Will bitwig ever be SNAPPY and fast?

[_TLG_]

This is all very interesting. Since Bitwig 2.x I have CPU spikes all the time. Dont know where the problem is. So im now on Sierra, thinking that the OSx problem so I downgraded my macbook to el capitan (did clean install from USB) and the same. CPU spikes. Now Im back to sierra and the same.

I can running Bitwig with no spikes 2 minutes and then everything back. Spikes, spikes, spikes, CPU spikes and GUI lags. I don't know if i hate either my macbook or bitwig more...

And NO, i don't have an old macbook. Its Retina 13, i7, 16GB Ram. Ableton works like harm on this setup..

BTW I have an DELL e6430 (2012), Windows 10 and Bitwig works fine on this old laptop.

I think it could be OSX problem.. I mean, Bitwig have some problems with OSX..? I dont know..

[jtmeag4]

This is all very interesting. Since Bitwig 2.x I have CPU spikes all the time. Dont know where the problem is. So im now on Sierra, thinking that the OSx problem so I downgraded my macbook to el capitan (did clean install from USB) and the same. CPU spikes. Now Im back to sierra and the same.

I can running Bitwig with no spikes 2 minutes and then everything back. Spikes, spikes, spikes, CPU spikes and GUI lags. I don't know if i hate either my macbook or bitwig more...

And NO, i don't have an old macbook. Its Retina 13, i7, 16GB Ram. Ableton works like harm on this setup..

BTW I have an DELL e6430 (2012), Windows 10 and Bitwig works fine on this old laptop.

I think it could be OSX problem.. I mean, Bitwig have some problems with OSX..? I dont know..

I'm having this same problem. Never had problems until recently.

[Winstontaneous]

I moved from Bitwig 1.x to Ableton Live due to performance issues on several OSX versions, looks like not much has changed in V2.

[Cyoon]

runs fine on my mac with el capitan.

[Seldome]

Yeah its huge problem with retina and Bitwig!!! On my iMac 5k 27" 4 GHz Intel Core i7 / 32 GB 1867 MHz DDR3 (Late 2015) with high Sierra Bitwig have a terrible zooming and laggy on all UI when project have more than one midi/audio tracks. But Bitwig support says what I don't have this problem and all works fine !?!?really!??!?

Renewal subscription was BIG-BIG mistake for me. Now im back to Ableton 10 and it works brilliant.

I think all macOS users need to collect money to buy 5k 27" iMac for Bitwig developer and a they can see it by yourself that problem if they don't believe our text messages.

P.S. try to use Bitwig via bootcamp on Windows 10 and yes UI works fine but on macOS NOT!

[askewd]

I started getting spikes a few weeks ago - I ended up narrowing it down to a plugin on my template files fx send.

I deleted the plugin from bitwig - reloaded it & the problem had vanished!

Bizarre.

[antic604]

I think all macOS users need to collect money to buy 5k 27" iMac for Bitwig developer and a they can see it by yourself that problem if they don't believe our text messages.

They listen, believe you (and I'm sure they've Macs to test as well) and are working towards fixing this:

From one of Bitwig's developers:

The GUI is currently rendered entirely on the CPU using Cairo graphics library. The performance problems are not to do with our use of Java at all but just the shear number of pixels that have to be painted by the CPU and some areas where we haven't optimized the painting as much as we could (by reducing the painting to just the areas that needs updating and not painting layers that don't need to be for example). However, we are also working on offloading much of the painting to the GPU via OpenGL (at least for all the fast moving stuff like meters, oscilloscope and arranger/note editor). This will make a HUGE difference but I can't say when it will be ready - but rest assured we are aware of the issue and actively working to fix it by making use of the GPU in the long run. So the good news is we should be able to fix this and make it very snappy assuming you have a decent graphics card.

viewtopic.php?f=259&t=498067&start=15#p7004184

[alexpen]

I think all macOS users need to collect money to buy 5k 27" iMac for Bitwig developer and a they can see it by yourself that problem if they don't believe our text messages.

They listen, believe you (and I'm sure they've Macs to test as well) and are working towards fixing this:
From one of Bitwig's developers:
viewtopic.php?f=259&t=498067&start=15#p7004184

I really-really hope this is true, because couple of days ago I've got quite disappointing response from bitwig support. More or less they're saying, everything is just fine, I'm just maximizing out my cpu.

