Space
Protostar
Explore a forming star, protoplanetary disc, solar atmosphere, audio waveform ring, and performance controls in BeamTracer.
Protostar is a forming-star performance scene in the Space category. Its turbulent stellar surface sits inside a rotating disc of gas and dust, with prominences, flares, streamers, magnetic loops, coronal rays, a waveform ring, and a deep-space environment that can all be shaped independently.
Open Protostar
Launch the visualizer with its matching left-nav entry selected.
Interesting facts
A real protostar is a stellar embryo: gravity is still pulling material inward, and much of its light comes from contraction and accretion before sustained hydrogen fusion begins. BeamTracer turns that violent growth phase into an audiovisual instrument rather than a scale scientific simulation.
- The disc is part of the birth process. A collapsing cloud carries angular momentum, so infalling gas and dust flatten into a rotating disc. Some material feeds the star; material left in the disc can later become planets, asteroids, and comets.
- Jets solve a rotation problem. Magnetic fields can channel bipolar outflows perpendicular to the disc. Those jets carry angular momentum away, allowing more material to fall inward.
- Young stars hide in their nurseries. Dust blocks much of their visible light, while infrared observatories can see warm material in the surrounding envelope and disc.
- Star formation starts extremely cold. Dense molecular-cloud regions can be only about 10–20 kelvin before gravity takes over and collapse begins.
These details are summarized from Grokipedia's protostar overview and cross-checked against NASA Webb's star-formation guide, NASA Hubble's planet-forming disc gallery, and the NASA Genesis protostar fact sheet.
Quick start
- Start the demo track, choose a local audio file, or enable a live input.
- Try a preset or style first, then open the section for the part of the image you want to change.
- On a control with Assign modulation, open the source picker, choose a signal, and watch the slider's live fill.
- Use Reset to Defaults whenever you want to return to the original look.
Presets and styles
Solar · Young Star · Red Giant · Blue Giant · Solar Max · Quiet Sun
Audio modulation
On a control with Assign modulation, select the activity icon to open Modulate with. Choose a named source, or choose — None to leave the control unmodulated. After you assign one, its name appears below the slider; select that name to edit the route, or use Clear modulation to remove it. The slider track shows the live signal reaching the control.
| Modulated control | Section | What the route changes |
|---|---|---|
| Energy Output | 2. Radiative Zone | Sets the overall brightness of the star's glowing plasma, so low values dim it and high values make it blaze. |
| Surface Blend | 4. Photosphere | Mixes between the soft glowing plasma core at 0 and the textured photosphere surface at 1. Available when Enable Photosphere is on. |
| Surface Brightness | 4. Photosphere | Sets the visible strength of surface brightness. |
| Edge Softness | 6. Transition Region | Sets how gradually the plasma fades out at the star's edge, so low values give a crisp rim and high values a wide, hazy one. |
| Streamer Scale | Coronal Streamers | Sets the visual streamer scale. |
| Streamer Intensity | Coronal Streamers | Sets the visible streamer intensity. |
| Glow Intensity | Coronal Streamers | Sets the visible glow intensity. |
| Radial Falloff | Coronal Streamers | Sets how quickly streamer light fades with distance from the star, so higher values shorten the streamers and lower values let them reach far out. Available when Enable Streamers is on. |
| Glow Threshold | Coronal Streamers | Sets the level that must be crossed before glow appears. |
| Animation Speed | Coronal Streamers | Sets how quickly animation changes or moves. |
| Flare Size | Solar Flares | Sets the visible flare size. |
| Ejection Speed | Solar Flares · Particles | Sets how quickly ejection changes or moves. |
| Emissive Strength | Solar Flares · Appearance | Sets the visible emissive strength. |
| Ray Opacity | Coronal Rays | Sets how transparent the ray appears. |
| Bloom Intensity | Bloom | Sets the visible bloom intensity. |
| Ray Shimmer | Audio Reactivity | Sets how strongly the coronal rays brighten and flicker with the music, so 0 leaves them steady and higher values make them pulse. Visible when Enable Rays is on. |
Settings reference
1. Core
| Setting | Available values | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Core Color | Color | Sets the core color. |
| Outer Color | Color | Sets the outer color. |
