Build Stream Overlays for OBS

A reactive audio strip along the bottom of your stream is a clean way to show what is playing. Novus does not export true transparency, but a simple trick — a bright visualizer on a pure black background plus a blend mode in OBS — gets you there.

Step 1: Browse and pick an overlay effect

The Stream Overlays page is a gallery of canvas-drawn effects in four categories — Visual FX, Ambient, Color Grade and Frame — each with a live preview. Open one to preview it over all nine engines, adjust its opacity, and hit Open in Editor with this Overlay to start building. Inside the editor, the same effects live in the Stream Overlay Templates section, and they render directly onto the visualizer canvas — baked into your export, no compositing needed.

Step 2: Build a strip on black

The practical build: pick a strip-style engine (a spectrum or waveform), set a pure black background, add your logo and a Now-Playing text, and keep everything in the bottom portion of the frame. Black is the key — it is what will drop out in OBS.

Step 3: Export the loop

Export as an MP4 at your stream canvas size (usually 16:9, 1920×1080). A short section is fine — you will loop it in OBS. See Export Settings Explained for the details.

Step 4: Add it in OBS with Screen blend

1. In OBS, add the exported video as a Media Source and set it to loop.
2. Size it to your 1920×1080 canvas.
3. Set the source's Blend Mode to Screen — the black background drops out, leaving only the bright bars, text and logo over your gameplay or camera.
4. Position it in the bottom ~20% so it never fights your webcam or game HUD.