God forgive me I might change my DAW..

[eluherlu]

Just got Bitwig Studio after playing with the 8-track version for months. Getting used to it and I make music with somewhat different workflow. And it makes me excited again!
All the modulators, clip edit, sampler, midi fx etc are soo fun.

Before that I used Reaper for more than 10 years (on and off). I almost have a perfect setup for my Reaper. All that shortcut, toolbar, customizatios. I can make music in lightning fast with Reaper.

Trying to learn a new DAW feels refreshing to me. I don't know if I make better music with Bitwig yet. There are times I feel like, "ugh I can't wait to get back to Reaper so I'm in the comfort zone again". But I get through it and I know I'm having more fun. And now I almost forgot some shortcut keys for Reaper. Oh my..

Is it because it's just a new thing for me? Or Bitwig is simply more fun?
I feel terrible if I ever leaving Reaper. Reaper is always be 'My Guy'. But yeah we'll see..

[Raketenbauer]

Nothing wrong with using a DAW that provides a lot of fun. It also doesn‘t mean you‘ll have to abandon Reaper. Use each one accordingly to their strengths.

[machinesworking]

I don't recommend jumping around between DAWs willy nilly, but there's strong reasons to use both a workhorse do everything DAW like Reaper and a well designed fast paced modern DAW like Bitwig. I started off in Digital Performer and added Live after a while for it's complete opposite approach. I'm still tied to using DP after a stint with Reaper, but there are a lot of similarities, in both DAWs the main advantage is if another DAW has a feature, it's likely you can do it in Reaper/DP. This is a great thing once you spend about a year using the DAW, you learn to make templates for various workflows, maybe customize the interface to your needs, and finally not feel lost in the endlessly long menus.

I found years ago with Live that you just up and started making music quickly, (and it had features that were unique to it at the time), and when Bitwig hit the ground with MPE support I found that Bitwig has the same effect, you get going that much faster when things are aligned for user experience. It's almost impossible to add in every feature known to man and do it in a way that mentally facilitates a fast user experience or UX.

To flatly put it out there, when I'm aware of the basic ideas I have for a song in my head, that I wrote on guitar or keys etc. I jump on DP (it could be Reaper, Logic, Studio One, or Cubase but I use DP because to me it's the best for this); when I don't have a particular song idea in my head and I just want to write in the DAW I'm much more inclined to use Bitwig.


There are reasons for this, solid non imaginary reasons. Bitwig offers instant controller mapping of common parameters on VST's and VSTi's, generative music features tied to things like drum patterns etc, a built in drum machine, samplers, super intuitive time stretching, etc etc. the modulation system that every one mentions... Whereas if you have an idea for a song in your head and just need to force it into existence DAWs like Reaper have all sorts of features for that, advanced MIDI editing options, destructive audio editing, a complete mixing environment with VCA faders, multiple bounce options, CPU saving secondary buffers that will increase track counts by up to 50-60%. I could not imagine using Bitwig to write orchestral type music, and although I'm sure people use it for scoring with VST plugins hosting the movie etc. I just see no reason to do that when the "do everything" DAWs all have great scoring capabilities built into the DAW.

Anyway that's my argument for using a "real time" performance and fast UX DAW like Bitwig (Live, FL and Trackers might be your thing, but Bitwig), VS a "do everything" bloated mess of a DAW that requires an internship like Reaper (DP, Logic, Cubase, Studio One are the same this way), it really depends on what you're working on musically.

[LaLivre]

Why you do not try out Reason12 (soon Reason 13)?

[revvy]

Literally the two most-asked questions in the DAW forum, often wildly inappropriately, are 'Have you tried REAPER?' and 'Have you tried Bitwig?' so I think these two DAWs combined are a great choice for you.

BTW, have you tried Live?

[machinesworking]

Literally the two most-asked questions in the DAW forum, often wildly inappropriately, are 'Have you tried REAPER?' and 'Have you tried Bitwig?' so I think these two DAWs combined are a great choice for you.

BTW, have you tried Live?

If I wasn't a die hard with DP I would be using Reaper and Bitwig as a combo for sure. DAWproject, CLAP, and the Driven By Moss control surface support alone is enough. IMO DP is still a bit better with MIDI than Reaper, and in general it's less DIY about every feature it has, but beyond that, supporting two independent outfits like Cockos and Bitwig that are supporting user standards not tied to corporate interests is a good thing.

[eluherlu]

Yep I've tried Live and Reason.
I can make my Reaper almost like Live if I want to. So nope.
Reason's UI is too messy with my tiny laptop monitor.
Although Bitwig is somewhat similar to Live, but I don't know, Bitwig feels strange to me. In a good way

[GaryG]

Nothing wrong having two complimentary/contrasting DAWs in your arsenal. Reaper is my boi but used to have Live Intro there too for the more instant loopy stuff. I recently trialled Bitwig again during their sale, a lot to like but don't think I'd ever be throwing audio around like i can with Reaper.