| Swap Core / Outer Colors | Action | Runs swap core / outer colors. |
| Plasma Density | 0–5 | Controls how concentrated the visible elements appear. |
| Turbulence Scale | 0.1–6 | Sets the visual turbulence scale. |
| Swirl Speed | 0–3 | Sets how quickly swirl changes or moves. |
2. Radiative Zone
| Setting | Available values | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Energy Output | 0–5 | Sets the overall brightness of the star's glowing plasma, so low values dim it and high values make it blaze. Use Assign modulation to choose a source. |
| Light Scattering | -1–1 | Shifts which side of the plasma glows brightest as light passes through it; 0 gives an even glow and positive and negative values favor opposite sides. |
3. Convection Zone
| Setting | Available values | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Convection Warp | 0–2 | Sets how much the granular surface pattern is warped and swirled, so higher values give more twisted, churning convection cells. Available when Enable Photosphere is on. |
| Cell Evolution | 0–2 | Sets how fast the surface cells drift and change shape, with 0 freezing the pattern. Available when Enable Photosphere is on. |
| Layer Drift | -1–1 | Sets how fast the star's surface layers rotate around it, with negative values spinning the opposite way and 0 stopping the drift. Available when Enable Photosphere is on. |
Detail
| Setting | Available values | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Cell Frequency | 1–32 | Sets how tightly the visible surface cells repeat. |
4. Photosphere
| Setting | Available values | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Enable Photosphere | On / Off | Turns photosphere on or off. |
| Surface Blend | 0–1 | Mixes between the soft glowing plasma core at 0 and the textured photosphere surface at 1. Available when Enable Photosphere is on. Use Assign modulation to choose a source. |
| Layer Scale | 0.7–1.3 | Sets the visual layer scale. |
| Layer Opacity | 0–1 | Sets how transparent the layer appears. |
| Fresnel Strength | 0–2 | Sets the visible fresnel strength. |
| Surface Brightness | 0–5 | Sets the visible strength of surface brightness. Use Assign modulation to choose a source. |
Detail
| Setting | Available values | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Contrast Power | 0.1–8 | Sets how sharply bright and dark cells separate on the surface, so higher values give a few hot spots on a dark surface and lower values a flatter, evenly lit one. Available when Enable Photosphere is on. |
| Fbm Gain | 0–4 | Sets how strongly the input signal affects fbm. |
| Fbm Offset | -1–1 | Shifts the whole surface pattern brighter or darker, so positive values push cells toward the Hot Color and negative values toward the Deep Color. Available when Enable Photosphere is on. |
| Surface Blur | 0–1 | Softens edges and spreads nearby light or color. |
Emission
| Setting | Available values | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Emissive Strength | 0–3 | Sets the visible emissive strength. |
| Emissive Start | 0–1 | Sets the surface brightness level at which the Emissive Color glow starts to fade in, so lower values make more of the surface glow. Available when Enable Photosphere is on. |
| Emissive End | 0–1 | Sets the surface brightness level at which the Emissive Color glow reaches full strength; keep it above Emissive Start for a gradual ramp. Available when Enable Photosphere is on. |
Colors
| Setting | Available values | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Base Color | Color | Sets the base color. |
| Hot Color | Color | Sets the hot color. |
| Deep Color | Color | Sets the deep color. |
| Emissive Color | Color | Sets the emissive color. |
5. Chromosphere
| Setting | Available values | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Enable Chromosphere | On / Off | Turns chromosphere on or off. |
| Layer Scale | 0.7–1.3 | Sets the visual layer scale. |
| Layer Opacity | 0–1 | Sets how transparent the layer appears. |
| Animation Speed | 0–3 | Sets how quickly animation changes or moves. |
| Orbit Ratio | -2–2 | Sets the orbit ratio of the visible composition. |
| UV Distortion | 0–0.1 | Sets how far the chromosphere layer's flowing texture is pushed around as it animates, so higher values look more turbulent and 0 leaves it undistorted. Available when Enable Chromosphere is on. |
6. Transition Region
| Setting | Available values | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Edge Softness | 0.2–3 | Sets how gradually the plasma fades out at the star's edge, so low values give a crisp rim and high values a wide, hazy one. Use Assign modulation to choose a source. |
