibox on your computer. - Open (or create) your Project and select the Song that you want to add the live camera feed to. - Right-click on the Song, or select "Add Camera Clip" from the "Song" menu. The submenu should contain your phone's name, or the name of the app you installed on your phone. Select it to add the camera feed to your performance. After a moment, the feed from your phone's camera should appear as the thumbnail for the Clip. - Select the new Clip to show the camera feed in the Output window. - Repeat as necessary for other places in your set where you'd like to show a camera feed. 3. **Adjust The Visuals:** - Once the phone’s camera feed appears in Visibox, you may need to adjust the framing, zoom, or orientation to fit your visual aesthetic. - Use Visibox’s features to integrate the live feed into your performance. You can adjust the filters on your Clips to make them grayscale, inverted, saturate the colors, blur, and more. You can also rotate or flip the camera Clips. 4. **Finalize Your Setup:** - Place your phone in a stable position where it can capture the desired angle or scene. Using a tripod or phone stand can help prevent shakes and maintain consistency. - Do a full run-through to ensure everything works as expected. Adjust the lighting and background as necessary to enhance the video quality. 5. **Perform:** - With everything set up, you’re ready to incorporate live visuals into your performance using your phone as a camera. Interact with the camera, move around, or even show audience reactions to create a more engaging experience. Of course, Visibox can also be used to sync other visuals: videos, images, and even audio backing tracks. Create a dynamic, multi-sensory experience for your audience. #### **Tips:** - **Network Stability:** Ensure your Wi-Fi network is stable and robust enough to handle video streaming without lag or interruptions. Most venues will not have a reliable wifi connection, so you may need to bring your own. If you're using a Mac and iPhone with Continuity Camera, the Mac may be able to create a direct ad-hoc wifi connection between the devices (this happens automatically if both Bluetooth and Wifi are enabled on the Mac and iPhone). But you will be limited by the range of the connection. - **Battery Life:** Streaming video can drain your phone’s battery quickly. Keep it plugged in or ensure it's fully charged before starting. - **Testing:** Always test your setup before going live to troubleshoot any potential issues with streaming, audio sync, or visual quality. Dedicate a rehearsal session to fine-tune the camera feed and integrate it seamlessly into your performance. Dedicate time during setup and soundcheck to ensure that the camera feed is working as expected. - **Flip The Audience Camera:** If you want to show the audience on the big screen, you can use the front-facing camera on your phone. This can be useful for capturing audience reactions, sing-alongs, or other crowd interactions. However, you'll want the audience to see a mirror image of themselves. Select "Horizontal" from the "Flip" menu in the Clip's settings to mirror the camera feed. - **Wired Cameras Will Be More Reliable:** While using your phone as a camera source can be convenient, it may not be as reliable as a dedicated webcam or camera. If you plan to use your phone as a camera source frequently, consider investing in a dedicated webcam or camera for better quality and reliability. - **Latency:** Keep in mind that there may be a slight delay between the live feed and the output in Visibox. This can be due to network latency, processing time, or other factors. Be mindful of this when incorporating the live feed into your performance. - **Camera Audio:** As of this writing, Visibox does not stream the audio from your phone along with the video. Most performers will have a dedicated microphones for their audio, and we recommend that you use a dedicated wired or wireless microphone connected to the sound system if you want to sing or speak to the audience while using your phone as a camera. This will also have far less latency than the audio from your phone's camera feed. - **Camera Bandwidth:** While it is theoretically possible to connect a large number of physical and virtual cameras, Visibox is not designed as a video switcher. The data from each 4K or 1080p camera feed will consume a significant amount of bandwidth over your USB or network connection and may cause things to stop being reliable. We recommend using no more than 2 or 3 camera feeds at a time and using the lowest resolution that still looks good on the big screen. If you're using a virtual camera, you can use the virtual camera's settings to reduce the resolution and frame rate to reduce the bandwidth. By following these steps, you can effectively use your phone as a dynamic camera source for Visibox, adding a new layer of interactivity and visual appeal to your performances. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/selecting-songs-in-visibox-using-midi # Selecting Songs in Visibox Using MIDI > Program Change? MIDI Notes? CC? Everything you need to know about Song selection in Visibox. Selecting Songs in Visibox Using MIDI Visibox is a powerful tool for creating and controlling interactive visuals. It allows you to organize your visual elements into "Songs" and trigger them using MIDI messages. This recipe will show you how to use MIDI Program Change messages, Note messages, and Continuous Control to select Songs in Visibox – giving you quick access to all of the Clips in your Project. ### Visibox Project Organization Visibox's visual elements are called "Clips". Clips are organized into Songs. And Songs are the building blocks of a Project. Clips can be video or image files, or you can switch to connected cameras, showing your audience whatever you want simply by triggering a MIDI note on stage. You can also attach an audio file to each Song. This backing track file will start playing automatically whenever any of the Clips in the Song are triggered. In a live performance, you will probably want to switch between different Songs to match the flow of your performance. Whether you have a single Clip in each Song or multiple Clips that get triggered at different points, this gives you a "palette" of visuals to choose from, and you can switch between them seamlessly. For instance, if you have a MIDI foot pedal with 8 buttons, you could assign two of the buttons to the "Previous Song" and "Next Song" actions, and the other 6 buttons to Clips 1 - 6. This will give you the ability to navigate through your setlist with Previous/Next Song buttons (which will also act as "Stop" buttons) and give you arbitrary access to 6 different Clips. However, many Visibox users sync their visuals to Ableton Live, Cubase, Stage Traxx, or other DAW software or hardware that they use to control backing tracks and automate their live performance. In this case, it often makes more sense to use MIDI Program Change messages to switch between Songs in Visibox. When a new song is queued up in your DAW, it might send a Program Change message to Visibox to select the corresponding Song, preloading the Song's Clip media files, and making it ready to play as soon as you trigger it. When the DAW starts playing the new song, it can send MIDI messages triggering the Clips in the Song as they are needed. ### Three Ways To Select Songs in Visibox Using MIDI In the Visibox's MIDI Mapping settings, you can map MIDI messages to the following actions: 1. **Previous/Next Song Action**: This is probably the most straightforward method to use. These actions can be assigned to Note On or Continuous Controller (CC) messages. You could assign them to buttons on a MIDI foot pedal, pads on a drum controller, or keys on a keyboard. Press one button to go to the previous song, and another to go to the next song. 2. **Song Select Via Program Change**: Using MIDI Program Change messages, you can select specific Songs. If you have a MIDI controller that can send Program Change messages, you will usually type in 001 to select Song 1 in Visibox, 012 will select Song 12, etc. In your DAW, you may find that you have to send a Program Change message with a value of 0 to select Song 1, 11 to select Song 12, etc. This is because MIDI values are 0-based, while Visibox (and many hardware controllers) uses 1-based numbering. 3. **Song Select (Via CC)**: If you have a Visibox Project with a lot of songs, you may want to use a MIDI controller with a rotary or slide encoder to select Songs. You can map a MIDI CC to the "Song Select" action. At its minimum value, this CC encoder will select the first Song in your Project. As you turn the encoder, it will select the next song, and so on – through the last Song which is selected at the maximum value. This is a great way to navigate through a large collection of Songs without having to remember the exact Program Change number for each song. ### Step By Step 1. **Prepare Your Visuals:** Create a Song for each song in your repertoire. Each Song can contain multiple Clips that might loop, triggered in time with sections of the music – or a Song might contain just one video or image Clip that plays for the duration of the song. Load all relevant visual elements (videos, images, etc.) into Visibox. You can also create Camera Clips using your laptop's built-in webcam or connected USB cameras. 2. **Decide How You Will Be Controlling Visibox** (MIDI Foot Pedal, DAW, etc.): This will determine which MIDI messages you will be sending to Visibox. If you are using a MIDI foot pedal, drum pads, or another MIDI hardware device to control Visibox in real-time, you will probably be using Note On messages to trigger the "Previous Song" and "Next Song" actions. If you are using a DAW, you will probably be sending Program Change messages to select the Song. 3. **MIDI Input/Output:** If you are using a hardware MIDI controller (pedal, pads, keyboard, etc) with USB, simply connect it to your computer and it will show up as an input/output device in Visibox. If you are using a DAW or other software running on the same computer, you will need to configure your DAW to send MIDI messages to Visibox. On the Mac, this involves setting up [IAC MIDI](https://support.apple.com/guide/audio-midi-setup/transfer-midi-information-between-apps-ams1013/mac). On Windows, this usually involves an app like [LoopMIDI](https://www.tobias-erichsen.de/software/loopmidi.html). You will then route MIDI messages from your DAW software to Visibox. 4. **MIDI Mapping:** You may be able to skip this step for now since Visibox's default MIDI mapping may be sufficient. But MIDI mapping is done in Visibox’s MIDI Map window. This involves setting up which Visibox actions are triggered by which MIDI messages (coming from which MIDI inputs). By selecting "Song Select Via Program Change", all Program Change messages will select their corresponding Song in Visibox. Sending Program Change 001 will activate Song 1, Program Change 012 will activate Song 12, etc. As for triggering Clips, here are the default MIDI notes: - **Previous Song**: MIDI Note 58 (A#2) - **Next Song**: MIDI Note 59 (B2) - **Play Clip 1**: MIDI Note 60 (C3) - **Play Clip 2**: MIDI Note 61 (C#3) - **Play Clip 3**: MIDI Note 62 (D3) - **Play Clip 4**: MIDI Note 63 (D#3) - **Play Clip 5**: MIDI Note 64 (E3) - etc. - **Stop**: MIDI Note 48 (C2) 5. **Configure the Controller or DAW** to send the appropriate MIDI messages to Visibox. If you are using a hardware MIDI controller, you will probably want to configure it to send Note On messages to trigger the "Previous Song" and "Next Song" actions. If you are using a DAW, you will need to configure it to send Program Change messages. After selecting the Song, you can send Note On or Continuous Controller messages to trigger the Clips in the selected Song. ### Tips - **You can also switch Songs using the up and down keys on your keyboard**. Maybe you've got a 4-button footswitch and you want to be able to control 4 Clips in each Song. If your laptop is nearby, you could always use your computer keys to queue up the next Song using the up/down arrow keys on your keyboard. Then tap the first button on your pedal when you want to start playing. The space bar can also be used when you want to stop. - **Moving a Song changes its Program Change message**. If you will be using hard-coded Program Change messages in your DAW, you will probably want to keep your Visibox project as static as possible, and not change the order of the Songs once you have integrated the two apps. This will ensure that the Program Change messages sent by your DAW will always select the correct Song in Visibox. If you add new songs to your repertoire, add the new Song to the end of your Visibox Project so you won't conflict with existing Program Change messages. - **Rehearse with the setup:** To ensure a smooth performance, practice with the full setup to get comfortable with the integration. ### Conclusion Using MIDI Program Change messages to switch Songs in Visibox not only streamlines your performance but also opens up new possibilities for creativity on stage. With this setup, you're equipped to deliver a smooth, engaging show that captivates your audience from start to finish. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/stage-traxx-plus-visibox # Recipe: Adding Visuals to Stage Traxx with Visibox > Blend multitrack audio and dynamic visuals for an enhanced live performance experience. Stage Traxx Logo x Visibox Logo Combining [Stage Traxx](https://stagetraxx.com/) with [Visibox](/) is like both a DJ and VJ backing up your live performances, but without more mouths to feed at your gigs. Stage Traxx, running on your iPad, takes care of all your multitrack audio tracks, backing tracks, and beats – making it super easy to manage your setlist and keep the tunes flowing just right. Then there's Visibox, which throws in all the cool visual effects you could want, syncing up your videos, images, and live camera inputs perfectly with your music. It's a match made in performance heaven, allowing you to deliver both top-notch multitrack sound and a flexible, eye-catching visual show. This duo ensures your performances are not just heard but also seen and remembered, creating an immersive multi-sensory experience for your audience, whether you're a solo performer or a band. Stage Traxx has versions for both macOS and iOS (iPhone/iPad). We’re going to talk about the iOS version in this recipe. But it’s possible to run the macOS version of Stage Traxx on the same computer as Visibox and communicate using IAC MIDI. Or you could run Stage Traxx on a separate Mac and send MIDI to your Mac or Windows computer running Visibox. ### Equipment Needed: 1. **iPad with Stage Traxx 3 Installed:** The primary device for audio playback. This will also manage your overall setlist. 