GETTING
STARTED.
Patchframe is a visual instrument for people who make or perform music. Build patches from connected modules, then shape them live while sound, movement, and timing change around you.
A modular visual rack.
Even with its focused module set, the Patchframe Demo is not just a preview or a mockup. You can build patches, connect modules, save and reopen your work, and use audio and MIDI input to make visuals respond to a live set.
The demo keeps the instrument smaller and more predictable, but the core workflow is there: patch something, shape it, perform it, and bring it back later.
- 1Add visual modules to the canvas.
- 2Connect source module outputs into effects, mixers, and finally the Output module.
- 3Use modulators – LFO, Audio Follow, Step Seq., or Random – to move parameters over time.
- 4Preview the result in the app, then send it to the Output window for performance or capture.
input ○ output □ cv input ○ cv output □
What's in, what's off.
The demo includes enough modules to build complete patches from still images, video files, generated shapes, lines, starfields, color correction, glitch, trails, transforms, mirrors, multiplication, simple mixing, audio following, sequencing, and oscilloscope-style monitoring.
Included in the demo.
- Sources
- Solid Color Creates a flat color source, useful as a background, mask, or simple signal.
- Shape Generates basic graphic forms that can be animated, layered, and transformed.
- Lines Draws line-based patterns for rhythm, grids, scanning movement, and structural visuals.
- Cellular Generates cellular procedural patterns with organic, evolving detail.
- Starfield Creates moving point fields for depth, motion, and space-like visual energy.
- Image File Loads a still image from disk into the patch.
- Video File Plays a video file as a visual source.
- Effects
- Transform Moves, scales, rotates, and positions incoming video.
- Crop Trims the visible area of incoming video.
- Color Adjust Changes brightness, contrast, saturation, and color balance.
- Glitch Adds digital breakup, distortion, and unstable signal character.
- Chromatic Trails Leaves color-separated motion trails behind moving images.
- XMirror / Kaleido Mirrors and repeats an image into symmetrical visual patterns.
- Mixing
- Multiply Combines images with a darkening blend, useful for texture and shadow layering.
- Mixer 4 Mixes up to four visual inputs into one output.
- Modulators
- LFO Sends a repeating control signal for slow movement, pulsing, rotation, or modulation.
- Random Produces drifting random values for less predictable motion.
- Step Sequencer Creates stepped rhythmic modulation patterns.
- Audio Follow Converts incoming audio level into a control signal for reactive visuals.
- Oscilloscope Displays audio or signal movement as a scope-style visual.
Five minutes.
Add a source.
Add Video File or Image File as a source.
Add Transform.
Connect the source video output into it.
Add an effect.
Add Mirror/Kaleido or Glitch after Transform.
Mix and output.
Add Mixer 4, connect the processed chain into one input, and connect the mixer to Output.
Add movement.
Add LFO and connect it to a movement, rotation, mix, or other effect amount parameter.
Play it like an instrument.
Let the patch run, then adjust parameters until it starts reacting like an instrument rather than a still composition.
Add Audio Follow, allow microphone input when macOS asks, then map its cv output to any visible parameter that has a cv input.
Go deeper.
Open the module reference for every Beta faceplate, or return to the docs index for Cable, MIDI, LiveCode, and output routing as those pages land.