What can we realistically expect in Bitwig v2.4?

[Quack Quack]

Other than that I would really like a step sequencer, and the most important to me: gui improvements. I just can't handle this GUI at the moment. It's terrible and slow.

I have a ton of songs in Bitwig that I'm slowly working through but it's a painful experience. I won't be upgrading till the GUI is fixed that much is for sure.

I'm really annoyed with the DAWs I use ATM.

FLStudio 20 has all kinds of issues and it is extremely poorly designed IMO..somehow it's still fun to use when it works and you don't have to dig around for simple options.

Studio One is pretty good all around, but its new step sequencer (the only worthwhile feature in version 4 imo) is a nightmare and super buggy.

Bitwig 2 is amazing except the GUI is unbearably slow.

Right now I basically ask myself...which of these three annoys me the least today? I will use that.

A step sequencer would great and all these groove requests would be awesome. Sounds like Stuiod 1 for you lol.

[antic604]

Right now I basically ask myself...which of these three annoys me the least today? I will use that.

I'm afraid that's pretty much true for any software, not only DAWs.

Regarding Bitwig's GUI? I'm assuming you're on OSX? Have you tried running Bitwig in low resolution mode - I hear this helps

[xbitz]

^^^ if u can try Logic, it has numerous minor flaws (no session clips, and its modulation system knows only the basics) but generally it's quite useful and well designed system (for ex. the one click track freezing in/out is lovely in it ), for more ... http://www.admiralbumblebee.com/music/2 ... Pro-X.html , Bitwig parts http://www.admiralbumblebee.com/tags/#Bitwig

[SLiC]

Other than that I would really like a step sequencer, and the most important to me: gui improvements. I just can't handle this GUI at the moment. It's terrible and slow.

I have a ton of songs in Bitwig that I'm slowly working through but it's a painful experience. I won't be upgrading till the GUI is fixed that much is for sure.

I'm really annoyed with the DAWs I use ATM.

FLStudio 20 has all kinds of issues and it is extremely poorly designed IMO..somehow it's still fun to use when it works and you don't have to dig around for simple options.

Studio One is pretty good all around, but its new step sequencer (the only worthwhile feature in version 4 imo) is a nightmare and super buggy.

Bitwig 2 is amazing except the GUI is unbearably slow.

Right now I basically ask myself...which of these three annoys me the least today? I will use that.

A step sequencer would great and all these groove requests would be awesome. Sounds like Stuiod 1 for you lol.

Yup no DAW has it all (yet) but I have everything I need with BWS and Studio One 4.

[rodanmusic]

Right now I basically ask myself...which of these three annoys me the least today? I will use that.

I'm afraid that's pretty much true for any software, not only DAWs.

Regarding Bitwig's GUI? I'm assuming you're on OSX? Have you tried running Bitwig in low resolution mode - I hear this helps

Yep I've used most of the major DAWs extensively (and lots of other software) and have come to this same conclusion. Overall those 3 were the DAWs that suit me most.

Not much to do but deal with it and hope for improvement in the future.

Thanks for that link. I wasn't aware I could do this on a per app basis. I'm going to try that tonight!

^^^ if u can try Logic, it has numerous minor flaws (no session clips, and its modulation system knows only the basics) but generally it's quite useful and well designed system (for ex. the one click track freezing in/out is lovely in it ), for more ... http://www.admiralbumblebee.com/music/2 ... Pro-X.html , Bitwig parts http://www.admiralbumblebee.com/tags/#Bitwig

Wow! A lot of interesting content on here. Thanks!

[svervs]

I'm assuming you're on OSX? Have you tried running Bitwig in low resolution mode - I hear this helps

Is this actually possible? The option is greyed out for me on Sierra.

[rodanmusic]

I'm assuming you're on OSX? Have you tried running Bitwig in low resolution mode - I hear this helps

Is this actually possible? The option is greyed out for me on Sierra.

I couldn't get it to work.

I basically followed the tutorial here:
https://imgur.com/a/0P5KY

But instead of adding the code to the end of the info.plist, I just modified the variables already in Bitwig's info.plist. I tried changing the NSHighResolution key to NO and FALSE with no luck.

Code: Select all

 
<key>NSHighResolutionCapable</key>
<string>NO</string>

or 

<key>NSHighResolutionCapable</key>
<string>FALSE</string>

I tried adding it to the end of the file as well like that tutorial suggested but it didn't work.

I was able to get it to select low resolution mode in the get info window in OS X. The option was greyed out, but selected.

Bitwig just failed anyways. Maybe somebody else has an idea? I thought I had it working, but then i screwed with more stuff and ruined it.

Either that or my mind is playing tricks on me.

[rodanmusic]

I think i got it working by altering the NSHighResolutionCapable value to NO like the following:

Code: Select all

<key>NSHighResolutionCapable</key>
      <string>NO</string>

After modifying the applications .app file, I took it and copied it to the desktop.

I double checked the info.plist on the desktop copy and made sure it was set to the same value I set above after copying.

