How Do You Make Lissajous Figures in a Browser?
Use BeamTracer OSC-1’s Lissajous generator to draw a figure from two sine signals. Choose a preset, change the X-to-Y frequency ratio, then adjust phase and amplitude while watching the trace. Export SVG for a static vector drawing, ILDA for a laser frame, or record video when the movement and sound matter.
Press Play to hear the stereo generator while the native 3:4 figure draws. Start with a low listening volume.
Hi, I’m Trina with BeamTracer.com. A circle, a figure eight and an intricate woven curve can all come from the same pair of signals. The useful trick is to change one relationship at a time. You can see what each control does instead of hunting through numbers until something looks interesting.
How do I generate my first Lissajous figure?
Open OSC-1 in Creator mode and choose the Lissajous generator. Start with Circle so you have a simple reference, then select Complex 3:4 for a more detailed curve. Keep the same display settings while comparing the presets; otherwise a change in glow or persistence can obscure what changed in the drawing.
- Open OSC-1 and choose CREATOR.
- Expand Generators, then LISSAJOUS.
- Choose Circle from PRESET.
- Press GENERATE if the generator is stopped.
- Choose Complex 3:4 from PRESET and compare the trace.
- Open EXPORT → SVG and choose EXPORT AS SVG to save the current figure as a static SVG vector.
The circle preset uses equal X and Y frequency values, equal amplitudes and a quarter-cycle difference between the channels. Complex 3:4 changes both the ratio and the phase recipe. To isolate a single cause, use the individual controls after loading a preset.
The native generator controls keep frequency ratio, phase and amplitude separate. Use this panel as a reference while changing one relationship at a time.
This silent phase demonstration shows how the curve changes when its phase recipe changes.
What do frequency ratio, phase and amplitude change?
The frequency ratio changes how the two repeating coordinates fit together. Phase changes where each coordinate starts in its cycle. Amplitude changes how far the trace reaches along one axis. These controls answer different questions: how the curve repeats, which shape appears, and how wide or tall the result is.
| Control | Try this | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Freq X / Freq Y | Compare 1:1 with 1:2 | The circle or ellipse becomes a different family of curves |
| Phase X / Phase Y | Change one phase while keeping 1:1 | The trace opens from a line into an ellipse or circle |
| Amp X / Amp Y | Lower one amplitude | The figure narrows on that axis |
| Speed | Change speed with the ratio fixed | The rate of drawing changes; the ratio remains your shape recipe |
With equal frequencies and amplitudes, matching phase produces a diagonal line; a 90° difference produces a circle. Unequal amplitudes turn that circle into an ellipse. Don’t treat every phase change as a rigid rotation: the curve can change its shape.
Change one relationship
Keep the ratio fixed when comparing phase. Keep the phase fixed when comparing ratios. Take a screenshot or save a vector before making the next change so you have a reference.
Freq X and Freq Y are ratio values in this generator. Don’t read a value of 3 as a measured 3 Hz tone, or use Speed to claim a laser scanner’s point rate. For an audible explanation of left and right channels, start with how oscilloscope music works.
How do I save a moving figure rather than a still?
Use OSC-1’s live video recording when you want the changing trace and current audio together. SVG and the single-frame ILDA export capture a drawing at one moment. They don’t preserve your later knob movements. Decide whether the recipient needs a picture, a vector, a laser frame or a playable video before exporting.
- Keep the LISSAJOUS generator running with your chosen recipe.
- Open EXPORT and choose VIDEO.
- Choose SHAPE and RESOLUTION for the intended destination.
- Use RECORD LIVE INPUT to record the live figure and current audio.
- Change phase slowly during the recording, then stop the take.
- Save the recorded WebM video and play the download to check both the trace and sound.
See the Scope export guide for current recording options. Turn down your listening volume before experimenting with generated tones. A silent demonstration can explain geometry; a lesson about the signal needs the matching sound.
Can I take a Lissajous figure into the Laser tools?
Use OSC-1’s single-frame ILDA export to carry a captured figure into ILDA Viewer. This handoff carries points and color, not audio, generator controls or a live connection between the apps. The Viewer lets you inspect the frame before planning any physical output.
- Keep your chosen Lissajous figure visible in OSC-1.
- Open EXPORT → ILDA.
- Leave POINTS on SCANNER-SAFE as a starting point.
- Choose EXPORT ILDA FRAME to save the captured figure.
- Open ILDA Viewer, load the downloaded file and inspect its shape and frame information.
SVG is a static vector download for a drawing workflow; ILDA is a captured laser frame. Neither carries the generator controls, stereo sound or a live connection. Choose the format the receiving app actually needs.
Preview is not safety approval
A clear browser trace doesn’t establish safe physical laser output. Use the laser-output guide, your projector’s limits and the required physical safety controls before connecting or arming hardware.
Is a Lissajous generator the same as a music visualizer?
A Lissajous generator creates the X/Y signals that draw the figure. A music visualizer in Viz responds to an incoming recording or live audio. Choose OSC-1 when you want to design the coordinate relationship itself; choose Viz when you want a performance look that reacts to your music.
Can I try a Lissajous generator without an oscilloscope?
Yes. You can explore OSC-1 in the browser without owning a CRT oscilloscope. Check current plans and export limits before planning downloads or a live show.
Open OSC-1, select Circle, and make one deliberate phase change. Once you can predict that change, try Complex 3:4 and save a reference you can return to.