Hex Composer Get on Steam

A Cathodemer alternative

Meet Hex Composer. Build real-time visuals from oscillators, shapes, feedback and effects, then play them with audio and MIDI.

A different patching workflow for familiar visual territory. No code or shaders.

Get Hex Composer on Steam Try the free demo

Windows · macOS · Linux
All editing features in the demo. Demo exports have a watermark.

Blue and violet ribbons generated in Hex Composer
Chromatic Ribbons · Made in Hex Composer
Download the editable patch

Cathodemer and Hex Composer

Cathodemer organises its controls into five creative sections. Hex Composer lets you arrange generators, feedback and effects in a chain.

CapabilityCathodemerHex Composer
PlatformsWindows and macOS listed on SteamWindows, macOS and Linux
Building visualsFive sections for synthesis, sources, recursive shapes, sprites and effectsPatch chains of oscillators, shapes, feedback, sources and effects
External sourcesVideo files, USB cameras and network streamsVideo files, capture devices and NDI, Spout or Syphon inputs
Playing the controlsMIDI Learn and audio input controlAudio control, MIDI and OSC Learn, plus modulation
CRT processingVirtual CRT display with adjustable resolution and screen geometryScanlines, phosphor, glow, convergence, persistence and distortion
Live outputSpout, Syphon and NDI frame sharingSpout on Windows, Syphon on macOS and NDI with its separate runtime

Checked . Sources: Cathodemer features, NDI announcement, Cathodemer on Steam, and Hex Composer documentation.

When to try Hex Composer

You want to build in chains

HXC lets you arrange generators, feedback and effects in a signal chain. Cathodemer organises its controls into five creative sections. Try HXC if choosing the order of those building blocks suits the way you work. The signal-chain guide explains how they connect.

You need a Linux build or live output

Hex Composer runs on Windows, macOS and Linux. For an existing visual setup, use Spout on Windows, Syphon on macOS, or NDI with its separate runtime. Check the output setup guide against your receiving application and platform.

You want to try the process first

Open the CRT and feedback example in HXC and adjust its controls. The free demo includes all editing features; exported video has a watermark. Use it to test the workflow before buying the full version on Steam.

Find familiar starting points

Use Cathodemer's section names to choose a starting point for a new HXC patch:

  • Synthesizer: explore RGB waveform patterns with HXC's OSC module.
  • Arabesque: explore repeated geometry with SHAPE and its per-level scale, rotation and offset.
  • Figure: place and repeat images with SPRITE, using its Sprite, Tile, Fractal or Scatter display modes.
  • CRT Screen Simulator: process the image with CRT Insert FX such as Scan Lines, Glow and Convergence Error.

Feedback into CRT

A shape, a feedback loop and CRT effects. Each step adds to the same patch. Choose a step to see what changes.

  1. Add a shapeStart with a clean outline.
  2. Add feedbackRotate and repeat earlier frames.
  3. Add CRT effectsBring in scanlines, glow and colour separation.
  4. Add modulationMove the settings over time.

Build your own with the feedback trails guide and CRT effects reference.

Shape → Feedback → CRT → Modulation

Made in Hex Composer. Four stages of the same patch.

Download this patch Follow the CRT feedback walkthrough

Patch it your way

Arrange modules in a chain, adjust a control and see the output change as you play. Start from scratch or open a preset and explore from there.

Want to try the ribbon artwork above? Download its editable 24-second patch and open it in HXC. Its generators are included. Adjust Warp amount or Drift amount; keep both Loop seconds controls equal to preserve the loop.

Explore the getting started guide
Actual Hex Composer recording. Open the recording

Before you try it

Is Hex Composer free?

The free demo includes all editing features. Demo exports have a watermark. The full version is purchased on Steam; check the store for current regional pricing.

Can it make Cathodemer-style visuals?

Oscillators, recursive feedback, shapes and CRT processing let you explore similar visual territory. The two instruments have different controls and workflows, so expect to build a new patch rather than reproduce a preset exactly.

Can it respond to music or a controller?

Yes. Follow the audio spectrum guide to make a ring of points respond to a song with an editable patch. To move individual parameters with audio level or frequency bands, use Audio-Reactive modulation.

Use MIDI and OpenSoundControl Learn to assign incoming MIDI or OpenSoundControl messages to parameters.

Can I use it with my live setup?

Send HXC output to tools such as Resolume, TouchDesigner or OBS. Use Spout on Windows, Syphon on macOS, or NDI with its separate runtime. See the manual for setup and platform details.

Is this a Cathodemer download?

This page introduces Hex Composer, a separate video synthesizer. For Cathodemer itself, visit its official website or Steam listing. The free demo linked here is for Hex Composer.

Try your first patch

Explore the presets, move a few controls and see how Hex Composer fits the way you make visuals.

Get Hex Composer on Steam Try the free demo

Windows · macOS · Linux
All editing features in the demo. Demo exports have a watermark.