NexaDeck User Guide

Getting Started

If you haven't set up NexaDeck yet, follow the Getting Started guide first. This section covers what to do after installation.

Download & Install

1. Log in to your customer portal and download the latest installer.
2. macOS: Open the .dmg and drag NexaDeck to Applications.
3. Windows: Run the .msi installer and follow the prompts.
4. Linux: Use the .AppImage (make executable with chmod +x) or install the .deb package.

First Launch

On first launch, NexaDeck opens to the main screen. Before running a show, configure your audio output and display settings in Settings.

Then import your karaoke library from the Library tab.

Running a Show

NexaDeck is built around the concept of a show — a karaoke session with a singer rotation, a song queue, and optional buffer music between performances.

Starting a Show

Click Start Show on the main screen. This activates the rotation queue and enables singer management. If connected to NexaLive, the show goes live for audience requests.

The Rotation Queue

The rotation queue is the heart of any karaoke show. It determines the order singers perform.

• Add singers — Click the + button or type a name to add someone to the queue.
• Reorder — Drag singers up or down to adjust the rotation order.
• Mark away — If a singer steps out, mark them as away so they're skipped until they return.
• Song queues — Each singer has their own queue. Add multiple songs and NexaDeck picks the next one when it's their turn.

Buffer Music

Buffer music plays automatically between singers to keep the energy up. Add tracks to your buffer playlist in the Library tab. NexaDeck cross-fades between buffer tracks and karaoke performances.

Handling Song Requests

When connected to NexaLive, audience members can submit song requests from their phones. Requests appear in the Requests tab with automatic match scoring against your library.

Match Scoring

Each request is automatically compared against your library. Exact matches show a green badge with the matching track. Partial matches show an orange badge when the title matches but the artist differs. No match requests display a red badge — the song isn't in your library.

Accepting Requests

Click Accept & Queue to add a matched request directly to the singer's queue. For partial matches, you can manually select the correct track before accepting. Use keyboard shortcuts for faster workflow during busy shows.

Rejecting Requests

Click Reject to decline a request. You can optionally include a message explaining why — for example, if the song was already performed earlier in the show.

Managing Your Library

Your library is the collection of all karaoke tracks available in NexaDeck. It supports CDG+MP3 pairs, MP4 video files, and ZIP archives.

Importing Songs

Go to Library > Import and select a folder. NexaDeck scans for supported files, reads metadata (title, artist, duration), and adds them to your library. Large imports run in the background.

Searching & Browsing

Use the search bar at the top of the library to find songs by title, artist, or filename. Results update as you type. You can also browse alphabetically or filter by recently added.

Smart Search

The search bar matches across song titles, artists, and brands simultaneously. Type any fragment and results update instantly — no need to specify which field you're searching.

Format Filters

Use the type filter dropdown to show only specific formats: CDG (CD+Graphics), MP4 (video karaoke), or All. This helps when you want to check what formats are available for a particular song.

Quick Add to Rotation

Drag any search result directly onto a singer in the rotation to queue it instantly. You can also right-click a song for more options including adding to a playlist or viewing track details.

Library Sidebar

The library sidebar gives quick access to different views and tools:

• All Songs — Browse your complete library.
• Playlists — Create and manage custom playlists for buffer music or themed nights.
• Import — Import new songs from a folder on your computer.
• Songbook — Generate and print a songbook for your venue.
• Download — Download tracks from connected sources.
• Metadata — Edit song titles, artists, and other metadata.
• Maintenance — Find duplicate files, missing tracks, and fix broken paths.
• Cloud Sync — Manage your NexaLive library sync status.

Library Health & Pre-Flight

The health dashboard scans your entire library for issues that could disrupt a show. Run an audit before every gig to catch problems early.

Issue Categories

The audit checks for dead entries (files that no longer exist on disk), corrupt CDG files (damaged or unreadable graphics), truncated audio (files that end abruptly), zero-byte files, low bitrate audio, and duration mismatches between audio and CDG tracks.

Pre-Show Checklist

Run a full audit, review and resolve any high-severity issues, then export the report for your records. A clean health report means no surprises during your show.

Singer Management

NexaDeck maintains a singer directory that persists across shows. Each singer profile tracks their history, preferences, and performance data.

Singer Directory

The singer directory is your database of everyone who has ever sung at your shows. Each profile shows:

• Visit count — How many shows they've attended.
• Total songs — How many songs they've performed across all shows.
• Preferences — Pitch and tempo adjustments that NexaDeck remembers for each singer.

Adding Singers to a Show

During a show, add singers by typing their name in the rotation panel. NexaDeck auto-completes from your singer directory. New names are automatically saved for future shows.

Singer Profiles

Click any singer's name to open their detailed profile. The profile shows their complete performance history, favorite songs, and how many shows they've attended.

Notes & Preferences

Add personal notes to any singer's profile — drink preferences, birthday reminders, or song style preferences. Notes are private to your NexaDeck installation and help you deliver a personalized experience.

Performance History

The history tab shows every song a singer has performed, organized by show date. Use this to avoid repeating recent songs or to suggest favorites they haven't sung in a while.

