Formula reference

Values run from 0 to 1. This page lists everything a formula can use. In the app, Formula reference… in the clip editor shows the same list. For a gentler start, see Moving with the music.

Operators

+ - * / % ^, comparisons (which give 1 or 0), && || !, and c ? a : b. Colors accept + - * / component by component.

Variables

Name	Meaning
`x`, `y`	Position in the track's group. Centered at 0.5; the longest side spans 0 to 1, with the same units on both axes.
`rigx`, `rigy`	Position across the whole rig, shared by every track; unaffected by effects.
`i`	A fixture's position in the group, from 0 to just under 1.
`index`	Its position as a count: 0, 1, 2, …
`count`	The number of fixtures in the group.
`beat`	The global beat counter.
`bar`	The global bar counter (`beat / 4`).
`clipbeat`	Beats since this clip launched.
`time`	Seconds since the engine started.
`bass`	Audio level below 150 Hz, 0 to 1.
`mid`	Audio level from 150 Hz to 2 kHz, 0 to 1.
`high`	Audio level above 2 kHz, 0 to 1.
`level`	Overall audio level, 0 to 1.
`kick`	1 on each detected kick drum, fading out.
`pi`, `tau`	π and 2π.

Colors

Function	Gives
`rgb(r, g, b)`	A color from components 0 to 1.
`hsv(h, s, v)`	A color from hue in turns, saturation and value; hue wraps every 1.
`red(color)`, `green(color)`, `blue(color)`	One component of a color, as a number for another lane.
`gradient(t, c1, c2, …)`	The color at `t` from 0 (`c1`) to 1 (the last), blended in RGB.
`huegradient(t, c1, c2, …)`	Like `gradient`, blending around the color wheel the short way, so colors stay saturated.
`pick(t, c1, c2, …)`	One of the colors, each taking an equal share of 0 to 1, without blending.

Hex colors #fff and #ff8800 also work. mix, clamp, smooth, env and delay accept colors too. Conditions must be numbers, and both branches of a conditional must have the same type.

History

Function	Gives
`smooth(beats, value)`	Exponential smoothing: it reaches 63 % of a change after `beats`, and 95 % after three times as long. 0 bypasses it.
`env(attack, release, value)`	An envelope: rises toward `value` like `smooth` over `attack` beats, and falls over `release`. 0 follows at once, so `env(0, 1, kick)` jumps up on each kick and fades over a beat.
`delay(beats, value)`	The value from `beats` ago, up to 16. Holds the first value while history fills; zero or negative passes the input through.

Waves and shapes

Function	Gives
`sine(p)`	A smooth wave, one cycle per 1.0, going 0 → 1 → 0.
`tri(p)`	A triangle wave.
`saw(p)`	A rising ramp.
`square(p[, duty])`	On or off; on for the first `duty` (default 0.5) of each cycle.
`decay(p, rate)`	A hit on each whole number that fades out.
`curve(p, t0, v0, t1, v1, …)`	The value at `p` along a line through the points `(t, v)`.
`scurve(p, t0, v0, …)`	Like `curve`, with smooth easing between the points.

Randomness and noise

Function	Gives
`random(seed)`	A fixed random value for each seed, e.g. `random(index)`.
`noise(p)`	A smooth random wander.
`noise3(x, y, z)`	Smooth spatial noise, 0 to 1. Animate `z` for evolving clouds.
`plasma(x, y, phase)`	Interfering spatial waves, 0 to 1. `phase` is in cycles.

Choosing and limiting

Function	Gives
`if(c, a, b)`	`a` if `c` is not zero, otherwise `b`. Also `c ? a : b`.
`mix(a, b, t)`	A blend from `a` to `b`.
`clamp(v, lo, hi)`	`v` limited to a range.
`step(edge, v)`	0 below `edge`, 1 from it.
`smoothstep(e0, e1, v)`	A smooth 0 → 1 between `e0` and `e1`.
`min(a, b)`, `max(a, b)`	The smaller or larger of two values.

Math

Function	Gives
`sin(v)`, `cos(v)`, `tan(v)`	Trigonometry in radians.
`pow(a, b)`	`a` to the power `b`.
`abs(v)`	Absolute value.
`floor(v)`, `ceil(v)`, `round(v)`	Round down, up or to the nearest integer.
`fract(v)`	The fractional part.
`sqrt(v)`, `exp(v)`, `log(v)`	Square root, `e` to the `v`, and natural logarithm.

Helpers' own functions

The Noise helper writes with plasma(x, y, phase) and noise3(x, y, z); the older noise(p) keeps its one-dimensional wander.