[dartfordyes]

Just got Bitwig Studio after playing with the 8-track version for months. Getting used to it and I make music with somewhat different workflow. And it makes me excited again!
All the modulators, clip edit, sampler, midi fx etc are soo fun.

Before that I used Reaper for more than 10 years (on and off). I almost have a perfect setup for my Reaper. All that shortcut, toolbar, customizatios. I can make music in lightning fast with Reaper.

Trying to learn a new DAW feels refreshing to me. I don't know if I make better music with Bitwig yet. There are times I feel like, "ugh I can't wait to get back to Reaper so I'm in the comfort zone again". But I get through it and I know I'm having more fun. And now I almost forgot some shortcut keys for Reaper. Oh my..

Is it because it's just a new thing for me? Or Bitwig is simply more fun?
I feel terrible if I ever leaving Reaper. Reaper is always be 'My Guy'. But yeah we'll see..

have you tried the new uad luna ? you might just jump again

[ChanceB]

I can relate to this,I just recently started using Bitwig and almost immediately upgraded from an 8 track version I’ve had for about a year to the full version. Bitwig IS exiting to me not just because it’s new. I love the workflow,I love all the devices and crazy stuff that is possible,I love the grid,I love hybrid tracks and being able to bounce clips to audio without having to create a new track and reroute a bunch of shit,I love the two sequencers at once,I love being able to chop, loop and modify a clip and still have all the information safely contained inside of the event until I consolidate it. Bitwig has me actually wanting to sell some of my plugin collection because I don’t feel like I need them anymore .I also feel kind of bad or sad about it..I’ve been perfectly happy using Fl Studio for a while, but I have barely touched it since getting Bitwig and when I have opened it up in the last month it feels clunky and awkward,I’ve also become somewhat put off by the direction that Image line seems to be heading and their user base,which seems to be the Trap “producer” crowd (maybe it has been for a while),sorry guys . I tell myself I’ll still use Fl and Logic in addition to Bitwig but it seems unlikely. For me and what I like to create Bitwig is a revelation. I could have saved myself a bunch of money if I had just put in more time with it earlier on

[VOODOO U]

I can make my Reaper almost like Live if I want to.

You mean the session view? If so, I know you said "almost" but I'm curious how deep one can go using Reaper to mimic Live. Even using regions with SWS it's not quite there.
Ok I guess I answered my question, that's where "almost" comes in.
Still curious.

[EnGee]

Yep I've tried Live and Reason.
I can make my Reaper almost like Live if I want to. So nope.
Reason's UI is too messy with my tiny laptop monitor.
Although Bitwig is somewhat similar to Live, but I don't know, Bitwig feels strange to me. In a good way

Bitwig and Reaper are my DAWs in Linux which I'm using it now more than Windows or Mac. They run great in Linux (I use Mint Linux). Linux is installed on my external SSD drive (T7) and runs faster than Windows on M.2 or my M1 Mac! It is a great OS and I have a great setup with it now

Bitwig presets unfortunately don't inspire me, but doing my own presets in FM4 and other synths is much more rewarding sonic wise. The drum kits are also not that good, so I use samples to construct my kits.

There are no shortages of great synths in native Linux. u-he and TAL are my favourites commercial developers. Vital and Surge XT round up the setup beautifully.

Anyway, although I can use either Bitwig or Reaper for the whole project. I depend on Bitwig more. Reaper might be a better choice for mixing, but Bitwig Studio has more tools.

[pekbro]

Personally, I could never choose to use one DAW exclusively.

[eluherlu]

Just got Bitwig Studio after playing with the 8-track version for months. Getting used to it and I make music with somewhat different workflow. And it makes me excited again!
All the modulators, clip edit, sampler, midi fx etc are soo fun.

Before that I used Reaper for more than 10 years (on and off). I almost have a perfect setup for my Reaper. All that shortcut, toolbar, customizatios. I can make music in lightning fast with Reaper.

Trying to learn a new DAW feels refreshing to me. I don't know if I make better music with Bitwig yet. There are times I feel like, "ugh I can't wait to get back to Reaper so I'm in the comfort zone again". But I get through it and I know I'm having more fun. And now I almost forgot some shortcut keys for Reaper. Oh my..

Is it because it's just a new thing for me? Or Bitwig is simply more fun?
I feel terrible if I ever leaving Reaper. Reaper is always be 'My Guy'. But yeah we'll see..

have you tried the new uad luna ? you might just jump again

Nope. Seem like another standard features DAW to me. But maybe I'm wrong

[eluherlu]

I can make my Reaper almost like Live if I want to.

You mean the session view? If so, I know you said "almost" but I'm curious how deep one can go using Reaper to mimic Live. Even using regions with SWS it's not quite there.
Ok I guess I answered my question, that's where "almost" comes in.
Still curious.

Not the session view, althought I know some script in Reaper can mimic Live. Playtime if I'm not wrong.
But I don't use session view. Can't get a song done when started with the session view workflow.
But all the other editing, mixing, recording workflow. Watched lots of Ableton videos about the workflow, and I said, well Reaper can do that.

In fact, I don't really understand why Ableton got so many love. FL Studio is a different animal though.