| Edge Roughness | 0–2 | Moves the surface from polished toward matte. |
| Boundary Warp | 0–2 | Sets how far the dark, sparse patches of the atmosphere push the plasma boundary outward, so higher values give a more ragged, uneven outline. |
7. Corona
| Setting | Available values | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Enable Corona | On / Off | Turns corona on or off. |
| Corona Opacity | 0–1 | Sets how transparent the corona appears. |
| Inner Radius | 0.1–1.5 | Sets the visible inner radius. |
| Raymarch Bounds | 1–8 | Sets the size of the space the corona plasma can fill around the star, so higher values let it reach farther out while very low values can clip it with a visible edge. Available when Enable Corona is on. |
Coronal Streamers
| Setting | Available values | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Enable Streamers | On / Off | Turns streamers on or off. |
| Layer Count | 1–4 | Sets how many visible elements are drawn. |
| Streamer Scale | 1–80 | Sets the visual streamer scale. Use Assign modulation to choose a source. |
| Global Opacity | 0–1 | Sets how transparent the global appears. |
| Streamer Intensity | 0–10 | Sets the visible streamer intensity. Use Assign modulation to choose a source. |
| Glow Intensity | 0–2 | Sets the visible glow intensity. Use Assign modulation to choose a source. |
| Radial Falloff | 1–15 | Sets how quickly streamer light fades with distance from the star, so higher values shorten the streamers and lower values let them reach far out. Available when Enable Streamers is on. Use Assign modulation to choose a source. |
| Flare Falloff | 0.1–5 | Sets how thin and sparse the streamer spikes are, so higher values leave fewer, sharper spikes and lower values a fuller, denser fan. Available when Enable Streamers is on. |
| Glow Threshold | 0–1 | Sets the level that must be crossed before glow appears. Use Assign modulation to choose a source. |
| Edge Fade Start | 0–2.5 | Sets how long edge fade start remains visible. |
| Edge Fade End | 0.1–5 | Sets how long edge fade end remains visible. |
| Rotation Speed | -5–5 | Sets how quickly rotation changes or moves. |
| Animation Speed | 0–5 | Sets how quickly animation changes or moves. Use Assign modulation to choose a source. |
| Streamer Color | Color | Sets the streamer color. |
Prominences
| Setting | Available values | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Enable Prominences | On / Off | Turns prominences on or off. |
| Displacement | 0–5 | Controls how far the shape moves away from its base surface. |
| Animation Speed | 0–3 | Sets how quickly animation changes or moves. |
| Layer Scale | 0.7–1.5 | Sets the visual layer scale. |
| Layer Opacity | 0–1 | Sets how transparent the layer appears. |
| Brightness | 0–4 | Sets the visible strength of brightness. |
| Orbit Ratio | -2–2 | Sets the orbit ratio of the visible composition. |
| Cloud Distortion | 0–0.1 | Sets how much the prominence clouds' texture swirls and wobbles as it animates, with 0 leaving it undistorted. Available when Enable Prominences is on. |
Solar Flares
| Setting | Available values | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Flare Size | 0.25–8 | Sets the visible flare size. Use Assign modulation to choose a source. |
| Flare Lifetime | 0.5s–20s | Sets how long each solar flare lasts from eruption to fade-out, in seconds. Available when Enable Flares is on. |
Solar Flares · Emission
| Setting | Available values | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Enable Flares | On / Off | Turns flares on or off. |
| Max Concurrent | 1–12 | Caps how many flares can be erupting at the same time, so lower values keep the star calmer. Available when Enable Flares is on. |
| Min Burst Count | 1–12 | Sets how many visible elements are drawn. |
| Max Burst Count | 1–24 | Sets how many visible elements are drawn. |
| Min Interval | 100ms–5000ms | Sets the shortest wait between flare eruptions, in milliseconds; each wait is picked at random between Min Interval and Max Interval. Available when Enable Flares is on. |
| Max Interval | 250ms–10000ms | Sets the longest wait between flare eruptions, in milliseconds; each wait is picked at random between Min Interval and Max Interval. Available when Enable Flares is on. |
| Activity | 0–1 | Sets the chance that each eruption actually produces a flare, so 0 gives none and 1 erupts every time. Available when Enable Flares is on. |
| Erupt On Beat | On / Off | Turns erupt on beat on or off. |
| Jet Count | 1–8 | Sets how many visible elements are drawn. |
| Particles Per Jet | 1–24 | Sets how many glowing particles each flare jet throws off, so higher values make denser, brighter jets. Available when Enable Flares is on. |