2. **Mac or Windows Computer with Visibox Installed:** This will be your library of visual content. 3. **Audio Interface (Optional):** For connecting the iPad to a sound system, depending on the setup. 4. **USB-C or Ethernet cable (Optional):** For connecting the iPad to the computer. 5. **USB-C Mulitport Hub (Optional):** Connect your iPad to power, an audio interface, and your computer at the same time. Some hubs may have built-in stereo audio outputs. Some may have ethernet. 6. **Sound System:** For the audience to hear the performance. 7. **Video Projector/Screen or Monitor:** To display the visuals from Visibox. ### Integration: 1. **Connect the iPad to the Computer:** If both devices have USB-C connections, you can simply run a USB-C cable between them. If you have a very long run (perhaps from stage to front-of-house), you could use an ethernet cable with USB-C-to-ethernet adapters (or hubs) on each end. It is also possible to use MIDI over Wifi or MIDI over Bluetooth to connect the iPad with the computer. But a wireless connection may be less reliable in a live performance situation – especially in an unknown venue. 2. **Configure the Connection:** If you have used a USB cable to connect your iPad to a Mac running Visibox, open the Audio MIDI Setup utility and press the "Enable" button below your iPad in the Audio Devices window. Unfortunately, you may need to do this every time you reconnect your iPad. This will enable Inter-Device Audio and MIDI (IDAM) and your iPad should show up as a MIDI input in Visibox. Audio MIDI Setup is also where you can setup Bluetooth MIDI or network MIDI connections (for Wifi or Ethernet). 3. **Audio and Visual Output Setup:** Connect the iPad to your sound system and the computer to your video projector/screen. Ensure both audio and visuals are working correctly and in sync. 4. **Live Performance:** During your performance, operate Stage Traxx 3 as usual. The MIDI cues embedded in your tracks will trigger the visuals in Visibox, creating a synchronized audio-visual experience. ### Setting Up Visibox: - **Prepare Your Visuals:** Create a Song for each song in your repertoire. Each Song can contain multiple Clips that might loop, triggered in time with sections of the music – or a Song might contain just one video or image Clip that plays for the duration of the song. Load all relevant visual elements (videos, images, etc.) into Visibox. You can also create Camera Clips using your laptop's built-in webcam or connected USB cameras. - **Arrange Your Songs:** While your Stage Traxx setlist will mirror your on-stage setlist, your Visibox project will be controlled via MIDI messages. Each Song can be selected via MIDI Program Change message, and then its Clips can be triggered via MIDI Note On messages. Since we’re going to send specific Program Change messages from StageTraxx, _don’t change the order of the Songs in Visibox once you’ve integrated the two apps_. - **MIDI Input/Output Setting:** Once your laptop and iPad are connected, your iPad should show up in the MIDI Inputs submenu in Visibox. Ensure that it is selected in the MIDI Inputs submenu. Ensure that it is NOT selected in the MIDI Outputs submenu. - **MIDI Mapping:** You may be able to skip this step for now since Visibox's default MIDI mapping may be sufficient. But MIDI mapping is done in Visibox’s MIDI Map window. This involves setting up Visibox to listen for the MIDI cues sent by Stage Traxx 3 and triggering the corresponding visual effects. Sending Program Change 001 will activate Song 1 in Visibox, Program Change 012 will activate Song 12, etc. As for triggering Clips, here are the default MIDI notes: - **Play Clip 1**: MIDI Note 60 (C3) - **Play Clip 2**: MIDI Note 61 (C#3) - **Play Clip 3**: MIDI Note 62 (D3) - **Play Clip 4**: MIDI Note 63 (D#3) - **Play Clip 5**: MIDI Note 64 (E3) - etc. - **Stop**: MIDI Note 48 (C2) ### Setting Up Stage Traxx 3: - **Prepare Your Tracks:** Ensure all your backing tracks are loaded into Stage Traxx 3. Organize them into setlists as needed for your performance. - **MIDI Configuration:** Each Stage Traxx song will need to send at least 2 MIDI messages to Visibox. The first selects the Song, the second (and subsequent) will choose which Clips play at what points. Stage Traxx sends MIDI messages by embedding special codes into the lyrics of a given song. You can embed messages to send when the song starts, stops, or at specific timecodes. So we first send the code to select Visibox Song #19. Note that unlike most MIDI hardware devices, Stage Traxx sends the raw, zero-based program change value. So PC0 selects Song 1, PC1 selects Song 2, etc. Once the Song is selected, we can trigger Clips 1, 2, and 3 at various points during playback. So the Stage Traxx lyrics for a given song might look like this (with the MIDI messages in square brackets): ```text [midi: PC19@1] [midi@play: N60.127@1] [midi@00:47.10: N61.127@1] [midi@01:23.5: N62.127@1] [midi@02:44.75: N63.127@1] [midi@stop: N48.127@1] ``` This translates to: - When we select this song in Stage Traxx, send Program Change 19 on MIDI channel 1 to select Visibox Song 19. - When we hit "start" in Stage Traxx, send Note On #60 at full MIDI velocity (127) on MIDI channel 1, which triggers the first Clip in the Visibox Song. - 47.1 seconds into the playback, trigger Clip 2 (Note 61 on channel 1 at full velocity). - 1 minute and 23.5 seconds in, trigger Clip 3. - At the 2 minute 44.75 second mark, trigger Clip 4. - When we stop playing back, send Note On #48, which will tell Visibox to stop playing any visuals. ### Tips: - **Debug MIDI Issues** If you're having trouble getting the MIDI messages to work, you can use a MIDI monitor app like the excellent (and free!) [MIDI View](https://hautetechnique.com/midi/midiview) to see what messages are being sent from Stage Traxx and received by Visibox. This can help you troubleshoot any issues with the MIDI messages. - **Rehearse with the Setup:** To ensure a smooth performance, practice with the full setup to get comfortable with the integration. - **Backup Plans:** Have backup plans for both audio and visuals in case of technical difficulties. - **Don't Rearrange Visibox Songs:** Moving a Song will change it's associated Program Change message and potentially that of others in the Project. Once you have your MIDI commands set up in Stage Traxx, be careful not to rearrange the Songs in Visibox. Beyond Visibox's "undo" command, you could add the Song number into the title of the Song (i.e. "1. My First Song") so if things get moved accidentally, you can quickly see which Songs are out of order. This recipe provides a basic framework for integrating Stage Traxx 3 and Visibox for a live performance. The specifics may vary based on your technical setup and creative needs. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/visibox-spanish-french-english # Visibox in Spanish and French > Visibox is multilingual. Now, so is our website. Visibox in Spanish and French The Visibox welcome window in French, with New Project and Open Project buttons #### Embracing Global Creativity with Multilingual Access Visibox proudly supports a global community of artists and performers with its multilingual interface, currently available in English, Spanish, and French. This feature, a part of Spaceage’s commitment to accessibility, inclusivity, and user-friendliness, ensures that users from different linguistic backgrounds can harness the full potential of our software in their native language. We’ve recently added translations to our website as well, introducing [Spanish](/es) and [French](/fr) versions of the site. Additionally, we've ensured that our [YouTube videos](https://www.youtube.com/@spaceage) have been closed-captioned to enable auto-translation. Our mission is to enable a worldwide community of artists and performers to effortlessly integrate Visibox into their workflow, whether for live performances, streaming setups, or exploring new visual elements, all in the comfort of their native language. Our translations are still evolving and we welcome feedback to improve them. So please let us know your thoughts as we expand and refine our internationalization efforts. Read this article in [English](/news/visibox-spanish-french-english), [Spanish](/es/news/visibox-spanish-french-english), or [French](/fr/news/visibox-spanish-french-english). --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/sync-span-video-across-multiple-screens # Sync & Span Visibox Across Multiple Screens > Want to use Visibox with multiple screens? Here’s how. [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRYVsOXNQk0) If you've ever tried to span a single video across multiple screens, you've probably discovered challenges. Jeff talks about syncing and spanning video, images, cameras, and other visual elements across multiple displays/screens/projectors using Visibox with a video wall controller. This technique is great for stage production, art installations, and more. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/visibox-28-play-video-backward # Visibox 2.8 Reverses Time! > Play videos backward and connect video wall controllers to Visibox. Visibox 2.8 Reverses Time! Visibox 2.8 is out! ### New Features - [Multi-display output](https://manual.spaceage.tv/performance/#video-wall-stretch) using a video wall controller. New stretch compensation allows Visibox output to span 2 or more displays using a video wall controller. - New (beta) functions to play videos backward. Note: depending on computer speed and video resolution/bitrate/codec, the video framerate may be reduced when playing backward. - New Clip "Direction" setting to play ["Forward" or "Backward"](https://manual.spaceage.tv/menus/menu-clip/) - New Clip "When Retriggered" settings for ["Reverse" or "Scratch"](https://manual.spaceage.tv/adding-clips/#clip-retriggering-behaviors) - New "When Clip Ends" setting for ["Bounce"](https://manual.spaceage.tv/adding-clips/#clip-end-behaviors) - Popup tips show additional information (dimensions, duration, format) when hovering over Clips in the Controller window ### Bug Fixes - Sending a Program Change to select a Song no longer stops the current Clip if the selected Song is already active. [Download Visibox now](/#get-it) and try it for free. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/join-the-visibox-discord-server # Join The Visibox Discord Server > Come share and learn, inspire and be inspired, and find like-minded audiovisual creatives. [ Join The Visibox Discord Server ](https://discord.gg/RGxc8U7k) We’ve just launched [the Visibox Discord server](https://discord.com/invite/qYrY5bJDmg). Come join a community of musicians, performers, producers, videographers, animators, artists, and motion graphics creators who want to explore the intersection between music and visuals in a friendly, collaborative community. Come to share and learn, inspire and be inspired, and find like-minded audiovisual creatives thinking about new ways to engage audiences and create immersive experiences. We want to get to know you better. We want to hear your ideas, questions, and concerns. Help us make it easy for everyone to create immersive audiovisual experiences! --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/27-our-most-requested-feature # 2.7: Our Most Requested Feature! > Fades! Crossfades! Dissolves! Oh, my! 2.7: Our Most Requested Feature! ### Fades! Crossfades! Dissolves! Oh, my! You asked for it. You got it! #### Enable Beta We’ve just published Visibox 2.7. You’ll now find an option to “Enable Beta Features” in the “Settings” submenu on Mac or “Preferences” on Windows. Select this item to enable experimental and/or cutting-edge new features in Visibox. #### Fade Into You The first of these new beta features is a new option for Clips: fades! When you select a single or multiple Clips in the Controller Window and either right-click on the Clips or select the “Clip” menu, you will find new submenus for “Fade In (Beta)” and “Fade Out (Beta)”. These allow you to set a time from 250 milliseconds up to 8 seconds for each Clip. Five numbered Clips in Visibox, with Clip 3 playing Note the new Fade In and Fade Out icons in the lower left and right of each Clip. These icons appear when Fade In/Out value is anything other than “None”. When starting or stopping a Clip while no other Clips are playing, these define the time it takes for the Clip to appear or disappear. If there is a background Clip, these define the cross-dissolve time between the background Clip and the triggered Clip. When a Clip is playing and another Clip is triggered, the triggered Clip’s “Fade In” value defines the cross-dissolve time between the Clips. This means that the previous Clip’s “Fade Out” value will be ignored. But think of it this way: the latest triggered Clip always takes precedence. So if Clip 1 has a no Fade Out value and Clip 2 has a 4-second Fade In value, Clip 1 will continue playing as Clip 2 is triggered and the cross-dissolve happens between the Clips. For video Clips containing audio tracks, the audio will also fade in, out, and cross-fade using the above rules. As usual, we’ve tried to make the complicated stuff easy. For the most part, the new fade functionality is intuitive and easy to use. Fades remain a Beta feature while we ensure it’s as reliable and intuitive as the rest of Visibox. As always, [we welcome your feedback](/contact)! Find [more about Fade In/Out in the Visibox Manual](https://manual.spaceage.tv/adding-clips/#fade-inout). #### Fixes, Improvements, and Changes in 2.7 - Stream Deck functionality has been overhauled and optimized. Clip thumbnails should now appear faster and more reliably on your Stream Deck. - A bug with audio file importing has been fixed. Media file analysis for audio files has been fixed for the rare case where the media conversion library is corrupted or misconfigured. - Visibox 2.7 drops support for Windows 7/8/8.1. These operating systems are now more than 10 years old and Microsoft no longer supports them. Visibox supports Windows 10 or higher and macOS 10.13 High Sierra or later. #### Go Get It As always, Visibox should prompt you to update shortly after opening the app. You can also get it from [spaceage.tv](https://spaceage.tv#get-it) and install it manually. If you’re new to Visibox, there’s a fully-functional free 14-day trial. Download the app for macOS or Windows and you’ll be up and running in minutes. