What is DMXpressions?

DMXpressions is a state-of-the-art, browser-based stage lighting console and 3D visualizer. It runs entirely in your web browser, controlling up to 128 DMX-512 universes over Art-Net and sACN. You can patch fixtures, build cue stacks, program effects and pixel maps, generate looks with AI, preview your rig in the StageCraft3D WebGPU visualizer, and send real DMX to your lights — with no install and no dongle.

Do I need to install anything?

No. DMXpressions runs in any modern browser (Chrome and Edge recommended). You can optionally install it as a Progressive Web App for an offline-capable, app-like experience, but no drivers or downloads are required.

Which browsers and devices are supported?

DMXpressions works best in Chrome and Edge on Windows, macOS, ChromeOS and Android, and is supported on Safari and Firefox. The StageCraft3D visualizer uses WebGPU where available and falls back to WebGL2. It runs on laptops, desktops, tablets and phones.

What hardware do I need to control real lights?

Any USB-DMX interface that exposes a serial port works, such as the ENTTEC Open DMX and DMXKing. For network output you can send DMX to any standard Art-Net or sACN lighting node on your LAN — no extra software required.

How many universes can DMXpressions output?

Up to 128 universes of DMX input and output. The number you can send live depends on your license — the free demo outputs 1 universe, and paid licenses unlock 8, 16, 32, 64 or 128 universes.

Does it support Art-Net and sACN?

Yes. DMXpressions sends and receives genuine DMX-512 over your lighting network using both Art-Net and sACN (E1.31), so it works with the nodes, dimmers and moving lights you already have.

What is the StageCraft3D Visualizer?

StageCraft3D is a native WebGPU render engine that previews your rig in real time with volumetric raymarched beams, physically-based haze and fog, true photometric falloff, gobo wheels, framing shutters and prisms — pixel-accurate to the real fixtures.

Can the lights react to music?

Yes. AudioLens makes your rig respond to live sound with beat-, band- and energy-reactive effects driven by any audio input.

Does DMXpressions have AI features?

Yes. The AI Scene Builder turns a plain-language description into full scenes, colour palettes and cues in seconds, giving you a fast starting point you can refine by hand.

Is DMXpressions a subscription?

No. There is no subscription. Licenses are one-time payments for lifetime access, including all future updates. You own it once.

How does the free Demo work?

The free demo outputs 1 universe of live DMX for private use. The 3D visualizer and multi-universe output are reserved for paid licenses, but you can build and save a full show in demo mode before buying.

Can I use it at a venue with unreliable internet?

Yes. Once the page loads, the console works fully offline. Cloud sync and purchases require a connection, but live DMX output does not — your show keeps running even if the internet drops.

DMXpressions professional browser-based stage lighting console with a live stage of moving lights and haze

Fundamentals · 8 min read

Moving Head vs Wash vs Beam vs Spot

Wash lights spread soft, wide colour; beams throw a tight, sharp shaft of light for aerial looks; spots sit in between and add gobos and focus; hybrids combine modes. Choosing the right fixture type for each job is what makes a rig look intentional rather than random.

Stage fixtures casting wash, beam and gobo spot through haze

Why fixture choice matters

Rigs look amateurish when the wrong fixture is asked to do a job it can't — a wash can't cut a crisp mid-air beam, and a beam can't gently colour a cyclorama. Matching type to task is most of the battle.

Wash

A wash produces a soft-edged, wide beam used to flood the stage or a backdrop with even colour. Washes are your workhorse for general coverage and colour states. Many have zoom to vary the spread, and the best have smooth, saturated colour mixing. They rarely have sharp gobos because the point is smooth, blended light.

Beam

A beam fixture throws a narrow, intense, near-parallel shaft of light — think tight "pencil" beams cutting through haze. Beams are about aerial effects and impact, not stage coverage; their beam angle is often just 3–5°. They look spectacular in fog and are a staple of concert and club rigs.

Spot

A spot sits between wash and beam: a defined-edge beam that can project gobos (patterns), use a focus/iris, and often a prism and animation wheel. Spots are the versatile all-rounder for texture, mid-air patterns and highlighting performers.

Profile

A profile is a precise spot with framing shutters that let you cut the beam into clean shapes — essential in theatre for lighting a specific area (a doorway, a lectern, an actor) without spill onto the set.

Hybrids

A hybrid (sometimes "BeamSpotWash") switches between beam, spot and wash modes in one fixture — flexible and cost-effective, though usually a slight compromise on each individual mode compared to dedicated fixtures. Great when truck space or budget is tight.

Non-moving staples

PAR / LED par: simple, punchy colour washers, often on the floor or truss for saturated backlight.
Batten / bar: a row of pixels for eye-candy, chases and pixel mapping.
Blinder: raw white audience light for big hits and reveals.
Strobe: intense flashes for impact and energy.

Building a balanced rig

A versatile small rig often mixes types: washes for colour and coverage, a few spots for gobos and texture, beams for aerial punch, and pars or battens for eye-candy. Buying ten of one type rarely gives as much range as a considered mix.

See how these preview in real time in the DMXpressions StageCraft3D visualizer, then learn to program your first show.

Keep reading

What Is DMX-512? A Beginner's Guide Art-Net vs sACN: Which Should You Use?How Many DMX Universes Do You Need?How to Program Your First Lighting Show

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