Cinetiq - User Guide

Introduction
Getting Started
Understanding the Interface
Working with Audio
Layer Types
Animation & Keyframes
Audio-Reactive Effects
Exporting Your Video
Presets
Blend Modes
Keyboard Shortcuts
Tips & Best Practices
Troubleshooting
Getting Help
License Information

Introduction

Cinetiq is a cross-platform application for creating audio-reactive visuals for music. Whether you're creating Instagram Stories, Spotify Canvas visuals, or YouTube videos, Cinetiq provides professional-grade features with an intuitive interface.

What Can You Create?

Instagram Stories & Reels: Vertical videos up to 60 seconds (Story) or 90 seconds (Reel) with audio
Instagram Posts: Square videos up to 60 seconds
Spotify Canvas: 3-8 second looping music visualizations (no audio track)
YouTube Videos: Full-length horizontal videos in 1080p, 1440p or 4K with audio
Custom: Any size — including transparent ProRes 4444 overlays for other editors

Key Features

Multi-layer compositing with 9 blend modes
Automatic tempo, beat, downbeat and kick detection
Audio-reactive animation of any property, synchronized to your music
One-click effects (blur, glow, glitch, VHS, film grain, ...) and audio visualizers
Layer groups, track mattes and shape layers
Custom GLSL shaders (Shadertoy compatible) and ISF shaders
Hardware-accelerated video playback
Keyframe animation with a beat-snapped timeline and curve editor
3D model rendering (glTF/GLB), SVG graphics, LUT color grading and Photoshop (PSD) import (Pro)
Real-time GPU preview at 60fps
Templates to start from, and your own saved templates
H.264, HEVC and ProRes export with an exact preview, a render queue and seamless Spotify Canvas loops

Getting Started

System Requirements

macOS:

macOS 10.13 or later
OpenGL 3.2 compatible graphics

Windows:

Windows 10 or later (64-bit)
OpenGL 3.2 compatible graphics
DXVA2 hardware video decoding is used when available (for smooth video playback)
Video export uses Windows' own H.264 / HEVC encoders (Media Foundation). Windows "N" editions need the free Media Feature Pack from Microsoft

First Launch

When you first open Cinetiq, the Interactive Tutorial starts and walks you through the interface step by step (you can skip it, and restart it any time from Help → Interactive Tutorial). If your project is empty, it loads a short demo track, an image and a shader so every panel has something to show.

When you know the basics, Help → Advanced Tutorial tours the tools for finishing a release: templates, effects and visualizers, layer groups, track mattes, Kick / Snare / Band modulation, the beat grid and markers, layer in/out, easing and bezier curves, Auto-key, the export preview and render queue, Spotify Canvas loops and Collect Media. On an empty project it loads a demo made from the Kick Ring template.

The main window has these areas:

Toolbar (top): Project, audio import, preview format, audio fades and export
Preview canvas (center): Live preview of your composition
Layers and Properties (right): The layer list, with the selected layer's properties below it
Waveform and Timeline (bottom): Your audio track, the clip, transport, tempo and keyframes

Demo vs Licensed Mode

Demo Mode (free):

Limited to 3 layers
Exports include a watermark
Presets can't be saved or loaded (and there is no autosave); Collect Media and Save as Template need a license
The built-in templates work; a group counts as one of the 3 layers

Standard License:

Unlimited layers
Clean exports (no watermark)
Preset save/load and autosave

Pro License:

All Standard features
3D Model layers
SVG layers
LUT color grading layers
Photoshop (PSD) import

To activate a license, go to Help → License Activation and enter your license key.

Understanding the Interface

The Toolbar

Located at the top of the window:

New: Start an empty project
Import Audio: Load your music track (WAV, AIFF, MP3, FLAC, OGG)
Preview: Shows the canvas in a platform's shape — Fill (the whole preview area), Instagram Post (1:1), Instagram Story (9:16), Spotify Canvas (9:16), YouTube (16:9) or YouTube Shorts (9:16). Remembered between sessions
Save: Save the project (Ctrl+S). The first save asks where.
Open: Open Preset, Save Preset As, Collect Media, Template Gallery, Save as Template, and your recent presets
Fade In / Fade Out: Audio fades at the start and end of the clip (or Off)
Export: Render your final video
Help: About, License Activation, User Guide, Interactive Tutorial, Advanced Tutorial, Keyboard Shortcuts and Check for Updates

The Layer Panel (Right)

This is where you manage all visual elements in your composition:

+ Add Layer (Ctrl+L): Choose Image, Image Sequence, Shader, ISF Shader, Video, Solid Color, Shape, Text, a built-in Effect or an audio Visualizer — and with Pro, 3D Model, SVG, PSD Document or LUT. Import an audio file first: layers can only be added once a track is loaded
Layer List: Shows all layers by name (top layer = front of composition)
Double-click a name to rename the layer
Drag a layer up or down to reorder it (or use the ^ / v buttons)
Right-click for Rename, Duplicate (Ctrl+D), Replace Content (media layers), Group / Ungroup / Remove from Group, Collapse Group, Move Up / Move Down, Bring to Front / Send to Back and Delete
Checkbox: Toggle layer visibility
Load: Replace the layer's content (image, video, shader, sequence folder, ...)
X: Delete the layer

Drag the divider between the layer list and the properties to give either more room.

Tip: Layers at the top of the list appear in front.

The Properties Panel (Right, below the layers)

Displays properties for the currently selected layer:

Blend Mode: How the layer blends with layers below
Opacity: 0 (invisible) to 1 (opaque)
Layer-specific controls: Position, scale, rotation, etc.
Audio Modulation: Make properties react to music

The Waveform and Timeline (Bottom)

Waveform Display: The whole track, with the clip (the part that is exported) highlighted and bar lines from the beat grid
Play / Stop: Transport (Space / Esc)
Clip: Clip length (8s, 15s, 30s, 45s, 60s, 90s, Whole track, or Custom...)
Animate: Which property's keyframes are shown and edited, with the Auto-key toggle next to it
Volume: Preview playback volume — doesn't affect the export or the audio reactivity. Double-click to reset
BPM and Grid: The detected tempo and beat-grid corrections (see Tempo (BPM) and Beat Grid)
Timeline: The clip from start to end, with a ruler, beat and bar lines (bar numbers), the selected layer's bar (where in the clip it is shown, see Layer In and Out), the keyframe lane for the chosen property, and a thin lane below with markers for the layer's other animated properties
Playhead (white line): Current playback position

Drag and Drop

You can drop files straight onto the window:

Audio (WAV, AIFF, MP3, FLAC, OGG): Loads it as the project's track
Images (PNG, JPG): Image layers
Videos (MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI): Video layers
Shaders (.frag, .glsl, .txt, .fs, .isf): Shader or ISF layers — Cinetiq detects which
A folder of images: An Image Sequence layer
Pro: SVG, glTF/GLB models, .cube LUTs and PSD files
Presets (.vtpreset): Opens the preset

Dropped media files become layers even before a track is loaded; the demo's 3-layer limit applies.

