Hydrogen is an advanced drum machine program. Its key aim is to offer technical, but quick and intuitive pattern-based drum programming to the masses. Based on QT 4, this graphical interface is very user-friendly, scalable, fast, and intuitive.
Playing the drums can be a noisy activity that is sure to bother the neighbors. Hydrogen, however, is a digital drum machine that minimizes the level of noise and gives you the power to actually record the track you’re playing.
Sample-based stereo audio engine, with import of sound samples in .wav, .au and .aiff formats. Support samples in the compressed FLAC files. This is a software synthesizer that can be used alone, emulating a drum machine based on patterns, or via an external MIDI keyboard/sequencer software. Hydrogen drum machine software compiles on Linux, macOS, and Windows.
There are several types of instruments available, including multiple types of drumkits, each with their own special sounds.
Hydrogen Drum Machine For PC Software Features
- Very user-friendly, modular, fast, and intuitive graphical interface based on QT 4.
- Sample-based stereo audio engine, with import of sound samples in .wav, .au and .aiff formats.
- Support of samples in the compressed FLAC files.
- Pattern-based sequencer, with an unlimited number of patterns and ability to chain patterns into a song.
- Up to 192 ticks per pattern with individual level per event and variable pattern length.
- Unlimited instrument tracks with volume, mute, solo, pan capabilities.
- Multi-layer support for instruments (up to 16 samples for each instrument).
- Sample Editor, with basic cut and loop functions.
- Time-stretch and pitch functions via rubberband cli. Require the rubberband-cli package.
- Play-lists with scripting function.
- Advanced tab-tempo.
- Director Window with a visual metronome and song position tags.
- Time-line with variable tempo.
- Single and stacked pattern mode.
- Export/Import single patterns into song projects.
- Midi learning via Shift+MouseClick on many GUI-controllers combined with a midi settings editor.
- Ability to import/export song files.
- Unique human velocity, human time, pitch, and swing functions.
- Multiple patterns playing at once.
- JACK, ALSA, PortAudio, and OSS audio drivers.
- JACK MIDI, ALSA MIDI, and PortMidi input with an assignable midi-in channel (1..16, ALL).
- Import/export of drumkits.
- Export song to wav, aiff, flac, or Ogg file.
- Export song to midi file.
- Export song to lilypond file.
Screenshots of Hydrogen Drum Machine Software
Hydrogen Software Gallery
Official Video Hydrogen Drum Machine Software for PC
Hydrogen Drum Machine Free Drum Programming For Windows
Hydrogen Drum Machine FAQs
How To Install A New Drumkit?
You can download drumkits via the sound library manager or by hand. The sound library manager is accessible via the “Instrument” menu. After choosing “Import sound library” you can update the server list and install your favorite drumkit. If you already downloaded a .h2drumkit file, you can install it via the sound library dialog, too. Switch to the “Local file” tab and then choose the desired file.
Can I Change The Tempo In The Middle Of A Song?
Yes you can: click the ‘BPM’ button (just below the transport control buttons) and the BPM timeline next to this button will be enabled. Now you can add a ‘BPM marker’ by clicking the BPM timeline where you want the tempo to change. Enter the new tempo in the popup and click OK. You can edit the BMP marker by clicking it again.
How Do I Cut/copy/move/delete A Part Of A Song?
First make sure you have enabled the ‘SelectMode’:
- Delete: Select the area of the song you want to delete and hit the Delete button
- Move: Select the area of the song you want to move and simply drag it to its new location
- Copy: Select the area of the song you want to move and Ctrl-drag it to its new location
- Cut: There is no real cut (as in Ctrl-X) option. Instead, use the Move/Copy action
Why Does Hydrogen Mute My Instruments?
Hydrogen will auto-mute instruments when it can’t find the sample(s) for that instrument. This usually means that the drumkit (aka sound library) is not loaded or could not be found. If the drumkit used is a standard drumkit you need to check if the drumkit is installed and download it if not (check out this part of the manual for more info). Once it’s installed just reload it and you should be ok.
- LMMS
- Studio One
- Magix Acid Pro
- Soundation Studio
What’s new in this version:
New:
- QT5 support
- MIDI feedback
- OSC support (incl. feedback)
- Playback track
- Menu redesign
- Note probability property
- Velocity automation
- Full screen mode
- New default kit: GMRockKit
Hydrogen Drum Machine Software Overview
| Version | 1.0.2 |
| File Size | 30 MB |
| Languages | English |
| License | Open Source |
| Developer | Hydrogen Team |
Conclusion
Hydrogen Drum Machine is a nice tool that can help you create nice tracks with a great tempo. Inexperienced individuals should quickly manage to figure out how to manage each feature, thanks to t the intuitive layout of the GUI.