diff --git a/web/static/app.js b/web/static/app.js
index a45b244..87fbcaa 100644
--- a/web/static/app.js
+++ b/web/static/app.js
@@ -269,6 +269,21 @@ function renderFrame(ts = 0) {
   // Check if real viz data is fresh (< 1.5 s old) and Winamp is playing.
   const hasSignal = winampPlaying && (performance.now() - lastVizAt) < 1500;
 
+  // Classic fixed vertical gradient: green at bottom → yellow → red at top.
+  // Defined in canvas coords so every bar shows the same colour at the same
+  // height — no per-frame hue calculation, no flicker.
+  const grad = ctx2d.createLinearGradient(0, h, 0, 0);
+  if (hasSignal) {
+    grad.addColorStop(0,    '#00aa00');
+    grad.addColorStop(0.6,  '#aaaa00');
+    grad.addColorStop(1,    '#cc0000');
+  } else {
+    // Idle: same palette but much dimmer
+    grad.addColorStop(0,    '#003300');
+    grad.addColorStop(0.6,  '#333300');
+    grad.addColorStop(1,    '#330000');
+  }
+
   const n    = NUM_BARS;
   const gap  = 1;
   const barW = Math.max(1, (w - gap * (n - 1)) / n);
@@ -277,34 +292,29 @@ function renderFrame(ts = 0) {
     let val;
 
     if (hasSignal) {
-      // Real spectrum data
       val = lastBars[i] || 0;
       if (val > peaks[i]) peaks[i] = val;
-      else peaks[i] = Math.max(0, peaks[i] - 0.012);
+      else peaks[i] = Math.max(0, peaks[i] - 0.008); // gentle decay
     } else {
-      // Idle animation: slow sine "breathing" across the bars.
-      // Amplitude fades out when paused/stopped.
+      // Idle: slow sine breathing
       const phase  = (ts / 1800) + (i / n) * Math.PI * 2;
-      const breath = (Math.sin(ts / 2000) * 0.5 + 0.5) * 0.08; // 0..0.08
+      const breath = (Math.sin(ts / 2000) * 0.5 + 0.5) * 0.08;
       val = Math.max(0, Math.sin(phase) * breath);
-      peaks[i] = Math.max(0, peaks[i] - 0.02); // let peaks fall quickly
+      peaks[i] = Math.max(0, peaks[i] - 0.02);
     }
 
     const x    = Math.round(i * (barW + gap));
     const barH = val * h;
 
     if (barH > 0.5) {
-      // Bar colour: green (120°) → yellow (60°) → red (0°)
-      const hue = Math.round((1 - val) * 120);
-      const lit  = hasSignal ? 42 : 25; // dimmer in idle
-      ctx2d.fillStyle = `hsl(${hue},100%,${lit}%)`;
+      ctx2d.fillStyle = grad;
       ctx2d.fillRect(x, h - barH, barW, barH);
     }
 
-    // Peak indicator
+    // Peak dot — 1 px taller slice of the same gradient, slightly brighter
     if (peaks[i] > 0.02) {
       const py = Math.round(h - peaks[i] * h) - 1;
-      ctx2d.fillStyle = hasSignal ? 'rgba(255,255,255,0.75)' : 'rgba(255,255,255,0.2)';
+      ctx2d.fillStyle = hasSignal ? 'rgba(255,255,255,0.6)' : 'rgba(255,255,255,0.15)';
       ctx2d.fillRect(x, py, barW, 2);
     }
   }