Working with Audio

Importing Audio

Click Import Audio in the toolbar (or press Ctrl+O, or drop the file onto the window)
Select your audio file (WAV, AIFF, MP3, FLAC, or OGG)
The waveform will appear above the timeline

Supported Formats: Cinetiq uses JUCE for primary audio loading with FFmpeg fallback for unusual formats.

Setting Duration

Set your video duration:

Pick a length from Clip in the timeline bar: 8s, 15s, 30s, 45s, 60s, 90s, Whole track or Custom... (type any length in seconds)
On the waveform:
- Drag inside the clip to move it, or click outside it to move it there
- Drag either edge of the clip to change its length
- Moving and resizing snap to the start of bars; hold Shift to place it freely
- Click inside the clip to move the playhead
Ctrl+scroll on the waveform zooms in for precise placement; scroll pans; double-click zooms back out

Clip changes can be undone like any other edit.

Audio Analysis

Cinetiq automatically analyzes your audio and provides real-time FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) data:

Level: Overall audio volume
Bass: Low frequencies (20-250 Hz)
Mid: Middle frequencies (250-2000 Hz)
Treble: High frequencies (2-20 kHz)
Beat: Fires on every beat of the track's tempo grid (keeps going through breakdowns)
Beat 1–4: The beats of each 4/4 bar — Beat 1 is the downbeat
Kick: Fires on each detected kick drum hit, including syncopated/off-grid kicks
Snare: Fires on each detected snare or clap hit (hi-hats and kicks are ignored)
Band: The level of a frequency range you choose (see Audio Modulation Settings)

Beats, kicks and snares come from analysing the whole track right after it loads (about a second), so preview and export fire on exactly the same frames.

Tempo (BPM) and Beat Grid

The detected tempo is shown in the timeline bar next to BPM ("..." while the track is being analysed). If it's wrong:

Click the BPM value and type a tempo (40–300) to override it (shown highlighted). Clear the field to go back to the detected tempo.
Grid menu → Half tempo / Double tempo fixes the common case where a track is detected at half or double speed (e.g. 87 instead of 174 BPM). Use detected tempo undoes an override.
Grid menu → Move Beat 1 one beat later/earlier shifts which beat counts as the start of the bar, if Beat 1–4 are off by a beat. Reset Beat 1 to detected undoes it.

Tempo corrections are saved with your preset and can be undone.

Markers and Sections

Markers name the parts of your song — Intro, Build, Drop, Break, Outro — so you can find them again and line animations up with them. They belong to the track, not the clip: moving the clip doesn't move them.

M adds a marker at the playhead (or right-click the timeline ruler → Add marker here)
Grid → Detect sections suggests markers from the music: where the bass and loudness come in or drop out, at bar lines. Rename or delete any you don't want
In the timeline ruler, click a marker to jump to it, drag it to move it (snaps to beats, Shift = free), double-click to rename it, right-click it for Rename... / Delete marker
Markers also show on the waveform, so you can see the song's structure while placing the clip
Keyframes and layer in/out points snap to markers when you drag them close

Grid → Remove all markers clears them. Markers are saved with your preset and can be undone.

This data can drive animations (see Audio-Reactive Effects).

Layer Types

Image Layers

Perfect for album artwork, logos, or photos.

Supported Formats: PNG, JPG

Properties:

Position X/Y: Horizontal and vertical position (0-100%)
Scale: Size adjustment (10-500%)
Rotation: Rotate the image (0-360°)
Opacity: 0 (invisible) to 1 (opaque)

To Add an Image Layer:

Click + Add Layer in the Layer Panel
Select Image Layer
Choose your image file
Adjust position, scale, and rotation in the Properties Panel

Tip: Images maintain their aspect ratio. A scale of 1x fits the image to the canvas.

Video Layers

Add video clips with full playback control.

Supported Formats: MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI (hardware-accelerated on supported systems)

Properties:

Trim Start/End: The part of the video to use, in seconds
Speed: Playback speed (0.25x to 4x, animatable)
Volume: The video's own sound, mixed with your track (0-200%, animatable). It starts at 0% — muted — so only your music plays unless you turn it up. It plays only at Speed 1x, follows the trim, looping and the layer's in/out, and is in the export too. It doesn't affect beats or audio-reactive values, which always come from your track
Orientation: 0°, 90°, 180° or 270° (for footage filmed sideways)
Fill Canvas: Scale the video to fill the whole canvas instead of keeping its aspect ratio
Position X/Y, Scale, Rotation (Transform section): Move, zoom and turn the video, on top of the fit/fill above (animatable and audio-reactive, like images)
Opacity: Transparency

The panel also shows the resulting duration (the trimmed length divided by the speed).

To Add a Video Layer:

Click + Add Layer → Video Layer
Select your video file
Use Trim Start/End to select the portion you want
Adjust Speed for slow-motion or fast-forward effects

Tip: Drive Scale with Kick for a zoom punch on every kick, or keyframe Position and Scale for a slow push-in.

If the layer starts later in the clip (see Layer In and Out), the video starts playing from its Trim Start at that point.

Performance Note: Videos at 4K resolution (3840×2160 or higher) may have choppy preview on slower machines but always export correctly. Use 1080p videos for the smoothest preview.

Image Sequence Layers

Animate a folder of still images as a frame-by-frame sequence — ideal for hand-drawn animation, pre-rendered effects, or high-quality motion graphics.

Supported Formats: PNG, JPG (up to 500 frames per sequence)

Properties:

Position X/Y: Horizontal and vertical position (0-100%)
Scale: Size adjustment (10-500%)
Rotation: Rotate the sequence (0-360°)
Opacity: 0 (invisible) to 1 (opaque)
FPS: Playback speed in frames per second (1-60, default 24)
Loop: Whether the sequence loops or holds on the last frame

To Add an Image Sequence Layer:

Click + Add Layer → Image Sequence Layer
Select the folder containing your image files
Cinetiq sorts frames automatically using natural sort order (e.g. frame_1, frame_2 … frame_10)
Adjust FPS, loop, and transform properties in the Properties Panel

Tip: You can also drag-and-drop a folder directly onto the window to create an Image Sequence layer.

Shader Layers

Custom visual effects using GLSL shaders (compatible with Shadertoy).

What are Shaders? Shaders are GPU-accelerated programs that generate visual effects in real-time. Cinetiq comes with 10 example shaders, plus the source of the 25 built-in effects (glitch, VHS, CRT, film grain, blur, glow and more) and the 4 visualizers (subfolders effects and visualizers), in the ExampleShaders folder — on the installer disk image on macOS, and in the installation folder on Windows.

To Add a Shader Layer:

Click + Add Layer → Shader Layer
Select a shader file (.frag, .glsl or .txt) — for example one from ExampleShaders
Adjust shader-specific parameters in the Properties Panel

Effect shaders read the layers below through iChannel0, so place them above the layers you want to process.

