System Requirements

• Windows - Windows 7, 8, 10, or 11 (all in 64-bit)
• Mac - macOS 10.14 ("Mojave") or above
• Linux - For installing the Flatpack file, any modern distribution with Flatpak installed (more information here). For installing the DEB file, Ubuntu 20.04 or later.
• a CPU capable of SSE 4.1

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Changes in Bitwig Studio 4.3.9 [released 05 October 2022]

New Add-on Package: Spectral Suite

• Spectral Suite, four new audio FX and a package of sound content, is now available for purchase
• The devices can be tried via demo mode; open this example project to see them in action
• How do these "spectral" devices work?…
  • These audio FX are frequency-domain devices, which separate the incoming sound into hundreds of pieces for analysis
  • In the frequency domain, each moment of a sound isn't simply loud or quiet (for example); there are always frequencies that are loud and those that are quiet
  • So Bitwig does the math and then, based on the device's orientation, related signals are grouped into "channels" for easy mixing and plug-in-friendly control
• These devices are "containers" at heart, reconstructing the original sound… until you move one of the channel controls (Gain or Panning) or insert a plug-in
  • The sooner you adjust an audio parameter, the more obvious the devices become
• All four devices have an identical structure for each channel:
  • Gain control, in standard volume range
  • Panning control, for stereo placement
  • An On (or "active") switch, shown with a speaker icon beneath the Gain knob, in case you want to disable a channel
  • A Solo control, shown as an S button to the left of the Gain knob, for auditioning one channel at a time
  • A device chain, for processing this channel of audio with any Bitwig device or VST/CLAP plug-in
    • Like all nested device chains on these devices, notes reaching the device are available here, for envelope triggers, phase resets, or anything else you deem appropriate
• All four devices also share an identical Output Section:
  • A Pre FX chain, for processing incoming audio before it goes to the spectral analysis, perhaps for a Compressor or Dynamics to tighten the signal, or anything else
  • A Post FX chain, for processing the sum of the audio channels, maybe for an EQ+ to balance the full output, or your favorite plug-in, or…
  • A Mix control, that blends the dry incoming signal with the final processed signal (coming from the channels and Post FX chain)
• Freq Split, Loud Split, and Harmonic Split all use similar visualizations and share a Spectrum Display Inspector parameter, with two modes:
  • Pre shows the analysis data (and no audio processing from the channel controls, such as Gain or audio plug-ins), good for tweaking the splits
  • Post shows each channel's output audio, post-processing

New Spectral Suite device: Freq Split (Spectral)

• Divides signal into frequency groups and sorts them into one of four channels, for individual mixing and processing
• Frequency Splits sets the number of splits across the frequency spectrum, which works with two nearby parameters:
  • Split Insertion Direction sets whether additional splits are added from the right/high edge of the spectrum (←), from the left/low edge of the spectrum (→), or around the relative middle (↔︎)
  • Crossfade Amount determines the overlap between splits
  • So with the device's default settings, 16 Splits with an Insertion Direction putting new splits on the right (←) means:
    • The 1st, 5th, 9th, and 13th splits land in channel 1 (red)
    • The 2nd, 6th, 10th, and 14th splits land in channel 2 (blue)
    • The 3rd, 7th, 11th, and 15th splits land in channel 3 (yellow)
    • The 4th, 8th, 12th, and 16th splits land in channel 4 (magenta)
    • And if the Crossfade Amount was increased from 0.00 % (full isolation between bands) to 50.0 %, then each split would spend its first 25 % crossfading with the previous split, and its last quarter crossfading with the next split
• Split Nudge slides the frequency splits by an offset value, so a setting of +2.00 pushes the contents of channel 1 into channel 2, channel 4 into channel 2, and so on
• Split Spin also slides the frequency splits but relative to the entire spectrum; so a setting of -10.0 % slides all the splits a tenth lower in the entire spectrum
  • Whether being subtle (Split Nudge) or extreme (Split Spin), modulating either of these parameters shows the "filter bank" quality of this device, creating new phasers and more when each channel is loaded with different audio FX
• Split Bend curves the frequency split pattern around a new midpoint, either moving the midpoint downward and putting splits closer together in the lower frequencies (negative values) or moving the midpoint higher and having splits closer together in the upper frequencies (positive values)
• Split Pinch kinks the frequency split pattern, either bunching more splits around the midpoint (positive values) or putting more splits into the sides (negative values)
  • In the device's display, the interactive white dot controls Split Bend when dragged left to right, and Split Pinch when dragged up and down; it's fun
• The Spectral Limiter option sets a maximum Threshold level for each individual frequency bin
  • In the device's display, the Threshold is shown with a horizontal orange bar that can be dragged up or down