My experience is - for short sketches bitwig is fine, however as soon as you're going to "normal work" - I mean projects with 60-100 tracks, automation, etc. etc. - GUI is getting slower and slower. You can work with it, but it is no fun... And no, I don't want to bounce down every single track. Actually I have no problems at all with similar or even more heavier projects with Logic. I always thought Logic's GUI is a bit lame, but after Bitwig it is lightning fast.

Let's hope, they put high prio on performance issue... I'll keep my license, but currently I'm back to Logic. Very pity, bitwig is such a wonderful production tool.

PS:
Support confirmed, that there are plans for GUI performance improvement in the future. So let's hope and hold the breath

[Hanz Meyzer]

The most easy workaround seems to be to switch the os resolution to lowdpi full HD. Does anybody know an app which switches the resolution automatically per app?

Sadly bitwig itself does not support lowdpi mode and also does not seem to use the system's full screen way...

I don't think anymore that they will fix these heavy performance problems due wrong design decisions at beginning. And since the support again started to ignore this problem, I pretty much feel confirmed here. Before they said they are developing on an improvement, now they say they planned it.

I assume that the planned way of accelerating some elements of the GUI only, instead the whole GUI at once will lead into nowhere a.k.a. huge latency issues, since the gpu framebuffer will have to be mixed with their weird cpu framebuffer, so maybe they wouldn't be able to display audio with low latency anymore.

[pekbro]

One possible solution, although not ideal, would be to use another monitor, say a 1080 P
model when running Bitwig. I don't know about you mac guys but I have about 3 old 1080 P monitors
\ TV's laying around, and thats only because I've gotten rid of 2 or 3 others over the years.
Not even a mac can push a monitor beyond its maximum resolution, but I guarantee you
it will still work...

[Hanz Meyzer]

You have the same effect if you switch your system's resolution to 1080p. The only annoying is that there is no automatic way to do this on start of Bitwig. Normally there is a switch for that in every app settings on macOS. The only app I am aware of is "SwitchResX", that is capable of switching the screen res on the fly with app starts, but sadly does not work with Bitwig, I guess due it's faked fullscreen mode. Also costs extra money.

I have no problem if the devs made a mistake - everybody does that. But I have a problem if the support actually tries to tell you that it's your computer's fault, and even refuses to react to sane arguments (like other 4k daws run smoothly etc.). They then could at least add an lowdpi mode to fix the users' performance problems in the meanwhile. But providing nothing at all, accusing you that you cannot configure your computer correctly... I find that pretty lame. The obviously are reading these forums, so they know.

[pekbro]

I'm not familiar with the current mac configurations, but I kind of meant setting
up an external display via hdmi or something. That way, switching over to the display
should bring hardware standards compliance into play and the resolution should
adjust automatically. Independently of what OSX wants, the graphics cards themselves
should be able to do that.

[JHernandez]

^ yup, I'm working on a now ancient Mac Pro (2010) with a Asus 27-inch 1920 x 1080 (Asus 99$ refurbished two years ago on Ebay) on El Capitan, because I find this OS runs overall faster on this machine, and Bitwig is running pretty well in regards to the complaints here. Before buying Bitwig I used a demo song to duplicated the tracks till I hit 250, with CPU meter at less than 1/2 way, the worst lag I got was a second lag on switching to the mixer screen. Of course this was using all native Bitwig devices and audio. I don't have all these issues I'm reading about on this forum regarding very sluggish graphics and cpu spikes all over the place. It's seemingly on computers with high resolution displays. Don't me wrong, it should absolutely work on them as well. Just saying, it works on this old machine with this old display.

Unlike some on here, I have complete confidence that Bitwig is working on a fix and I'm looking forward to using it on a new machine.

[Tangled Tales]

Does anyone know if the Retina problems are Mac only or if it's under Windows as well? It might inform my decision as to whether to go for a Mac Book Pro or Surface Book 2.

[ejgallego]

Does anyone know if the Retina problems are Mac only or if it's under Windows as well? It might inform my decision as to whether to go for a Mac Book Pro or Surface Book 2.

It seems to vary a lot on the particular use case/setup of each user; IMHO the safest bet is to try.