Hydrogen
No phone app
in Drum Machine Software
- Recognised40% of the score100
- Phone app26% of the score0
- Documented20% of the score100
- Free plan14% of the score30
- Free plan
- No
- Runs on
- api, Linux, Mac, Windows
Summary
Hydrogen is a free desktop drum sequencer and sample-based drum synthesizer for creating patterns and songs. Its sequencer supports unlimited patterns that can be arranged into songs, and it can also work with an external MIDI keyboard or sequencer. The pattern editor adjusts note properties such as velocity and pan; humanization functions cover velocity, timing, pitch, and swing. Hydrogen imports WAV, AU, AIFF, and FLAC samples, and its sound library manager handles downloadable drumkits. MIDI and OSC can be used for automation, and the software supports time-stretching and pitch shifting. Audio drivers include JACK, ALSA, PortAudio, and OSS. Songs can be exported in WAV, AIFF, FLAC, OGG, MIDI, and LilyPond formats. Hydrogen runs on Linux, Windows, and macOS and is distributed under GPLv2+. Listed downloads support Windows Vista and later and macOS 10.14 and later. The project describes it for home practice, studio work, and live performance. Its FAQ says there are no current plans for an LV2 plugin version.
Who it is for
Hydrogen may suit people programming drum patterns for home practice, studio work, or live performance. It also supports workflows involving an external MIDI keyboard or sequencer.
What is good
- Supports unlimited patterns chained into songs
- Imports WAV, AU, AIFF, and FLAC samples
- Exports audio, MIDI, and LilyPond formats
- Available for Linux, Windows, and macOS
What to know first
- No current plans for an LV2 plugin version
- Listed macOS downloads require version 10.14 or later
- Listed Windows download supports 64-bit Windows Vista and later
Verdict
Hydrogen offers pattern sequencing, sample editing, automation, and multiple export formats at no cost. Its lack of a planned LV2 version may matter to users seeking that plugin format.
Compared on drum machine software
- Free plan
- Yeshydrogen-music.org
- Platform
- desktophydrogen-music.org
- Sequencing mode
- patternhydrogen-music.org
- MIDI support
- Yeshydrogen-music.org
- Sample import
- Yeshydrogen-music.org
- Live performance tools
- Yeshydrogen-music.org
Facts
- Product
- Hydrogen is a drum sequencer for pattern-based programming and a drum synthesizer.github.com · 29 Sept 2026
- MIDI
- Hydrogen provides MIDI support and can be automated using MIDI or its OSC API.github.com · 29 Sept 2026
- Customization
- The project describes Hydrogen as highly customizable, with control over instrument, sample, and note properties.github.com · 29 Sept 2026
- Audio features
- Hydrogen supports time-stretching and pitch shifting.github.com · 29 Sept 2026
- Drumkits
- Hydrogen offers drumkits that users can download and install through its sound library manager.hydrogen-music.org · 29 Sept 2026
- Windows
- The project lists a 64-bit Windows download for Windows Vista and later.github.com · 29 Sept 2026
- macOS
- The project lists a macOS download for version 10.14 and later.github.com · 29 Sept 2026
- Linux
- The project lists Linux as a supported platform and directs users to distribution repositories or its Linux download.github.com · 29 Sept 2026
- Use cases
- The project describes Hydrogen for home practice, studio use, and live performance.github.com · 29 Sept 2026
- License
- Hydrogen is distributed under GPLv2+.github.com · 29 Sept 2026
- Support
- The project directs users to its manual, FAQ, wiki, GitHub, and mailing list for information and help.hydrogen-music.org · 29 Sept 2026
- Notable limitation
- The FAQ says Hydrogen has no current plans for an LV2 plugin version.hydrogen-music.org · 29 Sept 2026
- Purpose
- Hydrogen is a software synthesizer that can run as a pattern-based drum machine or work with an external MIDI keyboard or sequencer.hydrogen-music.org · 30 Sept 2026
- Sequencing
- Its pattern-based sequencer supports unlimited patterns that can be chained into songs.hydrogen-music.org · 30 Sept 2026
- Sound engine
- Hydrogen uses a sample-based stereo audio engine and supports importing WAV, AU, AIFF, and FLAC samples.hydrogen-music.org · 30 Sept 2026
- Editing
- The pattern editor can adjust per-note properties including velocity and pan.hydrogen-music.org · 30 Sept 2026
- Humanization
- Features include human velocity, timing, pitch, and swing functions.hydrogen-music.org · 30 Sept 2026
- Audio integration
- Hydrogen supports JACK, ALSA, PortAudio, and OSS audio drivers; its manual describes JACK connections with other audio software.hydrogen-music.org · 30 Sept 2026
- Exports
- Songs can be exported to WAV, AIFF, FLAC, OGG, MIDI, and LilyPond formats.hydrogen-music.org · 30 Sept 2026
- Downloads
- The downloads page lists stable installers for Linux, Windows, and macOS, plus source code and demo audio files.hydrogen-music.org · 30 Sept 2026
- Platform limitation
- The downloads page lists the current macOS release as supporting OS X 10.14 and above.hydrogen-music.org · 30 Sept 2026
Best Hydrogen alternatives
See all 20
Where it ranks on Samsung Mobile US Press
Is Hydrogen yours?
Claim it for free: prove the domain, then correct facts, plans and screenshots. An editor reviews every change.
Sources
- github.com/hydrogen-music/hydrogen· checked 29 Sept 2026
- hydrogen-music.org/documentation/manual/manual_en.html· checked 29 Sept 2026
- hydrogen-music.org/faq/· checked 29 Sept 2026
- hydrogen-music.org/features/· checked 30 Sept 2026
- hydrogen-music.org/documentation/manual/manual_en_chunked/· checked 30 Sept 2026
- hydrogen-music.org/downloads/· checked 30 Sept 2026