Best DAW for linnstrument?

[kimmolainen]

Geert, if you happen to read this, could you please add a MIDI channel filter to these apps, à la Equator or Seaboard 5D? It doesn't make sense to have a four voice synth hogging all 16 MIDI channels; and third-party channel filters like MIDIflow block incoming clock, so I can't sync my delays and LFO's. Thank you

That would be a great addition. I have been trying AUM, which has a midi filter, but it is really hard to get it to work properly, that is 4 voices on each of the 2 splits without cross triggering. Currently playing the new Volt IOS synth, which has 8 voices - it´s a revelation, but has some other quirks that need to be ironed out. Would love to use the Moog synths in this manner.

[StyleBuck]

I want to mention, that the free Ardour and probably Mixbus which is based on Ardour are as Logic naturally MPE capable, you don't have to set anything, it just works.

I tried Ardour based on your recommendation, but I had difficulty getting it to work.

So I went with Reaper, hearing that it was one of the easiest to use DAWs out there, and it's been working great for me. I've been using it with omnisphere and audio modeling without issues.

[Tj Shredder]

Today I gave Reaper also a shot. Looks like it will be the long demanded Pro Tools killer finally... Also naturally MPE capable... Now I know why people rave about it...

[tvdv]

A somewhat unfortunate limitation of Bitwig is that the way it records incoming pitch bend messages seems to result in stepping when the performance is played back.

Here you can see a clear example of this stepping in the micro-pitch expression events that got recorded:

Screen Shot 2018-05-05 at 13.16.39.png

And here’s an audio example where you’ll first hear a two-octave slide during recording of the MIDI events, then with the MIDI events played back:

https://soundcloud.com/thijsvandervossen/sweep/s-qyVEZ

Even though you can already detect some stepping in the first sweep, it’s much more pronounced in the second sweep.

[Tj Shredder]

Please send this to Bitwig support. Yesterday I attended a Bitwig scripting workshop at Superbooth in Berlin, and I know they are working on the MPE problems. The more input they get, the sooner it might be fixed...

[BobDog]

There is something wrong there, here is a pitch bend recorded with bitwig here:

screenshot_497.png

[tvdv]

Please send this to Bitwig support.

I will once I’ve found out more. I’ve been having all kinds of trouble with pitch bend in Bitwig and I want to make I understand the issue before reporting it.

There is something wrong there, here is a pitch bend recorded with bitwig here

That looks… different.

Which version of Bitwig are you using there? What OS are you running Bitwig on?

During recording you can actually see Bitwig thinning out the pitch bend data immediately after the note has been released:

https://vimeo.com/268444348

[tvdv]

Ok, I think I found out what’s going on and I don’t think it’s a Bitwig problem at all. Rather, the gaps between the “pads” on Linnstrument make it hard for me to perform really smooth glides; the stepping actually occur when my finger moves over the gaps.

EDIT: Bitwig does make the stepping more apparent because it tries to thin out the number of events. However, as you can see from the examples I posted above, the stepping is already there in the original performance.

[BobDog]

I am on the most recent version, OSX.

As a test turn quantise off on the linnstrument and see what effect that has.

[tvdv]

I am on the most recent version, OSX.

Same here. I also tried with an USB hub in between the LinnStrument and my Mac to see if the problem was somehow related to the USB 3.0 bus which I had some trouble with in other contexts.

As a test turn quantise off on the linnstrument and see what effect that has.

I tested with all the different quantise options, and with quantise turned off completely. No difference.

I am now convinced the problem is with my playing technique. The stepping happens because of the gaps between the notes. I am either doing it wrong, or my fingers aren’t suited to the LinnStrument for these kind of smooth pitch glides. :/

[BobDog]

If you slide quicker do you get the problem? Have you tried a different DAW?

[Roger_Linn]

Ok, I think I found out what’s going on and I don’t think it’s a Bitwig problem at all. Rather, the gaps between the “pads” on Linnstrument make it hard for me to perform really smooth glides; the stepping actually occur when my finger moves over the gaps.

That's odd because those gaps are a mere 2mm wide and 1/2 mm deep, so it's hard to imagine that sliding across the gaps could impede your pitch slides. If you could post a brief video showing the problem you're experiencing, I could understand it better. Please insure that the video records slides as you normally perform them in your music and not for example extremely slowly in order to exaggerate the problem.

[tvdv]

There is something wrong there, here is a pitch bend recorded with bitwig here:

BobDog, were you using the “Roger Linn Design / LinnStrument” controller script, or were you using the “Generic / Midi Keyboard” controller script when you recorded that slide in Bitwig?

[BobDog]

Linnstrument one.

[pdxindy]

Why is a copy of bitwig 8-track included with linnstrument then? That is odd.

While it’s true that Bitwig’s MPE implementation has minor problems, overall I think it’s a very good DAW with built-in MPE synths, sequencing and editing. And if someone likes the Ableton look and feel and wants MPE, it’s the only alternative. So I appreciate their offering the 8-track version free to LinnStrument buyers.

Bitwig’s main limitation is that it doesn’t store the original channel information with each recorded note. The biggest problem with this is that you can’t play 2 instances of the same pitch at the same time, which I’ve discovered most people don’t even notice. I didn’t learn this until after I started including the licenses with each LinnStrument, but when I did I didn’t feel it was important enough to stop including it.

The Bitwig instruments work well. And with the recent update, the new Phase-4 synth is very good both in sound quality and versatility.

Also, the u-he synths are steadily being updated. Diva now has both CC74 and +/-48 pitchbend so it is working pretty well with Bitwig for MPE stuff. The rest of the u-he synths will follow... Hive, ACE, Bazille and RePro.

Bitwig is also working on the midi channel side... they know its a problem. So from various directions the MPE stuff is coming together.

Bitwig has a modulation system unmatched by other DAW's. With the Bitwig instruments the modulation can be polyphonic... combine that with the MPE and it's a fantastic playground.