SYQEL Desktop
Sound in, five feeds of visuals, MIDI and keys, Record, and output to OBS, NDI and Spout. The same app runs on Mac, Windows and in your browser at vj.syqel.com.
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SYQEL Desktop quick start: audio-reactive visuals for your DJ set in 5 steps
The five things to set before your first gig: your sound source, how the visuals change, the big screen, and Record for a DJ mix video.
SYQEL Desktop full tutorial: every feature of the music visualizer, step by step
Everything in one sitting: sound sources, MIDI, playlists, Milkdrop, importing shaders and sending visuals to OBS.
Getting started
Quick Start Guide – SYQEL Desktop Install SYQEL Desktop, sign in, pick your audio and get visuals moving to your music, then learn the main screen, playlists, MIDI and going live. Downloading and installing SYQEL Desktop Download SYQEL Desktop for Mac (Apple Silicon or Intel) or Windows, install it, allow audio access, and let it keep itself up to date. Account Sync (Web & Desktop) Account Sync brings your visuals and playlists to every computer you sign in on, and keeps your hotkeys and marquee the same on each. What Visualization Settings Can I Personalize? You can set what plays, how visuals advance, how they react to the music, your logos and marquee, your keys and MIDI pads, and the app's look.
Sound in
Audio Sources in SYQEL Desktop SYQEL Desktop can listen to a microphone, an audio interface, one app (App Audio) or your whole computer, with no virtual cable needed. How to Connect Any App’s Audio to SYQEL In SYQEL Desktop, play something in the app, then pick App Audio and the app's name in the top-bar source list; the web app needs a virtual audio device. How to Visualize Spotify Music with SYQEL In SYQEL Desktop, play a song in Spotify, then pick App Audio: Spotify in the top-bar audio source list. Why Spotify Isn’t Showing Up in SYQEL Spotify appears only in SYQEL Desktop, only while it is playing, and only after a refresh; older systems and the web app need a virtual audio device. Do I need Loopback or Mixline to visualize Spotify with SYQEL? Not with SYQEL Desktop on macOS 14.4+ or Windows 10 build 19041+; the web app and older systems need a virtual audio device. Creating a virtual audio input – Mac On macOS 14.4 or later you don't need one; otherwise, BlackHole or Loopback turns your Mac's audio into an input SYQEL can hear. Creating a virtual audio input – Windows SYQEL Desktop on Windows rarely needs one; for the web app or an app using its own driver, VB-Cable turns app audio into an input. Troubleshooting Audio Detection If the visuals don't react, check the Input meter, pick the right source in the top bar, refresh the list and check permissions.
Playing visuals
Visual Feeds SYQEL has five visual feeds: Shaders, Image Visuals, Scenes, Milkdrop and Worlds. Pick one, a playlist or everything from Playing from. Shaders Shaders are SYQEL's feed of visuals drawn entirely from your music. Play them from Playing from, adjust them in the Library, or make your own. Milkdrop Milkdrop is SYQEL's feed of classic Winamp-era presets. Play it on its own from Playing from, set its blend time, and import your own presets. Image Visuals Image Visuals are AI-made pictures that move with your music. Play the feed from Playing from, or make your own in Settings › Create. Visualizer Playback Behavior Settings › Playback sets how SYQEL moves between visuals: by time, by BPM or by hand, with or without a crossfade. Next, Previous, Lock and Shuffle work on top of any mode. Creating a visual playlist Go to Settings › Playlists, click + New playlist, name it and click Create, then add visuals from the Library. Play it from Playing from, in order or shuffled. Adding a visual to a playlist Open Settings › Library, click the visual, then pick a playlist under Add to playlist and click Add. Editing a playlist In Settings › Playlists, open a playlist to reorder its visuals, remove them, give it a key or MIDI shortcut, or delete it. Crossfade between visuals Turn on Crossfade in Settings › Playback and every visual fades into the next, whatever kind it is. The slider on the same card sets how long the fade takes.
Make it yours
Frequency Reactiveness Frequency Reactiveness is an EQ for what the visuals hear. Pick or build a preset in Settings › Frequency Reactiveness to favour bass, mids or highs. Editing a visual Select the visual in Settings › Library and tune it under Adjust: Pulse, Colors, Brightness and Sensitivity. Pop the preview out to see it big while you work. Editing a shader Select a shader in Settings › Library and move the Pulse, Colors, Brightness or Sensitivity sliders under Adjust, then save. Importing Milkdrop Visuals In SYQEL Desktop, open Settings › Import and click Import Milkdrop folder to add a folder of .json Milkdrop presets to the Milkdrop feed. Adding Logo Watermarks With a paid plan, upload up to 9 logos in Settings › Logo & Watermarks, set each one's position and size, and switch them live with keys 1–9. Adding Marquee Text Write a scrolling message in Settings › Marquee, style it, then press M to show or hide it over the visuals. Play your SYQEL Studio visuals in SYQEL Desktop Visuals you save in SYQEL Studio appear in SYQEL Desktop under Settings › Library › My Studio visuals, and as a My Studio visuals playlist. They play offline too.
Control
Keyboard Shortcuts SYQEL's default keys, on desktop and in your browser, including X for Shuffle, how to change them with Learn Key or Learn MIDI, and how to give a visual or playlist its own key. Connecting to MIDI Plug in your controller, then use Learn MIDI in Settings › Hotkeys & MIDI to put any SYQEL control, visual or playlist on a pad.
Out to screens & streams
Can I Use SYQEL as a Background for Streaming (OBS)? Yes. SYQEL Desktop sends its visuals to OBS over NDI (or Spout on Windows); from the web app, capture the browser window. How to Add SYQEL Desktop for Windows to OBS Send SYQEL Desktop's visuals into OBS on Windows over NDI or Spout, or capture the SYQEL Visuals window that Broadcast opens. How to Set Up SYQEL in OBS on Mac On a Mac, SYQEL Desktop hears your music with App Audio and sends its visuals to OBS over NDI or through the SYQEL Visuals window. I Can't Find SYQEL as a Window Source in OBS on macOS Turn on Broadcast so the SYQEL Visuals window exists, give OBS screen recording permission, and restart OBS — or skip window capture and use NDI. Setting up OBS audio source Captured video carries no sound, so add the same audio input SYQEL listens to as an audio source in OBS.
Create with AI
Creating a visual with AI Open Settings › Create, choose Shader or Image, describe the visual and click Generate, then save it to your Library. AI Visuals Make your own visuals with AI in Settings › Create, refine the shaders you made with Refine with AI in the Library, and play SYQEL's Image Visuals feed.
In your browser
Quick Start Guide – Web (vj.syqel.com) Open vj.syqel.com, sign in, pick a microphone or audio interface, and get visuals moving to your music in your browser, with nothing to install. Is SYQEL Optimized To a Specific Browser? The web app runs in current Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari. Chrome or Edge is best, and SYQEL Desktop gives the smoothest show. Why Does SYQEL Look Different On Each Browser? Every browser plays the same visuals. Differences come from your graphics card, graphics acceleration, frame rate and the audio SYQEL hears. Selecting The Audio Input What the web app can hear, and how to pick your microphone, audio interface or virtual audio device from the audio source list at the left of the top bar. Creating a virtual audio input A virtual audio device turns music playing on your computer into an input the web app can hear: BlackHole or Loopback on a Mac, VB-Cable on Windows. Visualizer Settings A tour of SYQEL's Settings: Library, Playlists, Create, Import, Hotkeys & MIDI, Playback, Frequency Reactiveness, overlays, Appearance and account. Setting up the window source In OBS, add a Window Capture of the browser running vj.syqel.com, press H in SYQEL to hide the controls, and fit the source to the canvas. How to Add the SYQEL Web App to OBS Stream or record SYQEL from your browser: run vj.syqel.com, hide the controls with H, add the window to OBS as a Window Capture and add your audio input.
DJ software & DAWs
Routing rekordbox’s Audio to SYQEL On SYQEL Desktop, pick App Audio: rekordbox in the top-bar source list; in the web app, use a virtual audio device or your mixer's output. Routing Serato DJ’s Audio to SYQEL On SYQEL Desktop, pick Serato's App Audio entry in the top-bar source list; in the web app on a Mac, use Serato Virtual Audio. Routing Traktor Pro’s Audio to SYQEL On SYQEL Desktop, pick Traktor's App Audio entry in the top-bar source list; in the web app, use a virtual audio device or your mixer's output. Routing Mixxx’s Audio to SYQEL On SYQEL Desktop, pick App Audio: Mixxx in the top-bar source list; in the web app, set Mixxx's main output to a virtual audio device. Routing Ableton Live’s Audio to SYQEL On SYQEL Desktop, pick App Audio: Ableton Live in the top-bar source list; in the web app, set Live's output to a virtual audio device. Routing FL Studio’s Audio to SYQEL On SYQEL Desktop, pick FL Studio's App Audio entry in the top-bar source list; in the web app, set its output to a virtual audio device. Routing Logic Pro’s Audio to SYQEL On SYQEL Desktop, pick App Audio: Logic Pro in the top-bar source list; in the web app, route Logic through Loopback or BlackHole. Routing Pro Tools’ Audio to SYQEL On SYQEL Desktop, pick App Audio: Pro Tools in the top-bar source list; in the web app, set the Playback Engine to a virtual audio device. Routing Cubase Pro’s Audio to SYQEL On SYQEL Desktop, pick App Audio: Cubase in the top-bar source list; in the web app, send Cubase's output to a virtual audio device. Routing Studio One’s Audio to SYQEL On SYQEL Desktop, pick App Audio: Studio One in the top-bar source list; in the web app, set Studio One's output to a virtual audio device. Routing REAPER’s Audio to SYQEL On SYQEL Desktop, pick REAPER's App Audio entry in the top-bar source list; in the web app, set REAPER's output device to a virtual audio device. Routing GarageBand’s Audio to SYQEL On SYQEL Desktop, pick App Audio: GarageBand in the top-bar source list; in the web app, route GarageBand through Loopback or BlackHole.