The Grid
The Grid is where you build your signal chain. It’s a visual workspace where blocks are placed and connected with wires.
Adding Blocks
Click any empty cell on the grid. A menu appears with three options:
- Input — Audio input from your interface
- Output — Audio output to your speakers
- Plugin — Hosts a VST3 or AU plugin
Each block appears as a square on the grid showing its type abbreviation (INP, OUT, PLG) or a custom name you assign.
Moving Blocks
Drag any block to reposition it on the grid.
Connecting Blocks
Audio and MIDI flow through connections between blocks:
- Hover over the right edge (output side) of a block — the edge thickens to indicate it is interactive.
- Click and drag from the thickened edge toward another block.
- Release on the left edge (input side) of the destination block.
A wire appears showing the connection. Audio and MIDI both travel through the same connection. When a block has multiple connections on one side, each wire is spaced equidistantly along the edge.
Splice Insertion
If you place a new block directly on an existing connection wire, Stellarr automatically:
- Removes the original connection.
- Connects the source to your new block.
- Connects your new block to the destination.
This saves you from manually rewiring.
Disconnecting
Two ways to remove connections:
- Click on a wire — hover over a connection line (it turns dashed to show it is interactive), then click to see a “Disconnect” option.
- Click on a block edge — click the left or right edge of a block that has connections. A menu lists all connections on that side, each with a disconnect button.
Copying and Pasting Blocks
Hover over a block to reveal the copy icon in the top-left corner. Click it to copy the block (including its plugin, states, and parameters) to the clipboard.
To paste, right-click on any empty cell and select Paste from the context menu. The pasted block gets a fresh identity but retains all settings from the original. If the original plugin is available, it is loaded automatically; otherwise, the block appears with a missing plugin indicator.
Removing Blocks
Hover over a block and click the X icon that appears in the corner.
Block Appearance
Each block displays:
| Area | Content |
|---|---|
| Top | Plugin format badge (VST3, AU) or test tone icon |
| Middle | Block name (INP, OUT, PLG, or custom 3-char name) |
| Bottom | Plugin name (if a plugin is loaded) |
Block Colors
Each block has a colour that tints its border. By default:
- Input and Output blocks are slate
- Plugin blocks are blue
You can change a block’s colour from the Options panel using the colour picker.
Bypass Indicator
When a block is bypassed, its border changes to a dashed line.
Missing Plugin Indicator
If a preset references a plugin that is no longer installed, the block shows a yellow warning icon and an amber border with the text “Missing: PluginName”. You cannot open the plugin editor for a missing block, but the block remains in the grid so you can see where it was in the chain.
Connection Route Highlighting
When you select or hover over a block, Stellarr highlights the live signal routes passing through it:
- Connections on a complete path from an Input block through the selected block to an Output block are shown in amber at full opacity.
- All other connections fade to 15% opacity so the active route stands out.
- Blocks with bypass mode set to Mute are treated as dead ends — signal stops there, and connections beyond a muted block are not highlighted.
This makes it easy to trace your signal flow at a glance, even in complex multi-path chains. Diamond and convergent topologies are fully supported.
Preset and Scene Display
Above the grid, the current preset name and active scene name are shown in large text, separated by a diamond. This is visible from across the room during a performance.
Grid Size
You can resize the grid to fit the rig you’re building.
- Hover the edges of the grid to reveal the add row / add column controls on the right and bottom edges.
- Hover a single row or column to reveal a delete affordance for that line (if it’s empty).
- Bounds: 1–20 columns, 1–12 rows.
Changes apply immediately and are saved with the preset.
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Space | Toggle bypass on the selected block |