New Spectral Suite device: Harmonic Split (Spectral)

• Tracks the fundamental frequency of the incoming sound, for splitting Nonharmonics (gray) to one channel and dividing harmonics between Harmonics A (orange) and Harmonics B (turquoise) channels, for individual mixing and processing
• Harmonics Pattern decides how harmonics are distributed between the A and B channels
  • The default setting of 2 places every 2nd harmonic in A channel, so the A channel will be odd harmonics (1st, 3rd, 5th, etc.), and the B channel receives all even harmonics (2nd, 4th, 6th, etc.)
  • A setting of 4, for example, would place the 1st, 5th, 9th, etc. harmonics in channel A, and all other harmonics (2nd, 3rd, 4th; 6th, 7th…) into channel B
  • Higher values lead to narrower results in the A channel — and the potential for more extreme processing without "getting into trouble"
  • A setting of 1 is special, routing only the fundamental to channel A and all other harmonics to channel B
• Nonharmonic Sensitivity is a relative control for how picky the harmonic vs. non-harmonic split is, where a higher Sensitivity value allows less audio into the Nonharmonic channel — and more audio into the two Harmonics channels
• The Maximum Harmonics Inspector parameter allows you to limit the number of harmonics being tracked, acting as a "ceiling" when you want fewer frequencies in the Harmonics A and B channels
• Fundamental tracking can be adjusted with several analysis parameters:
  • Tilt favors the high frequencies (when positive) or low frequencies (when negative), useful when the desired fundamental is filtered in the sound, etc.
  • The Low-cut Frequency and High-cut Frequency parameters narrow the frequency tracking area
  • An amplitude Detection Threshold can be set, keeping moments that stay below that level in the Nonharmonics channel
  • In the device's display, the Detection Threshold and Cut Frequencies are interactive lines that can be dragged
  • The device display also illustrates the currently-detected fundamental with a white dot and moving crosshairs

New Spectral Suite device: Loud Split (Spectral)

• Uses two thresholds to separate the Quiet (green), Mid (yellow), and Loud (red) portions of the incoming sound, for individual mixing and processing
• A Higher Threshold (red) sets the level where stronger signals are considered Loud
• A Lower Threshold (green) sets the level where weaker signals are considered Quiet
  • In the device's display, both thresholds are visualized as horizontal lines, which can be dragged up and down
  • When clicking a line's dot handle on the right, only the outer band of that threshold will be heard while the mouse is held
• Any signal falling between the two thresholds is considered Mid
• Relative Loudness Mode follows the level of the incoming sound, treating 0.0 dB as the strongest band at any given moment
  • Relative Loudness Mode uses separate Relative Higher Threshold and Relative Lower Threshold parameters
• Each threshold has its own Knee value, for setting the transition (and effective crossfade) between adjacent channels
  • In the device's display, ALT-dragging on either threshold adjusts its Knee parameter
• Rise Time sets the number of blocks before a softer signal fully transitions up into a louder band, like a "resistance" parameter
• Fall Time sets the number of blocks before a louder signal fully falls down into a quieter band, like a "decay" parameter
• Tilt is an analysis parameter, favoring the high frequencies (when positive) or low frequencies (when negative) before the channel splitting is applied

New Spectral Suite device: Transient Split (Spectral)

• Separates the Transients (short, unstable sounds; colored yellow) and Tones (periodic or pitched sounds; colored blue), for individual mixing and processing
• Analysis Bias either skews the detection to favor Transients (positive values) or Tones (negative values)
• The Transient Type Inspector parameter switches between two different algorithms for which type of Transient is being looked for:
  • Percussive searches for typical impact transients, good for drums or other things that "click" and "smack"
  • Noise looks for noisy smears, or even reverb residue
• Transients Decay sets a time (in blocks) for extending detected Transients, allowing them to release
• Tones Smoothing sets a time (in blocks) for extending detected Tones, allowing them to decay
• Tilt Amount is an analysis parameter that is colored yellow as it is oriented to how it affects the Transients channel; its effect is the opposite for the Tones channel
  • The Tilt Mode Inspector parameter changes the method of Tilt applied, between a Standard model that favors the Transient channel's high frequencies (when positive) or its low frequencies (when negative), or a Contour approach that subtly adjusts the mid frequencies vs. the highs & lows
• Transient/Tones Blend is the audio balance at the output of the spectral section, before each signal reaches its channel
• The Display Style of this device is unique, with two modes:
  • Waveform shows a split amplitude domain representation of the two groups
  • Sonogram offers the recent frequency-domain history for each group

