Sine Wave Tool
Create oscilloscope-style audio-reactive sine wave shapes with traveling animation, rainbow coloring, harmonic stacking, and the Oscilloglow projection mapping effect.
The Sine Wave Quick Tool generates flowing sine wave shapes that respond to audio in real time. It is the fastest way to create classic oscilloscope-style visuals for laser output.
Quick Start
Open Animation Studio and add a new layer
Select Sine Wave from the shape type dropdown in the Properties panel
Choose Simple Mode for immediate results or Advanced Mode for full control
Upload audio — the wave reacts automatically to frequency content
Simple vs Advanced Mode
Simple Mode
Beginner-friendly interface with a handful of intuitive controls:
- Amplitude — wave height
- Frequency — number of wave cycles
- Speed — traveling wave animation speed
- Rainbow — horizontal rainbow color gradient across the wave
Advanced Mode
Full parameter control for experienced users:
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| Amplitude | Wave height |
| Frequency | Number of wave cycles |
| Phase Speed | Traveling wave animation rate |
| Harmonics | Stack multiple harmonics for Lissajous-like complexity |
| Spatial Smoothing | Reduces sharp changes for a smoother laser curve |
| Point Count | Curve resolution from 32 to 256 points |
| Color Mode | Solid, Horizontal Rainbow, Vertical Rainbow, or Amplitude |
Audio Modes
Waveform Mode
Displays the actual time-domain audio waveform — the raw signal shape. Creates classic oscilloscope visuals.
Frequency Mode
Audio frequency bands (bass, mid, high) each modulate the wave independently:
- Bass → amplitude (wave height pulsing)
- Mid → frequency shifts (wave complexity)
- High → phase speed (wave travel rate)
Traveling Wave Animation
The phase speed control creates a continuously moving wave that travels across the path. Combine with audio reactivity for waves that both move and pulse with the music.
Color Modes
| Mode | Effect |
|---|---|
| Solid | Single color across the entire wave |
| Horizontal Rainbow | HSL spectrum distributed left-to-right along the wave (Simple Mode) |
| Vertical Rainbow | HSL spectrum distributed top-to-bottom based on wave position (Advanced Mode) |
| Amplitude | Color by wave height — red at peaks, blue at troughs, white at center |
Harmonic Stacking
In Advanced Mode, add multiple harmonics to create complex waveforms from simple components. Each harmonic adds a new frequency layer — similar to additive synthesis. The Randomize button generates interesting harmonic combinations automatically.
Presets
The preset selector includes 15 factory options: Flat Line, Gentle Wave, Classic Sine, Triple Wave, Rapid Wave, Lissajous Soft, Lissajous Complex, Harmonic Stack, Audio Pulse, Audio Waveform, Audio Frequency, Traveling Wave, Fast Travel, Slow Drift, and Audio + Travel.
Oscilloglow Effect
For projection mapping and video export, the Oscilloglow effect adds authentic oscilloscope-style glow to the rendered output:
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| Radius | Glow spread (5–70px) |
| Intensity | Glow brightness (5–60%) |
| Falloff | Edge softness (0.2–2.0) |
| Grid | Optional overlay grid with configurable size |
Presets: Oscilloglow, Neon Intense, Subtle Glow, Laser Simulation
A live preview canvas shows the actual Oscilloglow frame data before you export. The effect is applied during video export only — the canvas preview remains clean for editing.
Scanner Safety
The real-time PPS estimate updates as you adjust parameters. Use Spatial Smoothing to soften sharp changes in the preview, then inspect scanner load before export.
Further Reading
Lissajous Generator
Create parametric Lissajous curves with three audio modes — frequency-driven, FFT-modulated, and Stereo XY — plus temporal smoothing and high-resolution output.
Oscilloscope Music
Preview stereo XY audio, trim it into Animation Studio layers, and export ILDA or video with clear timing and output limits.