Beyond the Mixing Board: Building a Custom Control Surface for Live Events with modue

The Problem: One-Size-Fits-All Control in a Multi-Discipline World

The control booth at a live event is a high-stakes environment. Whether you're a lighting designer for a concert, a VJ for a corporate keynote, or a stage manager running cues for a theatrical production, precision and reliability are non-negotiable. Yet, our control surfaces are often a chaotic patchwork of disparate devices. A bulky lighting wing sits next to a generic MIDI keyboard for audio cues, while critical video triggers are still relegated to a mouse click in a complex software interface. This setup is not just cluttered; it's inefficient and ripe for error.

Every professional has felt the anxiety of fumbling for the right button under pressure, the frustration of a software fader not matching its physical counterpart, or the sheer limitation of a controller that wasn't designed for their specific workflow. You're forced to adapt your process to the hardware's limitations, not the other way around. In a world that demands flawless execution, this compromise is a critical point of failure.

The Solution: A Purpose-Built Cockpit for Every Show

Imagine a control surface that adapts to you. One that you design and build based on the specific demands of your role and the show you're running. This is the core principle behind modue. Instead of a monolithic controller with a fixed layout, modue offers a system of specialized modules that you can combine to create a truly custom interface. It’s a system that is modular by design, allowing you to bring only the tools you need, configured exactly how you need them.

For the live performance professional, this means you can build a dedicated “cue-firing” station with mechanical switches, a precise lighting control wing with motorized faders, and a dynamic effects unit with rotary encoders—all within a single, cohesive ecosystem. Let's break down how this approach solves the critical challenges of live show control.

The Right Module for the Right Job

Your workflow isn't generic, so your tools shouldn't be either. modue's ecosystem provides distinct modules, each engineered for a specific type of interaction.

• For Fader Control (Lighting & Audio): The Slide Module
  The Slide module is essential for any task requiring precision level control. Its 45mm motorized potentiometer isn't just a fader; it's a two-way street. When a value changes in your software (like a lighting cue fading up in QLab), the physical slider moves to match it. This motorized feedback eliminates the dangerous disconnect between your hardware and your software state, ensuring what you feel is what's actually happening. Use it for lighting intensity, audio channel volume, or video layer opacity.
• For Parameter Tweaking (Effects & Color): The Spin Module
  Fine-tuning requires nuance. The Spin module provides three high-resolution rotary encoders with push-button functionality. They are perfect for adjusting lighting parameters like pan/tilt, color on a CMY or RGB wheel, or dialing in audio effects in Ableton Live. The integrated LED rings provide immediate visual feedback on position, level, or status, so you know a parameter's state without looking at your main screen.
• For Cue Firing (GO Buttons & Triggers): The Click Module
  The heart of many live shows is the “GO” button. The Click module offers five satisfying and reliable mechanical switches (Gateron Reds) for your most critical cues. Map them to fire scenes in OBS, trigger video clips in Resolume, advance slides in ProPresenter, or execute complex macros. Their tactile response gives you the confidence that a cue has been fired, a stark contrast to the ambiguity of a touchscreen or mouse click.
• For Overall Show Management: The One Touch Module
  The One Touch mother module acts as your command center. Its 2x8 widget grid can display show rundowns, countdown timers to the next cue, or act as a bank of touchscreen shortcuts for less frequently used commands. It's the perfect place to keep vital show information visible at a glance.

Built for the Rigors of the Road

Live event hardware needs to be tough. We understand that. Each modue is housed in an anodized 6061 aluminum chassis with a tempered glass top. The modules connect via robust, gold-plated spring connectors, and our extensively tested intermodular communication ensures seamless, low-latency performance. This isn't a desktop toy; it's a professional tool built to withstand the demands of setup, teardown, and high-pressure operation, night after night. Learn more about our commitment to true modularity and build quality.

Seamless Integration with Your Professional Toolkit

A controller is only as good as its ability to talk to your software. modue is designed to integrate smoothly into existing professional workflows, primarily using the industry-standard MIDI protocol, as well as keystroke automation and our open SDK for deeper connections.

A Future-Proof Investment in Your Workflow

Purchasing professional equipment is an investment. The modue ecosystem is designed to grow with you and your organization. Your workflow, your rules. You can start with a simple two-module setup for a small show and expand your configuration as you take on more complex productions. This expand-when-you're-ready approach makes it a scalable and cost-effective solution.

Furthermore, our commitment to the professional community is ongoing. With our open SDK (Software Development Kit), your in-house developers can build custom plugins to integrate modue directly with proprietary systems. We are also continuously developing new modules based on community feedback, including a planned XLR module for direct pro-audio integration (expected Q2-Q3 2026). This isn't just a product; it's a platform for the future of professional control.

Ready to build the control surface you've always needed? Explore our pre-order bundles and start designing your perfect live-show cockpit today.