Solar Flares · Forces
| Setting | Available values | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Turbulence | 0–3 | Sets how irregular or unpredictable the turbulence appears. |
| Surface Lift | 0–1 | Sets how far above the star's surface each flare starts, so higher values launch flares from a higher point. Available when Enable Flares is on. |
| Fallback Ratio | 0–1 | Sets the share of flare particles that arc back down toward the star instead of drifting away, from 0 (none) to 1 (all). Available when Enable Flares is on. |
| Gravity | 0–10 | Sets the downward pull on moving elements. |
| Drag | 0.9–1 | Sets how quickly flare particles slow down after launch, so 1 lets them coast and lower values make them lose speed fast and hang closer to the star. Available when Enable Flares is on. |
Solar Flares · Particles
| Setting | Available values | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Particle Size | 0.02–1 | Sets the visible particle size. |
| Ejection Speed | 0.05–3 | Sets how quickly ejection changes or moves. Use Assign modulation to choose a source. |
| Jet Spread | 0.01–1 | Controls how far elements separate from the center or from one another. |
| Particle Lifetime | 0.1s–8s | Sets how long each flare particle glows before it vanishes, in seconds. Available when Enable Flares is on. |
Solar Flares · Appearance
| Setting | Available values | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Emissive Strength | 0–4 | Sets the visible emissive strength. Use Assign modulation to choose a source. |
| Flare Opacity | 0–1 | Sets how transparent the flare appears. |
Coronal Rays
| Setting | Available values | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Enable Rays | On / Off | Turns rays on or off. |
| Ray Count | 1–24 | Sets how many visible elements are drawn. |
| Ray Length | 0.5–8 | Sets the visible ray length. |
| Ray Opacity | 0–1 | Sets how transparent the ray appears. Use Assign modulation to choose a source. |
| Rotation Speed | -0.1–0.1 | Sets how quickly rotation changes or moves. |
Magnetic Loops
| Setting | Available values | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Enable Loops | On / Off | Turns loops on or off. |
| Loop Count | 1–24 | Sets how many visible elements are drawn. |
| Max Height | 0.2–3 | Sets the visible max height. |
| Animation Speed | 0.1–5 | Sets how quickly animation changes or moves. |
| Loop Color | Color | Sets the loop color. |
Protoplanetary Disc
| Setting | Available values | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Enable Disc | On / Off | Turns disc on or off. |
| Inner Radius | 1.05–3 | Sets the visible inner radius. |
| Outer Radius | 2–8 | Sets the visible outer radius. |
| Vertical Thickness | 0–3 | Sets the visible vertical thickness. |
| Dust Grain Size | 0.02–0.8 | Sets the visible dust grain size. |
Disc Appearance
| Setting | Available values | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Disc Opacity | 0–1 | Sets how transparent the disc appears. |
| Disc Brightness | 0–5 | Sets the visible strength of disc brightness. |
| Inner Heat Color | Color | Sets the inner heat color. |
| Mid-Disc Color | Color | Sets the mid-disc color. |
| Outer Dust Color | Color | Sets the outer dust color. |
Disc Motion
| Setting | Available values | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Master Orbit Ratio | 0–2 | Sets the master orbit ratio of the visible composition. |
| Vortex Tightness | 0–8 | Controls the strength of the swirling motion. |
| Gas Turbulence | 0.1–4 | Sets how irregular or unpredictable the gas turbulence appears. |
| Spiral Bands | 1–12 | Sets how many spiral bands form the disc. |
| Audio Response | 0–2 | Sets how strongly the disc brightens and glows with the music, with 0 ignoring the audio. Available when Enable Disc is on. |
Disc Lighting
| Setting | Available values | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Starlight Response | 0–3 | Sets how brightly the star's light illuminates the disc's dust, especially the inner part closest to the star. Available when Enable Disc is on. |
| Dust Scattering | 0–2 | Adds a bright glint to dust on the side of the disc facing the camera, so higher values make the disc flare up where it catches the starlight. Available when Enable Disc is on. |
| Underside Shadow | 0–1 | Sets how dark the disc's underside appears, from 0 (lit like the top) to 1 (fully shadowed). Available when Enable Disc is on. |
Audio Visualizer
| Setting | Available values | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Enable Audio Ring | On / Off | Turns audio ring on or off. |