Visualizers

+ Add Layer → Visualizer adds an audio visualizer that follows the frequencies of your track:

Spectrum Bars: bars from bass (left) to treble (right), standing on a baseline
Mirror Bars: bars mirrored from the centre line, bass in the middle
Circular Spectrum: bars around a ring that pulses on the kick, bass at the bottom
Waveform Line: an oscilloscope line of the sound wave

A visualizer is drawn on a transparent background over the layers below. Its sliders set the number of bars, height, gaps, position, colour (Hue), the colour change from bass to treble (Hue Spread) and glow — hover a slider for what it does. Like any layer, a visualizer can be keyframed, faded in and out, given an in/out or used as a track matte (for example video showing through the bars). The bars show the same in preview and export.

Effects

+ Add Layer → Effect adds a ready-made effect on top of your composition in one click — no file needed:

Bad Signal, Barrel / Pincushion Distortion, Blur, Chromatic Aberration, Color Grading, Color Halftone, CRT Monitor, Digital Glitch, Directional Blur, Edge Glow, Film Grain, Glow, Hologram, Light Leak, Pixelate, Posterize, Retro Dither, RGB Split, Scanlines, Static Noise, Thermal Vision, VHS Glitch, Vignette, Wave Distortion and Zoom Blur.

Blur, glow and light: Blur softens everything below (drive Amount with Kick for a focus pulse); Zoom Blur streaks out from a point like a fast push-in, great on a drop; Directional Blur smears in one direction like a whip pan; Glow makes bright parts spill soft light (low Threshold = a dreamy haze over everything); Light Leak drifts warm film light in from the edges. Blurs and glow keep transparency: inside a group they blur and glow only the group's layers, with soft edges.

An effect is a shader layer that processes everything below it (inside a group, only the group's layers). Its parameters start at their normal setting (0.5) and appear as sliders you can keyframe and drive with audio — for example Digital Glitch's Intensity on Kick. Move the effect down the layer list to process fewer layers, lower its opacity to mix it with the original, give it an in/out to use it only in part of the clip, or use a track matte to apply it to part of the frame. The effect's code is saved in your preset.

Shader Inputs: Shaders have access to:

iTime: Time since the clip start (follows the playhead)
iResolution: Canvas dimensions
iChannel0 / iChannel1: The composite of the layers below (transparent for the bottom layer)
Audio data: audioLevel, audioBass, audioMid, audioTreble, audioBeat, audioBeat1–audioBeat4, audioKick, audioSnare, audioBPM, and the spectrum and waveform audioSpectrum[64] / audioWaveform[128] (see Audio Modulation in Shaders)

Parameters: Every uniform float in your shader whose name starts with u (for example uniform float uSpeed;) gets a slider (0-10) in the Properties Panel that you can keyframe and drive with audio. A comment line like // uSpeed - Animation speed (0=frozen, 1=fast) becomes the slider's tooltip. The Uniforms... button next to Load lets you add or remove them.

Custom Shaders: You can write your own shaders or use code from Shadertoy.com but be sure to check the license for the shader. Save the mainImage function to a .frag text file, and Cinetiq will handle the rest. If a shader doesn't compile, Cinetiq shows the compiler error.

ISF Shader Layers

ISF (Interactive Shader Format) shaders are self-describing GLSL shaders with structured metadata. They expose typed parameters automatically in the Properties Panel — no manual uniform editing required.

What is ISF? ISF is an open shader format developed by Vidvox that packages GLSL code with a JSON metadata header describing inputs, default values, and ranges. Many free ISF shaders are available online.

To Add an ISF Shader Layer:

Click + Add Layer → ISF Shader Layer
Select an ISF file (.fs or .isf; ISF files named .frag / .glsl work too)
Parameters defined by the shader appear automatically in the Properties Panel
You can also drag-and-drop ISF files directly onto the window

How ISF differs from regular Shaders:

Parameters are typed with the ranges from the shader metadata: number inputs get a slider, on/off inputs a 0–1 slider, colors get R/G/B/A sliders and points X/Y sliders
No need to look up uniform names — sliders are labelled with the parameter's name
Every parameter can be keyframed and driven by audio

ISF Shader Inputs: ISF shaders get the standard ISF values (TIME, TIMEDELTA, FRAMEINDEX, RENDERSIZE), the layers below as their image input, and the same audio uniforms as regular shaders.

Tip: .fs, .isf, .frag and .glsl files can all be dropped onto the window. Cinetiq auto-detects ISF format from the JSON header and routes accordingly.

Solid Color Layers

Simple colored backgrounds or overlays.

Properties:

Color: Color picker with transparency (animatable)
Position X/Y, Scale, Rotation: At the defaults the color fills the whole canvas; lower the scale to get a rectangle in the canvas's shape that you can move, turn and pulse (animatable and audio-reactive)
Opacity: Transparency

To Add a Solid Color Layer:

Click + Add Layer → Solid Color Layer
Choose your color with the color picker
Adjust opacity as needed

Use Cases:

Colored backgrounds, or a background that changes color at the drop (keyframe the color)
Overlay effects with low opacity
Color tinting with blend modes
Flashes on the beat: Opacity driven by Kick with a short release
Frames, bars and moving shapes behind text

Shape Layers

Rectangles, rounded boxes, circles, ellipses and triangles — for frames behind text, bars, flashes, or as a track matte (a circle reveal, a letterbox bar).

Properties:

Shape: Rectangle, Ellipse or Triangle
Width / Height: Size in % of the canvas's shorter side, so equal values give a square or circle in any format (animatable). Use more than 100% for bars across a wide frame
Corner: Rounded corners for rectangles (0% = sharp, 100% = fully round ends; animatable)
Fill: Fill on or off, and the fill colour with transparency (animatable with the Fill Color track)
Outline / Outline Color: Outline thickness (pixels of a 1080p frame, drawn inside the edge) and colour. Turn Fill off for an outline-only ring or frame
Position X/Y, Scale, Rotation: Move, size and turn the shape (animatable and audio-reactive)

To Add a Shape Layer:

Click + Add Layer → Shape Layer
Choose the shape and set Width and Height
Pick the fill colour, add an outline if you like, and position it

Tip: Drive Scale with Kick for a shape that pulses on every kick, or keyframe Width from 0% to 100% for a bar that grows across the frame.

Text Layers

Add titles, lyrics, or captions with full customization.

Properties:

Text Content: Multi-line text input
Font Family: Choose from installed system fonts
Font Size: 12-200pt (animatable)
Color: Color picker (animatable)
Position X/Y: Precise positioning (0-100%, animatable)
Scale: Size of the rendered text (0.1-5x, animatable) — a quick zoom without changing the font size
Rotation: Rotate the text (0-360°, animatable)
Bold/Italic: Font styling
Outline Width: Text stroke thickness (0-10 px)
Outline Color: Stroke color

To Add a Text Layer:

Click + Add Layer → Text Layer
Enter your text in the Properties Panel
Choose font, size, and color
Position it with the X/Y sliders
Add an outline for better visibility over images

Tips:

Text is rendered at 2× resolution for crisp, anti-aliased quality
Use outline for text over busy backgrounds
Animate font size to the beat of your music
Position X=50%, Y=50% centers the text

3D Model Layers (Pro)

Import and render 3D models with professional lighting.

