Bitwig Studio 4.1 Beta release is imminent

[carlca]

Now that I have had a chance to try the beta out, I am more satisfied than at first glance. Take the Strum device. There was no way to do that before. And it is flexible and modulatable.

Ahem...
Perhaps it was presented in a bit of a niche manner, but it did strum none-the-less
https://bitwiggers.com/presets/b0174b2f ... 1e40885de/

[antic604]

All in all I'm frankly surprised at the amount of "but we want STANDARD DAW features" posts in here. I honestly thought Bitwig was the DAW people went to to get away from boring standard DAWs. Shruuuuuug.

The point is, once you "get away" from those other DAWs you still need to do a lot of basic, boring DAW stuff to complete your project, unless you're happy to use Bitwig as a complimentary DAW and/or sound-design playground.

I've actually never seen a KVR thread about a DAW update that didn't mostly include bitching and moaning though, so no real surprise there, I guess.

That's why I'm always surprised that some people are surprised

[PhilipVasta]

But at what point are they going to address in any meaningful measure Bitwig's function as a DAW, as a workspace? Broadly speaking, the last time they did anything like that was with the release of version 2.0, which was... 4 and a half years ago?

did you forget they added Comping in 4.0, one of the most requested "DAW / workspace" features?

people seem to have very selective memories around here....

No, it's not that I forgot about it, but I wanted to avoid calling out specific features since that ends up being such a rabbit hole. I guess my feeling toward DAW/workspace features is: I know it when I see it. Sorry, I know that's vague and open to interpretation.

Not to get into a "DAW wars" thing at all, but maybe this will help explain a bit. When I look at Studio One, I see a program that, while not perfect, is clearly focused on song creation, whatever the genre. For the most part, the layout and tools it provides feel like they're there to solve a problem related to that process. They feel like they're there because the development team consulted with real people writing real songs. With Bitwig, I see a program that can be really fun and flexible and inspiring, but also less refined. Like the creators are super smart and techy, with some genuinely great ideas... but who for the most part are content to make neat gadgets just because they can, and it's packaged into something resembling a DAW.

I'm definitely not saying I want Bitwig to mimic everything about Studio One or other "traditional" DAWs, but could it learn from them? Absolutely.

[machinesworking]

All in all I'm frankly surprised at the amount of "but we want STANDARD DAW features" posts in here. I honestly thought Bitwig was the DAW people went to to get away from boring standard DAWs. Shruuuuuug.

I've never turned to Bitwig or Live before it to get away from features. That has always been the problem to me with the "'uninterrupted audio" DAWs, modern features are great, but why on earth get rid of the Event list? SysEx? Why give the most basic quantization you can? Why limit destructive audio editing? etc. etc. Only Bitwig and Live fire Session Clips that change tempo (i.e. affect the conductor tempo), Logic and DP cannot do this. so I deal with this to me anyway, nonsense notion that limited features are less boring.

[PhilipVasta]

Also can we get away from the harsh characterization of people voicing disappointment as "bitching and moaning"? I love Bitwig, but I'm not their cheerleader. I'm paying for the product.

[pdxindy]

ridiculous whinging about this release - very solid improvement that is consistent with Bitwig's generative music focus. Has me thinking about upgrading when the sales are on although I might wait another year

I agree... a solid improvement.

Speaking of generative, here is a quick test I did... 1 bar midi clip, 4 quarter notes and tossed a polysynth in and made a quick sound. Used a couple new Note FX. Mainly the Note Repeats device on Euclid pattern setting. Took no time at all. Would have been much harder in the Grid cause the Euclid pattern is modulated.

Now I can build all sorts of sequenced stuff (from structured to generative) and use with VST instruments. It's not Midi Grid, but also faster and easier.

https://dandelionaudio.com/sound/4.1beta2.mp3

[pdxindy]

Also can we get away from the harsh characterization of people voicing disappointment as "bitching and moaning"?

But that is exactly what it is... that gave me a good laugh

[Obsolete485692]

Specially boring are FXs that work only on native devices (I bet my shoes Note FX will work only on these ones) - so boring..

What size?

Well, as we can now see, I should ask the q.

I just used the new Note FX devices with Hive... so you are incorrect. They do not 'only work on native devices'.

I don't actually want your shoes though.

