Type 1 · Session View + visual graph + mappings
Your first project
The beginner project: a Surge XT track, a project-local shader, and four audio-to-visual mappings, saved as a portable project.
View the builder →Creative coding, MCP-native
An MCP-native creative coding app.
Vivid is a macOS app where a DAW-style Session View and a rewireable visual node graph live in one project — and everything is controllable over MCP, so you (and AI agents) can author, inspect and verify whole pieces in code, not just nudge knobs. Sound drives picture, picture drives sound, and the whole thing is yours to fork.
A signed macOS build, published via GitHub Releases.
What it is
- Session ViewA DAW-style timeline of tracks, clips, scenes, instruments, effects and a mixer — the musical half of the graph.
- Visual node graphA rewireable graph of visual operators — real geometry, shaders and compositing — that you build and fork like code.
- The mapping bridgeA bidirectional bridge: musical and control signals drive visual parameters, and visual state can drive audio back.
- MCP-native controlEvery operation is exposed over MCP, so agents (and scripts) author, inspect and verify whole projects — not just nudge knobs.
Showcase
All showcases →
Type 2 · Session View scenes + reactive geometry
Pulse
A techno scene driving a hard-geometric graph — a hex ShapeGrid and a solid Mesh octahedron that punch on the kick.
View the builder →
Type 3 · The bidirectional bridge
Mirror
The bridge runs both ways: the music drives the picture, and the picture's feedback and blur drive a filter on the sound back.
View the builder →
Type 4 · Creative-coding a project-local shader
Live shader edit
A woven interference field authored as a project-local WGSL shader — edited, broken and recovered live over MCP.
View the builder →
Type 5 · The curated free-plugin path
Neon
A synthwave track built entirely on free plugins (Surge XT + Cassette Drums) with a Tron-glow vector visual.
View the builder →Start with a tutorial
All tutorials →
Start Here · Beginner
First MCP-native project
A Surge XT track, a project-local shader, and audio mapped to visuals — saved as one portable, reloadable project.
Needs: Surge XT
Open the tutorial →
Creative coding · Beginner
Live shader edit
Discover a shader node's backing file, edit the WGSL and reload live, then deliberately break it and recover using Vivid's own diagnostics.
Needs: None
Open the tutorial →
Creative coding · Advanced
Project C++ operator
Scaffold a project-local C++ visual operator, compile it with clang++, and hot-swap it live after an edit.
Needs: Xcode Command Line Tools
Open the tutorial →