> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.nomn.jp/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quick Start

> Get making sounds with FOAM in 5 minutes

## 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) |

## 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

These two knobs define a lot of your sound's character.

## 5. Change the Medium

Try different **Material** presets in the Fluid Dynamics & Acoustics card — Water, Soap Solution, Honey, Mercury, Molasses. Each produces dramatically different tones.

## 6. Pick a Resonator Body

Right next to Material is the **Resonance** dropdown — choose a physical body for your bubbles to resonate inside (Glass Jar, Metal Pipe, Cave, Cistern, Skull). Then turn up the **Resonance** amount knob to mix it in. This is one of the fastest ways to get a totally new sound from any preset.

## 7. Add Motion

Once you have a base sound you like:

* **Chaos** — randomizes parameters on each note (or right-click to switch to continuous LFO mode)
* **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

## 8. Try Melodic Mode

Switch the **Flow Type** dropdown (Bubble Physics card) to **Melodic** or **Harmonic**. Now FOAM responds melodically to your MIDI notes — and the Resonator body retunes itself to whatever pitch you're playing. Combine with the Cave or Cistern preset for tunable cinematic textures.

## Next Steps

Explore each card in detail:

* [Bubble Physics](/foam/interface/bubble-physics) — emission, size, ring, flow type
* [Fluid Dynamics & Acoustics](/foam/interface/fluid-dynamics) — liquid materials and resonator bodies
* [Enhancers](/foam/interface/enhancers) — spatial, chaos, drift, surge
* [Pitch Gravity](/foam/interface/pitch-gravity) — scales and ADP psychoacoustics
* [Voicing Dynamics](/foam/interface/voicing-dynamics) — mixing, compression