Bitwig 4.2 Beta Discussion

[wentzelitis]

Nice to see the new features, but I think the reverb was the stock FX that most needed an overhaul. I just can't get it to sound as good as any of the free reverbs that I end up using.

i do agree. but i also do think reverbs are the most easy to find alternative (free or paid) . there are so many great free/cheap/paid reverbs out there. and the stock bitwig one can be really good, too if you put effort into it and combo it with other stuff.. but yeh on its own or the built in presets are pretty lacking compared to other stock effects.

[j wazza]

Nice to see the new features, but I think the reverb was the stock FX that most needed an overhaul. I just can't get it to sound as good as any of the free reverbs that I end up using.

I don't use their reverb much but using the tank fx or feedback fx in their delay, putting in some other reverb plugins, diffusion delays, convolution, de-esser, tape, distance simulators like 2c precedence or other plugins can make some really interesting reverbs.

sometimes i use the delay 4 and put 4 different reverbs on each delay then mess with the feedback matrix so they all feed into each other, that can sound cool too, very spacey with a lot of depth. You can combine different reverbs with different qualities to make your own reverb, such as eventide blackhole's dark deep far away sound with phoenixverbs airiness, valhalla's smoothness and the realism of a convolution.

this kind of flexibility is the main plus of bitwigs devices and bitwig in general, even though the sound quality from the start isnt great you can make it sound really good and unique with some experimenting

[u-u-u]

Ok, some cool things definitely can be done using the new Poly->Mono Grid module!
This is the first time voices can have common (global) states.
Imagine building delay feedback paths between individual voices by using the "Sum" mode on audio signals. Or through summed envelopes the voices can detune each other. Also it's possible to determine the number of active voices by summing constant values set to 1.

[SLiC]

Nice to see the new features, but I think the reverb was the stock FX that most needed an overhaul. I just can't get it to sound as good as any of the free reverbs that I end up using.

i do agree. but i also do think reverbs are the most easy to find alternative (free or paid) . there are so many great free/cheap/paid reverbs out there. and the stock bitwig one can be really good, too if you put effort into it and combo it with other stuff.. but yeh on its own or the built in pre-sets are pretty lacking compared to other stock effects.

There are plenty of free and better sounding choruses etc fx as well (Valhalla stuff for example) so there isn't really any need for making these 'unless' you are going to have a full suite of top notch fx included

If that is the case it should start with reverb (and there should be convolution option like Live) as the main reason to have these 'rack' type fx is to be able to make racks that can be shared and/or self contained...without a good reverb that is very limited.

Personably I think these 3 FX are a bit of a waste of development time, another example of headlining with something not one single person asked for in any poll ever!

[Benutzername]

I think it's part of one of the most requested features: Increase the basic sound quality of the stock effects and synths. I'm pretty sure that we will see Reverb+ and Compressor+ in one of the next updates.

It's nice to have a good sounding option out of the box. External dependencies are always bad, especially if you are working with other musicians on the same project or if you are working on multiple platforms.

[tor.helge.skei]

For us Linux users - the more great built-in devices, the better!

[SLiC]

I think it's part of one of the most requested features: Increase the basic sound quality of the stock effects and synths. I'm pretty sure that we will see Reverb+ and Compressor+ in one of the next updates.

It's nice to have a good sounding option out of the box. External dependencies are always bad, especially if you are working with other musicians on the same project or if you are working on multiple platforms.

I'm pretty sure the most request features on most polls I have seen are better midi and audio editing and adding an MSEG! Be nice if they finished comping as well (midi)

I think if they were going to improve internal FX (I agree it's nice to have) they should have started with Reverb+ and Compressor+ as (for example) Live has an excellent hybrid Convolution reverb and 'the glue' compressor...I use these all of the time without having to go to a 'pop up' window plug in...staying in the rack has lots benefits (especially if you get mapped hardware control and feedback like on a PUSH), but I hardly ever use a Flanger or Phasor!

Definitely not upgrade headline material for me, but other may use Phasors all the time I guess!

[ralfrobert]

For us Linux users - the more great built-in devices, the better!

+1

I have to say I like the update. And good builtins are a godsend not only if BWS is running on Linux.

[pdxindy]

I think it's part of one of the most requested features: Increase the basic sound quality of the stock effects and synths. I'm pretty sure that we will see Reverb+ and Compressor+ in one of the next updates.

It's nice to have a good sounding option out of the box. External dependencies are always bad, especially if you are working with other musicians on the same project or if you are working on multiple platforms.

