diff --git a/MusicBeam/Effect.pde b/MusicBeam/Effect.pde
index 4468f4a..a923299 100644
--- a/MusicBeam/Effect.pde
+++ b/MusicBeam/Effect.pde
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ public abstract class Effect
     stg = controller.stage;
     frameRate = stg.frameRate;
     
-    int posy = 115+(i*50);
+    int posy = 170+(i*50);
 
     controlGroup = cp5.addGroup(getName()+"SettingsGroup").hide().setPosition(10,195).setWidth(395).setHeight(30);
     controlGroup.disableCollapse();
diff --git a/MusicBeam/MusicBeam.pde b/MusicBeam/MusicBeam.pde
index 346739f..74047fb 100644
--- a/MusicBeam/MusicBeam.pde
+++ b/MusicBeam/MusicBeam.pde
@@ -34,16 +34,18 @@ Effect[] effectArray;
 
 DropdownList displays;
 
-Toggle projectorToggle, randomToggle;
+Toggle projectorToggle, randomToggle, blackoutOnSilenceToggle;
 Slider randomTimeSlider, beatDelaySlider, minLevelSlider;
 Button nextButton;
 RadioButton activeEffect, activeSetting;
 
 float randomTimer = 0;
 
+int lastAudibleMillis = 0;
+
 int randomEffect = 0;
 int width = 775;
-int height = 670;
+int height = 725;
 
 float maxLevel = 0;
 float goalMaxLevel=0;
@@ -235,8 +237,11 @@ void initRandomControls() {
   nextButton = cp5.addButton("next").setSize(350, 45).setPosition(415, 60);
   nextButton.getCaptionLabel().set("Next Effect").align(ControlP5.CENTER, ControlP5.CENTER);
 
-  activeEffect = cp5.addRadioButton("activeEffects").setPosition(415, 115).setSize(250, 45).setItemsPerRow(1).setSpacingRow(5).setNoneSelectedAllowed(true);
-  activeSetting = cp5.addRadioButton("activeSettings").setPosition(720, 115).setSize(45, 45).setItemsPerRow(1).setSpacingRow(5);
+  blackoutOnSilenceToggle = cp5.addToggle("blackoutOnSilence").setSize(350, 45).setPosition(415, 110);
+  blackoutOnSilenceToggle.getCaptionLabel().set("Blackout on Silence").align(ControlP5.CENTER, ControlP5.CENTER);
+
+  activeEffect = cp5.addRadioButton("activeEffects").setPosition(415, 170).setSize(250, 45).setItemsPerRow(1).setSpacingRow(5).setNoneSelectedAllowed(true);
+  activeSetting = cp5.addRadioButton("activeSettings").setPosition(720, 170).setSize(45, 45).setItemsPerRow(1).setSpacingRow(5);
 }
 
 void initEffects()
@@ -272,6 +277,9 @@ void beatDetect()
   bdFreq.setSensitivity(int(beatDelaySlider.getValue()));
   bdSound.detect(in.mix);
   bdFreq.detect(in.mix);
+
+  if (getLevel()>minLevelSlider.getValue())
+    lastAudibleMillis = millis();
 }
 
 void checkForUpdate()
@@ -338,6 +346,20 @@ float getLevel()
   return in.mix.level();
 }
 
+// 1 while audible (or toggle off); after a 1.5s silence grace period,
+// fades to 0 over the next second so the stage dims to black.
+float silenceFade()
+{
+  float fade = 1;
+  if (blackoutOnSilenceToggle.getState())
+  {
+    int quiet = millis()-lastAudibleMillis;
+    if (quiet > 1500)
+      fade = max(0, 1 - (quiet-1500)/1000.0);
+  }
+  return fade;
+}
+
 private boolean hasEnoughScreenDevices()
 {
   GraphicsEnvironment ge = GraphicsEnvironment.getLocalGraphicsEnvironment(); //<>// //<>//
diff --git a/MusicBeam/Stage.pde b/MusicBeam/Stage.pde
index b4d99d1..657d7a1 100644
--- a/MusicBeam/Stage.pde
+++ b/MusicBeam/Stage.pde
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ public class Stage extends PApplet {
   }
 
   public void setup() {
-    colorMode(HSB, 360, 100, 100);
+    colorMode(HSB, 360, 100, 100, 100);
     try {
       blendMode(ADD);
     } catch (Exception e) {
@@ -41,9 +41,22 @@ public class Stage extends PApplet {
     }
 
     translate(width/2, height/2);
-    for (int i = 0; i < effectArray.length; i++)
-      if (effectArray[i].isActive())
-        effectArray[i].refresh();
+    float fade = ctrl.silenceFade();
+    if (fade > 0) {
+      for (int i = 0; i < effectArray.length; i++)
+        if (effectArray[i].isActive())
+          effectArray[i].refresh();
+
+      if (fade < 1) {
+        // additive blending cannot darken, so switch to normal blending
+        // for a translucent black overlay while fading out
+        blendMode(BLEND);
+        noStroke();
+        fill(0, 0, 0, (1-fade)*100);
+        rect(-width/2, -height/2, width, height);
+        blendMode(ADD);
+      }
+    }
   }
   
   public int getMaxRadius(){