Lightbridge is a VJ performance system I designed and coded from scratch. I wanted the creative depth of TouchDesigner with the live performance tools of Resolume (and more). So that's what I made.
What started as a basic chain with a single ring source has grown into a full performance system - 40 sources, 32 effects, projection mapping, MIDI control, audio analysis, BPM detection, and more.
Early prototype — one source, basic parameters, no effects chain
Current build — 3D helix source, stacked effects, dual preview, color palette
🎵 6-Band Audio Analysis
Real-time FFT splits audio into sub-bass, kick, low-mid, mid, presence, and brilliance bands. Visuals are created with customizable parameters, that can be linked to any audio band.
⏱ BPM Sync
Using Ableton Link, you can get BPM live from your DJ. Or you can tap it in yourself. And if that doesn't work, a custom C to WebAssembly beat tracker detects beat phase automatically from live audio input.
🎮 Modulation Engine
Any parameter can be modulated by audio, beat, LFOs, or envelopes. I can link a ring's radius to the kick drum, or tighten a spiral coil based on the mids. I can flicker between color palettes on the beat or manually tap in a pulse effect on a particle cloud.
⚙ Reaction & Decay
Adjustable reaction speed and decay curves let you dial in exactly how the visuals react to the music. Some songs need it tight and punchy, others need it smoother and breathier.
🔗 Flat Chain Model
Sources and effects live in a single ordered chain. Sources stack on top of each other, and effects apply to the stack (or directly onto a source, if that's what you want). I added blending modes for even more creative control.
🎨 40 Procedural Sources
From 3D tunnels and particle simulations to fluid dynamics and fractals, every source is generated in real-time via custom GLSL shaders. This is a hugely customizable tool and allows for importing other shaders available on the web.
✨ 32 Effects
Bloom, feedback, kaleidoscope, ASCII, pixel sort, color grading, barrel distortion, etc. There are tons to play with, and they can be audio reactive as well.
🎨 Per-Source Effects
Effects can apply to individual sources before compositing, or to the entire accumulated output. This is what really lets you dial in the look you want, and create infinite combinations.
🖱 Projection Mapping
Built-in corner-pin warping, mesh subdivision (up to 8×8 grid), masking, and blending. This opens up tons of possibilities about creating a look in any given space, even if it's not a flat projector ready surface.
🖥 Multi-Display
Output to any connected display, like a projector or a TV. You can run a preview on your laptop, and push or hold changes as you tweak them before they go live.
💾 Venue Presets
Save your mapping configuration per show location or venue. Really useful if you're moving between multiple common setups.
📷 Clean Output
Output at any resolution and 60fps with almost no lag. Getting response time down to under 10ms was tough but critical!
🎥 Performance Sets
You can organize your show into sets, each with its own chain, audio mods, and color palette. This lets you play and iterate on multiple base sets per show.
🎹 MIDI Control (APC40)
Full APC40 MkII protocol support. Map any parameter to any fader, knob, or button. The GUI mimics the physical controller. Hoping to add more controller support soon!
🎨 Color Palettes
7-swatch HSB palettes per set. Visuals link to palette channels, so you can change one swatch and every corresponding visual will shift. Awesome for dedicated hue changes mid-performance!
💾 Save Files
Every action is autosaved, with a near infinite undo/redo capability. You can save individual shows and have preloaded sets ready to go whenever you want to perform.