New Features

• There is now a Japanese translation of the Bitwig Studio v4.3.0 manual
• Device context menus have be reorganized so that device-specific entries come near the top of the list (for example, the Spectrum Displays setting for three of the Spectral devices)

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Changes in Bitwig Studio 4.3.8 [released 19 September 2022]

Improvements

• When drawing patch cords within The Grid, the names of in ports are always shown in the window footer as you drag over them

Fixes

• Fixed a general issue that could lead to audio engine crashes
• macOS ARM: Fixed a compiler optimization bug that caused some random audio engine crashes
• Note Out Grid module: Was sometimes Gating notes to start before pitch was ready, causing quick pitch changes and other minor mayhem (for example, both Don't Wake the Færies generative-music presets sound nice again)
• Window footer would sometimes get "stuck," showing the description of a previously hovered element [29713]

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Changes in Bitwig Studio 4.3.7 [released 13 September 2022]

Fixes

• Fixed an audio engine crash for some users

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Changes in Bitwig Studio 4.3.6 [released 13 September 2022]

Improvements

• Better modulator detail panel interactions:
  • Most modulators (29 of 38) have an expandable panel, where additional parameters or modulator routing buttons are available.
  • To expand one modulator's panel: simply click on the modulator's main interface. This will open the modulator's panel and close any others that were open. (If this modulator was open, it will close when clicked.)
  • To expand more than one modulator panel at a time: ALT-click on any modulator's main interface. This will open its panel without closing others that are open.
• Better modulator selections interactions:
  • To select a modulator: clicking the modulator's main (square) interface.
  • To add or remove a single modulator for the selection: CTRL-click (CMD-click on Mac) the modulator's main interface.
  • To add or remove all modulators up to the one clicked: SHIFT-click the desired modulator.
  • To make a rectangular selection of modulators: ALT-drag within the modulators pane section of a device.
• All interactions with modifier keys affect either the panel display state or selection of modulators — not both.
• These changes make working with modulator mappings that involve panels easier.

Fixes

• Connecting any controller that produced MIDI clock messages would break all MIDI input (regression) [29714]
• VST and CLAP: Parameters were sometimes reseting to the wrong value when using Bitwig's modulators [29604]

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Changes in Bitwig Studio 4.3.5 [released 08 September 2022]

Improvements

• Various Grid modules that convert any signal to pitch — Pitch Quantize, by Semitone, Pitch Scaler, and Zero Crossings (Pitch) — now have their in port colored red, to better reflect the signal (red) to pitch (orange) nature of these processors

Fixes

• Engine could crash when recording lots of audio data to very slow disks in some situations; this was fixed, along with numerous other file-writing improvements [29120]
• Audio event fades could disappear when moving another audio event in front of it [29509]
• In layered editing mode, moving notes could sometimes transfer them to another clip [27500]
• Fixed a crash when editing comping regions [27650]
• Fixed a crash when performing the Slice In Place action [29079]
• Fixed painting artifacts when moving the mouse across an audio waveform in the Detail Editor Panel [28684]
• ADSR, AD, and AR (Envelope) Grid/Polymer modules: Were sometimes getting triggered on initial audio engine activation, etc. [29552]
• Humanize (Note FX) device: Did not affect timing if the project was started in certain older version of Bitwig Studio [27324]
• Classic LFO modulator: Now always allows Per-voice mode to be enabled [29213]
• Key On (I/O) Grid module: Was only reacting to notes on channel 1 [29479]
• Velocity In (I/O) Grid module: Was creating short spikes for low velocity notes when in Digi Mono mode. [29481]
• Mod Delay (Delay) Grid module: Had some errant signal on side channel [29510]
• Mini device panel in the Mixer was cut off when nested in a layer within a group track [29298]
• Fixes engine crash when converting float samples to int24 little endian [26232]
• Fixed an occasional crash while reloading a plug-in's state [29427]
• ALS import: All Send levels were set to -inf [29497]

