1. Load FOAM
Open FOAM as a standalone app, or load it as a plugin in your DAW.2. Play Some Notes
FOAM responds to MIDI input. If you don’t have a MIDI controller, use the computer keyboard:| Row | Notes |
|---|---|
| Number row (1-0) | Bass octave (C1-E2) |
| QWERTY row | Low octave (C2-E3) |
| ASDF row | Mid octave (C3-D4) |
| ZXCV row | High octave (C4-B4) |
3. Explore Presets
Use the Preset dropdown in the header to browse 99 factory presets organized by category:- Bass & Sub — deep, low-end focused
- Cinematic — atmospheric, evolving textures
- Extreme — aggressive, dense cascades
- Musical — melodic, tonal bubbles
- Nature — organic, realistic water sounds
- Percussion — rhythmic, transient-focused
- Texture — ambient, layered soundscapes
- Tonal — pitched, harmonic content
4. Shape Your Sound
The two most important controls:- Rate (Bubble Physics card) — sparse pops to dense foam cascades
- Size (Bubble Physics card) — large/low bubbles to tiny/high pops
5. Change the Medium
Try different Material presets in the Fluid Dynamics card — Water, Soap Solution, Honey, Mercury. Each produces dramatically different tones.6. Add Motion
Once you have a base sound you like:- Drift — slow, evolving parameter changes over 30-120 seconds
- Scatter — per-bubble random variation for natural ensemble feel
- Surge — physics-based envelopes that trigger on each note
Next Steps
Explore each card in detail:- Bubble Physics — emission, size, resonance
- Fluid Dynamics — liquid materials and properties
- Enhancers — spatial, modulation, surge
- Pitch Gravity — scales and pitch behavior
- Voicing Dynamics — mixing, compression