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/announcing-visibox-262 # Announcing Visibox 2.6 > Check out what’s new in Visibox 2.6 Visibox 2.6.3 is out. Here’s what’s new: ### New Features - **MIDI volume control** MIDI CC 7 is now mapped to volume control by default. You can map other CCs to Visibox volume by editing the MIDI Map (File > Preferences > MIDI Map...) - **MIDI Song Select via CC** In addition to using MIDI program change to select songs, you can now also use MIDI CC messages to select songs. In the MIDI Map (File > Preferences > MIDI Map) you can assign a CC to song select. The CC value will be quantized to the number of songs in your project. The value 0 will always be song 1 and 127 will always be the last song in your project. This means that if you assign a MIDI slider control to Song Select in the MIDI Map window, you can simply slide it up and down to select songs. If you need more precise, random-access control, use Song Select Via Program Change. - **Volume Mute Button in Control Bar** Clicking on the speaker icon next to the Volume control will now mute Visibox. - **Temporary Clips** Visibox now shows a temporary Clip in the Controller Window while it is determining file type, copying, and converting an imported media file. This just means that you get better feedback to let you know that Visibox is processing your file. - **Consolidated Progress Window** There is now a single progress window with all the progress bars for media conversions and background tasks. In the past Visibox had a separate window for each task. When you dragged in a lot of files, it could get pretty messy. Now it doesn't! - **Faster file conversion** Media conversion is now Apple Silicon optimized and is much faster on M1/M2 Macs. ### Bug Fixes - fixed background clip not resuming after a clip finishes with "When Clip Ends" set to "Stop" - fixed volume control bouncing after being adjusted - fixed clip not found when media conversion fails - fixed clip display order sometimes getting weird when rearranging - fixed LEDs not flashing for some MIDI maps Older MIDI maps do not have output mappings which breaks blinking the playing clip LED on some MIDI devices. We've updated Visibox to be more tolerant of missing output mappings. - fixed broken clip thumbnails Thumbnail generation could fail but still write a file. We updated Visibox to detect the broken thumbnails and regenerate them. - fixed "Show Output/Control Window" menu items aren't enabled when windows are hidden - fixed conversion library not installing for new users ### Go Get It Now Launch Visibox and select the “Check For Update…” menu item or download from [Spaceage.tv](https://spaceage.tv#get-it). If you’re new to Visibox, you can try it free for 14 days. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/video-visuals-management-live-events # Video and Visuals Management For Live Events > Visibox for Live Event visual management [ Video and Visuals Management For Live Events ](/) Live event production can be a complex and challenging task, especially when it comes to managing videos, images, and cameras on-stage. While it’s relatively easy to find a video projector or video screens to show visual content, it is usually a challenge to actually control these visuals and create a smooth, seamless experience for the audience. Visibox is a powerful, easy-to-use application that provides a solution to these challenges. It allows for easy control of the visual content using the computer keyboard, MIDI (via keyboard, foot pedal, or drum controller), or even an Elgato Stream Deck. With Visibox, you can effortlessly switch between videos, images, and cameras, add special effects, configure playback styles, and more – all in real-time, with just a few clicks or key presses. The application provides a simple, intuitive interface that allows you to focus on your performance and leave the technical details to Visibox. A keyboardist performs in front of a projected close-up of an eye Easily control concert visuals with Visibox Visibox is available for both Mac and Windows, making it accessible to a wide range of users. It is designed for live events, allowing you to control your visual content from anywhere on or off stage without having to be tied to your computer. With the support for MIDI and Elgato Stream Deck, Visibox can be customized to suit your specific needs and workflow, making it an ideal solution for any live event. Overall, Visibox is a must-have for anyone looking for an easy-to-use and versatile video and visuals management solution for live events. Whether you're a professional musician, dancer, performer, video artist, DJ, or just need to control the visual content for your live event, Visibox provides a simple, effective solution that will take your event to the next level. Find information, tutorial videos, and download Visibox for a free 14-day trial at [spaceage.tv](/). --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/virtual-backing-band-how-to # I Created A Virtual Backing Band! > Jeff shows how to create a virtual backing band for live performances. [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCU03DVXc1g) Jeff shows how to create a virtual backing band for live performances. We go into the studio to record the video and audio of the backing band. Then mix the audio and video tracks. And bring everything into Visibox to create the final show which can be controlled by a foot pedal. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/how-to-buy-a-video-projector # How To Choose A Video Projector > Everything you need to know about how to buy a used or new video projector. [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi6PHeiHIHU) Theater production? Live sound? Concert performance? If you want to use a video projector as part of your show, this video will tell you everything you need to know! Details and discussion [on YouTube](Theater production? Live sound? Concert performance? If you want to use a video projector as part of your show, this video will tell you everything you need to know!). --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/d0g4wut9d1h75h0gwg1eylvw9ycql0 # Visibox 2.1 New Features > Multi-select, multi-edit, background videos, audio waveforms for single-video Songs, and mono audio output [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Okf8UUIM8II) Jeff covers new features in Visibox 2.1 --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/control-visibox-with-elgato-stream-deck # Elgato Stream Deck + Visibox > Control Visibox using an Elgato Stream Deck [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_94jbqo9Tdg) Jeff shows you how to control Visibox using an Elgato Stream Deck. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/vbgn2uz1fuur2mhrrtrv8lghwhkwwt # A Tour Of Jeff’s Concert Visuals Rig > Jeff runs through his MacBook Air-based performing video rig and shows how everything connects together. [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cf6kJMPXVHo) Jeff shows off his Visibox rig. [Visit YouTube](https://youtu.be/cf6kJMPXVHo) for equipment listing and links. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/midi-video-control-with-visibox # MIDI for Visibox > Use MIDI in Visibox to control videos, images, cameras, and audio on stage. [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYWjD0U3IWY) MIDI for Visibox Jeff talks about how to use MIDI to control videos, images, cameras, and audio on stage with Visibox. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/white-stream-deck-unboxing # White Stream Deck Unboxing > Jeff opens the new white Elgato Stream Deck MK.2 [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFh9m7L4JV8) Jeff opens the new white Elgato Stream Deck MK.2 and hooks it up to see how it works with Visibox. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/using-visibox-with-obs-studio # Using Visibox with OBS Studio > Visibox + OBS = ❤️ [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnkbJHty4Xk) Want to control videos and other media in OBS Studio? Jeff shows how to control Visibox with MIDI devices or an Elgato Stream Deck to trigger content during a live stream. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/mac-virtual-camera-support # Mac Virtual Camera Support > Visibox now supports virtual cameras on the Mac Mac Virtual Camera Support We’ve just released version 1.9.1 which adds virtual camera support on MacOS. While Visibox has supported virtual camera capabilities on Windows since the beginning, we just added support for virtual cameras on the Mac. This means that you can use virtual cameras such as [Elgato’s EpocCam](https://www.elgato.com/en/epoccam) – which allow you to use your iPhone as a webcam over wifi. Want to start your show from backstage? Or bring the camera out into the audience? You can now easily show content from your phone on the Visibox screen on stage. Other popular virtual cameras include [Snap Camera](https://snapcamera.snapchat.com) (which gives you all of Snapchat’s filters for your webcam), [OBS](https://obsproject.com) (now Visibox can stream _to_ or _from_ OBS), GoPro (use your GoPro as a webcam), [ManyCam](https://manycam.com) (add effects, graphics, and more), and loads of others. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/new-features-in-visibox-1-9 # v1.9: OBS + More File Types > Visibox version 1.9 includes support for OBS Studio live streaming, animated gifs, and media format conversion. v1.9: OBS + More File Types We just published Visibox version 1.9. There are several new features that we’re excited about. We hope you will be too! ## OBS Studio Support If you want to trigger videos, images, or other visuals as part of a live stream, it’s now easier to use Visibox as an input source for OBS Studio. You can use Visibox visuals as a background with your green screen, play Picture in Picture, or let your imagination run wild. You can now set Visibox’s Output window to a specific size or constrain it to a specific aspect ratio. You can also hide the controls at the top of the window, so that these won’t show up in your stream. Then, in OBS, create a Window Capture source and select the window entitled “Visibox” as your source. If you’re triggering Visibox via MIDI or a Stream Deck, you’ll be able to control Visibox even if it’s running in the background. ## Media File Conversion If Visibox does not natively support playback of a file that you’re adding to a project, it will now try to convert it. Conversion can sometimes be slow, but it vastly expands the types of media files that you can use with Visibox. Got an old Flash .flv file? A Mac .aiff audio file? HAP files? Motion JPEG? Just drag ‘em into your project and if they’ll get converted automatically. ### Gif Control Normally animated gif files can’t be controlled in the same way as videos. You cannot pause, restart, or resume them from their last position. This a problem with gifs like the one below. However, now when you add an animated gif (or animated png!) to Visibox, it will be automatically converted to a (smaller and more efficient) video file so that you can control it in the same way as all of your other video clips in Visibox. Exciting! Exciting Gif --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/stream-deck-support # Stream Deck Support! > Visibox now works with the Elgato Stream Deck! Stream Deck Visibox Logo.jpg Visibox now supports the [Elgato Stream Deck](https://www.elgato.com/en/stream-deck). Clip previews appear on the buttons! Pretty cool. Read about it in [the Visibox manual](https://manual.spaceage.tv/stream-deck/). --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/news/visibox-in-action # Visibox In Action > Watch Visibox in action - controlling videos, images, and cameras for a band performing live on stage. [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edXK61zwoFY) Here’s a taste of Visibox in doing it’s thing: controlling videos, images, and camera content. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/video-packs/liquid-light-volume-1 # FREE: Liquid Light Pack Vol. 1 > The finest, hand-crafted, oil-in-water liquid light visuals recorded in all their grimy auto-focused weirdness, custom edited and cross-faded into seamless looping video files. ### Video Pack Description The finest, hand-crafted, oil-in-water liquid light visuals recorded in all their grimy auto-focused weirdness, custom edited and cross-faded into seamless looping video files. Royalty-free for commercial or non-commercial use. Use with Visibox or any video player environment. **Visibox Liquid Light Pack Volume 1** is a collection of high-definition, trippy, throbbing, and pulsing video loops designed to enhance visual experiences in audiovisual projects, live performances, and art installations. These are seamless, ambient loops that can be used as visual accompaniments to music, as VJ loops, or as background visuals in a variety of settings. They are designed to create a vibe and take a backseat to the main event, while still providing a visually engaging experience. You'll find the undulating chaotic rhythms to feel like they sync up to just about any music tempo. Try it and see! These are actual camera-recorded videos of physical, oil-and-water liquid light show visuals – not generative graphics or animations. They are designed to be used as-is, or as a starting point for further manipulation. ### Technical Details The loops are custom-edited 1080P h.264-encoded MP4 files without audio. Each file was edited to mask the transition point and the videos will cross-fade into themselves, creating a seamless, virtually invisible loop point. This means that even short loops can be played indefinitely without any noticeable jump or break in the video. Our standard video pack license is [here](/video-pack-license). In short, you can use this content wherever you like. You just can't redistribute it in its original form. ### How To Use If you're using [Visibox](/), just drag 'em in! If you're using VLC, select "Repeat One" from the Play menu. In QuickTime Player, select "Loop" from the View menu. These video loops will also work in most VJ environments. Keep in mind that some players are better at looping than others. Pro tip: These clips work well with Visibox's "invert" filter to create a new color scheme and double the size of the video pack. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/video-packs/visibox-boston-driving-pack # FREE: Visibox Boston Drive Pack > A collection of 11 long-form, grainy, high-contrast, moody, nighttime driving videos of various roads and streets around Boston. **Visibox Boston Drive Pack** is a collection of high-definition video loops designed to enhance visual experiences in audiovisual projects, live performances, and art projects. This collection of 11 long-form, grainy, high-contrast, moody, twilight, and nighttime videos contains views of various roads and streets driving around Boston. These are seamless loops that can be used as visual accompaniments to music, as VJ loops, or as background visuals in a variety of settings. They are designed to create a vibe and take a backseat to the main event while still providing a visually engaging experience. These are actual videos, not generative graphics or animations. They are designed to be used as-is or as a starting point for further manipulation. ### Technical Details The loops are custom-edited 1080P h.264-encoded MP4 files without audio. Each file was edited to mask the transition point and the videos will cross-fade into themselves, creating a seamless, virtually invisible loop point. This means that even short loops can be played indefinitely without any noticeable jump or break in the video. Our standard video pack license is [here](/video-pack-license). In short, you can use this content wherever you like. You just can't redistribute it in its original form. ### How To Use If you're using [Visibox](/), just drag 'em in! If you're using VLC, select "Repeat One" from the Play menu. In QuickTime Player, select "Loop" from the View menu. These video loops will also work in most VJ environments. Keep in mind that some players are better at looping than others. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/video-packs/visibox-curious-alice-pack-1 # FREE: Visibox Curious Alice Pack > 24 clips cut from Curious Alice, a 1971 psychedelic anti-drug cartoon. **Visibox Curious Alice Pack** is a collection of high-definition video clips designed to enhance visual experiences in audiovisual projects, live performances, and art projects. This collection contains 24 clips cut from _Curious Alice_, a 1971 anti-drug film produced for the National Institute of Mental Health. The film is an animated retelling of _Alice in Wonderland_ in which Alice tours a land where everyone has chosen to use drugs. It was aimed at eight to ten year olds, and it got pulled from circulation after educators concluded it made drug use look considerably more appealing than it made sobriety look. What it left behind is twelve minutes of lurid, hand-painted, genuinely psychedelic animation. Use these clips as visual accompaniment to music, as VJ material, or as background visuals in a variety of settings. They're built to set a mood and take a backseat to the main event while still giving people something to look at. ### Technical Details The clips are 1080P h.264-encoded MP4 files without audio, in the film's original 4:3 aspect ratio (1440x1080). _Curious Alice_ survives only as a low-resolution archival digitization, and this edition is cut from an upscaled enhancement of that transfer. Credits are below. These are scene cuts, not looping clips. Each one is a self-contained sequence chosen for a single sustained visual idea, so it holds up on repeat. _Curious Alice_ was made for the National Institute of Mental Health and is held by the U.S. National Archives, and it's widely treated as being in the public domain. We're passing it along on that basis, so this pack does not carry [our standard video pack license](/video-pack-license). As far as we're aware, you can use, modify, and distribute this material for any purpose, commercial or otherwise, without permission or attribution. The scene selection and editing are ours, and a credit for that work is appreciated but not required. One caveat, in the interest of being straight with you. The film was written, designed and produced under contract by Design Center, Inc. rather than by federal employees, so the National Archives catalog record carries a general "use may be restricted" notice covering possible copyright. We have found no evidence of a surviving copyright claim, and neither has anyone else who redistributes the film. If your use is a high-stakes one, do your own clearance. The full notice is in the LICENSE.pdf included in the download. ### How To Use If you're using [Visibox](/), just drag 'em in! If you're using VLC, select "Repeat One" from the Play menu. In QuickTime Player, select "Loop" from the View menu. These clips will also work in most VJ environments. Pro tip: on a 16:9 output, Visibox crops the 4:3 frame edge to edge by default. If you'd rather see the whole frame, set Fit Mode to "Fit (Letterbox)" on the clip, or set it for the whole project under Project > Fit Mode. ### About The Film _Curious Alice_ (1971). Written, designed and produced by Design Center, Inc. Produced for the National Institute of Mental Health. National Archives Identifier 2602586, Record Group 511, Records of the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration. Series: Moving Images Relating to Addiction and Mental Health, 1973–1980. Archival digitization by the U.S. National Archives. Upscaled enhancement by Enhanced Public Domain. Scene selection, editing and encoding by Spaceage, LLC. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/video-packs/visibox-milk-paint-pack # FREE: Visibox Milk Paint Pack > 20 colorful, drippy, swirly, video loops that are both milky and painty! **Visibox Milk Paint Pack** is a collection of high-definition video loops designed to enhance visual experiences in audiovisual projects, live performances, and art projects. This collection contains 20 colorful, swirly, marbled, paint-dripping-into-milk videos. These are seamless loops that can be used as visual accompaniments to music, as VJ loops, or as background visuals in a variety of settings. They are designed to create a vibe and take a backseat to the main event while still providing a visually engaging experience. These are actual videos, not generative graphics or animations. They are designed to be used as-is or as a starting point for further manipulation. ### Technical Details The loops are custom-edited 1080P h.264-encoded MP4 files without audio. Each file was edited to mask the transition point and the videos will cross-fade into themselves, creating a seamless, virtually invisible loop point. This means that even short loops can be played indefinitely without any noticeable jump or break in the video. Our standard video pack license is [here](/video-pack-license). In short, you can use this content wherever you like. You just can't redistribute it in its original form. ### How To Use If you're using [Visibox](/), just drag 'em in! If you're using VLC, select "Repeat One" from the Play menu. In QuickTime Player, select "Loop" from the View menu. These video loops will also work in most VJ environments. Keep in mind that some players are better at looping than others. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/video-packs/visibox-op-art-video-pack-1 # FREE: Visibox Op Art Loop Pack > 24 colorful, geometric, '60s-inspired, seamlessly-looping, optical art videos. **Visibox Op Art Pack** is a collection of high-definition video loops designed to enhance visual experiences in audiovisual projects, live performances, and art projects. This collection contains 24 colorful, stark, geometric, '60s-style, artsy, optical art videos. These are seamless loops that can be used as visual accompaniments to music, as VJ loops, or as background visuals in a variety of settings. They are designed to create a vibe and take a backseat to the main event while still providing a visually engaging experience. They are designed to be used as-is or as a starting point for further manipulation. Pro tip: Use Visibox's filters along with the flip and rotate effects to multiply these 24 clips into many many more. Flipping will change the direction of rotation and Visibox's color filter effects will change the colors. ### Technical Details The loops are custom-edited 1080P h.264-encoded MP4 files without audio. Each file was edited to either loop seamlessly or crossfade to mask the loop transition point. This means that even short loops can be played indefinitely without any noticeable jump or break in the video. Our standard video pack license is [here](/video-pack-license). In short, you can use this content wherever you like. You just can't redistribute it in its original form. ### How To Use If you're using [Visibox](/), just drag 'em in! If you're using VLC, select "Repeat One" from the Play menu. In QuickTime Player, select "Loop" from the View menu. These video loops will also work in most VJ environments. Keep in mind that some players are better at looping than others. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/video-packs/visibox-retro-science-pack-1 # FREE: Visibox Retro Science Pack > 25 video loops from the 1950s, '60s, and '70s. **Visibox Retro Science Pack** is a collection of high-definition video loops designed to enhance visual experiences in audiovisual projects, live performances, and art projects. This collection includes 25 clips sourced from documentary and educational films from the 1950s, '60s, and '70s. Videos have been upscaled from their original low-res digitizations. These loops can be used as visual accompaniments to music, as VJ loops, or as background visuals in a variety of settings. They are designed to create a vibe and take a backseat to the main event while still providing a visually engaging experience. They are designed to be used as-is or as a starting point for further manipulation. ### Technical Details The loops are custom-edited 1080P h.264-encoded MP4 files without audio. Each file was edited to either loop seamlessly or crossfade to mask the loop transition point. This means that even short loops can be played indefinitely without any noticeable jump or break in the video. Our standard video pack license is [here](/video-pack-license). In short, you can use this content wherever you like. You just can't redistribute it in its original form. ### How To Use If you're using [Visibox](/), just drag 'em in! If you're using VLC, select "Repeat One" from the Play menu. In QuickTime Player, select "Loop" from the View menu. These video loops will also work in most VJ environments. Keep in mind that some players are better at looping than others. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/video-packs/visibox-summer-city-pack-1 # FREE: Visibox Summer City Pack > Seven long, out-of-focus takes of New York City in the summer: crowds crossing Union Square and Washington Square Park, and drives through blurred traffic. **Visibox Summer City Pack** is a collection of high-definition video loops designed to enhance visual experiences in audiovisual projects, live performances, and art projects. This collection contains seven long, out-of-focus takes shot around New York City in the summer: people crossing Union Square and Washington Square Park, crowds rendered as soft moving color, and two drives through traffic past a blurred wall of taxis, trucks and storefronts. Everything is shot deliberately out of focus, so faces and signage never resolve. What's left is motion, color and the shape of a crowd. This is real footage, not generative graphics or animation. Use these loops as visual accompaniment to music, as VJ loops, or as background visuals in a variety of settings. They're built to set a mood and take a backseat to the main event while still giving people something to look at. ### Technical Details The loops are 1080P h.264-encoded MP4 files without audio, at 24 frames per second. There are seven of them, 8 minutes and 49 seconds of footage in total, and each one runs between 35 seconds and just over two minutes. These are long takes rather than short cycles. Each one is a single continuous shot with no edits, chosen because it starts and ends on the same kind of motion. Nothing in the frame is in focus, so there's no sharp detail to give the wrap point away. Our standard video pack license is [here](/video-pack-license). In short, you can use this content wherever you like. You just can't redistribute it in its original form. ### How To Use If you're using [Visibox](/), just drag 'em in! If you're using VLC, select "Repeat One" from the Play menu. In Quicktime Player, select "Loop" from the View menu. These video loops will also work in most VJ environments. Keep in mind that some players are better at looping than others. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/about # About > Spaceage builds Visibox, live visual performance software made by music nerds, for music nerds, in Rhode Island. ⊙ About Spaceage # Music for your eyeballs. Spaceage is the studio behind **Visibox**, the live video instrument for performers. Think Ableton Live, but for visuals: trigger, sync, and play video alongside your music in real time. ⊙ Why we began ## Built on a stage, not in a boardroom. Visibox started with a simple frustration: running visuals live was either clumsy, expensive, or required a separate crew member glued to a laptop. We wanted something a performer could play from the same rig they already trust: a keyboard, a drum pad, a Stream Deck. So we built it. Visibox turns short looping clips, backing tracks, cameras, and audio-reactive visualizers into something you fire on the beat. No cue-list programming. No post-production timeline. Just you, your set, and visuals that move with the music. We're based in Rhode Island, and we answer our own support email. When you write in, you're talking to the people who build the thing. ⊙ What we believe ## Three things we won't compromise on. ### Played, not programmed Visuals should feel like an instrument: triggered live, by feel, on the beat. Not a timeline you babysit from the wings. ### Made by music nerds We obsess over MIDI mappings, codecs, and projector quirks so you can think about the show, not the software. ### For every stage Cover bands, tribute acts, school concerts, solo rigs. Stadium-style visuals on a garage-band budget. ⊙ Get Visibox ## Come melt some eyeballs. Download Visibox free and try every Pro feature for 14 days. No credit card required. [Download Free](/#download) [See Pro Plans →](/subscribe) --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/ai-music-visualizer # AI Music Visualizer > Describe the look you want, and an AI assistant writes a visualizer that moves with your music, live, in Visibox. An AI music visualizer turns sound into moving pictures, with AI doing some of the making. The name covers two different things. Some apps render a finished video of your song that you upload somewhere. Others use AI to help you build visuals that react to your music while you play it. Visibox is the second kind. It's built for live shows, so the visuals respond to the music in the room, not to a file you rendered last week. ## How Visibox does it Visibox has audio-reactive visualizers built in. They are generative clips that need no video files, written as ISF shaders or MilkDrop presets, and they can react to audio playing in Visibox, to another app on your computer like Spotify or your DAW, or to a mic or line input. Connect an AI assistant and you can ask for a new one in plain words. Visibox has a built-in MCP server, and Settings > Connect to AI Tools links it to Claude, Cursor, Codex, Gemini CLI, VS Code, and other assistants. Say "a slow tunnel of neon rings that pulse with the bass," and the assistant writes the shader. If the Visualizers Editor is open, you watch the code and the preview change as it works. Then you play it like any other clip: trigger it from a footswitch, Stream Deck, or MIDI controller, next to your videos and backing tracks. The [AI assistant section of the manual](https://manual.spaceage.tv/5.0.0/integrations/ai/) covers the setup. ## What you need - Visibox for Mac (macOS 12 or later) or Windows (10 or later). - Visualizers and the AI assistant connection aren't in the Free Plan. They come with Pro, from $83.88 a year, and every new activation gets them free for 14 days with no credit card. - An AI assistant that supports MCP, like Claude Desktop, Cursor, or VS Code. Check each one's own pricing. ## Other ways to make visuals with AI Visualizers are one way in. You can also have AI video tools generate clips for your songs, or have a chatbot write animation code that you capture as a video loop. Both guides below end with the clips playing in Visibox. - [How to Make Concert Visuals With AI](/news/creating-concert-visuals-with-ai): Generate video clips with Sora, Veo, and Runway, and make them loop cleanly for the stage. - [Make Looping Visuals With AI, No Code](/news/creating-motion-graphic-visuals-with-ai-code): Have ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini write p5.js and Three.js animations, then capture them as clips. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/artist-partnership # Artist Partnership > Working musicians, theaters, tribute acts, and worship teams can partner with Visibox for discounted software, VIP support, and creative consulting. Drop us a line and we will sort you out. ⊙ Artist Partnership # Built for the working artist. Visibox was built by a touring musician who spent years wrestling with clunky, expensive visual rigs on the road. Not a boardroom decision, just someone who wanted to play video the way they already played music. If you're already doing the work, we want to help you keep doing it. ⊙ Partner with us ## What you get. If you've got a following, a packed show schedule, or real pull in your scene, we want to work with you. Every partnership is different, but most include: - Discounted Visibox, depending on your situation - Direct access to our support team for setup and troubleshooting - Creative and technical consulting from the people who build Visibox Tell us about your project and we'll figure out what makes sense. [Get in touch](/contact) [See Pro Plans →](/subscribe) ⊙ Who this is for ## If you're already doing the work, we want to help. ### Working bands Cover bands, tribute acts, original projects on the road. Bring stadium-grade visuals on a club-tour budget. ### Theaters & worship Houses of worship, community theaters, school programs. Easy enough that a volunteer can run it on Sunday. ### Solo performers DJs, producers, comedians, and one-person bands who want a visual show without hiring a crew. ⊙ Custom partnerships ## Touring? Teaching? Building something bigger? If you're running a tour, programming a curriculum, building a multi-rig install, or doing something unusual that Visibox could power, drop us a line. We work directly with artists on custom licensing, education bundles, and integration support. We answer our own email, so you'll be talking to the people who build Visibox. [Start a conversation →](/contact) ⊙ Try it free ## Pro features, no credit card, 14 days. Download Visibox and try every Pro feature for two weeks. Like what you see and think you'd make a good partner? Get in touch. [Download Free](/#download) [See Pro Plans →](/subscribe) --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/compare # Compare Visibox > See how Visibox compares to the tools people weigh it against, like Resolume, ProPresenter, and QLab, for live visuals, worship, and theater. Trying to decide between Visibox and another tool? These side-by-side comparisons lay out where each one fits, what it costs, and how to choose. Each page also names where the other tool is the stronger pick, not just where Visibox wins. - [Visibox vs Resolume](/visibox-vs-resolume): Fast, hands-free triggering, audio-reactive clips, effects, and backing tracks vs Resolume's deep VJ and projection-mapping platform. - [Visibox vs ProPresenter](/visibox-vs-propresenter): Reactive video you run from up front vs ProPresenter's lyrics, slides, and worship song libraries. - [Visibox vs QLab](/visibox-vs-qlab): Free-form, cross-platform triggering for shows that improvise vs QLab's macOS-only scripted cue lists. - [Concert Visuals Software](/concert-visuals-software): What to look for in software that puts visuals behind live music, and who each option fits. - [Free VJ Software](/free-vj-software): What Visibox gives you for free, where the limits are, and four other free tools for live visuals. - [AI Music Visualizer](/ai-music-visualizer): Describe a look and an AI assistant writes an audio-reactive visualizer that plays live in Visibox. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/concert-visuals-software # Concert Visuals Software > What to look for in software that puts visuals behind live music, how the main options differ, and who Visibox is and isn't for. Concert visuals software puts video, images, and live effects on the screens behind a band, timed to the music. Plenty of apps can play a video on a projector. What separates them for a live show is who runs it once the show starts. Some are built for a VJ sitting at the computer all night. Others, like Visibox, are built for the performer to fire from the stage. Decide that first, and the rest of the list gets short. ## What to look for These are the questions that decide whether a visuals app survives a real gig. Here's how Visibox answers each one. | | Visibox | Why it matters | | --- | --- | --- | | Who runs it during the show | The performer, from a footswitch, Stream Deck, or MIDI controller | Most bands have nobody spare to sit at a computer mid-set. | | Triggering | Keyboard, mouse, MIDI, Stream Deck, plus an HTTP and WebSocket API | Visuals that hit on the downbeat need a trigger you can reach while playing. | | Backing tracks | Stereo and multichannel backing tracks, stems merged into one file | If you already run tracks, one app for sound and picture is one less thing to sync. | | Audio-reactive visuals | ISF shaders and MilkDrop presets, built in | Visuals that move with the music, without editing a video for every song. | | Effects | Stackable effects with a live editor | One clip can look different from song to song. | | Cameras | Webcams and HDMI capture as clips | Put the band on the screen behind the band. | | Screens | Multi-screen output and spanning; no projection mapping | Mapping onto sets, stages, or buildings needs a dedicated tool. | | Learning curve | Performing the same day | Rehearsal time is better spent rehearsing. | | Platforms | macOS 12+ and Windows 10+ | Your show laptop often decides this for you. | | Price | Free Plan; Pro $11.99/mo, $83.88/yr, or $299 once | Subscriptions spread the cost; one-time licenses are usually per computer. | ## How the main options differ **Resolume** is the standard for club VJs, installations, and projection mapping. It expects a dedicated operator mixing the visuals live, and Arena handles warping, edge blending, and big LED walls. See [Visibox vs Resolume](/visibox-vs-resolume). **ProPresenter** is built around lyrics, scripture, and slides for services and events, with years of song-library tooling. See [Visibox vs ProPresenter](/visibox-vs-propresenter). **QLab** runs scripted shows as an ordered cue list on macOS, with deep audio routing, timecode, and lighting cues. See [Visibox vs QLab](/visibox-vs-qlab). **Visibox** is a visual sample player for live music. You load clips, images, cameras, and audio-reactive visualizers into songs, then trigger them hands-free while you play, alongside your backing tracks. Starting with no budget? Our guide to [free VJ software](/free-vj-software) covers what you can do for free. ### Visibox is for you if - You are on stage and want to run the visuals yourself, hands-free, while you play. - You already run backing tracks and want the visuals to follow the same songs. - You want visuals that react to your music and effects you will actually use, without learning a VJ app first. - You play bars, churches, theaters, or festivals on a band budget. ### Visibox isn't for you if - You do projection mapping, edge blending, or large LED walls. Resolume Arena is built for that. - You run scripted theater where every cue fires in a set order from one operator seat. QLab is built for that. - Words on screen drive your show: lyrics, scripture, and slides for the audience. ProPresenter is built for that. - You want to build generative systems from nodes. TouchDesigner is the tool for that. ## Make visuals before you buy anything You don't need a library of stock footage to start. Visualizers generate visuals on their own, and AI tools can make clips that fit your songs. Our [AI music visualizer](/ai-music-visualizer) page shows how Visibox works with AI, and [How to Make Concert Visuals With AI](/news/creating-concert-visuals-with-ai) walks through the video tools. ## Common questions ### What is concert visuals software? Software that plays video, images, and live effects on the screens behind a performance, in time with the music. Some is built for a dedicated VJ at a computer; Visibox is built for the performer to run from the stage. ### Do I need a VJ to run concert visuals? No. With Visibox you trigger visuals from a footswitch, Stream Deck, or MIDI controller, and run the show yourself while you perform. ### Can concert visuals react to the music? Yes. Visibox visualizers react to audio playing in Visibox, to another app on your computer, or to a mic or line input. ### What computer do I need? Visibox runs on macOS 12 (Monterey) or later and Windows 10 or later. ### How much does concert visuals software cost? Visibox has a Free Plan. Pro is $11.99 a month, $83.88 a year, or $299 once for Perpetual, which includes two years of updates. As of July 2026, Resolume is a one-time purchase of €299 (about $340, Avenue) or €799 (about $910, Arena) per computer. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/free-vj-software # Free VJ Software > Yes, there is. Here's what Visibox gives you for free, where the limits are, and four other free tools worth knowing about. Yes. There is free VJ software worth using, and some of it is very good. The catch is that "free" means different things: free forever with limits, free to try, free for personal projects, or free if you can write code. Here's what each kind gets you, starting with ours. ## What Visibox gives you for free Visibox is a visual sample player for live music. You load clips, images, and backing tracks into songs, then trigger them in time with your set. The Free Plan is yours forever: five songs with five clips each, stereo backing tracks, color clips, and triggering from your keyboard and mouse, with a watermark on the output. Every new activation also starts with a 14-day Pro trial that unlocks the rest: unlimited songs and clips, MIDI and Stream Deck control, audio-reactive visualizers, stackable effects, cameras, and multichannel backing tracks. There's no credit card, so when the trial ends nothing is charged. You drop back to the Free Plan. | | Free Plan | 14-day Pro trial | | --- | --- | --- | | Cost | Free, forever | Free for 14 days, no credit card | | Songs and clips | 5 clips per song, 5 songs per project | Unlimited | | Triggering | Keyboard and mouse | Keyboard, mouse, MIDI, and Stream Deck | | Backing tracks | Stereo | Stereo and multichannel | | Audio-reactive visualizers | Not included | ISF shaders and MilkDrop presets | | Effects and filters | Not included | Stackable effects with a live editor | | Cameras | Not included | Webcams and HDMI capture | | AI assistant and API | Not included | MCP server, CLI, HTTP and WebSocket API | | Output | Watermarked | Watermarked | | When it ends | It doesn't | You keep the Free Plan, or go Pro | ## Other free VJ software worth knowing ### projectM [projectM](https://github.com/projectM-visualizer/projectm) is a free, open-source music visualizer, a modern rebuild of Winamp's MilkDrop. It plays the huge library of MilkDrop presets on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It does one thing well: visuals that react to sound. There is no clip triggering and no backing tracks. ### Hydra [Hydra](https://hydra.ojack.xyz/) is a free, open-source tool for live coding visuals in your browser. You type short lines of code and the picture changes as you go, a bit like patching a modular synth. A joy if you like code, and a steep start if you don't. ### TouchDesigner Non-Commercial [TouchDesigner](https://derivative.ca/) is a node-based environment for building generative and interactive visuals. Its Non-Commercial edition is free for personal, non-commercial use, with images capped at 1280×1280. Very powerful, and a real learning project. ### Resolume demo The [Resolume](https://resolume.com/) demo is the full app with nothing locked. The catch is a watermark on the output and a robotic voice that reminds you now and then which software you are using. The voice is what keeps it off the stage: great for learning, not for the show. Our [Visibox vs Resolume](/visibox-vs-resolume) comparison goes deeper. Checked against each project's own site in October 2026. ### Visibox fits when - You play music and want clips, images, and backing tracks behind your set, fired by you during the show. - You want to try every feature before paying anything. The 14-day Pro trial needs no credit card. - A short set is enough for now. Five songs with five clips each covers it on the Free Plan. - You'd rather perform tonight than spend a month learning a VJ app. ### Something else fits when - You only want visuals that react to music, free forever. projectM plays thousands of MilkDrop presets at no cost. - You enjoy writing code. Hydra runs in your browser and turns a few lines into live visuals. - You want to build generative systems from scratch for personal projects. TouchDesigner Non-Commercial is free up to 1280×1280. - You are learning projection mapping and can live with a watermark for now. The Resolume demo is the full app. ## Choosing between them If you are a musician who wants visuals behind your set and plans to run them yourself, start with Visibox: the Free Plan to see whether it clicks, and the Pro trial to see everything it can do. If you only want something that dances to the music, projectM is hard to beat for free. If you would rather code than click, open Hydra. If you want to build from nothing, learn TouchDesigner. Still weighing paid options too? Our guide to [concert visuals software](/concert-visuals-software) covers what to look for. ## Common questions ### Is Visibox really free? The Free Plan is free forever, with limits: 5 clips per song, 5 songs per project, keyboard and mouse triggering, stereo backing tracks, and a watermark on the output. Every new activation also starts with a 14-day Pro trial that unlocks everything, with no credit card. ### Is there a watermark? Yes, on the Free Plan and during the Pro trial. Any Pro plan removes it. ### What happens when the Pro trial ends? Visibox switches to the Free Plan. Nothing is charged, because the trial never asked for a card. ### Which free option makes audio-reactive visuals? projectM, for free and forever. Visibox has audio-reactive ISF and MilkDrop visualizers too, in the 14-day Pro trial and Pro plans, where they sit alongside your clips and backing tracks. ### Does Visibox run on Mac and Windows? Yes. macOS 12 (Monterey) or later, and Windows 10 or later. