Bitwig

StudioDave · Post by **StudioDave** » Mon Apr 07, 2014 2:31 pm

Bzerk wrote: I hope that plugins provider will notice us, linux users, and port plugins (yeah, ok, might wait for a loooong time).

Just for fun I tried the following native VST/VSTi plugins with BW on Linux:

Loomer Aspect synth ($)
discoDSP Discovery synth ($)
linuxDSP PEQ2 equalizer ($)
linuxDSP SR2A reverb ($)
TAL Noizemaker synth (free)
Vex synth (free)

Everything worked fine, including MIDI Learn with my BCF2000. I now plan to purchase both synths (I tested with the demos), thanks to their performance in BW. I'll also test some synths created with Cabbage (Csound-based plugins), but have to build 'em first.

So far I am extremely impressed with Bitwig. I'm writing a review for one of the Linux magazines, it'll definitely end with two thumbs up. I've been around Linux audio for a long while, BW is one of the best things to happen in that little world. Many thanks to the developers for considering the Penguinistas in their thoughts and actions.

Best,

dp

brownerthanu · Post by **brownerthanu** » Mon Apr 07, 2014 2:35 pm

I love this DAW. I haven't been as musically productive in years. I think one thing I like is that the system is still simple enough to learn *everything* about it, and I think that I've just about used every function now. It's fun to try to master something.

nexttrack30 · Post by **nexttrack30** » Mon Apr 07, 2014 3:12 pm

i love relative automaion, layered editing, plugin sandboxing, modulators.

Ameyah Audio · Post by **Ameyah Audio** » Mon Apr 07, 2014 5:43 pm

i love the polysynth its already perfect and when added more features to it and fix the polyphony - it could stand up to ES2 in logic.

i love the sandboxing for plugins, the browser, the drum machines (kick, clap, etc)
also the fast scanning and indexing
i love the fast updates and bugfixes

keep going!

sardaukar · Post by **sardaukar** » Mon Apr 07, 2014 5:47 pm

Mivo wrote: The interface in general was a big, positive surprise for me. When I had read that it was written in Java, my first thought was that it would be sluggish as hell and unresponsive.

Are you really sure the UI is written in Java? I'm quite sure nothing exists for Java that can produce something this responsive...can you/anyone provide a link? Would really be a pleasant surprise.

marvotron · Post by **marvotron** » Mon Apr 07, 2014 7:27 pm

Well its hard to say exactly where the boundaries are without seeing the source code but judging from the libraries its drawn using cairo :

http://cairographics.org/

probably with the java bindings.

Ameyah Audio · Post by **Ameyah Audio** » Mon Apr 07, 2014 8:11 pm

marvotron wrote:Well its hard to say exactly where the boundaries are without seeing the source code but judging from the libraries its drawn using cairo :

http://cairographics.org/

probably with the java bindings.

you can open the jar files with winrar or something - as long as you do not alter them you are in the boundaries of the license agreement.
there you can see some of the used modules. i think i have seen cairo there? not sure its been 2 weeks now since i checked it and now im to tired to check again.

sardaukar · Post by **sardaukar** » Mon Apr 07, 2014 8:34 pm

Love the gui. Very responsive. Bounce in place and the subsequent audio editing is great. I've been using Live up until now, and always hated all the grid lines and the cluttered look of the arrange time-line.

The application on the whole feels very streamlined. It might have less features than other DAWS, but what it does have, it does very well. It lacks the bells and whistles of the others, but more than makes up for it with the bread and butter stuff.

Its easy to learn which is a testament to how well its been put together.
I've found the relative automation to be really useful, and is very quick to set-up.

I would go as far as to say, that its the first DAW that doesn't have me scratching my head in frustration when mid-flow, I'm struggling to get something to work, or fix something.

Once the bugs have been ironed out I think it has the potential to be the favoured DAW (for at least those who work in-the-box).

I still think Live still has its place (for the moment anyway), but I think they really dropped the ball with the lack of PDC. I mean timing is pretty fundamental when it comes to music, and it was prioritised over push development...but whats the point in having a great controller (and it is) when the timing in your music is out of wack. It just ruins things.

pdxindy · Post by **pdxindy** » Mon Apr 07, 2014 9:53 pm

The modulation system is so much fun!

It's very convenient to be able to drop an audio effect into the wet signal right in the device chain.

glow · Post by **glow** » Tue Apr 08, 2014 2:35 am

The work flow did it for me. Everything s placed where its most optimal. I din't have to open the help manual to find where everything was, they used plain old simple common sense to design their Gui, and so awesome to look at, I dont even care about implementing skins cause it looks great just as it looks. if this people get it just 25% more right, this will be the DAW to beat and te competition knows it that is why they are trolling this board.

glow · Post by **glow** » Tue Apr 08, 2014 2:42 am

And it runs on F*K*ng L I N U X .

* Big ass grin *

ThomasHelzle · Post by **ThomasHelzle** » Tue Apr 08, 2014 7:45 am

glow: I couldn't agree more.

Right from the moment of seeing the very first screenshots, something exploded in not only my own, but many peoples heads. It just felt so right. And to me, it still feels just as right - momentary shortcomings or not, I can see right through them.
I also don't think the negativity would be as harsh if people wouldn't actually crave for it.

So yeah, here I sit, collecting my Ableton Live boxes, making them ready to sell...
I found a new home with audio.
That's how its supposed to work and feel.

Thank you Bitwig!

Cheers,

Tom

lunarboy · Post by **lunarboy** » Tue Apr 08, 2014 1:32 pm

So far there is a lot I like about BitWig.

1. LFO everywhere! It's what it was lacking in Live. I never got why they pan their LFO on the auto-filter. That should be a basic feature of every DAW.

2. MIDI thru instrument. I've been surprised in a good way. Now I can use my synth as FX without setting up 2 tracks. Yeah! And it was the only moment I use MIDI routing.

3. Send on every track of a drum rack. It was something I was wishing for for a long time. No more need to use 2 two reverbs for the same track(song)!

4. Slice audio in place. No more fooling around in arrangement! Or using a drum rack! Yeah!

5. I like the tool too. The slicer is very nice and useful

So far the only thing I miss from Live is track grouping. And big slider on the mixer. But it's not a big deal. For my needs, Bitwig is far more powerful than Live. \o/.

Dazed Veins · Post by **Dazed Veins** » Fri Apr 18, 2014 8:09 pm

I want to say I made a good start for a nice song within just 90 minutes. Used Bitwig only. Everything ran very smooth I must say. 89 minutes. Gui is very nice, I think the loop bar/markers in the arrangement view is/are a bit tiny, but after an hour I got reasonably used to it/them. I have quite an headache. Mind you

Bitwig

KVR Audio

The positive feedback thread