Cymatics
Turn sound into responsive visual patterns
Turn sound into reactive visual patterns for exploration or projection. These artistic scenes respond to audio; they are not measurements of a physical vibrating plate.
Key idea
Pitch describes how high or low a sound is; rhythmic events describe when sounds begin. A sustained note and a repeated pulse can therefore shape the animation differently. Sensitivity and trails also influence how that response appears.
Try this first
Start with the silent demo to explore the scenes. Then try live microphone input and compare a sustained note with a clear rhythmic pulse. Notice how different scenes respond to pitch, energy and changes in the sound.
How to get started
- Choose Silent demo to explore without a microphone, or Start microphone to use live sound.
- Play music or a clear note and compare how the different scenes respond to rhythm and pitch.
- Adjust Sensitivity for the input level, Trails for persistence and Motion for visual speed.
- Choose a palette, mirror for rear projection or enable automatic scene changes. Stop ends the microphone or demo source.
Explore a little further
Try another experiment
Compare one sustained note with a series of short claps in the same scene. Keep sensitivity and motion unchanged. Which features follow a stable pitch, and which respond mainly to new rhythmic events?
Good to know
These are artistic, sound-reactive visualizations. They do not measure grains on a physical plate or water in a laboratory; compare them with Chladni Plates for a different modeled exploration.
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