Bitwig Studio 6 will be released on March 11, 2026

[pdxindy]

I don't understand how they can put a date on this when each new beta is introducing regressions. It feels like promises are being made that can't be delivered. I'm sad to say it's felt like this for a while.

As long as they've cleaned up the crashes, some remaining bugs can be cleaned up in the subsequent point updates.

For sure, but that's a big ask in a week. I can't imagine the devs are happy about this.

The crashes are almost gone at this point. They made a lot of headway recently. There will likely be a beta 17/RC and then a quick 6.0.1/6.0.2

It'll all be good.

[Dionysos]

Exactly, but the problem with this is it leaves people on 6.0.x high and dry because they don't backport their bugfixes.

Critical bug fixes for version 6 will go into 6.0.1 and 6.0.2 and so on, 6.1 will be for new features.

[BobDog]

I did check a while ago and it was a good few months between 5.0 and 5.1, I'm guessing it will be the same hopefully with 6.

Edit just checked:

Bitwig Studio 5 [released 29 June 2023]
Bitwig Studio 5.1 [released 06 December 2023]

[billinder33]

The crashing has definitely improved. But I wouldn't say it's great yet. Had a couple on Beta 16 just last week.

[Yorrrrrr]

Please report in any case.

[SpaceCadetOnLeave]

I did check a while ago and it was a good few months between 5.0 and 5.1, I'm guessing it will be the same hopefully with 6.

Edit just checked:

Bitwig Studio 5 [released 29 June 2023]
Bitwig Studio 5.1 [released 06 December 2023]

yeah bitwig is weird, the one year license extras has become a joke and a marketing fart.
bitwig humiliates it's users by promising a year up/dates/grades and takes a half a year for betas.

my daughter bought a license in april 25 and till now she only had some fixes and 3 Controller scripts for machines she doesn't own. That is not what they promised once.
they should freeze -=< The Plan >=- during beta.

[Trancit]

...

my daughter bought a license in april 25 and till now she only had some fixes and 3 Controller scripts for machines she doesn't own. That is not what they promised once.
they should freeze -=< The Plan >=- during beta.

You forget that she´ll get the next major update for free...!

This is actually quite impressive... for the price of the original software she gets V5 and V6 (which is by far the biggest update they have ever released!) without any additional costs!
If you try that with i.e. Cubase you have to wait with the activation of the previous version until the new one comes out...
Your daughter could work with it from the very first day and payed less than the Cubase example...
So where is the problem?

With such fundamental changes like we have in V6 it´s normal that the beta is lasting that long...
And luckily they don´t keep it behind closed doors but have let those users participate who have eagerly waited for such a "DAW update" (means not just some devices and a bit of cosmetics...)!
And the betas where far far from unuseable... sure for the one or the other there were problems and here and there some features broken but still useable...
For some DAWs it´s normal operation mode what you call here "beta" in terms of bugs and stability...

[SpaceCadetOnLeave]

she does not get it for free, she paid for it, she paid for the system that there would be small and fast updates and upgrades about 4 a year.
and 3 controllerscripts or 10, 20 fixes doesn't count as a point update, but the fanboy just doesn't want to talk about it.

the problem is, with Cubase you buy the status of a program. with Bitwig you buy a version plus a year updates and upgrades.
they cant say: "oh we are so troubled with stuff and hipster-blabla we can not deliver...." this year. Or "we rewrote the UI/graphical stuff", that is not something the costumer has to pay for as an update, that has to be integrated in the cycle while the music making stuff is being made.

they just don't deliver, of course there are rent users telling time after time that it is very difficult to program an app, so you deadheads hobbyists should be patient and be quiet or you don't belong here.

well my daughter (as do i) lives from sound, music and composing stuff. I used the buy-bitwig-date example to show how bad things are run at bitwig's, not that she is disappointed or something like that, she uses 3 DAWs and isn't depended from 1.
But bitwig has to compensate the lost update/upgrade window. [And they don't even thank/gift the beta-testers (that they should actually pay).]

so it's nonsense to compare the Bitwig way with other DAWs. Normal companies work on their DAW (and other software) uninterrupted, and when milestones they set, are met, they start to publish the current state while on the background still working on the product.
i don't believe bitwig works uninterrupted on the DAW, if you look at how meager the progression is.
i think they are part timers and probably work at the competition and others as hired DSP-devs.
that is no problem if you are transparent and honest and admit something didn't go as planned and then compensate, just like the "Spectral Suite"- Fehler.

you guys are being misled. and bitwig is cutting in their own fingers with these weird strategies.

oh and i advise you (as does bitwig btw) not to use beta's, even hobbyists shouldn't.

[Dionysos]

[_leras]

I'm pretty sure that they don't promise x point releases a year. No one likes to wait, but facts are that this release is a really nice one.

I activated my last upgrade around Nov 2024 for 5.3 with the nice drums. I'm now out of license and they haven't had a bit update since, but I have been in the beta and will get v6.0 which will have been well worth the wait.