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/press-room # Press Room > Visibox 6.0 fact sheet, press releases, image assets, and media contact for journalists writing about Visibox and Spaceage. ⊙ Press Room # News, releases, & image assets. Writing about Visibox? Start with the Visibox 6.0 fact sheet. Press releases and image assets are below, and our media contact can help with anything else. [Fact sheet](#fact-sheet) [Press releases](#press-releases) [Image assets](#image-assets) [Media contact](#media-contact) ⊙ Fact sheet ## Visibox 6.0 at a glance. **Visibox is the live visuals app for musicians.** It puts video on stage the way a sampler puts sound on stage: load clips, assign each one to a pad, key, button, or lighting cue, and play them live. Company Spaceage, Providence, Rhode Island. Founder: Jeff Robbins. Product Visibox 6.0, a visual sample player for live performance Release date Tuesday, October 27, 2026. A public preview is available now. Platforms macOS and Windows Languages English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish System requirements macOS 12 (Monterey) or later, universal app for Intel and Apple Silicon. Windows 10 or later, 64-bit. No specific hardware requirements. [Read the full fact sheet →](/press-room/fact-sheet) ⊙ Press releases ## The latest. April 2026 ### [Visibox 5.0 Makes Your Music Visual](/press-room/visibox-5-0) **The biggest update in the product's history** adds audio-reactive visualizers and effects, an open API, and natural-language AI control – making Visibox the first live visual tool where AI helps performers author, edit, and perform from a single project. [Read the release →](/press-room/visibox-5-0) ⊙ Brand & image assets ## Logos, screenshots, and stage shots. ### Visibox Image Assets High-resolution logos, screen captures, and promotional images you can use in coverage of Visibox. Click any image to download the full-resolution file. [![Visibox interface](/press/thumbs/visibox-interface.png) Visibox interface](/press/visibox-interface.png)[![Visibox logo on Elgato Stream Deck](/press/thumbs/stream-deck-logo.jpg) Visibox logo on Elgato Stream Deck ](/press/stream-deck-logo.jpg)[![Visibox on Elgato Stream Deck](/press/thumbs/stream-deck-play.jpg) Visibox on Elgato Stream Deck ](/press/stream-deck-play.jpg)[![Visibox logo, white text, transparent](/press/thumbs/logo-white-transparent.png) Logo, white text, transparent ](/press/logo-white-transparent.png)[![Visibox logo, black text, transparent](/press/thumbs/logo-black-transparent.png) Logo, black text, transparent ](/press/logo-black-transparent.png)[![Visibox VHS-style mockup](/press/thumbs/vhs-mockup-1.png) VHS-style mockup ](/press/vhs-mockup-1.png)[![Visibox VHS-style mockup](/press/thumbs/vhs-mockup-2.png) VHS-style mockup ](/press/vhs-mockup-2.png)[![Visibox marquee sign](/press/thumbs/marquee.jpg) Marquee sign ](/press/marquee.jpg)[![Drummer triggers Visibox with drum pads](/press/thumbs/drummer-triggers-visibox.jpg) Drummer triggers Visibox with drum pads ](/press/drummer-triggers-visibox.jpg)[![Keyboardist performing in front of Visibox visuals](/press/thumbs/keyboardist-performing.jpg) Keyboardist performing with Visibox visuals ](/press/keyboardist-performing.jpg)[![Visibox camera feedback](/press/thumbs/camera-feedback.jpg) Camera feedback ](/press/camera-feedback.jpg)[![Visibox logo over performer](/press/thumbs/logo-over-performer.jpg) Logo over performer ](/press/logo-over-performer.jpg)[![Jesse The Tree performing with Visibox](/press/thumbs/jesse-the-tree-1.jpg) Jesse The Tree performing with Visibox ](/press/jesse-the-tree-1.jpg)[![Jesse The Tree performing with Visibox](/press/thumbs/jesse-the-tree-2.jpg) Jesse The Tree performing with Visibox ](/press/jesse-the-tree-2.jpg)[![The Benji's performing with a virtual drummer using Visibox](/press/thumbs/the-benjis-1.jpg) The Benji's with a virtual drummer ](/press/the-benjis-1.jpg)[![The Benji's performing with a virtual drummer using Visibox](/press/thumbs/the-benjis-2.jpg) The Benji's with a virtual drummer](/press/the-benjis-2.jpg) Need something specific? [Send us a note](/contact) and we’ll pull together exactly what you need. ⊙ Media contact ## Talk to a human. Reviews, interviews, custom assets, embargoed previews: drop a line and you’ll get a same-day reply from a person who builds Visibox. Pete Christopher, Media Contact [Get in touch →](/contact) --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/press-room/fact-sheet # Visibox 6.0 Fact Sheet > Visibox 6.0 at a glance: release date, platforms, pricing and availability, what's new, who uses it, and media contact. [← Press Room](/press-room) # Visibox 6.0 at a glance. **Visibox is the live visuals app for musicians.** It puts video on stage the way a sampler puts sound on stage: load clips, assign each one to a pad, key, button, or lighting cue, and play them live. Company Spaceage, Providence, Rhode Island. Founder: Jeff Robbins. Product Visibox 6.0, a visual sample player for live performance Release date Tuesday, October 27, 2026. A public preview is available now. Platforms macOS and Windows Languages English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish System requirements macOS 12 (Monterey) or later, universal app for Intel and Apple Silicon. Windows 10 or later, 64-bit. No specific hardware requirements. ### Pricing and availability Visibox 6.0 releases Tuesday, October 27, 2026, for macOS and Windows. The public preview is available now from the [Downloads page](/downloads#preview). Every new activation starts with a 14-day Pro trial with every Pro feature, and the Free Plan stays free after that. Pro is available as a subscription or as a one-time Perpetual license; current prices are on the [plans page](/subscribe). Visibox 6.0 is a free update for Pro subscribers and for Perpetual license owners within their two years of updates. ### What's new in 6.0 #### Play video like a sampler - **Polyoptic playback:** multiple clips at once. A second pad adds a second clip instead of cutting off the first. - **Poly Mode** per song: clips blend over each other, tile side by side, or split into stripes and spots. - **Gate launch mode** (the clip plays while the pad is held) and **velocity** (hit harder, it comes in louder). - **Audio Clips:** a sound file is a clip of its own, on the same pad as its visual. #### Who else can play it - **Lighting console control:** patch Visibox as a fixture on grandMA, Hog, Eos, ChamSys, Avolites, or QLC+ and run it from cues over sACN or Art-Net. - **Visibox Remote** for iOS and Android, on the way: songs, clips, and visuals from a phone or tablet. - **Song Timelines (Beta):** a song fires its own clips and sends MIDI to change a keyboard patch at the right bar. - **OSC** (TouchOSC, QLab, Resolume, Max/MSP), **Bitfocus Companion**, **Node-RED**, and **Touch Portal**. #### Where it fits in the show - **Setlists:** several running orders in one Project. - **Multitrack backing tracks** with each stem on its own output, plus **multichannel ASIO audio on Windows (Beta)**. - **Lyrics and chord charts (Beta)** on their own display, from ChordPro, OnSong, Nashville numbers, and more. - **Multiple screens** in rows and columns, laid out in the new Canvas settings. - **Output to other places:** NDI (Beta), SDI through Blackmagic DeckLink (Beta), Syphon on Mac (Beta), and Spout on Windows (Beta). **Record the output** with audio. #### Also in 6.0 - **ISF shader effects** alongside the built-in effects. Audio-reactive effects follow the mix, a microphone, a line input, or another app. - **Overlays:** a logo or lower third for a whole Project, one song, or one clip. - **Rebuilt interface** on one consistent design. Faster launch, and big Projects open faster. ### Who uses it Bands, DJs, theaters, worship teams, small venues, and the lighting operators who run their shows. ### Links and contact - **Website:** [spaceage.tv](/) - **What's new in 6.0:** [Visibox 6.0 preview](/news/visibox-6-preview) - **Manual:** [manual.spaceage.tv/6.0.0](https://manual.spaceage.tv/6.0.0/) - **Media contact:** Pete Christopher, Spaceage, [pete@spaceage.tv](mailto:pete@spaceage.tv) --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/press-room/visibox-5-0 # Visibox 5.0 Makes Your Music Visual > Press release: Visibox 5.0 adds audio-reactive Visualizer Clips, an open API with an Elgato Stream Deck plugin, and AI control through a built-in MCP server. [← Press Room](/press-room) April 2026 # Visibox 5.0 Makes Your Music Visual **The biggest update in the product's history** adds audio-reactive visualizers and effects, an open API, and natural-language AI control – making Visibox the first live visual tool where AI helps performers author, edit, and perform from a single project. **FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Providence, RI, April 2026.** Spaceage is announcing Visibox 5.0, the largest feature release in the product's history. The update transforms the performer-friendly media and backing-track player into a complete visual authoring environment, introducing audio-reactive Visualizer Clips, an open API with a built-in Elgato Stream Deck plugin, and an MCP server that brings AI assistance to every part of a project. Visibox 5.0 is available now for macOS and Windows. Visibox is the approachable live-visuals app for musicians, theaters, and live event professionals: an audiovisual environment you can be performing with on day one. Performers drag and drop video, images, and camera streams into a project, assign them to triggers, and play them live from a laptop, MIDI controller, or Stream Deck. With 5.0, those clips can now listen back. Visualizer Clips render real-time graphics that move with the music, built from ISF shaders and MilkDrop presets, formats with tons of free, community-made visualizers. A new local HTTP and WebSocket API exposes nearly every part of a Visibox project – clips, songs, visualizers, effects, set lists – to outside control by show controllers, custom tools, and production rigs. An included Elgato Stream Deck plugin installs with a single click. And a built-in MCP (Model Context Protocol) server adds natural AI control, putting Visibox among the first wave of live visual tools with native AI agent support, and the only one where AI assistance covers the full creative workflow, from authoring a visualizer to editing it to performing with it live, all in one app. "Visibox started as a way to give performers concert-quality visuals without the complexity," said Jeff Robbins, founder of Spaceage. "With 5.0, it becomes something more – a complete visual authoring environment, but still simple. Visualizer Clips let your visuals breathe with the music. The AI integration is genuinely new territory – it lets a novice describe what they want and watch it appear." #### Availability Visibox 5.0 is available now at [spaceage.tv](/) for macOS and Windows. A Free Plan and a 14-day Pro trial are available; Pro pricing includes monthly and annual subscriptions and a one-time Perpetual license. Visibox ships with complete interface translations in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Korean. #### About Spaceage Spaceage creates accessible, performance-focused software for musicians, artists, and live event professionals. Its flagship product, Visibox, is a visual sample player that puts concert-quality visuals within reach of any performer, from garage bands to touring acts, podcasters to worship teams. Designed for people who'd rather perform than troubleshoot, Visibox works the way performers think: load your media, assign your triggers, and go. Learn more at [spaceage.tv](/). #### Media Contact Pete Christopher, Media Contact · [Get in touch](/contact) --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/privacy-policy # Privacy Policy > Your privacy is important to us. It is Spaceage's policy to respect your privacy regarding any information we may collect from you across our website, our mobile applications, and other sites we own and operate. Your privacy is important to us. It is Spaceage's policy to respect your privacy regarding any information we may collect from you across our website, https://www.spaceage.tv, our mobile applications, and other sites we own and operate. ## Information We Collect ### Log Data When you visit our website, our servers may automatically log the standard data provided by your web browser. This data is considered "non-identifying information", as it does not personally identify you on its own. It may include your computer's Internet Protocol (IP) address, your browser type and version, the pages you visit, the time and date of your visit, the time spent on each page, and other details. ### Personal Information We may ask for personal information, such as your name and email address. This data is considered "identifying information", as it can personally identify you. We only request personal information relevant to providing you with a service, and only use it to help provide or improve this service. ## How We Collect Information We collect information by fair and lawful means, with your knowledge and consent. We also let you know why we're collecting it and how it will be used. You are free to refuse our request for this information, with the understanding that we may be unable to provide you with some of your desired services without it. ## Use of Information We may use a combination of identifying and non-identifying information to understand who our visitors are, how they use our services, and how we may improve their experience of our website in future. We do not disclose