🐉 HYDRA SANITY v8.80 — Ready to Work

HYDRA SANITY is a real-time MIDI control and automation layer for Renoise HYDRA DSP devices.

It turns every HYDRA DSP into an independent HYDRA Row with its own MIDI assignment, recording state and automation target. Multiple rows can record, repeat, repair and protect multiple automation graphs at the same time without flooding Renoise with unnecessary points.

Use HYDRA SANITY when you want to:

• control Renoise automation directly from encoders, faders, Pitch Bend or Aftertouch,
• record notes and several automation graphs in one pass,
• punch automation in from ARM ON,
• keep endless encoders linked to the value currently playing in the graph,
• repeat and update a selected automation phrase with LOOP,
• repair or smooth existing automation,
• integrate MCU/PANORAMA control and hardware feedback,
• retry a pattern quickly without deleting its automation.

New in v8.80: corrected LOOP handoff between patterns, graph-aware ARM ON pickup, faster FULL/SLIM/MINI GUI handling, more reliable HYDRA/MCU focus, lighter MIDI and writer hot paths, and removal of parallel legacy runtime states.

Guide map

• Install and open HYDRA SANITY
• Quick Start
• Understand the HYDRA Row
• Choose a GUI mode
• Configure MIDI and hardware profiles
• Learn hardware controls
• Choose a recording workflow
• Retry a pattern with DEL TRACK
• Use FOL ON and CLK UP
• Understand REC, ARM, STICKY and LEAVE
• Use LOOP, IRON, Smooth and Aftertouch
• Configure repeat boundaries and STOP NO
• Troubleshooting
• Current release

1. Install and open HYDRA SANITY

Installation

1. Download the .xrnx package.

2. Drag the package into Renoise.

3. Confirm the installation.

4. Open:

   Tools > Zorgan > HYDRA SANITY

The monitoring engine starts when the GUI opens.

Recommended keyboard shortcut

Assign:

Preferences > Keys > Global > Hydra Sanity > Show GUI

A keyboard shortcut is the safest way to open and close the tool.

Optional native Renoise MIDI mapping

You can map a real hardware button to:

Tools > Zorgan > Hydra Sanity > Show GUI

This assignment belongs to Renoise native MIDI Mapping, not to the internal HYDRA SANITY MIDI MAPPER.

Do not assign a continuous source such as Mod Wheel, Pitch Bend, a fader or an encoder. A continuous message can repeatedly trigger Show GUI. If that happens, clear or relearn the assignment in Renoise:

Ctrl+M > Tools > Zorgan > Hydra Sanity > Show GUI

RESET ALL CC inside HYDRA SANITY does not clear Renoise native MIDI mappings.

2. Quick Start

Prepare the Renoise song

1. Add a HYDRA DSP device to every track you want to control.
2. Route each required HYDRA DSP output to an instrument, mixer, DSP or plugin parameter.
3. Give tracks, devices and targets clear names.
4. Open HYDRA SANITY.

Connect the controller

1. Press MIDI MAPPER.
2. Select the correct MIDI IN device.
3. Learn the row INPUT, REC and LATCH controls you need.
4. Select a valid MIDI OUT when hardware feedback or CLK UP is required.
5. Set the output role to BOTH, THRU, FB or OFF.
6. Press BACK TO STAGE.

Start working

1. Choose a workflow:
   • REC N&A — notes and automation,
   • REC Aut — automation only,
   • PLAY — safe listening.
2. Prepare each required row with:
   • REC ON for direct live writing, or
   • ARM ON to wait for its first mapped controller movement.
3. Move the mapped ENC / DEC / FAD / PB control.

When the first incoming note should start paused REC N&A, activate FOL ON.

When an external MIDI-synchronized arpeggiator must stay ready during PAUSE N&A, also enable Renoise MIDI Clock and activate CLK UP.

The four rules that matter most

3. Understand the HYDRA Row

Adding a HYDRA DSP automatically creates a corresponding independent HYDRA Row.

One HYDRA Row represents one controllable automation target, not one Renoise track. A track can therefore contain several HYDRA DSP devices and several HYDRA Rows, each controlling a different parameter.