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Changes in Bitwig Studio 4.3.4 [released 03 August 2022]

Improvements

• ADSR and AHDSR modulators: Pre-delay settings can now be polyphonically modulated (Voice Stack might be a fun source…)

Fixes

• In rare cases after recording into the Arranger, the “Loading Samples" notification would show and the recording couldn’t be played back [29428]
• Device chains did not repaint immediately on color change
• The "Loading Samples" notification could sometimes get stuck

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Changes in Bitwig Studio 4.3.3 [released 01 August 2022]

Improvements

• Update CLAP to version 1.1.1

Fixes

• Play Start Marker moved when changing device parameters in some cases [29222]
• Note Chase was not working for very long notes with note expressions [29051]
• Comping regions get baked when moving clip start in arrangement, in some cases [28274]
• ALT + double-click for resetting an automation curve did not work on MIDI lanes [28997]
• Expressions modulator: Note on triggered the Release Velocity source as well [29154]
• Sallen-Key Grid/Polymer (Filter) module: Sound & volume regressions [29223]
• Sallen-Key & XP Grid/Polymer modules: Filter type display did not immediately use custom module color [28830]
• AD Grid/Polymer (Envelope) module: Was hanging after playing notes with longer duration than the envelope time, if the new note happens at time zero within the buffer [29313]
• Envelope Grid modules: Stereo trigger behavior changed in 4.3 [29237]
• Single modulator mappings now show inherited names in the footer [29047]
• Some SFZ files that had more than 127 groups could not be imported [29052]
• Consolidating empty clips on master or FX tracks was removing the clips instead of creating an empty clip [29280]
• Painting artifacts when moving the mouse over audio waveform in detail editor [28684]
• Multi selection of audio tracks was showing MIDI channel settings [29091]
• Deleting an FX track that has automation playing back could sometimes crash the audio engine [29240]
• "Missing files" notification was happening when renaming sample in project [29224]
• Insert from Library… command was listed twice in Launcher clip context menu [29046]
• Latency compensation not working correctly with Hive's built-in sequencer (and possibly others) [29283]
• Crash when showing text entry popup for a plug-in parameter that gets deleted before the user finished entering the parameter's value [25623]
• Windows: Fixed a crash in WindowsMidiOutput::doSendSysexMessage when _handle is set to null by another thread [27954]

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Changes in Bitwig Studio 4.3.2 [released 12 July 2022]

New Features

• Controller script added for ESI Xjam Performance Controller

Fixes

• Categories for impulse responses in browser were not correct and shown as "Invalid" (regression) [29143]
• Engine sometimes crashed when using PipeWire on Linux (regression) [29130]
• Plug-in windows could behave weirdly when using menus in a plug-in on KDE (regression)
• Better names in sampler device when it is using multisamples [29055]
• VST3: crash with plugins using track info, on tracks with very long name [29210]
• Linux: Sometimes a stuck buffer could exist when using PipeWire
• Linux: When recording from a monitor source in PipeWire don't apply the device output latency for the recording latency

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Changes in Bitwig Studio 4.3.1 [released 06 July 2022]

Fixes

• Latch (Note FX) device: Could get, well, stuck [28999]
• Punch In / Out were truncating MIDI notes [28956]
• Arrangement overdub was erasing the first note [29031]
• Fixed lag when turning up sends from silence in large projects. Active sends are now always hot.
• Crash when dropping notes into the empty clip launcher area (to create a new clip) [27805]
• Copy/paste of a clip's Seed value was not working [28955]
• Sometimes the engine could crash when switching audio systems, devices, or changing sample rates and block sizes
• Exporting audio at a different sample rate than "current" would result in the waveform being painted incorrectly when dragged into the project [29090]
• When adding a new modulation scaling assignment, the Inspector Panel was not updating immediately [28900]
• Note velocities sent by plug-ins were not being forwarded with correct values [28622]
• Couldn't import some Ableton Live projects ("automation events must be sorted by time") [29093]
• Changing a disabled send from a controller did not enable that send [29106]
• Dragging a disabled send down to 0 would enable it when the value went to 0 [29107]
• When moving library to different location in package manager, a "localization missing" notification was shown [29033]
• AD envelope module didn't complete the attack stage when gate went low (regression)
• Crash when inserting some unusual characters into text inputs and then undoing [27506]
• Visualization for remote controls were not shown when adjusting a remote control from a controller that used the hardware API [29115]
• Add %LOCALAPPDATA%/Programs/Common/CLAP/ and %LOCALAPPDATA%/Programs/Common/VST3/ to default plug-in folders
• On project close, some plug-ins were not being destroyed [29049]
• Linux: On some desktops (like recent versions of Plasma), showing a plug-in window would cause the task bar to be shown [29045]