Supported Formats: glTF 2.0 (.gltf), GLB

Properties:

Model Rotation X/Y/Z: Rotate the model on each axis (0-360°)
Model Scale: Size of the model (0.1-5x)
Model Position X/Y: Horizontal/vertical position (0-100%)
Camera Distance: How far the camera is from the model (0.5-10)
Camera Azimuth: Horizontal camera angle (0-360°)
Camera Elevation: Vertical camera angle (-89° to 89°)
Camera FOV: Field of view (10-120°)

To Add a 3D Model Layer:

Click + Add Layer → 3D Model Layer (Pro license required)
Select a glTF or GLB file
Use camera controls to frame your model
Animate rotation for spinning effects

Lighting: Models are rendered with PBR-lite shading and 3-point lighting (key, fill, rim lights) that follows the camera for consistent illumination.

Tip: All 10 properties (rotation, scale, position, camera) are fully animatable and can react to audio.

SVG Layers (Pro)

Resolution-independent vector graphics.

Supported Format: SVG

Properties:

Position X/Y: Positioning
Scale: Size adjustment
Rotation: Rotate the graphic
Opacity: Transparency

To Add an SVG Layer:

Click + Add Layer → SVG Layer (Pro license required)
Select an SVG file
Adjust position, scale, and rotation

Advantages:

Resolution-independent: SVGs look crisp at any size
Small file size: Vector graphics are compact
Scalable: Perfect for logos and icons

Technical Note: SVGs are rasterized at the target resolution (preview canvas size or export resolution), so exports are always sharp.

LUT Layers (Pro)

Color-grade your composition with a 3D lookup table (LUT), the same kind used in video editors and color grading tools.

Supported Format: .cube (3D LUTs)

A LUT layer is an adjustment layer: it changes the colors of everything below it in the layer list and draws nothing itself. Put it at the top to grade the whole composition, or lower down to grade only the layers beneath it.

Properties:

Load LUT...: Choose the .cube file
Intensity: How strongly the grade is applied (0-100%, animatable and audio-reactive)

To Add a LUT Layer:

Click + Add Layer → LUT (Color Grading) (Pro license required)
Select a .cube file
Lower Intensity for a subtler grade

Tip: Drive Intensity with Beat or Kick to flash the grade on the hits.

PSD Import (Pro)

Bring a layered Photoshop document straight into your composition.

Click + Add Layer → PSD Document (or drop a .psd file onto the window)
Select your .psd file

Each Photoshop layer becomes its own Image layer, keeping its name, opacity, visibility, position and blend mode (Normal, Multiply, Screen, Overlay, Linear Dodge → Add, Subtract, Difference, Soft Light, Hard Light; other modes become Normal). Groups and adjustment layers are skipped. The whole import is a single undo step.

Layer Groups

A group treats several layers as one: a logo made of a shape, text and an effect can be moved, scaled, rotated, faded, blended, matted, given an in/out and driven by audio together.

Group: select a layer (Shift-click another to select the layers in between) and press Ctrl+G, or right-click → Group. A group row appears above them, with its layers indented below it
Add or remove layers: drag a layer between the group's layers (or just below the group row) to put it in; drag it out to take it out. Right-click a member → Remove from Group
Collapse: click the arrow on the group row to hide its layers in the list
Ungroup: Ctrl+Shift+G or right-click → Ungroup keeps the layers and removes the group. Deleting the group row deletes the group with its layers
Move / duplicate: dragging the group row, Move Up / Down and Ctrl+D take the whole group

The group's layers are composited on their own first: an effect inside a group (glow, blur, glitch, ...) only processes the group's layers, and mattes work between the group's layers. Then the group is drawn like one full-frame layer with its own Position, Scale, Rotation, opacity, blend mode, matte and audio modulation (keyframeable like any layer). A whole group can also be the matte of the layer below it. Groups can't contain other groups.

Animation & Keyframes

What are Keyframes?

Keyframes let you define how a property changes over time. For example, you can make an image:

Move from left to right
Scale from small to large
Fade from transparent to opaque
Rotate 360 degrees

Adding Keyframes

Method 1: Timeline

Select a layer and pick the property under Animate
Move the playhead to the desired time
Press K to add a keyframe with the current value
Change the value in the Properties Panel

Once a property has keyframes, changing it in the Properties Panel with the playhead on a keyframe edits that keyframe. Between keyframes, the new value is previewed at the playhead (a hollow diamond marked "K to keyframe" appears in the timeline) — press K to keyframe it. Moving the playhead or pressing Play discards a value that wasn't keyframed. If you changed several properties, K keyframes all of them in one step.

Auto-key: switch on Auto-key next to the property menu to have every change between keyframes add a keyframe at the playhead straight away (no K needed). The setting is remembered.

Method 2: Curve Editor

Double-click the keyframe lane to open the Curve Editor (for number properties)
Double-click anywhere in the graph to add a keyframe
Drag keyframes to adjust timing and value

Editing Keyframes

In Timeline:

Click a keyframe: Select it (the playhead jumps to it, so the Properties Panel shows and edits its value)
Drag: Move keyframes in time — they snap to beats (and half beats when zoomed in); hold Shift to place freely
Ctrl-click or drag a box on empty lane space: Select several keyframes, then drag them together
Ctrl+C / Ctrl+V: Copy keyframes and paste them at the playhead (also onto another layer or property of the same kind)
Ctrl+A: Select all keyframes of the property
Delete/Backspace: Remove the selected keyframes
Ctrl+scroll: Zoom in/out; scroll pans; 0 zooms back to the whole clip (click the timeline first)
Markers in the thin lane below: Keyframes of the layer's other properties — click one to switch to that property
Right-click a keyframe: Choose the easing to the next keyframe (for all selected keyframes), open the curve editor, or delete

In Curve Editor:

Drag keyframe: Adjust both time (horizontal) and value (vertical)
Drag a bezier handle (the small squares of a Bezier keyframe): Shape the curve to the next keyframe; pull it past the next value to overshoot
Double-click empty space: Add new keyframe
Delete/Backspace: Remove the selected keyframe
Ctrl+Z / Ctrl+Y: Undo / redo work here too

Interpolation Types

Control how values transition between keyframes:

Step: Instant change (no transition)
Linear: Constant speed transition
Ease In: Starts slow, ends fast
Ease Out: Starts fast, ends slow
Ease In/Out: Smooth acceleration and deceleration
Expo In / Expo Out: Like Ease In / Out, but much sharper
Back In: Pulls back a little before moving
Overshoot: Shoots past the next value and settles back (great for pops on a beat)
Back In/Out: Pulls back, then overshoots
Elastic: Springs past the next value a few times
Bounce: Lands on the next value like a dropped ball
Bezier: Your own curve — two handles appear in the Curve Editor to drag

The type is set on a keyframe and shapes the move to the next keyframe. It works for number properties and colours (visibility and blend mode always switch instantly).

