the sequencer Bitwig is missing

[xtreme sounds]

Fors just came out with Opal (A MFL device in Ableton). that sequencer would be so nice in Bitwig as well as in the Grid. https://opal.fors.fm/#lock0

[Fannon]

In general, it would be nice if we could have an open ecosystem for building IDE devices that integrate like that.

I wondered already if it would make sense to have this in CLAP, to also define a smaller UI that can be embedded in the bottom device bar. Reaper also started doing this, but much smaller visualizations, shown in tracks. Or (less cool, but maybe more realistic) that Bitwig would allow devices to hook into some Bitwig APIs to build such UIs. And let Grid devices do that as well.

[pdxindy]

Opal is only 16 steps and only has 4 lanes. Only 1 lane is shown at a time. And it is not suited to sequencing other plugins and devices. Not of interest to me. There are much better sequencers available. The drum synthesis looks cool though.

I'd much rather have a sequencer like Logics Step Sequencer... far more capable and easier to work with. It can have up to 64 steps. The number of lanes is unlimited and you can have many of them shown at once (and scroll to those not visible). You can have note lanes and modulation lanes. It works great for sequencing any devices and plugins. It can be converted to a regular clip and regular clips can be converted into sequencer clips. You can record in realtime (quantized or not). Etc. Etc.

[xtreme sounds]

it doesnt have to be exactly like Opal but the design is heading in the right direction. Minimal but gets it done with the probability and so forth.

[Logga]

Having a "drum view" in the MIDI editor would already go a long way. That goes for Ableton too. I don't understand why they refuse to add it when it's been in other DAWs for ages.

Cubase in 1989:

[pdxindy]

Having a "drum view" in the MIDI editor would already go a long way.

Bitwig has a drum view in the editor...

Speaking of the editor... each note can have chance, repeats, can play based on other notes and can play in patterns like every other loop. There are also the spread parameters so each time a note plays when the clip loops, it can randomize velocity, pan, gain, pressure and timbre. That covers what lots of step sequencers do right there.

[xbitz]

^^^ and can be printed out using different seed values (so the Chance operator etc. can be regenerated differently with each printing)
https://www.bitwig.com/userguide/latest ... ed_section
https://www.bitwig.com/userguide/latest ... functions/

[Logga]

Bitwig has a drum view in the editor...

Right. But it's missing the key feature of drum views, which is displaying notes without length (usually diamond shaped). This is especially useful when the notes are close together and for good visibility at all zoom levels.

[pdxindy]

Bitwig has a drum view in the editor...

Right. But it's missing the key feature of drum views, which is displaying notes without length (usually diamond shaped). This is especially useful when the notes are close together and for good visibility at all zoom levels.

I have no interest in that feature. And most new sequencers today don't use diamonds. That is some old outdated sh*t there. Usually it is boxes (usually default to 16th's) that are either active or not. And then you can tie together some of the boxes to make longer notes. There are also repeats where the box gets divided into 2, 3 etc.

In practice, the Bitwig clips work well as sequencers. Work with 16th notes and use repeats as needed. It is hardly different from a sequencer.

Where it is different is that there are not independent lanes where you can change length and timing per lane. Besides that, it works just fine as is.

[Logga]

And most new sequencers today don't use diamonds. That is some old outdated sh*t there. Usually it is boxes (usually default to 16th's) that are either active or not.

A step sequencer and a midi drum view/editor are two different things. And they're both old concepts (1980s if not even older), but they have been enhanced over time.
The main advantage of the drum view is more flexibility with note placement and a clear display of the notes, regardless of the zoom level. It's not locked to a fixed number of steps, but there's still quantization if you want it. And you can drag the notes around and apply all the advanced stuff that you can in a "regular" midi editor... because it's really a regular midi editor that only shows note starts. That, plus it treats each note on a keyboard as a separate sound, which makes sense for drums.

[pdxindy]

because it's really a regular midi editor that only shows note starts

Hey, you can advocate for what you want of course...

I have no interest in it. I prefer Bitwig's current drum view which shows the usual note length.

[Trancit]

because it's really a regular midi editor that only shows note starts

Hey, you can advocate for what you want of course...

I have no interest in it. ...

... me neither... outdated nonsense as traditional DAWs never got implemented a better solution...

[pdxindy]

... me neither... outdated nonsense as traditional DAWs never got implemented a better solution...

yup... as I mentioned above, I'd welcome a Logic style Step Sequencer which adds capability not currently in regular clips and which works equally well for drums or chromatic instruments and which can be converted back and forth to regular clips.

[xtreme sounds]

the piano roll is not the same as a sequencer. the work flow is quite different. A small minimal sequencer (64 steps, random notes, probability,) like opal would go a long way.