Quietus User Guide

1. Getting Started

Welcome to Quietus!

Quietus is a professional-grade ambient sound generator that creates real-time parametric audio with binaural beats and journey automation. Unlike apps that loop pre-recorded files, Quietus generates all sound mathematically — meaning infinite, never-repeating soundscapes that evolve over time.

First Launch

Open Quietus and you'll land on the Presets tab. Try loading a factory preset to hear what the engine can do, then explore the Sound tab to tweak parameters and make it your own.

Navigation

Quietus uses a tab-based interface:

• Presets — Browse, search, and manage your sound presets
• Sound — Control the synthesis engine, filters, and effects in real time
• Journey — Program time-based automation for evolving soundscapes
• Settings — Master volume, preferences, and app info

2. Sound Engine

Dual-Voice Architecture

Quietus features two independent texture voices that can be layered, panned, and filtered independently. Each voice offers:

• Five noise colors — choose the spectral character of each voice (see below)
• Multi-mode filter — Low-Pass, High-Pass, Band-Pass, and Notch with 12 dB or 24 dB slopes
• Filter resonance — shape the spectral character of each voice
• Optional dedicated high-pass filter — remove low-end rumble independently
• Constant-power stereo panning — maintains perceived loudness across the stereo field
• Per-voice volume control — independent level management

Noise Colors

Each voice generates one of five noise colors, each a true real-time spectral generator (not a static filter applied to white noise). Pick a color with the Noise Color control on the Sound tab:

• White — bright, full-spectrum hiss (high-quality noise via the Box-Muller algorithm)
• Pink — balanced and natural, with softer highs (−3 dB/octave)
• Brown — deep, warm rumble with heavy low end (−6 dB/octave)
• Blue — airy, with high-frequency emphasis (+3 dB/octave)
• Violet — sharp, sibilant top end (+6 dB/octave)

Modulation Matrix

Six independent LFOs (2 per texture voice, 2 for binaural beats) bring your sound to life. Each LFO has its own rate, depth, waveform, and a selectable destination — so movement can go anywhere, not just the filter cutoff. Choose from 6 waveform shapes: Sine, Triangle, Sawtooth, Ramp, Square, and Sample & Hold.

• Voice LFO destinations — Filter Cutoff, HPF Cutoff, Resonance, Level, Pan, or the other LFO's rate (cross-modulation)
• Binaural LFO destinations — Base Frequency, Beat Frequency, Level, or the other LFO's rate

Point two LFOs at different targets for rich, organic motion — for example, one slowly sweeping the filter while another gently auto-pans the texture across the stereo field. Modulation layers cleanly with Journey automation: the Journey moves a parameter's center while the LFO wiggles around it.

Effects

• Stereo ping-pong delay — cross-feedback for spatial depth (50–2000ms)
• Lookahead limiter — professional mastering-quality loudness protection with 5ms lookahead

3. Binaural Beats

How They Work

Binaural beats play slightly different frequencies in each ear, and your brain perceives a "beat" at the difference frequency. Quietus generates true binaural beats with a base frequency range of 100–400 Hz and beat frequencies from 0.5–40 Hz.

Brainwave States

• Delta (0.5–4 Hz) — associated with sleep
• Theta (4–8 Hz) — associated with meditation
• Alpha (8–12 Hz) — associated with relaxation
• Beta (12–30 Hz) — associated with focus
• Gamma (30–40 Hz) — associated with alertness

Modulating the Beats

Binaural beats have two LFOs of their own. Route each one to the base frequency, the beat frequency, the level, or the other LFO's rate to keep the entrainment gently evolving rather than static — subtle drift that prevents the tone from feeling fixed.

Use headphones for the full binaural effect; speakers cannot produce the necessary per-ear separation.

Binaural beats are not a medical treatment. If you have epilepsy or a seizure disorder, consult your doctor before use.

4. Journey Automation

Overview

Journeys let you program your sound to evolve over time. Define waypoints at specific time points, set parameter values, and let the journey system transition between them automatically.

Interpolation Curves

Five curve types control how parameters transition between waypoints:

• Linear — constant-rate change
• Ease-In — starts slow, accelerates
• Ease-Out — starts fast, decelerates
• Ease-In-Out — smooth acceleration and deceleration
• Step — instant jump at the waypoint

End Behaviors

When a journey reaches its final waypoint:

• Fade Out — gradually reduce volume to silence (configurable duration)
• Continue — hold the final parameter values indefinitely
• Stop — stop audio playback
• Loop — restart the journey from the beginning

Composer Mode (Touch Override)

During an active journey, grab any slider to temporarily override the automated value. Release it and the parameter smoothly returns to the journey's current value — like autopilot with manual override.

5. Presets

Saving and Loading

Save your complete sound configuration as a preset — every parameter is captured, including any embedded journey. Organize presets into 6 categories: Focus, Sleep, Meditation, Relaxation, Creativity, and Custom.

AI Preset Art

On supported devices (iOS 18.1+ / macOS 15.1+), use Apple's Image Playground to generate unique artwork for each preset. Choose from 6 themes, 6 moods, and 8 visual motifs for 288 possible combinations. Preset names are abstracted on-device for privacy before image generation.

Import and Export

Share individual presets as .quietuspreset files or bundles as .quietuspack files via the system share sheet.

6. Playback & Controls

Mix with Other Audio

By default, Quietus mixes with other audio — it plays underneath music, podcasts, and videos, so you can blend a noise bed under whatever else you're listening to. In this mode the other app keeps the system playback controls.

Turn Mix with Other Audio off (Settings → Audio) to play Quietus solo. In solo mode Quietus takes over the system Now-Playing controls, so you get play, pause, and stop on the Lock Screen, in Control Center, and from your AirPods or other Bluetooth remotes. You can switch modes anytime — even mid-playback — and the change takes effect without restarting your sound.

Siri Shortcuts & the Action Button

Quietus provides Shortcuts actions you can trigger by voice, from the Shortcuts app, Spotlight, Focus automations, or the Action Button on supported iPhones:

• Start, Stop, and Toggle playback
• Play Preset — choose any of your saved presets
• Start Journey

Say "Hey Siri, start Quietus," or assign Play Preset to your Action Button for one-press ambient sound. You can also have a Sleep Focus automation start your wind-down preset automatically each night.

7. Tips & Tricks

• Layer voices for depth — use one voice for low-frequency warmth and another for high-frequency texture
• Pick the right color — Brown is great for deep sleep and masking, Pink for a natural balanced bed, White for the brightest masking, and Blue or Violet for airy, present textures
• Build a modulation matrix — point one LFO at the filter cutoff for a slow sweep and the second at Pan for gentle auto-panning; two destinations create far more life than stacking both on one target
• Use slow LFOs — rates below 0.1 Hz create subtle, evolving movement that prevents listener fatigue
• Program a sleep journey — start with alpha-range binaural beats, transition to delta over 60–90 minutes, then fade to silence
• Hands-free start — assign a preset to your Action Button or a Siri phrase so you can start your wind-down without unlocking your phone
• Headphones for binaural — binaural beats require headphones to work; speakers blend the channels and eliminate the effect
• Safe listening — use moderate volume levels, especially for extended sessions. The lookahead limiter protects against peaks but doesn't replace responsible volume management