To Change Interpolation: Right-click a keyframe in the timeline and pick the easing, or click a keyframe in the Curve Editor and choose the type from the Interpolation dropdown at the bottom.

Animatable Properties

All Layer Types:

Opacity
Visibility (on/off)
Blend Mode

Images, SVGs, Image Sequences, Videos, Solid Colors, Shapes & Groups:

Position X/Y
Scale
Rotation

Videos:

Speed (slow motion/fast forward)
Volume

Solid Colors:

Color

Shapes:

Fill Color
Width, Height and Corner Radius

Text:

Font Size
Text Color
Text Position X/Y
Scale and Rotation

3D Models:

Model Rotation X/Y/Z
Model Scale
Model Position X/Y
Camera Distance/Azimuth/Elevation/FOV

LUTs:

Intensity

Shaders & ISF Shaders:

Every shader parameter

Layer In and Out

Every layer can start and end anywhere in the clip — bring a layer in at the drop, or swap the background every 8 bars.

The bar under the timeline ruler shows where the selected layer is shown:

Drag either end of the bar to set where the layer starts or ends — it snaps to beats; hold Shift to place it freely
Drag the bar to move the layer in time, keeping its length
Press [ to start the layer at the playhead, ] to end it at the playhead
Double-click the bar to show the layer for the whole clip again

The keyframe lane is dimmed where the layer isn't shown. Keyframes stay at their times in the clip. Videos and image sequences start playing from their start (a video from its Trim Start) when their layer comes in. An end at the clip end means "until the end", so it follows the clip when you lengthen it.

In/out changes are undoable and saved with your preset.

Undo/Redo

Cinetiq includes 50 levels of undo/redo:

Cmd+Z / Ctrl+Z: Undo
Shift+Cmd+Z / Shift+Ctrl+Z or Ctrl+Y: Redo

Everything is undoable: adding, deleting (with all its keyframes and settings), duplicating, reordering and renaming layers; PSD imports; every property change (a whole slider drag is one step); keyframe edits in the timeline and curve editor; layer in/out; clip, fade and tempo changes.

Audio-Reactive Effects

One of Cinetiq's most powerful features is the ability to make visual properties react to your music in real-time.

How Audio Modulation Works

Cinetiq analyzes your audio track and extracts:

Level: Overall volume
Bass: Low frequencies (kick drums, bass)
Mid: Midrange (vocals, snares)
Treble: High frequencies (hi-hats, cymbals)
Beat, Beat 1–4, Kick and Snare: Pulses on the beats of the tempo grid and on kick and snare / clap hits
Band: Any frequency range you pick

You can use this data to drive a layer's properties: opacity on every layer, plus position, scale and rotation (images, SVGs, image sequences, videos, solid colors, shapes, text and groups), font size (text), all 3D model and camera properties, LUT intensity, and every shader and ISF parameter.

Setting Up Audio Modulation

Select a layer
In the Properties Panel, find the Audio Modulation section
For the property you want to modulate:
- Choose an Audio Source (None, Level, Bass, Mid, Treble, Beat (all), Beat 1–4, Kick, Snare, Band)
- Set the Amount (-100% to +100%)
Adjust Attack and Release for the layer (0-100%)

Shader, ISF, effect and visualizer parameters each have their own row here too, named after the parameter.

Audio Modulation Settings

Source:

None: No audio reactivity
Level: React to overall volume
Bass: React to bass/kick drums
Mid: React to vocals/melody
Treble: React to hi-hats/cymbals
Beat (all): Fires a sharp pulse on every beat of the tempo grid (see Tempo (BPM) and Beat Grid)
Beat 1 / Beat 2 / Beat 3 / Beat 4: Only that beat of each 4/4 bar — Beat 1 is the downbeat. Lets you trigger different properties on different beats of the bar
Kick: Fires on each detected kick drum hit — follows syncopated and broken-beat kick patterns that aren't on every beat
Snare: Fires on each detected snare or clap hit — the backbeat on 2 and 4 in most pop, house and hip-hop, or wherever the snare falls. Hi-hats and the kick's click don't trigger it
Band: Follows the level of the frequency range set with the Band control (two handles, 40 Hz to 16 kHz) at the bottom of the Audio Modulation section — for example 60-120 Hz for just the sub bass, 300-3000 Hz for vocals and leads, 8-16 kHz for hi-hats. The range is one setting per layer, used by every property of that layer set to Band

Amount (bipolar):

Positive values (0% to 100%): Increase the property when audio is detected
Negative values (-100% to 0%): Decrease the property when audio is detected
50%: Moderate reaction
100%: Maximum reaction

Attack (0-100%): How gradually the modulation rises

0%: Jumps instantly (best for beat and kick pulses)
Higher: Swells in

Release (0-100%): How gradually it falls back

0%: Instant, twitchy response (good for fast percussion)
50%: Balanced smoothness
100%: Very smooth, gradual response (good for ambient music)

Attack and release apply to all of the layer's modulations, and behave identically in preview and export.

Practical Examples

Example 1: Pulsing Logo Make a logo pulse with the kick drum:

Add an Image layer (your logo)
In Audio Modulation:
- Scale Source: Kick
- Scale Amount: 30%
- Release: 20%

The logo will grow slightly with each kick drum hit.

Example 2: Flickering Text Make text flicker with the hi-hats:

Add a Text layer
In Audio Modulation:
- Opacity Source: Treble
- Opacity Amount: -30%
- Release: 10%

Text will dim slightly with each hi-hat, creating a flickering effect.

Example 3: Rotating 3D Model Make a 3D model turn further during loud sections:

Add a 3D Model layer
Add keyframe animation for constant rotation:
- Rotation Y: 0° at 0s, 360° at end
- Interpolation: Linear
In Audio Modulation:
- Rotation Y Source: Level
- Rotation Y Amount: 50%
- Release: 40%

The model rotates constantly and swings further during loud parts.

Example 4: Position Bounce Make an image bounce vertically with the bass:

Add an Image layer
In Audio Modulation:
- Position Y Source: Bass
- Position Y Amount: -20% (negative = move up when bass hits)
- Release: 25%

Example 5: Sharp Scale Pulse on Every Beat Use the Beat source for a crisp, tempo-locked pulse:

Add an Image or Text layer
In Audio Modulation:
- Scale (or Font Size) Source: Beat (all)
- Amount: 25%
- Release: 5%

The layer jumps in size on each beat and quickly snaps back. Use a low release to keep the response tight.

Example 6: Alternating Effects on Beat 1 & Beat 2 Create a left/right position alternation that follows the beat grid:

Add two Image layers side by side
Layer 1 → Position X Source: Beat 1, Amount: -10%, Release: 10%
Layer 2 → Position X Source: Beat 2, Amount: +10%, Release: 10%

The two layers shift in opposite directions on alternating beats.