Next I selected get info on the desktop copy and it showed "open in low resolution" selected but greyed out.

Next I deleted the Bitwig Studio.app from my applications directory (I believe app cleaner deleted all the plist files and other associated files), and then copied the desktop app over to my applications directory.

Once the desktop app was copied to the applications folder again, I went and updated the info.plist key NSHighResolutionCapable to YES in the application directories copy of the bitwig app.

Then it will launch.

I'm still testing it but it looks slightly pixelated to me on the text and other interface elements.

And Bitwig is fast again. BAM

[Quack Quack]

Bitwig should patch this asap....

[svervs]

Then it will launch.

I'm still testing it but it looks slightly pixelated to me on the text and other interface elements.

And Bitwig is fast again. BAM

Thanks for the details! Working for me as well so far ...
Fans spinning has been noticeably reduced for me as well.

[antic604]

Happy to see you guys found a way to do it!
I never used any Apple device, so I wouldn't know where to start...

It probably would be good for Bitwig to - temporarily, until rendering is offloaded to GPU - expose this option in Preferences, or maybe even make it a default, if that's possible? I believe it's a worthy trade-off.

[antic604]

I'm still testing it but it looks slightly pixelated to me on the text and other interface elements.

Can you post a screenshot comparing high- and low-res modes, please?

If possible, maybe do a detailed post (a video, perhaps? ) explaining the steps to achieve it and ask @mods to pin it?

[Pyrotek45]

right now i just want the option to turn off pitch tracking for good in the sampler. I dont like having to turn it off for every kick drum i want to try out.

[rodanmusic]

I'm still testing it but it looks slightly pixelated to me on the text and other interface elements.

Can you post a screenshot comparing high- and low-res modes, please?

If possible, maybe do a detailed post (a video, perhaps? ) explaining the steps to achieve it and ask @mods to pin it?

Sure I can write up a post and include images today...maybe a video later tonight.

Thanks for mentioning the low-res mode. I wouldn't have figured it out otherwise as I didn't even know that option existed!

[rodanmusic]

Instructions for running Bitwig Studio in Low Resolution mode in OS X to improve GUI performance.

Sorry for the massive post. If you need to see a bigger pic, right click and copy the image address and then paste into your browser address bar. Thanks to antic604 for mentioning the low resolution option and the tutorial here: https://imgur.com/a/0P5KY

1. Copy the Bitwig Studio.app and paste it to a new file in your /Applications directory.


2. Rename the copied app to something like Bitwig Studio LR (for low res) so that you can run Bitwig in either low or high resolution.


3. Copy the Bitwig Studio LR.app from the /Applications directory to your desktop.


4. Delete (Move to Trash) Bitwig Studio LR.app from the /Applications directory


5. Right click the Bitwig Studio LR.app on the desktop and select Get Info.


6. Open in Low Resolution in the info window should show unselected and greyed out.


7. Right click on the desktop Bitwig Studio LR.app and select Show Package Contents.


8. Double click on the Contents folder in the Finder.


9. Right click on Info.plist and select Open With > TextEdit.app


10. In the TextEdit editor locate the NSHighResolutionCapable key and modify its string value to "NO" in all caps and without the quotes. Save Info.plist and close the TextEdit editor.


11. Copy the desktop Bitwig Studio LR.app back into your /Applications directory.


12. Right click on the /Applications directory Bitwig Studio LR.app and select Get Info. The info view should now show Open in Low Resolution greyed out and selected.


13. Right click Bitwig Studio LR.app in your /Applications directory and select Show Package Contents.


14. Double click Contents in the resulting Finder view.


15. Right click on Info.plist, and select Open WIth > TextEdit.app


16. Modify the NSHighResolutionCapable key string value to "YES" without the quotes and in capital letters. Save the file and close TextEdit.


17. Right click Bitwig Studio LR.app in your /Applications directory and select Get Info.


18. The Info view should still show Open in Low Resolution greyed out and selected.


You can now open Bitwig Studio LR.app and it should open in Low Resolution mode. The GUI should perform better. You can run in High Resolution by opening your original Bitwig Studio.app.

What I imagine is happening here is that by removing the Bitwig app from your applications directory you are clearing out plist and other app settings (if you have app cleaner). Making the change on the desktop does not apply the settings specified in the Info.plist to the application until you move it over to the Applications directory. When you do that I would guess OS X uses that plist file to generate a launchable application within their framework with all of the specific settings and parameters specified in the plist. I think Bitwig must be relying on the high resolution parameter in the plist when launching, and by changing it after the application has already been initialized by the OS, we're able to tell OS X to try launching Bitwig in low res mode while still passing the proper value for the NSHighResolutionCapable to Bitwig. I'd guess Bitwig is expecting that value to be set to YES and then is configured to automatically determine the proper resolution when the application launches based on system settings and params received from the OS.

These are some pictures of the differences. I'm running on 2560x1440 right now, but on my 5k iMac at home, the difference was only slightly more noticeable.
Low Res:


High Res: