January 28, 2026
Kicks, clicks & comment wars
Show HN: Drum machine VST made with React/C++
Sick beats vs “show us the code” — HN clashes over React drum plugin
TLDR: A flashy new drum machine plugin built with React and C++ wowed some users, but many demanded technical details: how the interface works, performance, and whether it uses JUCE or a web view. The debate over hype versus transparency made this launch a showdown on Show HN.
A new drum machine plugin called Bingo crashed the party with a wild promise: instant chaos, crunchy kicks, and parameter locks galore—plus bold energy like “drag us on your mom’s book club” if you hate it. The crowd split fast. One camp cheered “so sick,” vibing with the “insane beats in seconds” and cheeky nods to hardware legends like Elektron. The other camp came in hot with the classic Hacker News mood: show us the guts. What’s React doing in a VST (Virtual Studio Technology) instrument? Is it a web view (a browser-like UI inside your music app)? Does it use JUCE or something like CMajor? How heavy is memory? How fast does the interface load? The plugin’s swagger about “every flavor of drum synthesis” got applause, but the crowd’s spicy debate was all about performance, transparency, and whether this belongs in a “Show HN” post without a behind-the-scenes write-up. Meanwhile, the dev’s own jokes—“all snares are bad,” “shouts out to Elektron”—became mini-memes, while commenters begged for deep implementation details. In short: fun vs fundamentals. Bingo says party now; HN says explain first. And the comments? Pure percussion warfare.
Key Points
- •Bingo is a drum machine plugin featuring analog-style and modern digital synthesis (physical modeling, noise sculpting, FM).
- •It includes a 64-step sequencer with per-step parameter locks and features like ratcheting, clock dividers, probability, and variable track lengths.
- •Users can import WAV, AIFF, or MP3 samples, and a curated sample library ships with the plugin.
- •Modulation includes 8 global LFOs with nine waveforms and 8 assignable macro controls that can be mapped across tracks and exposed to a DAW.
- •Per-track FX chains and a sequencable master FX chain enable extensive effects processing, with parameter-lockable FX per step.