Tips:

Start with low amounts (10-30%) and increase gradually
Use Bass for sustained low end
Use Treble for hi-hats and rhythmic elements
Use Beat for crisp, tight pulses locked to the tempo — on four-on-the-floor music this lands exactly on the kick
Use Kick when the kick pattern is syncopated (breakbeats, hip-hop, trap) and you want to follow the actual hits
Use Snare for a hit on the backbeat — e.g. a flash or a camera-shake on every snare
Use Band when Bass/Mid/Treble are too broad: narrow it to the instrument you want to follow
Beat 1–4 lets you trigger different properties on different beats of the bar for complex patterns
Higher release reduces jittery motion but makes the response linger
Combine keyframe animation with audio modulation for complex effects

Audio Modulation in Shaders

Shaders (Shadertoy-style and ISF) have direct access to audio data via these uniforms (they are declared for you — don't declare them in your shader):

uniform float audioLevel;, audioBass, audioMid, audioTreble — levels (0-1)
uniform float audioBeat;, audioBeat1 ... audioBeat4, audioKick, audioSnare — pulses: 1 on the beat / kick / snare, then decaying before the next
uniform float audioBPM; — the tempo
uniform float audioSpectrum[64]; — the spectrum: 64 bands from 40 Hz to 16 kHz (0-1); audioSpectrumAt(x) reads it smoothly for x from 0 (bass) to 1 (treble)
uniform float audioWaveform[128]; — the sound wave of the current moment (-1 to 1); audioWaveformAt(x) reads it for x from 0 to 1

iTime follows the playhead, so scrubbing moves the shader and the preview matches the export frame for frame.

You can also drive any shader parameter from the Properties Panel without editing code: pick an audio source and amount in the parameter's row in the Audio Modulation section.

Use these in your shader code to create audio-reactive visuals:

void mainImage(out vec4 fragColor, in vec2 fragCoord) {
    vec2 uv = fragCoord / iResolution.xy;

    // Pulsing circle based on bass
    float radius = 0.3 + audioBass * 0.2;
    float dist = length(uv - 0.5);
    float circle = smoothstep(radius, radius - 0.05, dist);

    // Color shifts with treble, flash on the kick
    vec3 color = vec3(0.5 + audioTreble * 0.5, 0.3, 0.8) + audioKick * 0.3;

    fragColor = vec4(color * circle, 1.0);
}

Exporting Your Video

Export Formats

Cinetiq supports multiple platforms with optimized presets:

Platform	Format	Resolution	Aspect	Max Duration	Audio
Instagram Story	9:16	1080×1920	Vertical	60s	Yes
Instagram Reel	9:16	1080×1920	Vertical	90s	Yes
Instagram Post	1:1	1080×1080	Square	60s	Yes
Spotify Canvas	9:16	1080×1920	Vertical	3-8s loop	No
YouTube	16:9	1080p, 1440p or 4K	Horizontal	Unlimited	Yes
Custom	Any size	Presets or your own width × height	Any	Unlimited	Yes

Custom size presets: 1920×1080, 1080×1920, 1080×1080, 1080×1350 (4:5), 1280×720, 2560×1440, 3840×2160 and 2160×3840 — or type any width and height (up to 7680).

Export Process

Click Export in the toolbar (Ctrl+E)
Choose the Platform and Format (and for Spotify Canvas, YouTube and Custom the Range: Selection or Full track — for Canvas, Whole bars from the selection)
Optionally adjust Codec, Quality, Frame rate and Audio bitrate
Check the proposed Output file (named after your audio and format) or click Browse...
Check the summary: what is exported, the resolution and the estimated file size
Click Export — progress, elapsed and remaining time are shown
When it's done, Show in Explorer (or Show in Finder) opens the folder

Preview: The right side of the dialog shows a frame exactly as it will be exported (same renderer as the export, in the format's shape). Drag the slider under it to look at any moment of the export. Safe zones shades the parts that Instagram's and Spotify's own buttons and captions cover (approximate), so you can keep titles out of them.

Render queue: To export several formats from the same project — say a Reel, a Spotify Canvas and a YouTube video — set up the first one and click Add to Queue, change the settings, add the next, and so on. Export Queue then exports them one after another. The queue is kept while the app runs (also after closing the dialog); exported jobs leave the queue, failed ones stay so you can retry them. Each job keeps the clip range it had when it was queued and renders the project as it is when the queue runs.

Your choices and the export folder are remembered for next time. If the clip is longer than the format allows, the dialog tells you before exporting: the export is cut at the limit, with the audio fade-out at the cut.

Export Settings:

Codec: H.264 (works everywhere; encoded by your computer's own video encoder, on the graphics card when it has one); for YouTube/Custom also HEVC / H.265 (smaller files; needs a GPU with a hardware HEVC encoder on Windows) and ProRes 422 HQ (.mov, for further editing)
ProRes 4444 + Alpha (Custom): transparent background wherever no layer is drawn — for overlays in other editors
Quality (H.264 and HEVC): High (larger file) / Standard / Small file
Frame Rate: 24, 25, 30, 50 or 60 fps
Audio: AAC at 128-320 kbps (ProRes uses uncompressed audio)

Existing files are never overwritten without asking. If an export fails or is cancelled, the partly written file is removed and any existing file with the same name is left untouched.

Export Tips

Instagram:

Use Story (9:16) for vertical content up to 60s
Use Reel (9:16) for vertical content up to 90s
Use Post (1:1) for square feed posts up to 60s

Spotify Canvas:

Spotify plays the Canvas on repeat, 3 to 8 seconds long. Range: Whole bars from the selection starts on the first downbeat of your clip and exports the most bars that fit in 8 seconds (8, 4, 2 or 1), so the loop keeps the music's phrasing. Selection (first 8s) exports the clip as it is (at least 3 seconds)
Loop: Seamless hides the jump where the Canvas repeats: Cinetiq renders a little past the end (0.25, 0.5 or 1 second) and crossfades it into the start, so the last frame flows into the first. The track needs that much music after the loop
No audio track included (Spotify adds the music)

YouTube:

Range: export the clip or the whole track
1080p, 1440p or 4K, horizontal 16:9
Includes full audio track
No duration limit

Demo Mode Watermark

If you're using the free demo version, Cinetiq asks before exporting, and exported videos include a "DEMO MODE" watermark that moves between different positions. This lets you evaluate the full workflow.

To remove the watermark: Activate a Standard or Pro license (Help → License Activation).

Export Performance

Export renders every frame at the chosen frame rate regardless of preview performance, on the graphics card with the same renderer as the preview, so the export looks exactly like the preview
Complex compositions or 4K may take several minutes; the dialog estimates the remaining time
The app stays responsive during export (editing is paused until it finishes; closing the export window cancels it)

Presets

Presets save your entire composition (layers, animations, settings) for reuse or backup. Saving and loading presets requires a Standard or Pro license.

