Nanoleaf fans, wait no longer; the smart lighting brand's new music visualization software is finally here and ready to make your house parties better than ever.
We first covered Nanoleaf's new desktop app tool, Orchestrator, back in January at CES 2024. Originally tipped as a Spring 2024 release, it's taken a short while for Orchestrator to hit the market, but now it's finally in beta in the Nanoleaf Desktop app - in fact, it's quietly been available there for a few weeks.
Orchestrator uses song detection and analysis to generate matching color palettes and motions in real-time on some of the best smart lights from Nanoleaf, all specifically tuned to whatever song is playing. You can assign your lights to different parts of the song, meaning your light strips could be pulsing to the bassline while your wall panels dance to the mids or treble of a track, and also set your own preferred color palettes if the automatically generated options don't fit your vibe.
Until now, the only option for music-syncing with Nanoleaf has been to use the Nanoleaf Rhythm feature in the mobile app, which listens out for sound using the built-in mics on your lights and responds based on your preferred scenes.
However, you still need to manually set the coloration and motion, and Nanoleaf Rhythm is often interrupted by ambient noise like talking, clapping and moving furniture. Orchestrator, on the other hand, directly connects to your PC's audio source (support has been confirmed for Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube "and more") and translates the audio to your own personal light show.
I've tried both tools, and without a doubt, Orchestrator is the only smart light software that's ever delivered on creating the smart light disco of my dreams. While it's still only in beta and there's consequently sure to be some quirks to how the software responds, if what I tried back in January is any indication, it's a real treat.
Alongside a slew of new product announcements including the upcoming Nanoleaf Blocks, Nanoleaf also announced a new tool called Scenescapes, an immersive light and sound experience that's designed to set the mood for relaxation and focus, which is planned for release in October.
Immersive entertainment at its finest
From the best Ambilight alternatives to responsive software like Orchestrator, smart lighting is fast becoming a must-have addition to home entertainment systems. Nanoleaf, in particular, seems to be leaning on gaming, film, and music as a way for consumers to get more out of their smart lighting.
In the past few years alone, it's released devices like Nanoleaf 4D, reams of new light panels that add to its existing Shapes and Lines product categories like Nanoleaf Ultra Black Shapes, and even its own holiday lights for the festive season, all of which offer a host of features and tools to take full control of your smart light setup.
Plus, Nanoleaf has partnered with brands like Overwolf and Razer with its desktop app to enhance gaming experiences, as well as features like screen mirroring. However, many of these features aren't yet available on mobile devices, with the only smart lighting service offering direct-to-source music synchronization on mobile devices being Philips Hue's Spotify sync feature. While this isn't quite as sophisticated as Orchestrator based on my in-person experience at CES, it's still a lot more convenient to have something pocket-sized to control your lights with, especially if you're hosting a social event.
This focus on immersive lighting is a trend that looks set to continue in the coming years as the smart lighting market continues to mature, with more and more smart light manufacturers leaning into the software powering their lights - however until this comes to more convenient mobile devices, the jury is out for who will become the real winner in immersive lighting.