Not only are they regular devices, but they are also Grid modules. And as Grid modules, they can be per voice!

For the past hour I have been listening to a never repeating pattern of soft plucks made by 2 Tri Osc's through the Flanger+, then the Phaser+, then a filter. Then the Grid preset outputs to a Delay-2 with the new Chorus+ in the feedback path. It sounds gorgeous and entrancing... with a constant movement and shimmery presence... as beautiful as any synth and it is such a simple patch.

I already know I am going to be using these 3 FX in the Grid constantly. And no VST can be used in the Grid at all, let alone per voice!

It never entered my mind that I wanted these modules... but now I surely do!

[UncleAge]

Im not trying to make an arpeggiator, just send all 3 or more chord notes to different midi channels or midi fx

You can make the notes in the clip have their own midi channels... don't even need the Grid for that

I sent the folowing to Bitwig support near the end of October last year. It was a week before the last beta...

I am in need of a device that would take an incoming midi signal that is a chord (or single note) and assign each note to different midi channels. Or a choice added to the Instrument Selector that would accomplish the same thing. The first idea is preferable because it is more flexible.

Consider this example: Send the output of Scaler2 into this new chord splitter and split the chords into (up-to) 8 channels. Now each note can be processed individually while keeping the composition intact. Ideally, the lowest note would always be on the first channel and the next lowest note on the next channel, etc.

I won't post the whole email but I am hoping they add that device/funcionality to the grid. Bitwig did respond that they received my request. As expected they did not say whether they would be able to include such a device. As of right now I am using PIZ Midipoliphony for this task but would much prefer a built-in solution. If the grid's Pitch-In device would offer more than just high-low-default I think it would be the right vehicle for this enhancement.

Does anyone else know if some combination of the current devices will accomplish this task? I can't seem to do it.

[pdxindy]

I am in need of a device that would take an incoming midi signal that is a chord (or single note) and assign each note to different midi channels. Or a choice added to the Instrument Selector that would accomplish the same thing. The first idea is preferable because it is more flexible.

You can use a Note Selector.
Add a Channel Map device on layer 1... leave it at default. Duplicate the layer as many times as desired.
Channel Map on layer 2 set 1 -> 2
Channel Map on layer 3 set 1 -> 3
etc

Set the Note Selector to Round Robin.

[kurt008]

For us Linux users - the more great built-in devices, the better!

That's interesting. My Debian machine show buggy 4.2 beta1 behaviour. Which system do you use?

[ThomasHelzle]

For us Linux users - the more great built-in devices, the better!

That's interesting. My Debian machine show buggy 4.2 beta1 behaviour. Which system do you use?

It's a beta, send those bugs to beta@bitwig.com so they can be fixed!
That is what the beta is for...

Cheers,

Tom

[foosnark]

Not only are they regular devices, but they are also Grid modules. And as Grid modules, they can be per voice!

Mmm, polyphonic flanger following the notes does seem like it'd be pretty fantastic, a nice little resonator.

Polyphonic reverb not as much I don't think there's too much advantage there unless using an unusual reverb (something like Make Noise Erbe-Verb) for esoteric sound design stuff.

[UncleAge]

I am in need of a device that would take an incoming midi signal that is a chord (or single note) and assign each note to different midi channels. Or a choice added to the Instrument Selector that would accomplish the same thing. The first idea is preferable because it is more flexible.

You can use a Note Selector.
Add a Channel Map device on layer 1... leave it at default. Duplicate the layer as many times as desired.
Channel Map on layer 2 set 1 -> 2
Channel Map on layer 3 set 1 -> 3
etc

Set the Note Selector to Round Robin.

Thanks pdxindy. Almost works. If the number of notes in the chord are equal to or greater than the number of layers then it works. However, it starts to round-robin the layers if the number of notes in the incoming chord are less than the number of layers. In my situation that will be the case sometimes.

In my current setup piz-midipoliphony will adjust the number of channels it outputs based on the number of notes on the input, for each chord. And it does so leaving the notes in lower-higher order channel wise based on pitch. So I have the choice of keeping a vst assigned to bass duties (assume the lowest note in this case) and not getting the 3rd, 5th, 7th, etc. of the chord (unless I want to).

As a side note I asked the Phrasebox dev, Adam, if he was able to add that type of functionality to PB he said that he would add it to the todo list with some other requests for the upcoming update of PB. Its not difficult in that environment because PB already can assign each note to a channel. The enhancement will bypass the pattern and just output each note on a different/assigned channel. I just wanted to see it handled natively because the grid in Bitwig is so close to a solution for me.

Thanks again though.