Bitwig V1.2 Beta - Linnstrument Support Added?

[n6smith]

While I understand that Bitwig Studio is including MPE support in their latest beta......

What does the additional and separate "Linnstument Support" consist of and mean in reality?

The following additional features can be found in Bitwig Studio 1.2 Beta as well:
• Device Inspector
• Delay-4
• Expandable Clip Height
• High-DPI and Retina Display Support • Jack Support + Jack Transport
• Poly to Mono Modulation Mappings
• Pressure Note Expression
• Roger Linn "LinnStrument" Support • Roli "Seaboard” Support

[Roger_Linn]

Hi n6smith,

It means that the sound generators in Bitwig Studio 1.2 will permit voice-per-channel operation, which means that when used with LinnStrument Channel-Per-Note mode, you'll get fully polyphonic 3-dimensional expression as demonstrated in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTj6hQX9y9E

However, there's more good news. Starting in the next week or two, I'll be sending every current and future LinnStrument owner a free license for Bitwig 8-track, a limited but highly functional version of Bitwig Studio.

If anyone hasn't registered his LinnStrument on our site, please do so so that I'll be able to send you your free license.

[n6smith]

Roger,

Thank you as always for the quick response...

However....

Firstly, I'm still not sure what the difference is between MPE implementation and Linnstrument Support? (or Seaboard.. unless that support is different in some way?) Is there something specific to the Linnstrument that this support adds or provides for, that MPE implementation on another controller doesn't?

Aren't they in essence, one and the same thing?

Or.... am I missing something? (which wouldn't surprise me at in the least!

and secondly,

The news about the 8 Track version of Bitwig, is truly welcome here.... as that would give me time to test out Bitwig and see if it meets some of my needs. I am a long time Logic User but I do dabble with other DAWs from time to time, like DP and Live.. but Logic always ends up being my first choice.

Finally, a sincere thanks.. and much respect for the level of support you (and Geert) provide here and elsewhere.. If only other companies got the same 'clue' and realized its this kind of support that creates real brand loyalty and honest 'word of mouth' recommendations to others.

Cheers..

Nigel

[thetechnobear]

MPE is not specific to the Linnstrument... it is also support by Eigenharps, Madrona Labs Soundplane and Continuum (in beta)

Ive been testing that 1.2 BWS (since the closed beta 1) with Eigenharps and Soundplane, and works it exactly the same way for all controllers. Ive also written the relevant controllers scripts for these to also be 'auto detected' and so they can be supplied with 1.2. ( this is probably why they currently list linnstrument/seaboard)

However, Ive not supplied these controller scripts to BWS yet, as they many need to change in light of significant issues with BWS and MPE.
which include:

a) BWS does not recognise the MPE initialise, nor the pitch bend range MPE messages (later more significant)
b) MPE only works with the built-in instruments, not VSTs (e.g. ML Aalto supports MPE) nor external midi (Axoloti supports MPE)

these issues both reported in the first beta (within hours or its release ) , and are both confirmed.
however as you can imagine they are lower on the priority list for fixing than other issues that affect more users (understandably), so its unclear if they will be addressed in 1.2 or a future release. (its looking likely it will be after 1.2, but there is no official statement)

so currently... BWS is looking good for the future, but its MPE implementation is 'limited' for all controllers (including the linnstrument) for the time being.

to end on a positive note, it is great with polysynth

[Roger_Linn]

Hi n6smith,

Regarding the difference between MPE (Multidimensional Polyphonic Expression) and LinnStrument support, MPE is merely an emerging standard for voice-per-channel operation, in which:

1) the expressive controller (LinnStrument, Seaboard, Continuum, etc.) sends each note on a separate MIDI channel, and
2) each voice of the expressive sound generator (Logic synths, Cubase synths, U-he synths, etc.) receives on a separate MIDI channel.

The advantage of voice-per-channel operation is polyphonic expression, meaning that each of multiple simultaneous touches gets 3 dimensions of continuous expression (for example, note loudness, pitch and timbre) without affecting the 3 dimensions of the other touches. By sending each touch over a separate MIDI channel, this overcomes MIDI's limitation that pitch bend and control change messages must apply to all notes on a MIDI channel.

