Audio-reactive synthesis generates visuals from sound data rather than triggering pre-recorded clips

Two distinct paradigms coexist in real-time visuals. Clip-based VJing triggers and mixes pre-recorded video files (loops, footage) in response to musical cues, relying on a curated library of prepared material. Audio-reactive pure synthesis instead computes visuals algorithmically from the audio itself — no stored clips — so the imagery has no independent existence apart from the sound. The article contrasts these directly, citing mid-1990s tools Cthugha and Bomb as influential audio-reactive-synthesis software ‘as opposed to clip-based’. The two modes are not mutually exclusive: many rigs blend prepared clips with real-time synthesis overlays.

Examples

Resolume Avenue is predominantly clip-based: a grid of video cells is triggered and layered. Cthugha (mid-90s) visualized the audio signal directly with no stored clips. A modern audio-reactive patch bridges both: pre-made geometry animated by FFT/beat data.

Assessment

Given a VJ set that only triggers pre-recorded loops from a MIDI pad, identify which paradigm it is. Then describe the minimum change needed to make it audio-reactive-synthesis-based.