Each row keeps its own:

• target and HYDRA DSP identity,
• MIDI assignments,
• current input value,
• recording and latch state,
• LOOP, IRON, Smooth and Aftertouch state,
• graph writer and protection state,
• mute, solo and hardware-feedback state.

The live value meter shows the current automation or controller value and keeps a short peak indication of the latest highest value during playback.

Example song structure

This structure allows:

• several independent automation targets on one track,
• one controller mapping per HYDRA Row,
• group and master-track automation,
• note recording into the relevant note-capable track while other rows write automation.

Selecting a row

• First click on a HYDRA Row selects its automation graph.
• Second click on the already selected row opens the matching HYDRA DSP device.
• Controller movement can select the matching row, track and graph automatically.

If a PANORAMA/MCU row owns the same target, the physical HYDRA Row remains shadowed and selection is redirected to the visible owner.

4. Choose a GUI mode

SLIM

SLIM is the main performance view. A row can show:

• live value meter,
• REC ON / OFF,
• LATCH / ARM ON / STICKY / LEAVE,
• target name,
• ⟳ LOOP,
• ≈ IRON,
• Sm Smooth,
• AT Aftertouch,
• MUTE/SOLO state,
• mapping and feedback state.

FULL

FULL adds HYDRA DSP OUT 1–9 routing details so you can see where an output is going, to which device and to which parameter.

The OUT helper can show:

• output number,
• Renoise track,
• target device,
• target parameter,
• assignment state.

MINI and row navigation

MINI follows the selected or currently active row. The up/down controls between FULL and MINI adjust the visible row count and navigate larger row sets.

In v8.80, FULL, SLIM and MINI reuse cached layouts while row topology is unchanged. Hidden rows are excluded from unnecessary meter and state refreshes. A structural rebuild is reserved for a real HYDRA/MCU topology change.

MUTE behavior

If the target track is effectively MUTE or SOLO-muted:

• the row displays MUTE,
• REC ON / OFF is disabled while its previous REC intent is remembered,
• active LOOP is turned OFF and its button is disabled.

After UNMUTE, REC availability returns according to the remembered state and the LOOP button becomes available. LOOP does not reactivate automatically.

STAGE control reference

5. Configure MIDI and hardware profiles

HYDRA SANITY provides three direct MIDI inputs and three direct MIDI outputs.

MIDI output roles

Hardware feedback and CLK UP require at least one open MIDI OUT with role BOTH or FB.

STUDIO and TRAVEL profiles

Each hardware profile stores its own:

• MIDI IN and OUT ports,
• output roles,
• channel routing,
• HYDRA SANITY MIDI Learn assignments.

Use SWAP HW to exchange the stored STUDIO and TRAVEL configurations when the same physical controller mapping must change roles between setups.

Shared MIDI input warning

If the same physical MIDI input is active in both Renoise and HYDRA SANITY, Renoise may write controller messages into pattern effect columns.

Disable:

Renoise Preferences > MIDI > Record & Play Filter > Pitchbend & Controllers

for the shared input.

6. MIDI MAPPER and MIDI Learn

HYDRA SANITY MIDI MAPPER is separate from Renoise native MIDI Mapping.

It can learn:

• row INPUT controls,
• row REC buttons,
• row LATCH / ARM ON / STICKY / LEAVE buttons,
• row MUTE / SOLO,
• row Aftertouch enable,
• global REC N&A,
• global REC Aut,
• global safe PLAY,
• global DEL TRACK.

CLK UP is a direct STAGE control and is not a separate internal MIDI Learn target.

Basic Learn procedure

1. Open MIDI MAPPER.
2. Select the correct MIDI input slot.
3. Press the required L Learn button.
4. Move an encoder or fader in both directions, or press and release a button.
5. Wait for automatic classification.
6. Return with BACK TO STAGE.

Supported continuous inputs

• New option in MIDI MAPPER Hydra Sanity you can invert the movement of the fader, pitchband. invert the direction up, down. For this purpose, the new INV button is used, which is activated when absolute FAD, PB is detected. *

MIDI Learn evaluates a short value sequence instead of classifying one isolated movement. Ambiguous movement remains in Learn mode rather than being stored incorrectly.