Saving a Preset

Click Save in the toolbar (or press Ctrl+S)
The first time, choose a filename and location — after that Save writes to the same file
To save a copy elsewhere, use Open → Save Preset As... (Shift+Ctrl+S)

What's Saved:

All layers and their properties
All keyframe animations
Audio modulation settings
Layer order and blend modes
Shader code and settings
The audio file's location, the clip, the audio fades and tempo corrections
Markers, layer in/out points, groups and track mattes

What's NOT Saved:

The audio file itself (only the file path)
External media files (images, videos, models, SVGs, LUTs - only file paths)
The preview mode and export settings (these are remembered by the app instead)

Shader source is also stored in the preset, so shader layers still work if the shader file goes missing.

Tip: Keep your media files in the same location for easy preset sharing — or use Collect Media.

Collect Media

Open → Collect Media... puts a copy of the project and every file it uses into one new folder: <name>/<name>.vtpreset plus a Media folder with the song, images, videos, image sequences, models (with the textures a .gltf uses), SVGs, LUTs and shader files. The copy refers to its media by relative paths, so the folder can be moved, zipped, archived or sent to someone else and opens anywhere. Collect Media requires a Standard or Pro license. Your current project is left as it is; at the end you can open the collected copy. System fonts are not copied (install them on the other computer); files that can't be found are listed.

Templates

Open → Template Gallery... starts a project from a template: the template's layers replace the current ones and your song, clip and fades stay. Built-in templates — Canvas Glow (Spotify Canvas), Reel Bars (Reel), Waveform Minimal (square post), Synthwave (YouTube), Kick Ring (Shorts) and Glitch Drop (Story / Reel) — use only built-in shaders, solid colours, text and shapes, so they work with any song — change the text and colours and export. The preview switches to the shape the template was made for.

Open → Save as Template... saves your current layers (not the song) as your own template, with a name, a description and a thumbnail of the current frame. Saved templates appear after the built-in ones; right-click one in the gallery to delete it. Saving templates requires a license; the demo version can use the built-in templates (they have 3 layers).

Autosave: While you have unsaved changes, Cinetiq saves a recovery copy every minute. If the app closes unexpectedly, it offers to recover your work the next time it starts.

Unsaved changes: Cinetiq asks whether to save before starting a new project, opening another preset or quitting.

Loading a Preset

Click Open in the toolbar and choose Open Preset... (Shift+Ctrl+O), or pick one of your 8 most recent presets from the same menu
Select a saved preset file

You can also drag a .vtpreset file onto the window, or double-click it.

Your entire composition will be restored, including:

All layers
All animations
All settings

Missing media: Cinetiq first looks next to the preset, then in the folder the preset was saved from. If files are still missing it lists them and offers Locate Folder... — pick a folder and it is searched (including subfolders) by file name. Save the preset afterwards to keep the new locations.

Preset Best Practices

Organize your media: Keep all files in one project folder
Use relative paths: Store presets near your media files
Name descriptively: Use clear preset names like "Logo_Intro_30s.vtpreset"
Version your work: Save incremental versions (v1, v2, v3)
Backup regularly: Presets are small - save often!

Blend Modes

Blend modes control how layers combine with layers below them.

Available Blend Modes

Normal: Default mode, layers stack naturally

Multiply: Darkens by multiplying colors (good for shadows)

Screen: Lightens by inverting and multiplying (good for glows)

Overlay: Combines Multiply and Screen (enhances contrast)

Add: Adds colors together (brightens, creates light effects)

Subtract: Subtracts colors (darkens, creates negative effects)

Difference: Absolute difference between colors (creates inversions)

Soft Light: Gentle contrast enhancement

Hard Light: Strong contrast enhancement

Using Blend Modes

Select a layer
In Properties Panel, choose Blend Mode from dropdown
Adjust Opacity to fine-tune the effect

Blend modes can be keyframed too — switch modes at a drop for an instant change of look.

Track Mattes

A track matte shows a layer only through the shape of the layer directly above it — text filled with video, a logo cut out of a shader, or an effect that only applies inside a shape.

Put the layer that provides the shape (the matte) directly above the layer you want to show through it
Select the lower layer and choose Matte in the Compositing section:
- Alpha: shown where the matte is opaque
- Alpha Inverted: shown where the matte is transparent
- Luma: shown where the matte is bright
- Luma Inverted: shown where the matte is dark

The matte layer itself is no longer drawn (it shows a MATTE tag in the layer list), whatever its visibility checkbox says. Its opacity, in/out, keyframes and audio modulation still shape the matte, so an animated matte gives an animated reveal. Mattes work in preview and export alike; LUT layers can't use one.

Blend Mode Tips

Add: Perfect for light rays, lens flares, and glow effects
Multiply: Great for darkening or adding texture
Screen: Excellent for brightening or adding light
Overlay: Enhances vibrancy and contrast
Difference: Creates psychedelic, inverted effects

Experiment! Blend modes can create unexpected, beautiful results.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Master these shortcuts for faster workflow:

(On macOS use Cmd where it says Ctrl. Help → Keyboard Shortcuts shows this list in the app.)

Playback

Space: Play/Pause (double-tap: jump to clip start)
Esc: Stop and return to the clip start

Project

Ctrl+S: Save · Shift+Ctrl+S: Save As
Shift+Ctrl+O: Open preset · Ctrl+O: Import audio
Ctrl+N: New project · Ctrl+E: Export

Layers

Up/Down Arrow: Move to the layer row above / below
Ctrl+L: Add layer · Ctrl+D: Duplicate layer (or group)
Ctrl+G: Group the selected layer(s) (Shift-click for a range) · Shift+Ctrl+G: Ungroup
Delete/Backspace: Delete the selected keyframes, otherwise the selected layer

Animation

K: Add keyframe at playhead position (or keyframe the pending values)
Ctrl+C / Ctrl+V: Copy / paste keyframes · Ctrl+A: Select all keyframes
0: Zoom the timeline to fit (click the timeline first) · Ctrl+scroll: Zoom timeline or waveform
Double-click the keyframe lane: Open Curve Editor
[ / ]: Start / end the selected layer at the playhead
M: Add a marker at the playhead

Editing

Ctrl+Z: Undo
Shift+Ctrl+Z / Ctrl+Y: Redo

Interface

Backtick (`): Toggle the developer console (the app's log, for troubleshooting)

Shortcuts don't fire while you're typing in a text field.

