Trigonometric continuous-variable gate primitives have been benchmarked using trapped ions, demonstrating a significant step forward in hybrid continuous-discrete-variable quantum processors. These gate sets utilize periodic functions of oscillator quadratures as elementary operations, enabling more compact and efficient variational quantum algorithms. By leveraging the direct representation of bosonic degrees of freedom in oscillator modes, or qumodes, and using qubits for control and nonlinear operations, researchers can explore new avenues for quantum computation and simulation. The use of trapped ions as a platform for benchmarking these gate primitives allows for high-precision control and measurement, paving the way for further advancements in quantum processing1. This development has significant implications for the field of quantum computing, as it challenges traditional assumptions about computation and cryptography, and so what matters most to practitioners is that these advancements could ultimately lead to breakthroughs in secure communication and data processing.