Supported button patterns

• 127 press / 0 release,
• 0 / 64,
• 64 / 127,
• Note On with Note Off,
• Note On followed by Note On velocity 0,
• velocity-sensitive pads used as buttons.

HYDRA SANITY stores the detected ON/OFF pair and does not assume that every button ON value is 127.

MCU mode and feedback

MCU-compatible messages are detected automatically. With a compatible MIDI OUT and role BOTH or FB, HYDRA SANITY can provide button LEDs and encoder-ring feedback.

For example, an X-TOUCH MINI fader in MCU mode is detected as Pitch Bend on MIDI Channel 9.

RESET ALL CC

RESET ALL CC clears HYDRA SANITY internal assignments.

It does not clear Renoise native MIDI mappings, including the native Show GUI assignment.

7. Choose a recording workflow

REC N&A — notes and automation

Use REC N&A when Renoise note recording and HYDRA automation writing should run in the same pass.

HYDRA SANITY:

1. resolves the active HYDRA or PANORAMA target row,
2. selects the matching Renoise track,
3. opens the Pattern Editor,
4. enables the note-and-automation workflow.

From PAUSE N&A, recording can resume in two ways:

With FOL OFF, incoming notes do not start paused REC N&A. They remain available to the normal Renoise or instrument path.

Other rows waiting in ARM ON remain armed until their own mapped controller moves.

Start recording with the first played note

1. Select REC N&A; the button changes to PAUSE N&A.
2. Activate FOL ON.
3. Prepare the required rows with REC ON or ARM ON.
4. Play the first MIDI note.
5. HYDRA SANITY starts playback and note recording at that moment.

REC Aut — automation only

Use REC Aut to write one or more automation graphs without recording notes into the pattern.

From PAUSE Aut, the first valid movement from an ARM ON row:

1. resumes playback in REC Automation,
2. changes that row to STICKY,
3. uses the same decoded MIDI value as the first graph-write value.

Start several graphs from hardware

1. Select REC Aut; the button changes to PAUSE Aut.
2. Put each required row into ARM ON.
3. Move the first mapped controller to start REC Automation and that row’s STICKY write.
4. Move the other mapped controllers when needed. Each row enters STICKY from its own first movement.

A separate REC ON mapping is not required for this ARM ON punch-in workflow.

PLAY — safe listening

Use PLAY / PAUSE Safe Listen to listen without opening an ordinary automation-write pass.

With REC ON disabled, PLAY-only IRON and Sm can still process an existing automation graph. They do not start LATCH/STICKY writing or create a new automation lane.

In PLAY and REC Aut, Renoise note data can still be edited from the computer keyboard. These modes do not use incoming notes as the paused REC N&A first-note trigger.

8. DEL TRACK — GO 00 — FOL ON workflow

DEL TRACK x in PATTERN y is a protected retry command for the current pattern.

What it clears

It clears note-column and effect-column data from the current target track in the current pattern.

It does not:

• delete the automation graph,
• delete the Renoise track,
• replace Renoise Undo.

If no HYDRA Row owns the selection, the current note-capable Renoise track can still be used.

Protected reset sequence

A successful action:

1. validates that the target is a note-capable track,
2. changes active REC N&A to PAUSE N&A or active REC Aut to PAUSE Aut,
3. safely changes active STICKY rows to ARM ON,
4. clears note and effect data,
5. returns edit and playback position to Row 00,
6. re-arms the first-note detector for paused REC N&A,
7. preserves the current FOL ON / OFF state,
8. preserves active CLK UP pause protection,
9. prepares the next Note On or mapped controller movement for a clean restart.

If validation or clearing fails, the transport and STICKY states are not changed.

What starts the next take

9. FOL ON and Renoise Follow Player

FOL ON / OFF is directly linked to Renoise Follow Player and also controls first-note autostart for paused REC N&A.

Use FOL ON for real-time note recording and first-note autostart.

Use FOL OFF for manual note, track or effect-column editing. Notes received while FOL is OFF are absorbed into the detector baseline, so turning FOL ON later cannot cause a delayed start from an older note.

HYDRA SANITY preserves the user’s FOL choice. It does not force FOL ON when REC N&A starts, pauses or resumes. DEL TRACK also preserves the same state.

