[Fixed in 4.4] Weird bug: latest "Spectral Suite" update not included in upgrade plan

[Greenstorm33]

I've been thinking some thoughts and I feel like this would have gone over much better if they'd released it at the same time as a good 4.4 or 5 update. Something that includes common user requests like MSEG, MIDI comping/retroactive recording, etc. That way everybody gets something they want even if they don't pay the extra. But nope, we are months out from the most recent substantial update and days after a big sale where none of us had any idea they were going to pull the rug out from under us.

But version 4 came out in July 2021 over a year ago. If you bought then, you'd have had 4.0, 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3. That's a pretty good set of updates.

That's beside the point. This is a big departure from anything they've done in the past and it would be an easier pill to swallow if everyone with an active upgrade plan at least got something at the same time as the paid add-ons were released.

[zambal]

I’m feeling unbelievably sad right now. These are dark days. The maker of my favorite DAW just pissed off most of its users. I feel cheated, too. I am witnessing the worst shit storm ever in my whole life. People are so emotional as if Bitwig would’ve sold their grandmother. On Discord Polarity was called shill. Yes, he has a different take on it but that’s not a reason to start a “witch hunt”. He was told to better keep his mouth shut not to risk his reputation and YT revenue. Sorry, but this is close to fascism. Regardless of how pissed we are, we shouldn’t suppress free speech. We shouldn’t become the internet mob. That was just too much for me. It’s only a f*cking DAW, for god’s sake. If it goes on like this then I don’t want to be part of this community any more.

Exactly my feelings too. It was a stupid move by Bitwig and they really should rethink their strategy, but I'm quite shocked by the vindictiveness and mob like aggression of a lot of the reactions on here, reddit, YT, etc.

Don't want to sound overly dramatic, but it would make me terribly sad if this misstep would lead to the downfall of Bitwig, as there's nothing quite like the software they make.

[jclosed]

As I said in another thread. I really don't care they do a payed-for package. As long as it's a separate package outside the renewal prescription it's fine with me. It should be just like any other non-Bitwig plugin, with the only difference it's offered on the Bitwig website.

But what I DO care about is that stupid message popping up every time I boot up the program about not being in available in the current license!. It's annoying and irritating. It is also annoying, because you no longer can update your packages without going into the package manager and sort the mess out. You can ignore it, but then you never know if you got other pakages that ARE in your license! It's irritating, cumbersome and unprofessional.

Please, please, please make an seperate "Outer Spectra" package with the choice to not install it, so I am able to stop that stupid nagging. Is intruding and it simply bothers me. Otherwise make that update pop-up only for the real updates that are covered by my license.

I can only say that this whole mess has caused one thing. I am completely turned of to buy anything Spectra related. In that way the whole "advertisement" pop-up has been an completely contra productive failure.

[SLiC]

I guess we will all have to keep an eye on that Bigwig website, no idea what this means but it all just feels so underhand.... could well mean devices used in Bitwig Studio -fx, synths etc are no longer included

[kinkajou]

But what I DO care about is that stupid message popping up every time I boot up the program about not being in available in the current license!. It's annoying and irritating.

I opened a ticket yesterday because of this bug and today i got a message that they are working on it, so there will be a solution with the next update ("...this notification is actually a bug and will be fixed soon with a bugfix update..."). Because we saw 3 to 5 updates (or so) in the last few weeks in a very short time, i think it will be sorted out (very) soon!

*edits: fixed typos and translation

[Held]

On Discord Polarity was called shill. Yes, he has a different take on it but that’s not a reason to start a “witch hunt”. He was told to better keep his mouth shut not to risk his reputation and YT revenue. Sorry, but this is close to fascism. Regardless of how pissed we are, we shouldn’t suppress free speech.

You are trying to suppress free speech right now. Free speech allows people to call whoever whatever they want.

[zambal]

But what I DO care about is that stupid message popping up every time I boot up the program about not being in available in the current license!. It's annoying and irritating.

Yeah, that's annoying as hell. I really hope they just didn't think this out completely, as I can't imagine they really expect users who don't buy the add-on to live with this popup forever.

[billcarroll]

On Discord Polarity was called shill. Yes, he has a different take on it but that’s not a reason to start a “witch hunt”. He was told to better keep his mouth shut not to risk his reputation and YT revenue. Sorry, but this is close to fascism. Regardless of how pissed we are, we shouldn’t suppress free speech.

You are trying to suppress free speech right now. Free speech allows people to call whoever whatever they want.

Attacking someone personally is not free speech, it's just being a D__K.

[pizzatime]

I think they must be struggling for cash, that's why there was that uhe offer a few weeks ago.. seems so unlike how bitwig do things the paid add ons, it all seems really rushed. I am pretty pissed off about it as it seems they are using money paid in good faith to support them to then design things we can't use without paying again.. seems dodgy as hell. I think they will try to ride it out without saying anything more which is unacceptable to me, I will just update when something big comes out rather than always wanting to have the latest update.. I genuinely do feel a bit sad as I have used Bitwig like many people for years and always felt what they were doing was really special, kind of tainted it a bit for me.

[Phil B]

Attacking someone personally is not free speech, it's just being a D__K.

Well, it’s both

[xbitz]

As I said in another thread. I really don't care they do a payed-for package. As long as it's a separate package outside the renewal prescription it's fine with me...