| Ring Radius | 0.8–3 | Sets the visible ring radius. |
| Wave Amplitude | 0–3 | Controls the distance of the motion from its resting position. |
| Ring Color | Color | Sets the ring color. |
| Ring Opacity | 0–1 | Sets how transparent the ring appears. |
| Waveform Mode | On / Off | Turns waveform mode on or off. |
| Enable Echoes | On / Off | Turns echoes on or off. |
| Echo Count | 0–8 | Sets how many visible elements are drawn. |
| Echo Speed | 0–0.3 | Sets how quickly echo changes or moves. |
| Echo Decay | 0.8–0.999 | Sets how long echo decay remains visible. |
Environment
| Setting | Available values | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Enable Space Cubemap | On / Off | Turns space cubemap on or off. |
| Enable Stars | On / Off | Turns stars on or off. |
| Star Count | 0–5000 | Sets how many visible elements are drawn. |
| Star Speed | 0–2 | Sets how quickly star changes or moves. |
| Star Size | 0.1–3 | Sets the visible star size. |
| Random Seed | 0–99999999 | Sets how irregular or unpredictable the random seed appears. |
Camera
| Setting | Available values | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| View | FRONT, TOP, ISOMETRIC, SOLAR ORBIT, PLANET ORBIT, CORONA | Chooses the view mode or style. |
| Auto Camera | On / Off | Advances through the available eased camera views using the current BPM. |
| Beats Per View | 1–32 beats | Holds each view for this many beats before beginning the next camera move. |
| Remaining | Live readout | Counts down the current hold and previews the next camera view. |
| Camera Distance | 5–60 | Sets how far the camera sits from the subject. |
| Elevation | -89°–89° | Tilts the camera up or down around the star, from looking up from below at -89° to looking straight down from above at 89°. |
| Auto Rotate | On / Off | Turns auto rotate on or off. |
| Rotation Speed | -2–2 | Sets how quickly rotation changes or moves. |
Post-Processing Fx
| Setting | Available values | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Enable Post Fx | On / Off | Turns post fx on or off. |
| Chromatic Aberration | 0–0.03 | Adds red and blue color fringing toward the edges of the picture, as if from a cheap lens, with 0 turning it off. Available when Enable Post FX is on. |
Bloom
| Setting | Available values | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Bloom Intensity | 0–3 | Sets the visible bloom intensity. Use Assign modulation to choose a source. |
| Bloom Threshold | 0–1 | Sets the level that must be crossed before bloom appears. |
| Bloom Spread | 0–1 | Controls how far elements separate from the center or from one another. |
Halo
| Setting | Available values | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Halo Tint | Color | Sets the halo tint. |
| Halo Intensity | 0–3 | Sets the visible halo intensity. |
| Halo Size | 0.5–3 | Sets the visible halo size. |
Lens Flares
| Setting | Available values | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Enable Lens Flare | On / Off | Turns lens flare on or off. |
| Lens Intensity | 0–3 | Sets the visible lens intensity. |
| Lens Threshold | 0–1 | Sets the level that must be crossed before lens appears. |
| Ghost Count | 1–8 | Sets how many visible elements are drawn. |
| Ghost Spacing | 0.05–0.5 | Sets the spacing between visible elements. |
| Ghost Attenuation | 1–50 | Sets how quickly lens flare ghosts fade out away from the center of the screen, so higher values keep them near the middle. Available when Enable Post FX is on. |
| Lens Resolution | 1–8 | Trades visual detail against performance. |
Audio Reactivity
| Setting | Available values | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Master Gain | 0–3 | Sets how strongly the input signal affects master. |
| Bass Intensity | 0–3 | Sets the visible bass intensity. |
| Mid Intensity | 0–3 | Sets the visible mid intensity. |
| High Intensity | 0–3 | Sets the visible high intensity. |
| Smoothing | 0.01–0.8 | Balances immediate audio response against steadier motion. |
| Ray Shimmer | 0–3 | Sets how strongly the coronal rays brighten and flicker with the music, so 0 leaves them steady and higher values make them pulse. Visible when Enable Rays is on. Use Assign modulation to choose a source. |
Some controls appear only after you enable a related mode or style. The settings panel always reflects the options available for the current selection.
Tips for a better audio visualization
- Use bass for the largest orbital or camera motion and highs for stars, sparks, or glow accents.
- Try assigning Bass to Energy Output, then compare Mid, High, and Volume while the demo track plays. The slider's live fill shows the signal reaching that control.