FOL does not control HYDRA LOOP, Sm, IRON or repeat-boundary ownership. Those functions are governed by STOP NO.

10. CLK UP — external MIDI arpeggiator pause protection

CLK UP is for hardware keyboards, controllers and arpeggiators synchronized to external MIDI Clock.

Why it is needed

Renoise can continue sending MIDI Clock during PAUSE, but many external arpeggiators also require MIDI Start before they generate notes. Renoise PAUSE may send MIDI Stop, leaving the arpeggiator synchronized but inactive.

CLK UP restores the required MIDI Start state after a HYDRA-owned PAUSE. The external arpeggiator can then generate the first Note On which, with FOL ON, resumes paused REC N&A.

Renoise remains the only clock authority. HYDRA SANITY does not generate MIDI Clock or calculate BPM/LPB timing.

Signal flow

1. Renoise continues sending MIDI Clock.
2. A HYDRA-owned PAUSE may produce MIDI Stop.
3. CLK UP reasserts MIDI Start.
4. The external arpeggiator generates a Note On.
5. FOL ON authorizes that note to resume REC N&A.

Required setup

1. Set the external controller or arpeggiator to its external-clock mode.
2. Enable Renoise MIDI Clock for the target MIDI OUT.
3. Select the same output in HYDRA SANITY.
4. Set its output role to BOTH or FB.
5. Activate CLK UP.
6. Activate FOL ON when the first arpeggiated note should resume REC N&A.

Renoise Send Start/Stop may remain enabled or disabled:

• when enabled, CLK UP restores Start after Renoise Stop,
• when disabled, CLK UP provides the required Start.

Button states and safety

CLK UP sends transport messages only. It adds no second clock generator, timer, BPM/LPB scheduler or first-note detector.

An explicit STOP, PANIC, STOP ENGINE, song change or tool unload remains the higher safety authority. Disabling CLK UP while Renoise is stopped sends MIDI Stop to return the external arpeggiator to a safe state.

11. REC ON, ARM ON, STICKY and LEAVE

HYDRA SANITY separates the global transport workflow from each row’s graph ownership.

REC ON

REC ON gives the row direct permission for ordinary live graph writing.

When active:

• fresh mapped movement writes automation,
• LATCH and Release Bridge are available,
• STICKY and HOLD can own the graph.

When inactive:

• ordinary controller movement does not start a direct write pass,
• PLAY-only IRON and Smooth can process an existing graph,
• ARM ON can still punch into STICKY without a separate REC ON mapping.

Turning REC ON for a different row selects that row and opens its graph. On the already selected row, it changes only the REC state and does not toggle graph/HYDRA DSP focus.

LATCH

LATCH writes while the mapped controller is active. After release, HYDRA SANITY reconnects from the last confirmed live value toward the nearest preserved future automation point.

ARM ON

ARM ON waits for the first valid movement from the row’s mapped ENC / DEC / FAD / PB control.

That first movement:

• enters STICKY during PLAY REC,
• or resumes the stored REC mode from PAUSE and then enters STICKY.

The triggering MIDI value is used as the first real graph-write value; it is not discarded.

With LINKING TO GRAPH, REC OFF and a relative ENC / DEC, the first ARM ON movement during PLAY REC reads the graph value at the current playback position before STICKY activates. The endless encoder therefore continues from the value that is actually playing instead of an obsolete internal position.

PAUSE, absolute controls, Pitch Bend and LINK OFF keep their normal behavior.

STICKY

STICKY:

• holds the last live value,
• keeps a safe forward graph shelter,
• remains active after controller release.

Controller release alone does not end STICKY.

LEAVE

Use LEAVE to end STICKY intentionally. HYDRA SANITY reconnects from the last confirmed MIDI-written point to the nearest preserved future graph point.

12. HYDRA Row graph and input tools

⟳ LOOP

LOOP repeats a selected grouped range from the Renoise Automation Graph during PLAY REC.

Basic workflow:

1. Select a grouped automation range in Renoise.
2. Activate ⟳ on the matching HYDRA Row.
3. Start a REC workflow.
4. Edit a projected block with mapped input or directly with the mouse.
5. After the edited block is physically complete, it becomes the source for the following block.

