Groove Machine – Pressure Project 3
Posted: November 5, 2026 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentFor my visual synth, I wanted to create two compositions that represented different vibes. My intention was to have the visuals begin slowly, transforming into a more intense visual scene as the song goes on. I was inspired by rave visuals, which have a very chaotic, colorful nature.
The first patch is the simplest of the two, and is made up of a SOP feedback loop. First, I created a simple SOP composition using a copy node. I then ran this through a feedback loop that changed various transform parameters and some lighting adjustments. This allowed for quick feedback loop adjustment to create hypnotic, circular patterns.
The second patch is a little more complex, and uses external images along with 3D shapes. The SOP composition is pretty similar to the first patch, but it utilizes 3D shapes, while also giving the ability for the user to switch between a circle and box shape. I wanted to make this patch more colorful, so I brought in some Photoshop designs I had done in the past and hooked them up to a switch, which cycles through the images depending on the speed of the LFO that controls the switch. These designs served as the background for the patch, but I also used them as textures for my SOP composition, which added more color and visual interest.
After I finished my two main patches, my primary goal was focused on being able to switch between the two in an efficient manner. I was not aware that when adding a Geo, Light, and Camera, that every SOP in view gets rendered. This was not ideal when separating my two patches, so I hooked up my SOPs and final outputs to a switch, which allowed for MIDI control of both switches simultaneously. Further, there was some nice interplay between the two patches due to the feedback loops I used, which helped to blend together the final output.
One thing that helped me with the live performance aspect was the use of LFOs rather than direct MIDI controls. During the in class demo, I realized that controlling every parameter through MIDI was not ideal as I was only able to turn a certain amount of knobs and sliders at a time. To make dynamic visuals that always had movement, I controlled most of my parameters with LFOs to ensure constant movement. For my MIDI, I mapped my controls to the speed of the LFOs rather than the parameters themselves, which allowed for easier, more efficient control. An example where this was most effective was through isolating parts of the song. Rather than continuously pulsing a parameter to emulate the bass or melody, I was able to beatmatch the parameter by changing the LFO, which let me focus on changing other parameters.
You can see my full patch and screenshots using the link
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