# External WLED Controller for Club use case **URL:** \ **Category:** Integrations\ **Created:** [May 21, 2024, 5:42am UTC](https://wled.discourse.group/t/external-wled-controller-for-club-use-case/11887 "2024-05-21T05:42:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![faltim](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/wled.discourse.group/faltim/32/5115_2.png) [@faltim](https://wled.discourse.group/u/faltim)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2024, 5:42am UTC](https://wled.discourse.group/t/external-wled-controller-for-club-use-case/11887/1 "2024-05-21T05:42:26Z")
Hello community, I‘ve build 10pcs LED Bars running on WLED which I control via Artnet and QLC Light in a club scenario. For me this setup has some downsides. - lots of manual configuration - unstable - less transparency - bad usability I‘m searching for a solution that can do the following - Define a Matrix of LEDs filled out by multiple WLED instances - Runs FX on this Matrix - Live Manipulation of FX (Change FX, Change Color, Change Speed) - Can be controlled by a Midi Controller or has a nice UI - Runs on a raspi or similar Just wanna ask if somebody knows something out there or is willing to have a chat to kick off a project. I‘m a UI/UX Designer without dedicated coding skills. I‘m experienced with hosting party events over years and packed with ideas how such application can work. ---
**Author:** ![Magig\_Wled](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/db5fbb/32.png) [@Magig\_Wled](https://wled.discourse.group/u/Magig_Wled)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2024, 5:31pm UTC](https://wled.discourse.group/t/external-wled-controller-for-club-use-case/11887/2 "2024-05-21T17:31:40Z")
Did you look on Xlight its basicly free and can run as you like even in full live mode over more then one protocoll and controllers as also Universes/gpio stripes ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://wled.discourse.group/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2024, 11:04pm UTC](https://wled.discourse.group/t/external-wled-controller-for-club-use-case/11887/3 "2024-05-21T23:04:47Z")
You may want to have a look at Resolume Arena. I know you can send from it to WLED with Art-Net E1.31. Not sure about DDP. It has been years since I tried it. It would allow you to click Fx tiles on the fly. ---
**Author:** ![Magig\_Wled](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/db5fbb/32.png) [@Magig\_Wled](https://wled.discourse.group/u/Magig_Wled)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2024, 5:26pm UTC](https://wled.discourse.group/t/external-wled-controller-for-club-use-case/11887/4 "2024-05-22T17:26:05Z")
@faltim did you read the Artnet DDP discription > **[Ethernet Controller | xLights Manual](https://manual.xlights.org/xlights/chapters/chapter-four-set-up/lighting-networks/ethernet-controller)** ---
**Author:** ![faltim](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/wled.discourse.group/faltim/32/5115_2.png) [@faltim](https://wled.discourse.group/u/faltim)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2024, 7:55pm UTC](https://wled.discourse.group/t/external-wled-controller-for-club-use-case/11887/5 "2024-05-22T19:55:28Z")
Thx for your hints. I will check both tools. DDP Protocol in specific is more performant or what is the benefit? ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://wled.discourse.group/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2024, 9:06pm UTC](https://wled.discourse.group/t/external-wled-controller-for-club-use-case/11887/6 "2024-05-22T21:06:12Z")
[http://www.3waylabs.com/ddp/](http://www.3waylabs.com/ddp/) ---
**Author:** ![faltim](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/wled.discourse.group/faltim/32/5115_2.png) [@faltim](https://wled.discourse.group/u/faltim)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2024, 8:33pm UTC](https://wled.discourse.group/t/external-wled-controller-for-club-use-case/11887/7 "2024-05-24T20:33:20Z")
I’ve checked Xlight and Resolume. Xlight isnt nice for live controlling and Resolume is way to expensive. Maybe it makes sense to build a small lightweight application with something like Django and BiblioPixel plus a nice looking FE. Scope could be just to control a simple matrix of multiple wled instances with some basic effects via DDP. If somebody has coding skills and is happy to kick off a project, I would be up for a chat 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://wled.discourse.group/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2024, 9:07pm UTC](https://wled.discourse.group/t/external-wled-controller-for-club-use-case/11887/8 "2024-05-24T21:07:13Z")
Another option may be Mad Mapper [https://madmapper.com](https://madmapper.com) I have never tried it with LEDs, but did use it for projection mapping once. This person used it for a matrix: [Aidan Lincoln Fowler — Large Scale LED Installations with Teensy And MadMapper](https://www.aidanlincoln.com/led-mapping) It’s cheaper than Resolume Arena but really all that you asked for in your fist post basically sounds like Resolume is exactly what you are looking for. If it’s for a club use it as a tax write off 😁 ---
**Author:** ![faltim](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/wled.discourse.group/faltim/32/5115_2.png) [@faltim](https://wled.discourse.group/u/faltim)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2024, 3:56pm UTC](https://wled.discourse.group/t/external-wled-controller-for-club-use-case/11887/9 "2024-05-29T15:56:23Z")
Now I tried Resolume Arena, really powerful tool! However its overwhelming and can do way more then I need. Something like resolume only for LED matrices with some predefined effects would be an awesome fit. ---
**Author:** ![Beennnn](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/wled.discourse.group/beennnn/32/10546_2.png) [@Beennnn](https://wled.discourse.group/u/Beennnn)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2026, 8:25am UTC](https://wled.discourse.group/t/external-wled-controller-for-club-use-case/11887/10 "2026-07-16T08:25:37Z")
Hi faltim — I read the whole thread, so I won’t re-suggest what you already ruled out (Resolume too pricey, xLights not great for live). You’d actually landed on the right transport: **DDP / Art-Net / E1.31** is exactly how you stitch several WLED instances into one canvas. What’s still missing is the **affordable, MIDI-driven, live-control** layer on top — and that’s the gap I’ve been filling with an open MIDI↔WLED convention: **change FX / colour / speed live** = CC, **presets** = Program Change, 100% local. Topic: [Wled-midi — an open convention to drive WLED from any DAW / MIDI controller (MIT)](https://wled.discourse.group/t/wled-midi-an-open-convention-to-drive-wled-from-any-daw-midi-controller-mit/15457) For your club matrix specifically: a small **router on your raspi** composes the 10 bars into one canvas and streams each its slice over **DDP/Art-Net/E1.31** (the transport you already found), while you drive it live from a MIDI controller through the convention. No Resolume licence, no VJ-suite bloat — a raspi + your bars + a controller. You’ve got the club + UX experience and years of ideas; I’ve got the protocol + router side. Want to sketch it together? What controller are you picturing — pads, faders, a screen?