1 · Download and installation
Download the current installer and double-click it. Installation runs in seconds — no setup wizard, no administrator rights — and creates a desktop shortcut. Then launch Hypnotika from the new icon.
Windows SmartScreen warning — what to do
On first launch, Windows will very likely show a blue warning: "Windows protected your PC. Microsoft Defender SmartScreen prevented an unrecognised app from starting." — this is normal and not a security issue. Microsoft treats every new app as "unknown" until it has roughly 15,000 safe downloads. Until we get there, two clicks get you through:
- In the SmartScreen dialog, click "More info" (small text under the app name).
- A new button appears: "Run anyway" — click it. The app launches.
You only need this on the very first launch. From the second launch on, no warning — Windows remembers your choice per file.
Why don't we just "fix" this? Code-signing certificates cost €300-700/year. Microsoft removed the automatic reputation boost even for expensive Extended Validation certificates in 2024 — so code-signing no longer reliably eliminates the warning. Until we have 15,000 downloads, the user-side workaround is cheaper and more honest than buying a certificate that doesn't solve the problem.
What the app does NOT do: it needs no admin rights and makes no system-wide changes — Hypnotika installs only for your user account (into %LocalAppData%), just like VS Code or Slack. To uninstall: via Windows Settings → Apps, or the included uninstaller — leaves no residue.
If your antivirus (Norton, Bitdefender, Kaspersky etc.) also raises an alarm: same reputation mechanism. Add the file to your antivirus exclusion list or click "Run anyway" once.
2 · Run the setup assistant
Five steps on first launch:
- Welcome — overview of the following steps
- Audio output — pick your speakers or VB-Cable for Zoom
- Microphone — optional, for mixing your voice into the recording
- Recording folder — where session MP3s are saved
You can change anything any time in Settings. "Skip" and circle back later is perfectly fine.
3 · Import your first tracks
Switch to the Library page (sidebar). You'll see four pools: Intro, Middle, Climax, Outro. Drag-and-drop MP3/WAV/FLAC files straight onto the matching pool. The audio analysis (BPM + key) runs in the background with a progress indicator.
No tracks at hand yet? The music sources guide lists 10+ legal sources.
4 · Test-play your first track
Click on a track in the library → the fullscreen drawer opens with waveform, BPM, key. The "Preview" button plays the track from Loop-In (not from the beginning) — ideal for testing transitions.
Set loop markers as needed: start point (where the track begins on play), Loop-In and Loop-Out (the region to loop). Magnetic snap helps with round numbers.
5 · Switch to the cockpit
Sidebar → Cockpit. You'll see the five big buttons: Intro, Middle, Climax, Outro, Soft Stop. Click Intro — the first track from the Intro pool plays.
To switch, click Middle: Hypnotika picks a harmonically matching track and crossfades over. You control bar quantization in Settings (default: 8 bars).
6 · Soft Stop
Spacebar or the Soft Stop button: the music fades gently (default: 2 s), the recording (if active) is saved. No hard cut-off for your client.