My DAW Experiences, Opinions, and Progression

[Akui_Zeni]

TLDR: I think Bitwig Studio is an awesome path and experience for first time DAW users.

Cubase:
Started with and progressed through the various versions of Cubase SX. For it's time, it was excellent. There was a high learning curve that still exists today (actually higher now)1. I found that I struggled with it to write, record, and produce the type of music I was focused on at the time.

Ableton Live 11 Suite:
I bought this impulsively when it was on sale. I really tried to give it a chance. The interface and workflow was just not for me in the end. High learning curve. MAJOR adjustment period from Cubase. The extremely rigid interface became very frustrating and counter productive to my creative workflow. Great instruments, but the learning curve on how to use them effectively to create the sounds you want was steep.

Enter Bitwig Studio:
Created by previous employees of Ableton. You can see and feel the Ableton roots, but that's where it stops. Bitwig people learned from Ableton, FL, Reason, took the good stuff, smashed it together, expanded on it and made something really powerful and fun to use. The interface and workflow really suit me. I wish it was around back in the day and I had started with it. I am able to put ideas down quickly due to the overall layout of the interface. I love the built in instruments, but I mainly use VST synths. I love the effects. The learning curve is minimal. Especially compared to Ableton and Cubase. You can get a free copy of Bitwig Studio 8-track with any purchase from Plugin Boutique, OR you can try the full fledged version of Bitwig Studio for 30 days from the Bitwig site. Both are painless entryways to trying this amazing DAW at no cost.

Bitwig for the win!

[lwj]

BING BONG... this topic was brought to you by...

I was about to get paid the big bucks to promote this Russian Magix Music Maker clone but, well...

[Fornicras]

I started using FL back in 2016 and switched to Studio One last summer and I like it a lot but I still miss the easiness of beat-making in FL while using S1. I demoed Ableton because live-looping sounds fun but UI made me puke.
So I take a look at Bitwig, got the 8-track version from PB just like you said, it looks and feels good. UI is one of the first things that I try to like in a DAW because I'm going to look at it for hours.
Tried to make a beat but I couldn't find any good tutorial for it. I need to learn if it has a step-sequencer-like workflow like FL or if it's more linear. And the other thing is that I couldn't set up my Atom SQ, Atom Pad, and M-Audio Oxygen Pro 61. Keys work but integration is not good.

What I actually need from the DAW I'm looking for (thought S1 has it all but turns out it has no live-looping)
- FL like beat making (channel rack like sample loading, step sequencing, great piano roll, a pattern like workflow if needed)
- Audio Recording, comping, editing like S1
- Live looping like Ableton

I waited for years for FL to do something about audio recording but I'm tired of waiting and switched to S1, now I feel like I'm waiting for S1 to have good features for beat making and live-looping. Can bitwig solve it all for me?

[BertKoor]

BING BONG... this topic was brought to you by...

By someone that wanted to access sell&buy, but this time it's someone that REALLY made an effort in passing the 5-posts limits. Kudos to the OP Akui_Zeni, honestly!