Tips & Best Practices

Performance Tips

Lower Preview Quality: If preview is laggy, reduce window size or use lower-resolution source files
Limit Video Layers: Each video layer requires decoding - stick to 1-2 video layers for smooth preview
Use Image Sequences: Instead of high-res videos, export to image sequence and re-import
Optimize Shaders: Complex shaders can slow preview - simplify them
Hardware Acceleration: Cinetiq decodes video with VideoToolbox (macOS) or DXVA2 (Windows) when available

Composition Tips

Layer Order Matters: Top layers appear in front - put backgrounds at the bottom
Use Blend Modes: Don't just stack layers - experiment with blend modes for richer visuals
Less is More: 3-5 well-designed layers often look better than 20 random ones
Plan Your Animation: Sketch out timing on paper before adding keyframes
Audio First: Listen to your track and identify key moments (drops, vocals, breaks) before animating — mark them with M or Grid → Detect sections so you can find them again

Audio-Reactive Tips

Match Source to Sound: Use Kick or Beat for kick drums, Bass for sustained low end, Treble for hi-hats
Start Subtle: 10-20% amount is often enough - too much looks chaotic
Smooth to Taste: Fast music = low release, slow music = high release; Beat, Kick and Snare sources work best with very low release (0-10%)
Layer Multiple Effects: Combine different audio sources on different properties
Use Beat 1–4 for Variety: Alternate between Beat 1 and Beat 2 on different layers to create a call-and-response feel
Check the Tempo: If beats land off the music, correct the BPM or Beat 1 in the timeline bar
Test Early: Preview audio reactivity before adding complex animations

Export Tips

Check Your Clip: Make sure the clip on the waveform covers the audio you want
Preview First: Watch your full composition before exporting
Test on Target Platform: Export and upload a test to ensure quality
Name Files Clearly: Cinetiq proposes names like "MyTrack_InstagramStory.mp4" — add a date or version if you export several
Keep Source Files: Save high-quality exports for re-purposing later

Creative Tips

Study Reference: Watch popular content on your target platform for inspiration
Use Contrasting Colors: High contrast = better visibility on phones
Keep Text Large: Mobile screens are small - use 40pt+ fonts
Loop for Spotify: Design 8s Canvas visuals that loop seamlessly
Match Energy: Calm music = slow animations, energetic music = fast cuts
Test on Mobile: Always preview exports on your phone before publishing

Workflow Tips

Save Presets Often: Autosave protects you from crashes, but save your own versions too
Organize Your Files: Keep all project assets in one folder
Use Version Numbers: Save v1, v2, v3 as you iterate
Start Simple: Get basic composition working before adding complexity
Learn from Examples: Load and study the example shaders in ExampleShaders

Troubleshooting

"I can't add a layer"

Solution: Import an audio track first — the + Add Layer menu needs a loaded track (or drop the file onto the window). In demo mode you are also limited to 3 layers.

"Video playback is choppy"

Solution: Use videos at 1080p or lower, avoid 4K. Export will be smooth regardless.

"Export is taking forever"

Solution: Complex shaders, many layers and 4K take longer. This is normal. Reduce layers, simplify shaders or export at a lower resolution.

"Audio modulation isn't working"

Solution: Ensure audio is imported and the property's source isn't None. Try increasing the Amount slider.

"Beats are off / the tempo is wrong"

Solution: Use the Grid menu in the timeline bar for half/double tempo, type the correct BPM, or move Beat 1 if the bar starts on the wrong beat.

"Shader doesn't display correctly"

Solution: Some Shadertoy shaders use features Cinetiq doesn't support (audio input, multiple buffers, mouse input). Try a simpler shader. If the shader doesn't compile, Cinetiq shows the error message.

"ISF shader parameters don't appear"

Solution: The file may have a malformed JSON metadata header. Open it in a text editor and verify the /*{ ... }*/ block at the top is valid JSON.

"Image sequence plays at wrong speed"

Solution: Adjust the FPS slider in the Properties Panel to match the frame rate your sequence was created at.

"Can't load my preset"

Solution: Saving and loading presets needs a license. If media files were moved, use Locate Folder... in the Missing Media message to point Cinetiq at their new folder, then save. Presets from a newer version of Cinetiq may contain layers this version can't show — it tells you which.

"Text looks blurry"

Solution: Increase font size. Text renders at 2× resolution but may blur if too small.

"H.264 encoder not found" or the export won't start (Windows)

Solution: Cinetiq exports H.264 and HEVC with Windows' own encoders. On Windows "N" editions, install the Media Feature Pack (Settings → Apps → Optional features). Updating your graphics driver also helps when the graphics card's encoder fails; Cinetiq then falls back to Windows' software encoder for H.264.

"Demo watermark on my export"

Solution: This is expected in demo mode. Activate a Standard or Pro license to remove it.

Getting Help

Support Resources

User Guide: This document (you're reading it!)
Website: highbitsoftware.com/products/cinetiq
Bug reports: dev@highbitsoftware.com — include the log from the developer console (press `, then Copy All or Save to File)
In-App Help: Help → User Guide opens this guide (it is installed with the app, so it works offline), Help → About Cinetiq for version info, Help → Interactive Tutorial for a guided tour, Help → Check for Updates... for the latest version

License Information

Cinetiq offers three license tiers to suit different needs:

Demo (Free)

3 layer limit
Watermarked exports
No preset saving or loading, Collect Media or Save as Template
Perfect for testing the app

Standard License

Unlimited layers
Clean exports (no watermark)
Preset save/load and autosave
Professional workflow

Pro License

All Standard features
3D Model layers
SVG layers
LUT color grading layers
Photoshop (PSD) import
For advanced creators

To Purchase: Visit highbitsoftware.com/products/cinetiq To Activate: Help → License Activation

Conclusion

Cinetiq puts professional video creation tools at your fingertips. Whether you're an artist promoting music on Spotify, a creator making Instagram content, or a YouTuber needing compelling visuals, Cinetiq provides the features and flexibility you need.

Start creating today!

This guide covers Cinetiq version 1.5. Features and interface may evolve in future updates.

For the latest version and updates, visit our website.

Cinetiq - User Guide

Table of Contents

Introduction

What Can You Create?

Key Features

Getting Started

System Requirements

First Launch

Demo vs Licensed Mode

Understanding the Interface

The Toolbar

The Layer Panel (Right)

The Properties Panel (Right, below the layers)

The Waveform and Timeline (Bottom)

Drag and Drop

Working with Audio

Importing Audio

Setting Duration

Audio Analysis

Tempo (BPM) and Beat Grid

Markers and Sections

Layer Types

Image Layers

Video Layers

Image Sequence Layers

Shader Layers

Visualizers

Effects

ISF Shader Layers

Solid Color Layers

Shape Layers

Text Layers

3D Model Layers (Pro)

SVG Layers (Pro)

LUT Layers (Pro)

PSD Import (Pro)

Layer Groups

Animation & Keyframes

What are Keyframes?

Adding Keyframes

Editing Keyframes

Interpolation Types

Animatable Properties

Layer In and Out

Undo/Redo

Audio-Reactive Effects

How Audio Modulation Works

Setting Up Audio Modulation

Audio Modulation Settings

Practical Examples

Audio Modulation in Shaders

Exporting Your Video

Export Formats

Export Process

Export Tips

Demo Mode Watermark

Export Performance

Presets

Saving a Preset

Collect Media

Templates

Loading a Preset

Preset Best Practices

Blend Modes

Available Blend Modes

Using Blend Modes

Track Mattes

Blend Mode Tips

Keyboard Shortcuts

Playback

Project

Layers

Animation

Editing

Interface

Tips & Best Practices

Performance Tips

Composition Tips

Audio-Reactive Tips

Export Tips