Audio & Multitrack

Stereo Playback

qPlayer provides high-quality stereo audio playback out of the box, free of charge. Audio plays through your iPhone's built-in speaker, headphone jack, Lightning/USB-C adapter, or any connected Bluetooth audio device.

For the best live sound quality, we recommend using a wired connection (USB-C or Lightning to 3.5mm) to your mixing desk. Bluetooth introduces latency that can be noticeable in a live setting.

Multitrack Audio Setup

With a Gig, Plus, or Pro licence, qPlayer can output multichannel audio via a USB audio interface connected to your iPhone, iPad, or Mac:

• Free: Stereo (2 channels)
• Gig, Plus, and Pro: Up to 32 channels

1. Connect a class-compliant USB audio interface to your iPhone, iPad, or Mac using a USB-C cable or adapter.
2. qPlayer automatically detects the USB device. Check Settings → Audio Interface to see the device name and available channels.
3. Add a multichannel audio file to your setlist (multichannel files show a channel count badge in the Edit Cue view).
4. Press GO. Each channel in the file routes 1:1 to the corresponding output on your interface.

Building a Multitrack File

qPlayer plays a single multi-channel WAV or AIFF file and routes each channel to its own output, so you assemble one interleaved file from your stems in any DAW (Logic Pro, Reaper, Pro Tools, Ableton, etc.):

1. In your DAW, create a multi-output bus matching your channel count (e.g. 4, 8, or 16).
2. Route each stem to its own output channel. For example: 1–2 stereo backing, 3 click, 4 guide vocal.
3. Bounce / export as a single interleaved multi-channel WAV (one file, not separate mono files), at 44.1 or 48 kHz.
4. Add the file to your setlist. qPlayer reads the channel count automatically and routes 1:1 to your interface.

qMix Output Mixer

qMix is an output console inside qPlayer: long-throw faders, mutes, solo, and true metering for every output channel, plus a master fader. It sits after your cue levels, so it works like the output section of a real desk. Your per-cue gains and level matching stay exactly as you built them, and qMix trims what leaves the interface.

That split matters at soundcheck: when the engineer asks for more click in the wedges, you nudge one output fader instead of editing every cue in the set. Save the result as a mix snapshot and recall it the next time you play that room.

Each stem strip can also be routed: send it to a single output, a stereo pair with pan, or switch it off entirely for the night.

1. Open a show and select a setlist.
2. On Mac, click the qMix button (vertical sliders) in the toolbar. On iPhone and iPad, tap the same icon in Play Mode.
3. Faders apply live once a show is playing. Adjust, then save a snapshot if you want to keep the mix.

Compatible USB Audio Interfaces

qPlayer works with any class-compliant USB audio interface. This means most modern interfaces work without installing drivers. Popular tested interfaces include:

• Focusrite Scarlett series (2i2, 4i4, 18i8, 18i20)
• PreSonus Studio series
• Behringer UMC series
• MOTU M-series
• Allen & Heath digital mixers with USB recording

You'll need a Lightning to USB Camera Adapter (for Lightning iPhones) or a USB-C hub (for USB-C iPhones/iPads).

Click Tracks & In-Ear Monitors

One of the most popular uses for multitrack is sending a click track (metronome) to the drummer's in-ear monitors while the full backing track mix goes to front of house.

How It Works

Build your multitrack file with the click on a dedicated channel (e.g., channel 3). Connect a USB interface with at least 4 outputs. Route output 3 to the drummer's in-ear monitor mix, and outputs 1-2 to the main PA.

Use any DAW (Logic Pro, Reaper, Pro Tools, etc.) to combine your stereo backing track and mono click track into a single multi-channel WAV file.

Stereo Fallback

Live shows are unpredictable. If your USB audio interface disconnects mid-song (a loose cable, a power glitch, or a faulty adapter), Stereo Fallback keeps the music playing by automatically downmixing your multichannel audio to stereo through the device's built-in output.

How It Works

Stereo Fallback uses a configurable split point to separate your channels into two groups:

• Left channel: Channels 1 to the split point (e.g. click + cues)
• Right channel: All remaining channels (e.g. the band mix)

The default split is after channel 2, which matches the most common convention: channels 1–2 for click and cues, channels 3+ for the full band mix.

Setting Up

1. Open Settings → Audio Interface.
2. Enable Stereo Fallback (on by default).
3. Set the Split Point to match your channel layout (default: 2).

When fallback activates, a warning banner appears at the top of the Player screen: "USB audio lost: stereo fallback active". Playback continues from the correct position automatically. There may be a brief interruption during the switchover, but the show won't stop dead.

Mute from Stereo Mix

Some channels make sense in a multichannel rig but should never reach the front-of-house downmix: a click track, scratch vocal, talkback, or a cue line that's only relevant in-ear. The Mute from Stereo Mix control lets you exclude individual channels from the stereo fallback downmix on a per-cue basis.

1. Open the cue in Edit Cue.
2. Expand Mute from Stereo Mix. You'll see a toggle for each channel in the file.
3. Toggle off any channels that should be excluded when the downmix is in use.

Muted channels are dropped before the split-point logic runs, so they never appear in either the left or right output. When the USB interface is connected, all channels play normally to their assigned outputs. The mute only affects the stereo downmix path.

Supported Audio Formats

qPlayer supports the following audio formats:

• WAV: Uncompressed, highest quality. Recommended for live use.
• AIFF: Uncompressed, equivalent to WAV. Common on Mac.
• MP3: Compressed. Smaller files, slightly lower quality.
• AAC / M4A: Apple's compressed format. Good quality at smaller sizes.