It is wayyy better than the cubase upgrade cycles. Cubase is many small feature upgrades and if you miss one you still have to the majority of the cost of all releases since the last one to get up to the latest version.

[pseudonym_303]

I activated my last upgrade around Nov 2024 for 5.3 with the nice drums.

I activated mine July 2024 for 5.2, hoping I will hit December and July updates but had only update to 5.3, missed beta one month.
As you mentioned, there is nowhere written that they are obliged to some amount of major releases. 6.0 have to many improvements I was wishing for so I will jump on that ship in 6 days

[pseudonym_303]

BTW beta 17 has landed.

[BobDog]

Hells-fire I only installed 16 yesterday!

[Trancit]

...
I activated my last upgrade around Nov 2024 for 5.3 with the nice drums. I'm now out of license and they haven't had a bit update since, but I have been in the beta and will get v6.0 which will have been well worth the wait.


...

I did exactly the same... having activated for 5.3 and will get V6 included...
The changes in V6 are for worth at least 5 previous "new devices" updates...

[Trancit]

she does not get it for free, she paid for it, she paid for the system that there would be small and fast updates and upgrades about 4 a year.
and 3 controllerscripts or 10, 20 fixes doesn't count as a point update, but the fanboy just doesn't want to talk about it.

Sorry that´s not true...
She paid for a license of Bitwig... Bitwig is offering with that license one year of updates without additional charge... > V6 is free for her without additional costs, period!

You are assuming that if they wouldn´t include the year of updates into the purchase, Bitwig would be cheaper a certain amount... that´s just in your head!

If you buy Ableton Suite and 3 month later the next paid update gets released you have to pay for that (and not just a bit) ... 599€ + another 200-250€...
If you buy Cubase, activate it and 3 month later the next major version gets released you pay for it!
579€ + another 100€...

Your daughter paid max. 369€ and that´s it... literally at least ca. 50% cheaper than the others...

the problem is, with Cubase you buy the status of a program. with Bitwig you buy a version plus a year updates and upgrades.
they cant say: "oh we are so troubled with stuff and hipster-blabla we can not deliver...." this year. Or "we rewrote the UI/graphical stuff", that is not something the costumer has to pay for as an update, that has to be integrated in the cycle while the music making stuff is being made.

What a nonsense...
Stop mixing ideology with reality... with Bitwig you pay for a "status" as well ... that they have a different system for paying for updates is a whole different story...
With Cubase you have one paid update per year... if you don´t update but want to do it for the next version you have to pay the double amount ... this is equal costs for both when you update regulary... but less costs in Bitwig when you want to skip versions!

well my daughter (as do i) lives from sound, music and composing stuff. I used the buy-bitwig-date example to show how bad things are run at bitwig's, not that she is disappointed or something like that, she uses 3 DAWs and isn't depended from 1.
But bitwig has to compensate the lost update/upgrade window. [And they don't even thank/gift the beta-testers (that they should actually pay).]

1. What do updates have to do with living from making music??? There are people who just happily do the job with rarely updating anything... never change a winning system, you know??
When you are interested in a software you use the demo to test it on your system... if it works and you pull the trigger you buy this "status" of the software...
2. What has gone bad for her?? She hasn´t paid not a single extra dime and still gets everything for free!

so it's nonsense to compare the Bitwig way with other DAWs. Normal companies work on their DAW (and other software) uninterrupted, and when milestones they set, are met, they start to publish the current state while on the background still working on the product.
i don't believe bitwig works uninterrupted on the DAW, if you look at how meager the progression is.
i think they are part timers and probably work at the competition and others as hired DSP-devs.
that is no problem if you are transparent and honest and admit something didn't go as planned and then compensate, just like the "Spectral Suite"- Fehler.

you guys are being misled. and bitwig is cutting in their own fingers with these weird strategies.

Again... you are mixing ideology with reality... in general (perhaps with the exception of FL Studio) you pay for all DAWs for updates... some just have different systems which can be a benefit for one and a disadvantage for somebody else... but this doesn´t mean that one system is better than the other!
And yes, this update has a longer beta period because of the substancial changes inside...
A normal Bitwig update has a beta period of perhaps 3 max. 4 month... but this update has the content of at least 3-4 previous Bitwig updates ... so a longer beta period is just a logical consequence ... more new stuff > longer testing!

oh and i advise you (as does bitwig btw) not to use beta's, even hobbyists shouldn't.

1. Next BS... leaving out the crucial parts of statements to turn it into their opinion is the process of people not having real arguments:
The recommendation is not to use beta´s for crucial or important stuff... not to not using betas in general...
2. What company would be that stupid?? "Hey here you got a new beta for you to help us testing... Oh wait no don´t use it ... it´s a beta!"
Did you use the betas?? If not how will you tell how dangerous they are?
I have used them all and a) have not lost a single piece of work and b) haven´t had a single real showstopper having forced me to quit working with them...
So where is your general advice coming from?
I think
- people knowing what they are doing can of course use betas ...
- dumb people or unexperienced people should probably use them with care

Sorry... you seem to be emotional upset... but your arguments and statements don´t have real substance...