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What's New in Bitwig Studio 4.3 [released 28 June 2022]

New Device: Convolution

• A straightforward device with quick adjustment controls for reverb, coloring, or anything else convolution can do
• Supports loading 1-channel (mono), 2-channel (stereo), and 4-channel ("true stereo") impulses
• An impulse browser visualizes all impulses in your library, along with their length, category, and channel count
• Tune resamples the impulse, changing its pitch and length by the set amount
• The Start and End Time positions within the impulse can be adjusted visually, similar to Sampler
• A Volume Envelope sets a start, mid-point (time-adjustable), and end gain levels, that can be quieter or louder than the original impulse for effects or reshaping it altogether
• Brightness offers a tilt EQ, which favors the high end when turned to the right, or the low end on the left
• Pre-delay time, Wet Gain amount, and dry/wet Mix parameters are also available
• The Wet FX chain allows any Bitwig devices and VST plug-ins to be added for processing only the wet output portion
• Convolution supports any audio file:
  • Dropping a file from one of Bitwig's browsers or the OS's file manager onto the Convolution will load the first 45 seconds of it
  • If a file conversion is necessary, the impulse will be saved into the current project's Impulses folder as a BWIMPULSE file
  • Dragging any audio or note clip onto Convolution will bounce the clip, and then load it as an impulse
  • A folder Import… option is available via the impulse browser for bulk import
• 270 impulses are available in the factory library, including real spaces, environmental captures, and generated impulses

New Device: Delay+

• A souped-up delay, with hardwired modulations and a pre-stocked feedback loop that eats the latency of other devices/plug-ins
• Standard delay options for delay time (either in seconds, or beats plus offset for triplet, dotted, or things in between), Feedback amount, low- and high-pass filters for controlling feedback, and a dry/wet Mix control
• For delay time changes/modulations, a Time Update Rate parameter is available, as well as two Time Update Model settings:
  • Repitch - Maintains audio output during delay time changes, making pitch effects audible
  • Fade - Hides pitch artifacts during delay time changes
• Like oscillator detuning, a Detune parameter is available in milliseconds, along with a Stereo Detune toggle to invert the right channel's detuning
• Four Pattern options for the channel configuration:
  • Mono - Flattens the incoming signal for processing, and offers a Pan control for direction within the effect
  • Stereo - With a Width control and optional Cross Feedback (for left → right channel feedback, and vice versa)
  • Ping L - Ping-pong, starting on the left side, and with Width control
  • Ping R - Ping-pong, starting on the right side, and with Width control
• Around the feedback stage are several controls and effects:
  • Level Control keeps signal in the feedback loop from exploding, offer both a Threshold for when level control starts, and three Modes (Soft Clip, Hard Clip, and a Comp.[ressor] model)
    • The feedback (or cross feedback) icon illuminates red to show the amount of level control being applied
  • Width affects Feedback factors in the Width parameter (when available) before the feedback chain
  • Blur sets the amount of the selected Blur Character, whose choices are:
    • No Blur - Bypass option
    • Soft - Short diffusion network
    • Wide - Short diffusion network, with broader modulation and spread
    • Still - Long diffusion network
    • Space - Long diffusion network, with broader modulation and spread
    • Reverse - Time-offset diffusion system
  • The Forever toggle maintains the current feedback buffer, keeping it at unity gain and not passing in any new signal
  • Any other Bitwig devices or VST plug-ins can be inserted into the FB FX chain, becoming part of the churn
    • The FB FX chain uniquely provides delay compensation (for inserting devices that require it) by offsetting the delay time
• Ducking automatically pulls down wet signal gain as well as the Feedback level when strong sounds arrive to help them be heard, even with high Feedback values or even the Forever option enabled
  • The arrow icon (→) leading from Ducking to Mix illuminates orange to show the amount of ducking being applied