How can f. e. Bend work if there is no way change Cents between BW and VST?
I think only few top most boring BW note devices works for vst and that does not counts.

[billcarroll]

Also can we get away from the harsh characterization of people voicing disappointment as "bitching and moaning"? I love Bitwig, but I'm not their cheerleader. I'm paying for the product.

Most of it truly is bitching and moaning. Bitwig doesn't monitor this forum or collect development feature suggestions here. For it not to be bitching and moaning, you need to talk to the people who can actually make the changes, and that would be Bitwig.

However, people do collaborate here and help each other, and diagnose bugs together. There is occasionally good stuff and good conversation. Random reinforcement is that mythical milkshake that brings all the "boys" to the yard.

That said, KVR is almost 80% bitching and moaning. So, I have just come to accept that you have to dig through a metric ton of $hit to get to the good stuff here.

[foosnark]

Same for every note? If you wanted non-linear portamento, you could've simply draw the pitch curve for notes that required it right there in the piano roll.

Slap a modulator on that bad boy and it's not the same for every note.

Also this works with notes that aren't on the piano roll, like live incoming MIDI and the results of other note FX. So that makes it pretty cool in my book. I can't draw automation curves for notes I haven't even played yet...

[SLiC]

All in all I'm frankly surprised at the amount of "but we want STANDARD DAW features" posts in here. I honestly thought Bitwig was the DAW people went to to get away from boring standard DAWs. Shruuuuuug.

Pretty much every poll ever done here at KVR (the last one posted had over 500 responses) wanted more standard DAW features, better editing primarily. That's simply a fact...I don't think (based on this) that most people want to get away from Standard DAWS, they want Bitwig top be a good Standard DAW 'plus' the other cool stuff.

I think Live is the DAW the vast majority of people turn to to get away from standard linier DAWS, Bitwig was nothing new in that respect, just a different flavour....the new stuff included in Live (inspired by nature etc) is about as leftfield, creative and generative as it gets. It's hard to please everyone, but I would suggest the majority of people (based on the last poll) wont be pleased by more of this stuff before an MSEG or IR reverb for example...equally creative but perhaps more useful to more types of music creators?

[apoclypse]

Also can we get away from the harsh characterization of people voicing disappointment as "bitching and moaning"? I love Bitwig, but I'm not their cheerleader. I'm paying for the product.

Pretty much this. I'm a customer. As a customer I know what I want to see in a product I'm paying, especially when that product is on some kind of 1 year sub/maintenance. I know I'm starting to lose interest in Bitwig. I like the interface more than Live, I like the workflow more than Logic, but I need meat and potatoes features not toys.

[antic604]

Same for every note? If you wanted non-linear portamento, you could've simply draw the pitch curve for notes that required it right there in the piano roll.

Slap a modulator on that bad boy and it's not the same for every note.

Also this works with notes that aren't on the piano roll, like live incoming MIDI and the results of other note FX. So that makes it pretty cool in my book. I can't draw automation curves for notes I haven't even played yet...

I'm not saying it's not cool. I'm saying it's a poor replacement for linear portamento for overlaping notes. But it has its own particular and unique uses, for sure.

[fairlyclose]

ridiculous whinging about this release - very solid improvement that is consistent with Bitwig's generative music focus. Has me thinking about upgrading when the sales are on although I might wait another year

I agree... a solid improvement.

Speaking of generative, here is a quick test I did... 1 bar midi clip, 4 quarter notes and tossed a polysynth in and made a quick sound. Used a couple new Note FX. Mainly the Note Repeats device on Euclid pattern setting. Took no time at all. Would have been much harder in the Grid cause the Euclid pattern is modulated.

Now I can build all sorts of sequenced stuff (from structured to generative) and use with VST instruments. It's not Midi Grid, but also faster and easier.

https://dandelionaudio.com/sound/4.1beta2.mp3

nice gentle piece - just the sort of thing I like doing as well. I prefer a lot of dedicated simple to use and understand midi modules, like here, rather than building from scratch like in Loomer Architect (which is useless for me).

[pdxindy]

How can f. e. Bend work if there is no way change Cents between BW and VST?
I think only few top most boring BW note devices works for vst and that does not counts.

Perhaps you should download the beta and try it before declaring what it does and doesn't do.

I just used Bend in front of u-he Hive and it worked.