Radiance

What Radiance is

Radiance is free, open-source video art software for live performance, including VJ work. It runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows. Its studio has more than 150 GPU-accelerated effects written in WGSL, which performers can edit live. MPV integration lets users open video clips, images, files, webcams, live streams, and YouTube videos. Radiance detects beats in incoming audio and uses them as a shared time reference for effects. Visuals can be sent to one or more screens, and a projection mapping editor is included. The project uses the MIT/X11 License, and its free plan costs nothing. Building Radiance from source requires Rust, Cargo, and dynamically linked libmpv. Loading YouTube videos by URL requires a separate yt-dlp installation. The project README notes that the rewrite does not include MIDI controller input or TCP output for LED displays compared with version 0.6.1, so performers relying on those capabilities should account for their absence.

Who it suits

Radiance suits VJs and other performers who want live-editable effects, audio beat detection, and multi-screen output. It may not suit setups that rely on MIDI controller input or TCP output for LED displays.

Getting started

1. Visit https://radiance.video/.
2. Download the version for Linux, Mac, or Windows.
3. If loading YouTube videos by URL, install yt-dlp separately.
4. If building from source, use Rust, Cargo, and dynamically linked libmpv.

Verdict

Radiance brings live effects, audio beat detection, and projection mapping to a free desktop video art tool. Check the missing MIDI and LED output features against your performance setup.