The original selected area defines the fixed phase. The latest complete physical block defines the content that continues forward.

Empty source rows clear corresponding target rows so stale points cannot survive inside the repeated block.

Manual graph drawing has higher priority than copied LOOP content. Clearing or collapsing the graph selection fully deactivates LOOP, restores a clickable OFF button and leaves ordinary ENC/FAD/PB writing available.

During Sequence Repeat, prepared content for the next pattern remains internal LOOP data. It is not interpreted as a new manual selection, so the next pattern does not select the entire graph, overwrite it with a constant value or stall the engine.

LOOP cannot share ownership with STICKY or Smooth. Effective MUTE also turns active LOOP off.

≈ IRON

IRON repairs spikes, cliffs, edge artifacts and short graph shots while preserving the intended movement.

Sm Smooth

Smooth softens an existing automation curve and reduces stepped movement.

With REC OFF, IRON and Smooth can process an existing graph during playback. They do not:

• start WRITE IN,
• start LATCH, STICKY or HOLD,
• run Release Bridge,
• create a new automation lane.

LINKING TO GRAPH

LINKING TO GRAPH is intended for learned relative inputs: REL1, REL2, REL3 and MCU.

It seeds an endless encoder from the automation value at the relevant projected or current playback position. Absolute controls and Pitch Bend already provide their own absolute value.

Aftertouch

The global AT input supports:

• Channel Pressure,
• Poly Pressure.

Aftertouch is normalized to 0..1 and routed only to rows with AT enabled. Its input path ignores notes, standard CC and Pitch Bend. When several input types arrive in the same pending window, Aftertouch has the highest priority.

13. Repeat topology and STOP NO

HYDRA SANITY supports:

• Pattern Loop,
• Sequence Loop,
• Block Loop,
• song repeat and backward transport boundaries.

The topology buttons reflect the real Renoise transport state.

Sequence Loop gesture

STOP NO

STOP NO defines whether continuing HYDRA ownership survives the next supported repeat or backward boundary.

In both states, Renoise Pattern, Sequence and Block Loop remain active. STOP NO changes HYDRA ownership policy; it does not disable the native loop topology.

14. Automation graph safety

HYDRA SANITY writes useful automation points while protecting the live audio value and preserving future graph data.

Independent multi-graph writing

Each row has independent:

• MIDI input state,
• confirmed graph-commit state,
• shelter and guard state,
• writer runtime.

Several controllers can therefore write several graphs in the same pass.

Fresh sample policy

• The live audio runtime uses the newest valid MIDI value.
• The graph stores at most one fresh sample for each sequence + row.
• Repeated same-row traffic does not flood Renoise with unnecessary points.

Forward shelter

Before stale points are removed, Renoise receives a safe current anchor and a same-value forward guard. This horizontal shelter prevents Renoise from interpolating prematurely toward old future data.

Release Bridge

Release interpolation connects:

• A — the last MIDI value confirmed in the automation lane,
• B — the nearest preserved future graph point.

A synthetic guard is never used as the real release endpoint.

Lane resurrection

If the automation lane is deleted manually, HYDRA SANITY invalidates the stale reference and creates a new lane on the next valid write.

The writer foundation has been runtime-tested at BPM 213 / LPB 31.

15. Renoise focus and topology changes

HYDRA SANITY can follow Renoise, and Renoise can follow HYDRA SANITY.

HYDRA to Renoise

Mapped controller movement can select:

• the matching HYDRA Row,
• the matching Renoise track,
• the matching automation graph.

Renoise to HYDRA

Selecting a known track, DSP device, parameter or automation target in Renoise can activate the corresponding HYDRA or PANORAMA row.

Moving to a track with no HYDRA DSP and no HYDRA/MCU row clears stale selected-row ownership.

HYDRA DSP changes

• Adding a HYDRA DSP during PLAY uses a lightweight structural rescan.
• A new HYDRA DSP remains open in the Track DSP panel.
• Renaming a HYDRA DSP preserves SELECT ROW because identity follows the actual device, not its display name.
• Removing or reordering HYDRA DSP devices triggers the required scan, rebuild and purge.
• Passive MCU/PANORAMA refresh is not treated as a physical HYDRA topology change.
• In PAUSE, passive focus updates do not steal a valid manually selected HYDRA Row.