Audio Controls

NexaDeck provides professional-grade audio processing built on a Rust engine for low-latency, real-time performance.

Pitch Shifting

Adjust the pitch of any track up or down in semitone increments. Pitch settings can be saved per-singer so NexaDeck automatically applies their preferred key.

Tempo Control

Speed up or slow down tracks without affecting pitch. Useful for singers who need a slightly different tempo or for adjusting energy levels.

Per-Song Settings

Each song can have its own default pitch, tempo, and volume settings. These are applied automatically whenever the song is played.

Volume & Routing

Control main output volume, microphone mix, and buffer music volume independently. Route audio to different output devices — for example, send karaoke to the venue speakers and buffer music to a separate zone. Configure routing in Settings > Audio.

Settings & Configuration

Access settings from the gear icon in the top-right corner. Available sections:

• Show Control — Default show options, auto-advance timing, buffer music behavior.
• General — Application language, theme, startup behavior.
• Audio — Output device selection, sample rate, buffer size, routing.
• Appearance — UI theme, font size, display output configuration.
• NexaLive — Cloud connection settings. See Connecting to NexaLive.

Show Control

Configure your show name, set rotation rules (how many songs per turn, singer limits), and manage session timing. The show control panel is your command center for how the night runs.

Backup & Restore

Protect your library database, singer records, and show history with regular backups.

Local Database Backup

NexaDeck automatically backs up your database before major operations like imports. You can also trigger a manual backup from Settings > Maintenance. Backups are stored alongside your library.

Cloud Backup via NexaLive

When connected to NexaLive, your library catalog and singer data sync to the cloud automatically. This serves as an off-site backup — if your local drive fails, you can restore from your NexaLive account.

Restoring from Backup

To restore, go to Settings > Maintenance > Restore and select a backup file. NexaDeck will replace the current database with the backup contents. Your audio and CDG files are not affected — only the database (track metadata, singers, show history) is restored.

Statistics & Analytics

NexaDeck tracks detailed performance data across all your shows.

Dashboard

The statistics dashboard shows key metrics at a glance: total shows hosted, total songs played, unique singers, average songs per show, and more.

Leaderboards

See who and what's most popular at your shows:

• Top Songs — Most requested and played tracks across all shows.
• Top Singers — Your most frequent and prolific performers.
• Top Artists — Most popular artists in your rotation.

Show History

Browse a timeline of every show you've hosted. Each entry shows the date, duration, number of singers, songs played, and session notes.

Connecting to NexaLive

NexaLive is the cloud companion to NexaDeck. It enables audience song requests, remote DJ control from your phone, and live show status for your audience.

Setting Up the Connection

1. Open Settings > NexaLive in NexaDeck.
2. Sign in with your Abydonian account credentials.
3. NexaDeck will establish a secure connection to the NexaLive servers. A green indicator confirms the connection is active.

Syncing Your Library

Once connected, NexaDeck syncs your song library to NexaLive. Audience members can then browse your catalog and submit song requests. Syncing runs in the background — your library stays up to date as you add or remove songs. Use Library > Cloud Sync to check sync status.

Receiving Requests

Song requests from audience members appear in the Requests tab on the main screen. Each request shows the song title, requester name, and time submitted. Accept a request to add it to a singer's queue, or decline it.

Connection Status

The NexaLive connection indicator appears in the top-right corner of NexaDeck. Green means connected, yellow means reconnecting, and red means disconnected. NexaDeck automatically reconnects if the connection drops.

Kiosk Setup

Each venue gets a unique kiosk code that audience members enter on their phones to submit requests. Configure your kiosk code in Settings > NexaLive and display it prominently at the venue.

Connection Troubleshooting

If the connection drops repeatedly, check your firewall settings — NexaDeck needs outbound HTTPS access. You can also try switching between WebSocket and polling modes in the advanced connection settings.

Keyboard Shortcuts

NexaDeck supports keyboard shortcuts for fast show control. Here are the default bindings:

Customize shortcuts in Settings > General > Keyboard Shortcuts.

Troubleshooting

Solutions for common issues you might encounter.

Audio Issues

If audio doesn't play, check your output device in Settings > Audio. Ensure the correct device is selected and volume is up. For tracks that play but sound wrong, try adjusting the pitch and tempo controls — some CDG tracks have non-standard encoding.

CDG Display Problems

If lyrics appear garbled or colors are wrong, the CDG file may be corrupt. Run a Library Health audit to identify damaged files. Re-ripping from the original disc usually fixes the issue.

NexaLive Connection

If NexaDeck can't connect to NexaLive, verify your internet connection and check that your credentials are correct in Settings > NexaLive. The status indicator in the bottom bar shows the current connection state. Try disconnecting and reconnecting if the status is stuck.

Import Errors

If songs fail to import, check that the file format is supported (CDG+MP3, CDG+WAV, or MP4). Files must be readable and not locked by another application. The import log shows details for each failed file.

Need Help?

If you have questions or run into an issue, visit our contact page or reach out to our support team. We're here to help.