Bitwig releases Bitwig Studio 5.3 Beta

Bitwig has announced the release of a beta version of Bitwig Studio 5.3, which elevates its existing stock of drum instruments with 25 new devices. These are sorted into three groups: an 808 set called v8, a 909-inspired kit titled v9, and a collection of digital drum synths, v0.

The next update also introduces a step sequencing note device, the addition of Master Recording in the Transport section to record a whole session or resample on the fly, Windows on ARM support, and under-the-hood improvements that make opening projects and configuring audio i/os easier and quicker.

Three New Drum Families

25 modern percussion devices are joining Bitwig Studio's original, v1, drum instruments. Two of the three families were inspired by classic drum machines, but with additional parameters and possibilities:

• The v8 family is borne of the 808. The ten devices in this family include v8 Kick, v8 Snare, and v8 Tom, as well as some of the characteristic percussion instruments (maracas, cowbell, etc.). While the original hardware often gave each instrument one tone control, Bitwig Studio's v8 devices average five color parameters, along with extended ranges for breaking past the familiar.
• New sounds also appear in the v9 family, Bitwig's answer to the 909. These nine devices cover all the original's instruments, from open and closed hats to the v9 Ride and a v9 Crash. You can dial in the additional Impact, Tone, and Punch knobs. Or connect them to Bitwig's modulators so they vary with velocity or bar position.
• And then there's the v0 family, which brings together six digital mavericks: v0 Kick, Zap Kick, Tom, Snare, Hat, and Cymbal. They represent a diverse set of digital drum synthesis techniques, such as detuned oscillator banks, FM, physical models, and sets of filters that are harmonic (sometimes). These different approaches make for highly flexible instruments that can sound electric, acoustic, or not much like a "drum" at all.

Each family is made to work well as a unit or mixed and matched in custom kits. Use them along with samples, plug-ins, or Grid patches. Like the rest of Bitwig Studio, the Drum Machine has a soft spot for modular thinking.

YouTube.com/watch?v=AYv0GxSu3KU

Stepwise Sequencer

Stepwise is a note device that takes familiar pattern sequencing in a playful and fun direction. Eight rows trigger different notes, with steps set to either off, normal, or accented. Each row can play 16 steps long and advance at 16th notes. Or not... Switch a row to follow eighth notes, or maybe triplets. Use the global groove for some lanes, or Offset others to give a little wonk. And with independent Length for each lane, drifting patterns and polyrhythms are ready before you modulate anything.

YouTube.com/watch?v=VpmA_Bb3CH8

Master Recording

Bitwig Studio's Transport header now includes a Master Recording section, with a meter of the outgoing level and a Record button. With one click, whatever is happening is printed directly to disk as audio. And this special option doesn't care whether the project transport is playing — it just keeps recording. Can it record a full performance? Sure. Or you can capture a moment, drop the file into Sampler, and keep going while the transport is still running.

Easier Setup For Your Audio System

Any hardware selected will now be auto-configured, with all mono paths and sensible stereo choices. Bitwig Studio keeps track of previously used audio hardware. So when the current interface is disconnected, Bitwig Studio will seamlessly switch over to the next best choice.

If you want to favorite, define, or rename inputs or outputs Bitwig Studio now offers a dedicated editor to make it simple and quick. And those customizations will be kept for each interface, even when special configuration for using multiple audio interfaces are created at once (a new option on macOS, joining similar functionality on Linux).

Loading Projects Just Got Faster

Bitwig Studio's just-in-time compilation for instruments and FX is now faster and more efficient. That means opening a preset, patch, or project for the first time happens quicker. And it's even faster the second time.

Native Windows on ARM Support

As of 5.3, Bitwig Studio runs natively on Windows on ARM. Thanks to Bitwig's unique sandboxing architecture, even those plug-ins that haven't yet been recompiled for ARM can run seamlessly under emulation. Now you can take advantage of the latest computing power without giving up your favorite plug-ins.

New Grid Modules

A few new interesting Grid modules are now available, too:

• An analog-style Freq Shift+
• A Pitch Shift with a phase control.
• A Step Access (Phase) module can make tricky drum sequencer ideas easier.
• An Accents (Data) gives you new sequencing options.
• And a Dome (Filter) can transform any signal into a pile of phase and other information, some of it real.

View the full changelog here.

Availability

Beta testing of Bitwig Studio 5.3 starts now. They aim to release 5.3 before the end of the year, and as always, this is a free upgrade to all license holders with an active Upgrade Plan as of today (November 21, 2024). Bitwig Studio Producer and Essentials license holders will receive the v8 family of drums and the Stepwise Sequencer.

What Comes Next?

We're working on some fundamental Bitwig Studio workflow improvements that affect the Arranger and in the piano roll. Once this is polished and ready, we are looking forward to sharing these improvements in our next release.