Polymer/Grid module updates

• New Polymer/Grid oscillator: Union
  • A DC-drifting, analog-inspired oscillator that blends pulse, saw, and triangle waves
  • Level controls for each of the three waveforms
  • Clickable toggle to quickly switch to only one waveform
  • Pulse Width control for the pulse wave's shape and timbre
  • Anti-aliased waveshapes slide around as any of these controls are adjusted, making them ideal for modulation or automation
  • Union is now the default oscillator in Polymer for its immediate controls and warm sound
• New Polymer/Grid filter: Low-pass MG
  • A Moog-inspired classic low-pass filter
  • Drive stage has similarly inspired mix buss character (try turning it up; we'll wait.)
  • Standard Cutoff Frequency and Resonance controls
  • Low-pass MG is now the default filter in Polymer because it sounds good and familiar
• Updated Polymer/Grid envelopes: ADSR, AR, and AD
  • Each have three modes now:
    • 🅰 Analog - Again, imitating Moog hardware's fixed curves nonlinearities
    • 🆁 Relative - (previously the only mode) With adjustable rate-differential curves
    • 🅳 Digital - Clean math with adjustable curves, for precise time segments
  • A simple one letter button in each envelope's top left indicates the mode; click the box to see all available modes
  • For its classic response and ease of use, the default Polymer envelopes (for AEG and FEG) are set to Analog
• Updated Polymer/Grid filter: Sallen-Key (previously "Low-pass SK", with only three low-pass modes) now has 16 Filter Mode options, using various filter types
• Updated Polymer/Grid filter revision: Comb now has a Dampening Frequency parameter (set relative to the primary Cutoff Frequency) for reining in the feedback segment
• Updated Polymer/Grid filters: Low-pass LD, Low-pass MG, Sallen-Key, SVF, XP, and Comb
  • All filters now including a Resonance Limit (or Q Limit) control, setting the point where clipping begins within the filter's resonance
  • The Drive parameter sets the amount of gain (and clipping), and Resonance Limit sets the threshold when clipping/saturation begins
  • Together, these parameters can greatly adjust the color of any filter
  • Resonance Limit is available in Polymer by right-clicking on a empty area of any filter module
• Updated Polymer/Grid oscillators: Pulse, Sawtooth, Sine, Triangle, Union, Wavetable, Phase-1, and Swarm
  • Each oscillator's Phase Modulation Amount knob now goes up to 800 % (with 100 % at the center)
  • These extended modulation index values provide for a broader range of digital frequency/phase modulation sounds
• Updated Polymer/Grid module: Sub (Oscillator) now includes a sawtooth option as an additional Waveform choice

Comments Are Welcome

• Comments can now be added to any track, layer (within one of our Layer devices) or chain (within Drum Machine devices), Launcher scene, or Arranger cue marker
• Comments can be added/seen in the Inspector Panel for any item, and:
  • Track and layer comments can all be seen/edited together in either Mixer Panel
  • Launcher scene and Arranger cue markers can be seen/edited together in the Sections page of the Project Panel
• Comments are good for whatever you what — recording settings, performance notes, lyrics, etc. — and can be written in any language that Bitwig can display

FX Tracks Sends

• FX tracks now have sends of their own, allowing FX tracks to be sent to any other effect track
• An FX track sent to an FX track on its right (further down on the mixer) is sent immediately
• An FX track sent to an FX track on its left (backward on the mixer) is sent with a delay of one audio buffer
  • This includes direct feedback routing, shown with the square feedback arrow icon
• This also applies to the FX tracks of group tracks and FX layers within Drum Machine devices