Spectral Suite
Unlock your audio and process the musical elements of any sound.
...
Requires a Bitwig Studio 4.3 license or above.

https://www.bitwig.com/buy/

have you seen the last line next one will depend on one 4.4 or 4.5 etc., that's the hidden catch this is the root of the evil, which has build top of "Gear Acquisition Syndrome, also known as GAS, is commonly understood as the musicians' unrelenting urge to buy and own instruments and equipment as an anticipated catalyst of creative energy and bringer of happiness."

Bitwig guys try to put you into an endless paying loop...

ps. so respect to the influencers like

it would kill their future too

[BazJacuzzi]

It's still the best DAW (at least for me). Yeah, I'm sad about it, but I'd be a hell of a lot sadder if Bitwig folded. Time for me to start seeing some perspective here.

[SamDi]

As I said in another thread. I really don't care they do a payed-for package. As long as it's a separate package outside the renewal prescription it's fine with me. It should be just like any other non-Bitwig plugin, with the only difference it's offered on the Bitwig website.

But what I DO care about is that stupid message popping up every time I boot up the program about not being in available in the current license!. It's annoying and irritating. It is also annoying, because you no longer can update your packages without going into the package manager and sort the mess out. You can ignore it, but then you never know if you got other pakages that ARE in your license! It's irritating, cumbersome and unprofessional.

Please, please, please make an seperate "Outer Spectra" package with the choice to not install it, so I am able to stop that stupid nagging. Is intruding and it simply bothers me. Otherwise make that update pop-up only for the real updates that are covered by my license.

I can only say that this whole mess has caused one thing. I am completely turned of to buy anything Spectra related. In that way the whole "advertisement" pop-up has been an completely contra productive failure.

The point is, if they would charge the subscription few and deliver then proper feature increase on the one side and develop extra plugins which are paid from another income pot, this would be pretty OK. But most feel like, that they pay pretty much money for relatively thin feature increase the last time - and then they misuse this money to develop extra content, which shall be paid again.

The deal was like: pay relatively much money to a startup company to support them and getting as much features back as they are able to provide. And all accepted that on the one or other place not all can be perfect

Now they turned it into: grabbing relatively much money, promise to deliver all software upgrade, but then trying to make a dodge and change it to deliver all Bitwig upgrade, which is pretty thin the last time, and then try to grab even more as they already got.

What I don't get at all: they seem to be really really silly. They would have so many opportunities to increase their business:
-making the grid or their modulary stuff as plugins
-strip down Bitwig and offer a middle variant as entry point
-trying to make some deals with their already existing cooperators (imagine they would offer an internal synth or some effecs with Uhe algorithms licenced), alone this would attract customers
-focussing on features, users request since years (MSEG!), instead of doing authistic work progress on Fx only

But no! They try to squeeze out existing loyal customers! It's just disgusting. I guess the most hurting point is, that many fell in love with Bitwig and saw in them the underdog company and tried to support them with more money as the upgrades were worth actually and now they have to recognize, that they invested in a company, where managment seems to develop to a complete fail out.

[pizzatime]

It's still the best DAW (at least for me). Yeah, I'm sad about it, but I'd be a hell of a lot sadder if Bitwig folded. Time for me to start seeing some perspective here.

That's it, no other DAW appeals to me like Bitwig and I've invested a lot of time learning it too, I want them to keep going but still have lost a bit of respect for them as a company unless they are really struggling.

[navin.neu]

I’m feeling unbelievably sad right now. These are dark days. The maker of my favorite DAW just pissed off most of its users. I feel cheated, too. I am witnessing the worst shit storm ever in my whole life. People are so emotional as if Bitwig would’ve sold their grandmother. On Discord Polarity was called shill. Yes, he has a different take on it but that’s not a reason to start a “witch hunt”. He was told to better keep his mouth shut not to risk his reputation and YT revenue. Sorry, but this is close to fascism. Regardless of how pissed we are, we shouldn’t suppress free speech. We shouldn’t become the internet mob. That was just too much for me. It’s only a f*cking DAW, for god’s sake. If it goes on like this then I don’t want to be part of this community any more.

I cant speak to whatever happened on Discord as I'm not there, but I think comparing any of this to fascism is... lol.

What I saw was this: Shortly after the news broke out, Polarity posted a youtube video providing some incredibly flimsy justifications for Bitwig making this move. People rightly pointed out his justifications for being flimsy, and acknowledged that, yes, maybe there might be a conflict of interest given Polarity's relationship with the Bitwig team.

Polarity then responded to those comments by saying that Bitwig did not force him in any way to defend them, but that he defended them because he knows the team well at this point and believes that they didn't intend to do any harm. People again rightly pointed out that his personal relationship with the team means he's naturally going to be biased, and so for him to believe he can provide a neutral take on the subject involves some pretty impressive mental gymnastics.

I can imagine that Polarity has had an incredibly rough past 24 hours. Given his relationship with the team and his platform as a content creator he would of course feel compelled to advocate for them. Doing that means he will bear some of the brunt of the backlash. Watching your credibility drop in real time must feel awful and I feel for that.

But that loss of credibility is also not underserved IMO. If he has a good personal relationship with bitwig team, I would hope that he would use that relationship to try and reach out to them and implore them to do right by their customers. Instead he elected to try and defend actions that have left many customers feeling cheated, including yourself. He openly admitted that he was doing this due at least in part to his personal relationship with the team. What should we make of that?

To top it all off, instead of logging off and taking a breather when the heat got turned up a bit too high, he instead decided to go all in by trolling users on reddit who were expressing their frustrations. Not a great look.