the specifics of this information publicly, but may share aggregated and anonymised versions of this information, for example, in website and customer usage trend reports. ## Data Processing and Storage We only retain personal information for as long as necessary to provide a service, or to improve our services in future. While we retain this data, we will protect it within commercially acceptable means to prevent loss and theft, as well as unauthorised access, disclosure, copying, use or modification. We advise that no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure, and cannot guarantee absolute data security. ## Cookies We use "cookies" to collect information about you and your activity across our site. A cookie is a small piece of data that our website stores on your computer, and accesses each time you visit so we can understand how you use our site and serve you content based on preferences you have specified. If you do not wish to accept cookies from us, you should instruct your browser to refuse cookies from our website, understanding that we may be unable to provide you with some of your desired services without them. This policy covers only the use of cookies between your computer and our website; it does not cover the use of cookies by any third-party services we use on our site. ## Third-Party Access to Information We may use third-party services for our website and marketing activity. These services may access our data solely for the purpose of performing specific tasks on our behalf. We do not share any personally identifying information with these services without your explicit consent. We do not give these services permission to disclose or use any of our data for any other purpose. We will refuse government and law enforcement requests for data if we believe a request is too broad or unrelated to its stated purpose. However, we may cooperate if we believe the requested information is necessary and appropriate to comply with legal process, to protect our own rights and property, to protect the safety of the public and any person, to prevent a crime, or to prevent what we reasonably believe to be illegal, legally actionable, or unethical activity. We do not otherwise share or supply personal information to third parties. We do not sell or rent your personal information to marketers or third parties. ## Mobile Applications This policy also covers our mobile applications, including Visibox Remote. Visibox Remote does not collect, transmit, or store any personal information. It has no user accounts and no analytics, tracking, or crash-reporting services. It communicates only with a copy of Visibox running on your own local network, and no data is sent to Spaceage, LLC or to any third party. The app stores your most recently paired Visibox instance locally on your device so it can reconnect automatically. This information stays on your device and is removed when you uninstall the app. ## Children's Privacy This website does not knowingly target or collect personal information from children. As a parent/guardian, please contact us if you believe your child is participating in an activity involving personal information on our website, and you have not received a notification or request for consent. We do not use your supplied contact details for marketing or promotional purposes. ## Limits of Our Policy This privacy policy only covers Spaceage's own collecting and handling of data. We only work with partners, affiliates and third-party providers whose privacy policies align with ours, however we cannot accept responsibility or liability for their respective privacy practices. Our website may link to external sites that are not operated by us. Please be aware that we have no control over the content and policies of those sites, and cannot accept responsibility or liability for their respective privacy practices. ## Changes to This Policy At our discretion, we may update this policy to reflect current acceptable practices. We will take reasonable steps to let users know about changes via our website. Your continued use of this site after any changes to this policy will be regarded as acceptance of our practices around data and personal information. ## Your Rights and Responsibilities As our user, you have the right to be informed about how your data is collected and used. You are entitled to know what data we collect about you, and how it is processed. You are entitled to correct and update any personal information about you, and to request this information be deleted. You are entitled to restrict or object to our use of your data, while retaining the right to use your personal information for your own purposes. You have the right to opt out of data about you being used in decisions based solely on automated processing. Feel free to contact us if you have any concerns or questions about how we handle your data and personal information. --- **Spaceage, LLC** Jeff Robbins [support@spaceage.tv](mailto:support@spaceage.tv) _This policy is effective as of February 15, 2021. Last updated July 28, 2026._ --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/terms-and-conditions # Terms and Conditions > By accessing the website at https://spaceage.tv, you are agreeing to be bound by these terms of service, all applicable laws and regulations. ## 1. Terms By accessing the website at https://spaceage.tv, you are agreeing to be bound by these terms of service, all applicable laws and regulations, and agree that you are responsible for compliance with any applicable local laws. If you do not agree with any of these terms, you are prohibited from using or accessing this site. The materials contained in this website are protected by applicable copyright and trademark law. Our order process is conducted by our online reseller Paddle.com. Paddle.com is the Merchant of Record for all our orders. Paddle provides all customer service inquiries and handles returns. ## 2. Use Licence a. Permission is granted to temporarily download one copy of the materials (information or software) on Spaceage's website for personal, non-commercial transitory viewing only. This is the grant of a licence, not a transfer of title, and under this licence you may not: - i. modify or copy the materials; - ii. use the materials for any commercial purpose, or for any public display (commercial or non-commercial); - iii. attempt to decompile or reverse engineer any software contained on Spaceage's website; - iv. remove any copyright or other proprietary notations from the materials; or - v. transfer the materials to another person or "mirror" the materials on any other server. b. This licence shall automatically terminate if you violate any of these restrictions and may be terminated by Spaceage at any time. Upon terminating your viewing of these materials or upon the termination of this licence, you must destroy any downloaded materials in your possession whether in electronic or printed format. ## 3. Refund Policy Please use the trial version of the software to ensure compatibility with your operating system and hardware configuration. The trial version is exactly the same software package as the full version of Visibox. ## 4. Disclaimer a. The materials on Spaceage's website are provided on an 'as is' basis. Spaceage makes no warranties, expressed or implied, and hereby disclaims and negates all other warranties including, without limitation, implied warranties or conditions of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement of intellectual property or other violation of rights. b. Further, Spaceage does not warrant or make any representations concerning the accuracy, likely results, or reliability of the use of the materials on its website or otherwise relating to such materials or on any sites linked to this site. ## 5. Limitations In no event shall Spaceage or its suppliers be liable for any damages (including, without limitation, damages for loss of data or profit, or due to business interruption) arising out of the use or inability to use the materials on Spaceage's website, even if Spaceage or a Spaceage authorized representative has been notified orally or in writing of the possibility of such damage. Because some jurisdictions do not allow limitations on implied warranties, or limitations of liability for consequential or incidental damages, these limitations may not apply to you. ## 6. Accuracy of Materials The materials appearing on Spaceage's website could include technical, typographical, or photographic errors. Spaceage does not warrant that any of the materials on its website are accurate, complete or current. Spaceage may make changes to the materials contained on its website at any time without notice. However Spaceage does not make any commitment to update the materials. ## 7. Links Spaceage has not reviewed all of the sites linked to its website and is not responsible for the contents of any such linked site. The inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement by Spaceage of the site. Use of any such linked website is at the user's own risk. ## 8. Modifications Spaceage may revise these terms of service for its website at any time without notice. By using this website you are agreeing to be bound by the then current version of these terms of service. ## 9. Governing Law These terms and conditions are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the state of Rhode Island in The United States of America and you irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts in that location. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/video-pack-license # Spaceage Standard Video Pack License > The standard license terms for Spaceage Visibox video loop packs: what you can and cannot do with the free video content in live shows, streams, and productions. ## Spaceage Video Pack Standard License Agreement **Licensor:** Spaceage, LLC ("Licensor") **Licensee:** The user of the video loop pack ("Licensee") ### 1\. Grant of License Spaceage, LLC hereby grants the Licensee a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, modify, and display the video loops contained in the Video Pack in both commercial and non-commercial projects. This license is granted to incorporate the Video Loops into the Licensee's multimedia projects, including but not limited to films, video games, advertisements, and live performances. ### 2\. Restrictions **No Resale:** The Licensee shall not sell, license, sub-license, rent, lease, lend, or otherwise distribute the Video Loops, or any modification thereof, as standalone files or as part of any collection, product, or service whose primary value resides in the Video Loops themselves. **No Redistribution:** The Licensee is prohibited from redistributing the Video Loops, including as part of a content library or any other media-sharing outlet, without obtaining prior written permission from Spaceage, LLC. **Attribution:** While not required, attribution to Spaceage, LLC is appreciated in any works or projects using the Video Loops. ### 3\. Intellectual Property The Video Loops are the intellectual property and copyright of Spaceage, LLC. The Licensee does not acquire any ownership rights by downloading or using the Video Loops. ### 4\. Termination This License is effective until terminated. The License will terminate automatically without notice from Spaceage, LLC if the Licensee fails to comply with any provisions of this Agreement. Upon termination, the Licensee must cease all use of the Video Loops and destroy all copies. ### 5\. Disclaimer of Warranties The Video Loops are provided 'as is,' without warranty of any kind, express or implied. Spaceage, LLC does not warrant that the Video Loops will meet the Licensee's requirements or that use will be uninterrupted or error-free. ### 6\. Limitation of Liability Spaceage, LLC shall not be liable for any damages, including any general, special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of the use or inability to use the Video Loops. ### 7\. General This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between Spaceage, LLC and Licensee regarding the use of the Video Loops. It supersedes all prior or contemporaneous negotiations, discussions, or agreements, whether written or oral, between the parties regarding the subject matter contained herein. **By using the Video Loops, the Licensee agrees to be bound by the terms of this License.** #### Contact Information Spaceage, LLC [https://spaceage.tv](/) [info@spaceage.tv](mailto:info@spaceage.tv) --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/visibox-vs-propresenter # Visibox vs ProPresenter > How Visibox and ProPresenter compare for worship and events: lyrics and slides vs reactive video, who runs it, licensing, and price. ProPresenter is the standard in a lot of worship houses, and it earns that place. It manages lyrics, slides, scripture, and song libraries better than anything built for that world. Visibox is a different kind of tool. It is a live-visuals app built around triggering video, graphics, and looks the moment you need them, from any controller, run by the person on stage rather than a volunteer in the booth. Two things to be clear about up front. Visibox does not do lyrics as text: if words on screen are central to your service, ProPresenter is purpose-built for that and Visibox is not a replacement. And Visibox is not built around any one tradition, so it fits worship of any faith just as easily as it fits a band, a theater, or a school. Here is where each one wins. | | Visibox | ProPresenter | | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Live-visuals app built around clip triggering | Presentation app for lyrics, slides, and media | | Best for | Reactive video for worship (any tradition), bands, theater, events | Christian worship slides, lyrics, and song libraries | | Who runs it | The performer, hands-free from up front (footswitch / Stream Deck) | A volunteer in the tech booth advancing slides | | Platforms | macOS 12+ and Windows 10+ | macOS and Windows | | Playback model | Trigger any clip at any time | Ordered slides and playlists | | Lyrics / scripture | None as text; only baked into an image or clip | Deep: song library, scripture, live slide editing | | Audio-reactive | ISF shaders and MilkDrop presets, built in | Not a focus | | Backing tracks | Multitrack playback with multichannel routing | Plays audio, not a backing-track host | | MIDI / footswitch / Stream Deck | Native, with easy mapping | Supported | | AI assistant / API | Native MCP server, HTTP + WebSocket API, CLI | Limited | | Licensing | One license activates two computers | Priced per seat | | Price | Free Plan; Pro $11.99/mo, $83.88/yr, or $299 once | Subscription only: $29/mo or $289/yr per seat | Pricing verified against renewedvision.com