New Features

• CLAP plug-ins are supported for all platforms (including polyphonic modulation, voice stacking, and on and on)
• FLAC files can now be directly played back across Bitwig (in clips, with stretching, by Sampler, etc. etc.)
  • Converting FLAC files to WAV is no longer necessary, saving space and time AND staying lossless
• Sends can now be toggled on/off individually:
  • Click the name of any track/channel's send to toggle that send off/on
  • SHIFT-click any track/channel's send to toggle all sends
  • A new function, Disable All Unused Sends, disables any unused sends in the project, which minimizes CPU-usage/latency
  • Sends in new projects are now disabled until used (by an initial knob turn or creating automation, etc.)
• Controller scripts added for iCON QCon Pro G2 and Pro X models (both with support for up to three Extenders)
• Updated FX device: Bit-8 now has an Anti-alias toggle, switching to different methods — and a different sound
• Updated Grid module: Audio Out (I/O) now has higher-quality clipping algorithms, and the module icon glows to indicate how much clipping is being applied
• Updated Grid module: ADSR (Envelope) now has a Bias Out port, sending a proportionate signal that outputs zero in the sustain segment (good for sliding pitches and much more)
• CC In Grid module: Now has MIDI learn functionality for setting the CC message and channel to use
• Pitch (Pitch) Grid module: Now has a MIDI learn option for setting its constant value
• Updated analysis device: Spectrum now has a toggle for the Frequency Range displayed:
  • Human Hearing - Displays the extended human hearing range
  • Sample Rate - Matches Bitwig's current sample rate
• Updated Grid module: Oscilloscope (Display) now has display parameters to adjust the Y Maximum shown on screen and a Y Bipolar toggle
• Updated tool device: Test Tone now has a Bipolar toggle for optional unipolar output, as well as Waveshape options:
  • Sine (previously the only waveform available)
  • Triangle
  • Square
  • Saw Up
  • Saw Down
  • Dirac - A series of one-sample impulses
  • White Noise
  • Pink Noise
• When a group track is expanded and focus is within it, all Add Track functions now create tracks within the group
• Operators: Note editor GUI updates (to show which events are playing on this loop pass) are now latency compensated [28277]
• Controllers that target the Clip Launcher now use a rectangle to highlight the current targets from each active controller, and can optionally scroll Bitwig's GUI when the controller scrolls its targets
• Modules now have a revision system, for managing updates and maintaining compatibility with previous use work
  • When an UPDATE button appears on the top right of a module, mouse over it for a tooltip of the changes that clicking UPDATE would bring
• The top of the Inspector Panel for devices has been simplified and given a fuller range of icons
• Nested device chains now show an icon for each device in the chain
• The User Guide PDF has been updated for Bitwig Studio v4.3
• Linux: Builds are now released as FLATPAK files (more information here)
  • DEB files will continue to be available for now
  • The Download button in application update notifications will now point to the FlatPak installer (when running a FlatPak installation)
• Linux: now supports the PipeWire audio driver

Improvements

• Controller Scripts: BWEXTENSION files can now be installed by simply dragging them onto the Bitwig application window
• Invoking the Rename function on audio events will now open a dialog to rename the audio file itself
• Adding an instrument to an audio track no longer forces conversion to a hybrid track
• [CTL]/[CMD]-dragging to move an automation segment now limits movement to only be up and down (and not move in time)
• Layered editing of audio tracks no longer allows resizing the lanes when the auto-size mode is on (it was too easy to do this accidentally)
• General modulator mapping improvements:
  • When setting a modulation range of a linear parameter, the unit will be shown while mapping
  • When setting a modulation range of a logarithmic parameter (such as the Rate scaler for the LFO modulator or Grid module), positive modulations will be shown with × and negative modulations with ÷, since the modulations are multiplicative of the current setting
  • When setting a modulation range of a cubic parameter (such as any envelope time setting, or module attenuator, etc. etc.), the modulation shows the maximum modulation value based on the parameter's current set value, along with an asterisk (*) since changing the set value will change the effective modulation range
• When mousing over a modulator source that is assigned to only one destination, the window footer now tells you the one destination it is assigned to
• Updated Grid module revision: Comb (Filter) now sets negative feedback to the same cutoff frequency/delay time as positive feedback
• Delay-1, Delay-2, and Delay-4 devices:
  • Latency compensation is now done within the feedback loop [28736]
  • Now does a precise computation of delay times (for less drift)
  • Increased the delay buffer when sample rates are high
  • Note: These improvements may lead to slightly different (read: more accurate) sounds
• Actions that controlled transport playback state (such as pressing SPACEBAR) can now be invoked while adjusting a parameter via mouse or touch [28638]
• Exiting a text-editing action with the [ESC] key is now decided on a case-by-case basis
• Re-organized Bitwig device categories:
  • New Distortion category (replacing Destruction, with all devices moving there)
  • New Modulation category (with Chorus+, Chorus, Flanger+, Flanger, Phaser+, Phaser, Rotary, and Tremolo moving there)
  • Comb is now in the Filter category
  • Plug-in categories work similarly for display
• Support for 64-bit floating point WAV files
• Added support for compressed WAV files (such as those not in PCM or float formats) [8604][21352]
• Added button to stop an active trial phase [28446]