16. MCU_COM, PANORAMA and feedback

This section applies when the separate MCU_COM/Panorama tool is running.

HYDRA SANITY remains the automation engine. MCU_COM owns controller ports, displays, buttons, faders and LEDs. The realtime bridge is OSC-only.

Supported behavior includes:

• PANORAMA_E1 ... PANORAMA_E8,
• W.A. encoder capture,
• LCK protection,
• graph absolute return,
• Panorama ARM support,
• OSC-only runtime IPC.

Duplicate-target ownership

When a PANORAMA W.A. row and a physical HYDRA Row target the same parameter:

• PANORAMA becomes the visible owner,
• the duplicate HYDRA Row is shadowed and input-blocked,
• clicking the physical HYDRA DSP selects the PANORAMA owner,
• WA_OFF releases ownership and allows the HYDRA Row to return.

LCK is a lock modifier; it is not required for duplicate-target detection.

Feedback

Feedback can include:

• REC, ARM, STICKY and transport LEDs,
• MCU encoder rings,
• MUTE state,
• graph-following values,
• IRON heartbeat,
• Smooth pulse,
• selected-row feedback.

Select a valid MIDI OUT and set its role to BOTH or FB.

MIDI input and feedback use bounded controlled queues. Repeated feedback for the same control is coalesced so obsolete LED or ring values cannot accumulate during dense input.

17. Troubleshooting

18. Practical checklists

First setup

• [ ] Install the .xrnx.
• [ ] Add and route HYDRA DSP devices.
• [ ] Select MIDI IN and required MIDI OUT devices.
• [ ] Set each output role.
• [ ] Learn row INPUT controls.
• [ ] Learn required row and global buttons.
• [ ] Return to STAGE.

Before recording

• [ ] Choose REC N&A or REC Aut.
• [ ] Choose FOL ON for first-note REC N&A autostart or FOL OFF for manual editing.
• [ ] Activate REC ON or prepare rows in ARM ON.
• [ ] Confirm the correct HYDRA Row and Renoise track.
• [ ] Move a controller or play the first note.

External arpeggiator during PAUSE

• [ ] Set the controller/arpeggiator to its required external or auto clock mode.
• [ ] Enable Renoise MIDI Clock for the target output.
• [ ] Select the same output in HYDRA SANITY.
• [ ] Set its role to BOTH or FB.
• [ ] Activate CLK UP.
• [ ] Activate FOL ON.
• [ ] Enter PAUSE N&A and play or hold the first note/chord.

Retry the current pattern

• [ ] Press DEL TRACK.
• [ ] Confirm Row 00.
• [ ] Confirm the intended FOL state.
• [ ] Confirm CLK UP when using an external arpeggiator.
• [ ] Play the first note or move an ARM ON controller.

19. Current release

HYDRA SANITY v8.80 FINAL — Stability, Performance and MCU Integration

Version 8.80 is a runtime-tested consolidation release. It preserves the established workflow while improving correctness and reducing unnecessary work.

User-visible improvements:

• corrected LOOP handoff between patterns during Sequence Repeat,
• no invalid full-pattern graph selection, constant overwrite or related engine stall,
• graph-aware ARM ON pickup for relative ENC/DEC with LINKING TO GRAPH during PLAY REC,
• stable SELECT ROW after renaming a HYDRA DSP,
• newly created HYDRA DSP remains open in the Track DSP panel,
• reliable physical HYDRA DSP selection while MCU rows are active,
• faster and more consistent FULL, SLIM and MINI layouts,
• more stable MIDI and MCU feedback under dense activity,
• faster cleanup of large automation ranges.

Internal consolidation:

• one authoritative S.dev row and mapping state,
• one controlled queue system,
• one transport authority,
• fewer repeated MIDI target searches,
• lighter idle, GUI, meter, writer and topology hot paths,
• obsolete fallbacks, mirrored states and dead audit code removed,
• no parallel writer, MIDI dispatcher, feedback queue or transport state remains.

The full v8.80 engineering changelog and all earlier release history are maintained in:

CHANGELOG_ARCHIVE.md

HYDRA SANITY v8.80 is the authoritative baseline for future development.