Chapter 8. Song Editor
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Chapter 8. Song Editor

Table of Contents

8.1. Main Controls
8.2. Song Editor modes
8.2.1. Select Mode
8.2.2. Draw Mode
8.2.3. Song Mode
8.2.4. Pattern Mode
8.2.5. Stacked Mode
8.3. Sidebar
8.4. Timeline
8.5. Tags
8.6. Playback Track
8.7. Automation Path

Figure 8.1. The Song Editor

The Song Editor


The Song Editor gives an overview of the whole song (e.g. intro, verse, bridge, chorus and so on). Each blue colored square on this panel represents a playing pattern. It gives you complete freedom to add/remove patterns to the song and to move or copy any part of your song.

Columns represent time periods within the song. While they're shown as the same width in the Song Editor, the length of time taken to play through a column is set by the length of the pattern or patterns which are active and playing during that time slot.

Multiple patterns can be active at the same time in a column, and they will play simultaneously. This allows instrument parts to be separated out into different patterns, or to add ornamentation or fills on top of basic patterns without duplicating the basics into both patterns.

In the case of multiple patterns of different lengths in one column only the largest one(s) will be represented by a square. The shorter patterns are indicated by rectangles whose width indicate their length relative to the longest one.

[Tip]Tip

Instead of having the same color for all patterns you can set different colors schemes in the Appearance tab in the Preferences.

Picture of a part of the Song Ruler used for naviagation. It indicates the position of certains bars by their number - "1", "5", "9", "13", "17". All remaining bars are indicated with a vertical line - "|". In addition, light-blue colored "T"s indicate the presence of a Tag.

In addition to the transport control provided in the Main Toolbar you can use the song ruler for navigation. This the area above the grid and right of the Main Controls. The position clicked will be rounded to the nearest pattern beginning and transport will be relocated there.

[Note]Note

Navigation in Hydrogen is always quantized. It is only possible to move forward / backwards or locate to whole patterns.

[Tip]Tip

You can also locate the keyboard cursor (see Chapter 3) to a desired pattern and press Ctrl + Space to relocate to this position.

8.1. Main Controls

Main Controls for the Song Editor. From left to right: larger button bearing the text "CLEAR" for deleting all patterns, new pattern button, two buttons to move the selected pattern down and up, two buttons to activate the Draw and the Select mode, and the button to switch between Single Pattern and Stacked mode.

  • Grey button containing the text "CLEAR". : deletes all patterns (asks for confirmation!).

  • Grey button containing a plus sign. : creates a new pattern (and asks for a name).

  • Two grey button horizontally aligned. The left contains a black arrow tip pointing downwards and the right one one pointing upwards. : moves currently selected pattern up or down.

    [Tip]Tip

    You can also drag-and-drop a pattern up/down in the pattern list.

  • Grey button containing a black brush. : enables Select mode (Section 8.2.1).

  • Blue button containing four black horizontal dots in the lower part joined by three black vertical dots at the right bottom corner. : enables Draw mode (Section 8.2.1).

  • Grey button with a horizontal black line. : sets Hydrogen to Single Pattern mode Grey button with three horizontal black lines stacked vertically. or to Stacked mode (Section 8.2.5).

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7.6. GUI State Home 8.2. Song Editor modes