in 2026. ProPresenter is subscription only for new users and priced per seat; buying four or more seats drops the rate to $19/month or $199/year each, and there is a campus license option. Visibox works differently: one license activates two computers, there is a Free Plan, the $299 perpetual license includes two years of updates, and every new activation starts with a 14-day Pro trial, no credit card required. ### Pick Visibox when - You want reactive video and looks behind the team, triggered live in any order, not marched through a slide sequence. - You would rather run visuals from up front yourself. A musician or worship leader can fire cues from a footswitch or Stream Deck without tying up a booth volunteer. - You run multitrack backing tracks and want the visuals to fire from the same timeline. - Licensing and budget matter. One Visibox license covers two computers, and Pro is well under the cost of a single ProPresenter seat. ### Pick ProPresenter when - You need real lyric, song, and scripture management. This is the deciding factor: Visibox has no lyrics engine, so if words on screen drive your service, ProPresenter is the right tool and Visibox will not replace it. - Your service is built on ordered slides and a church song library that ProPresenter has spent years perfecting. - Your booth team already runs it and your whole service flow is designed around it. That familiarity is worth a lot, and we will not talk you out of it. ## The real difference ProPresenter thinks in slides and sequences, run from the booth. It is a presentation tool that happens to play video, and for lyric-driven worship that model is exactly right. Visibox thinks in triggers, run from the stage. Every clip, graphic, and loop is ready to fire the instant you want it, in any order, from a footswitch or Stream Deck in the hands of whoever is up front. There is no lyrics engine here; Visibox plays and reacts, it does not manage words. That is why many teams run both: ProPresenter driving lyrics and scripture from the booth, Visibox firing the reactive video and visualizers behind them. And because Visibox assumes nothing about your tradition or your content, the same setup works for a synagogue, a community theater, a school assembly, or a Sunday service. ## Common questions ### Is Visibox a ProPresenter alternative? For reactive video, graphics, and hands-free live visuals, yes. For managing worship lyrics, scripture, and ordered slides, no. ProPresenter is purpose-built for that, and Visibox does not try to replace it. ### Does Visibox handle lyrics? Not as text. Visibox has no song library or scripture tools. You can bake lyrics into an image or a clip and trigger it like anything else, but for live, editable lyrics, use ProPresenter. The two work well side by side. ### Can a musician run Visibox from the stage? Yes. Trigger cues from a footswitch or Stream Deck up front, with no booth operator advancing slides for you. That hands-free setup is a central Visibox design goal. ### Is Visibox only for churches? No. It does not assume a faith tradition or a type of content, so worship of any faith, plus bands, theaters, schools, and corporate events, all use it the same way. ### Is Visibox cheaper than ProPresenter? Yes. ProPresenter is a per-seat subscription at $29 per seat per month (or $289 a year). Visibox has a Free Plan, Pro from $11.99 a month covering two computers, and a $299 perpetual license you own. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/visibox-vs-qlab # Visibox vs QLab > How Visibox and QLab compare for live production: free-form triggering vs scripted cue lists, platform, and price. QLab is the backbone of scripted theater. If a show runs the same cues in the same order every night, with tight audio, video, and lighting all fired from a single space bar, QLab is superb at it and deservedly the industry standard. Visibox is built for a different rhythm: triggering any clip at any time, in whatever order the moment calls for, from a MIDI controller or Stream Deck. The split comes down to one thing. QLab is a cue list. Visibox is an instrument. Here is where each one fits. | | Visibox | QLab | | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Live-visuals app built around free triggering | Cue-based show playback for theater | | Best for | Bands, DJs, worship, events, improvised shows | Scripted theater, timed cue sequences | | Who runs it | The performer, hands-free from the stage (footswitch / Stream Deck) | A dedicated operator firing cues on command | | Playback model | Trigger any clip at any time | Ordered cue list, fired in sequence | | Playing live | Follows the players; improvise freely, no click track needed | Timed cues and timecode assume a set tempo (often a click) | | Platforms | macOS 12+ and Windows 10+ | macOS only | | Interface languages | Multiple, built in (Settings > Language) | English only | | Audio-reactive | ISF shaders and MilkDrop presets, built in | Not a focus | | MIDI / footswitch / Stream Deck | Native, easy mapping | MIDI and OSC control, deep show integration | | Audio routing | Multichannel output | Advanced routing, matrix, timecode | | AI assistant / API | Native MCP server, HTTP + WebSocket API, CLI | AppleScript and OSC scripting | | Price | Free Plan; Pro $11.99/mo, $83.88/yr, or $299 once | Free version; paid audio/video/lighting licenses (see their shop) | QLab publishes a free version and sells paid licenses per feature (audio, video, lighting), buyable outright or rentable, installable on two computers. Prices are set on their store, so check [qlab.app/shop](https://qlab.app/shop/) for current figures rather than a number that may have moved. Visibox is cross-platform, includes a Free Plan and a $299 perpetual option with two years of updates, and comes with a 14-day Pro trial and no credit card. A Visibox subscription always runs the latest version at no extra cost. ### Pick Visibox when - Your show is not a fixed script. You want to trigger clips live, in any order, and respond to the room. - Your band plays live, not to a click. Tempos move, solos stretch, and the players react to each other on stage. Visibox triggers on feel, so the visuals follow the music instead of the music chasing a timeline. - You are on Windows, or your team is split across Mac and Windows. QLab is macOS only. - You want the app in your own language. Visibox has a built-in Language setting with translations for several languages; QLab runs in English only. - You want audio-reactive visuals and a stackable effects engine, not just clean cue playback. - You want to run the show yourself. Trigger cues hands-free from a footswitch or Stream Deck while you perform, with no dedicated operator firing them for you. - You are a band, DJ, worship team, or event producer rather than a theater running the same cues nightly. ### Pick QLab when - You run scripted theater where every cue happens in a set order, the same way each performance. - You need deep audio routing, a matrix mixer, timecode, and lighting cues fired from one operator seat. - You are a Mac house and your stage manager already calls the show from QLab. That workflow is battle-tested, and we would not move you off it for a repertory run. ## The real difference QLab is built for repeatability. Program the cues once, then run the same reliable sequence every night. For scripted theater that is exactly the right model, and Visibox does not try to replace it. Visibox is built for the opposite: performances that breathe. The band takes a verse slower, a solo stretches, the players lock in and ride a section on feel. QLab's timed sequences and timecode assume the music follows the clock, which is why fixed shows so often run to a click track. Visibox flips that. You fire each look the moment it should land, so the visuals follow the performance instead of forcing it onto a timeline. No click required, and with audio-reactive visuals and effects on the same grid, on Mac or Windows, one player can drive the whole show live. ## Common questions ### Is Visibox a QLab alternative? For free-form live triggering of video and visuals, especially on Windows, yes. For scripted theater with timed audio, video, and lighting cues, QLab is purpose-built and remains the stronger fit. ### Does Visibox run on Windows? Yes. Visibox runs on macOS 12+ and Windows 10+. QLab is macOS only, which is often the deciding factor. ### Can Visibox trigger video from MIDI like QLab? Yes, and it is a central design goal. Map clips to a MIDI controller, Stream Deck, or keyboard and fire them instantly, in any order. ### Is Visibox cheaper than QLab? It depends on the QLab features you license, since those are priced per feature. Visibox keeps it straightforward: a Free Plan, Pro from $11.99 a month, or $299 once. --- Source: https://spaceage.tv/visibox-vs-resolume # Visibox vs Resolume > How Visibox and Resolume compare for live visuals: who runs the show, audio-reactive clips, effects, projection mapping, and price. Resolume is the name most people reach for when they think "VJ software," and for good reason. It has been the standard for club visuals and projection mapping for years. Visibox comes at the same job from a different angle: get a performer from a folder of clips to a running show in an afternoon, with audio-reactive visuals, real effects, backing tracks, and hands-free triggering built in. There is one difference that shapes everything else. Resolume expects a dedicated operator sitting at the computer, running the visuals. Visibox expects the performer to be busy playing, so it is built to fire from a footswitch, a Stream Deck, or a backing-track timeline. Here is where each one wins. | | Visibox | Resolume | | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Live-visuals app built around fast, hands-free triggering | Deep VJ and projection-mapping platform | | Best for | Bands, DJs, worship, theater, events | Club VJs, installations, projection mapping | | Who runs it | The performer, hands-free from the stage | A dedicated operator at the computer | | Platforms | macOS 12+ and Windows 10+ | macOS and Windows | | Interface languages | Multiple, built in (Settings > Language) | English only | | Learning curve | Performing the same day | Days to weeks to get fluent | | Audio-reactive | ISF shaders and MilkDrop presets, built in | Yes, via plugins and FFT parameters | | Backing tracks | Multitrack playback with multichannel routing | Plays audio clips; video-first | | Effects | Stackable effects with a live editor | Larger effect library | | MIDI / footswitch / Stream Deck | Native, with easy mapping | MIDI supported; mapping is more manual | | AI assistant / API | Native MCP server, HTTP + WebSocket API, CLI | None | | Projection mapping | Basic multi-screen and spanning | Advanced (Arena): warping, edge blend, SMPTE | | Price | Free Plan; Pro $11.99/mo, $83.88/yr, or $299 once | Avenue €299 (about $340), Arena €799 (about $910) per computer | Pricing verified against resolume.com in July 2026; euro figures converted at about €1 = $1.14, so treat the dollar amounts as approximate. Resolume is a one-time purchase for one computer and includes 12 months of updates; after that, more updates cost €79/year (Avenue) or €219/year (Arena). Visibox Pro activates two computers and includes a 14-day Pro trial, no credit card required. A Visibox subscription always runs the latest version at no extra cost, and the $299 perpetual license includes two years of updates, twice the year Resolume bundles in. ### Pick Visibox when - You want to be running a real show today, not next month. - You are the one on stage. Trigger visuals hands-free from a footswitch or Stream Deck while you play, with nobody stuck running the computer. - You run backing tracks. Visibox plays your multitrack stems with per-output routing and fires the matching visuals from the same timeline. - You play music and want visuals that react to your audio out of the box (MilkDrop presets and ISF shaders drop straight onto the grid). - You want to edit your project by talking to an AI assistant, or control everything from a script or another device. - You care about price. Visibox Pro is a fraction of Arena, updates are included, and the Free Plan is yours forever. ### Pick Resolume when - You have a dedicated person to run visuals during the show. Resolume is built to be driven by someone sitting at the computer, watching and mixing in real time. - You do projection mapping, edge blending, or large LED walls. Resolume Arena is still the right tool for that, and we will not pretend otherwise. - You want the largest effect library available and live inside deep effect chains. - You are running a club or installation where SMPTE timecode and advanced warping matter more than fast setup. ## The real difference Resolume rewards mastery. Once you know it, it does almost anything, and the ceiling is very high. The catch is that it assumes someone is there to drive it. A VJ sits at the keyboard, watches the room, and mixes the visuals live. That is a great setup when you have that person. Visibox assumes you do not. It is built for the performer who is already holding a guitar, working a DJ rig, or leading a service. You map clips to a footswitch, a Stream Deck, or a backing-track timeline, and the visuals fire on cue while your hands stay on your instrument. Add audio-reactive visualizers, a stackable effects engine, and multitrack backing tracks, and you get a full show that one person can run from the stage, in an app you can learn in a weekend. ## Common questions ### Is Visibox a Resolume alternative? For clip triggering, audio-reactive visuals, effects, backing tracks, and hands-free live shows, yes. If your main need is projection mapping or large-scale installation work, Resolume Arena is the stronger fit. ### Can I run Visibox without a dedicated VJ? That is the whole idea. Trigger visuals from a footswitch, Stream Deck, or backing-track timeline and run the show yourself while you perform. Resolume is designed to be operated by someone at the computer. ### Can Visibox do audio-reactive visuals like Resolume? Yes. Visibox runs ISF shaders and imports MilkDrop presets, so audio-reactive visualizers sit right alongside your triggered clips on the same grid. ### Is Visibox cheaper than Resolume? Considerably. Visibox has a Free Plan, Pro starts at $11.99 a month or $83.88 a year, and a perpetual license is $299 once with two years of updates. Resolume is a one-time purchase of €299 (about $340, Avenue) or €799 (about $910, Arena) per computer, with a year of updates included. ### Does Visibox do projection mapping? Visibox handles multi-screen output and spanning a clip across displays. For warping, edge blending, and SMPTE-timed mapping, Resolume Arena goes further.