A variety of synths already support voice-per-channel operation, permitting polyphonic 3D expression, but you must manually define in both the controller and the synth the per-note channels, the main channel (over which messages common to all voices are sent), the bend range, the CC used for Y-axis control and more. The goal of the MPE standard is to make all of this automatic. For example, you would only need to select MPE mode in your controller and all necessary settings in both the controller and synth would be set up automatically.

The problem is that since Geert wrote the original MPE proposal months ago, some new companies joined the committee that is refining it and preferred different ways of doing things. So the details of MPE are not yet agreed upon by the group that is creating it and they likely won't be decided until the January 2016 NAMM show. So MPE is currently a moving target and any current implementations (LinnStrument, Bitwig, Aalto, etc.) will require a simple software update to work with final MPE-compatible devices. Also, the name MPE will likely change to "Expressive MIDI".

The key point here is that you don't need MPE to achieve polyphonic 3D expression. You only need a controller and synth that both support voice-per-channel operation. The eventual MPE standard will just make the setup easier. LinnStrument has supported voice-per-channel operation since its introduction by virtue of its channel-per-note mode. And on the Recommended Sound Generators page on our site, we list a number of synths that already support voice-per-channel operation, including most of the built-in synths in Logic, Cubase, Bitwig and more, plus U-He's synths, Aalto, some iPad synths and more.

[n6smith]

Technobear and Roger,

Thanks to both of you for helping me understand this further.. I truly appreciate the time you both took, to do so....

I have now. as they say...... 'got a clue'

On a side note, I was disappointed that the LPX version of Alchemy doesn't support MPE.. Seems like a missed opportunity to me...

On top of that it seems they removed Poly Aftertouch too.... and I don't understand why at all!

Thanks also technobear for the info on the Bitwig's implementation of MPE and it's limitations... currently...

Strange they didn't provide for MPE support for 3rd party plugins at this stage.. but hopefully later...

Anyhow.. thanks again to you both...

Cheers..

Nigel

[BobDog]

Hi Guy,

I just tried Bigwig 1.2 polysynth and my Linnstrument.

Mapping timbre and pressure works perfectly but the pitchbend range is wrong.

When I select MPE mode on the linnstrument it switches to 24 but it sounds like Bitwig is using 48. For the life of me I cannot find anything about setting PB range in polysynth.

Am I doing something stupid?

[Roger_Linn]

Nothing stupid on your part, Bobdog. Bitwig oddly doesn't permit the pitch bend range to be changed from a fixed +/- 24 semitones. You'll need to set LinnStrument's Bend Range to 48 by holding down the +/- 24 pad and adjusting it to 48.

Bitwig claims MPE implementation but it's really just permitting voice-per-channel operation. MPE hasn't even been decided yet and will likely be called "Expressive MIDI", and is really only a plug-and-play implementation of voice-per-channel in the synth and channel-per-note in the controller to match, which are the truly important parts and the difficult parts to implement. So in Bitwig and LinnStrument, you'll need to set up your per-note channels, pitch bend range, sending pressure using channel pressure and sending y-Axis on CC74.

[BobDog]

Hi Roger,

Super, thanks for the info.

I didn't know that I could go above 24 on the Linnstrument!

All the best

Andy

[thetechnobear]

Bitwig claims MPE implementation but it's really just permitting voice-per-channel operation.

worst than that, BWS misinterpreted the spec... they assume (for some bizarre reason) that the DAW told the controller what pitchbend range to use. go check the control script, if you don't believe me... you'll see it is sending the specified CCs to the linnstrument rather than acting on it.
(amusingly this incorrect behaviour is what is meant by linnstrument support... as it is different from the roli seaboard support, which is also wrong, but in a slightly different way )

I pointed this, and many other issues out to them on the first day of 1.2 beta 1 release - they said they would look into it, they never did, and whenever I chased them (after each beta release) they just told me... we are only looking at critical bugs/crashes so no time for this.
so I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for this to be resolved.

frankly, it looks like they did a quick hack ( if I'm generous because mpe is a draft) and then lost interest... dreadful programming/qa attitude - if your going to do something, do it properly or not at all !

(p.s. no, you cant fix it by updating the control script, it needs an api changes)

[48cube]

It seems that Linnstrument via USB is not working in Linux version of Bitwig at all. It is seen by Bitwig in the list of connected MIDI controllers but that's it. It can't get 'detected' and if added manually it's not sending anything. I've even tried to route it through virtual MIDI thru port, nothing works. In other Linux apps Linnstrument works as expected. I guess I'll post a bug at Bitwig.