Fixes

• Substantial memory optimizations for projects with a large number of tracks and/or scenes [28390]
• Launcher Clip Loop button would perform inconsistently when switched during playback [28676]
• First kick in looping clip launcher clip louder than other clips if there's a note following behind the loop [28066]
• Clip Launcher clips could drift out of time with arrangement loop active [28607]
• Sliding clip content no longer affects track automation [28425]
• Reversing a clip no longer affects track automation [28428]
• Audio events could get inserted into the same clip when moving a multiselection in layered audio editor [28339]
• Dropping an audio time selection while holding ALT (to copy) could shorten existing events [28791]
• Onsets weren't being analyzed for a sample dragged out of a multisample [28824]
• Recording of polyphonic pressure was not accurate [28346]
• Wrong loop region length could happen after consolidating a clip with an odd time signature [28347]
• Edit View was not always showing existing automation when switching lanes [28750]
• Inconsistent "meta clip" (on group tracks) selection behavior [28296]
• FX Tracks: Option to Group is no longer in the context menu [28672]
• When loading a sample file that results in an error, the loading task could appear hung, spinning indefinitely
• 8-bit WAV files had an incorrect DC offset
• 8-bit WAV files (that did not contain an even number of samples) could click
• 32-bit float WAV files could be clipped on import [28338]
• 192 kHz audio playback had sync issues [28486]
• 192 kHz sample rate: Stretch modes lead to timing issues [28637]
• Some corrupt WAV files weren't loading [26961]
• Fixed a crash when reading FLAC metadata from invalid files [28840]
• Inappropriately compressed multisample files (e.g. created by Moss conversion tool) weren't being loaded anymore [28818]
• Imported tempo automation from MIDI file could be inaccurate [28520]
• MIDI files that contained only CC automation could not be imported [28572]
• Importing an invalid MIDI file could break the Bitwig project [28513]
• ALS Import: Pitch Bend and other MIDI CCs weren't getting imported [26673]
• Humanize (Note FX) device: Was sometimes causing performance issues, visual slowdowns [27061]
• Tool device, etc.: Had a tiny gain boost (+0.0014 dB), now removed
• FX Layer device:
  • Solo state was not remembered when reloading a project [28553]
  • Dragging a layer out onto an audio track was converting it to an instrument track and Instrument Layer [28410]
• Poly Grid device: Spikes were happening when clicking on a note in the note editor [28551]
• Drum machine device: Was crashing when inserting the device, selecting a pad in the mixer view, and then undoing [25578]
• Note FX Layer device: Notes were not playing correctly after transposing them in different layers [28479]
• Note FX Selector device: Fixed a rare crash [28517]
• AD, AR, ADSR Grid/Polymer modules & Note Out Grid module: Wouldn't always trigger on sub-sample gate signals
• Note Out (I/O) Grid module, friend of Note Grid, etc.:
  • Sending a note on with velocity of 0 % now creates a note (the same as with Bitwig's note events); now only negative velocity values will fail to produce a note with Note Grid, etc. [27984]
  • Routing an envelope signal to the Gain In port expression was creating a pop [28618]
  • Properly clips note expressions
• Plug-in Suspend mode: post FX chain was going silent too early [28808]
• Plug-ins: The plug-in window sometimes wasn't closing after deleting the plug-in device
• Shortcut added for Toggle Metronome was not working when a VST window was in focus [28257]
• VST: MPE pitch bend input was broken [28546]
• VST plug-ins: Notes with velocities below 0.39% were not being sent to plug-ins anymore [28610]
• VST plug-ins: MPE expressions are now properly clipped [28477]
• VST3: Was only showing the sidechain routing if the plug-in's only input bus is an auxiliary input
• VST3: Note expressions output from plug-ins are now forwarded to the device chain
• Fixed engine crash when manipulation strings contains less common unicode character such as:
• Crash when changing cursor device from some controllers when there was no track selected [28525]
• Rare crash when invoking shortcut that was assigned to a controller button [27751]
• Controller API: Fixed an invalid error and controller 'freeze' when adding a binding from a button to track mute button [28960]
• Controller API: Crash when zooming with no project open [28753]
• macOS: Avoid excessive logging when the os_workgroup fails
• Strange situations could lead to an erroneous error ("At least two warp markers needed for warping") when previewing a file in the Browser Panel [28819]
• Infinite recursion in module graph led to an app hang for one (1) project [28927]