Beta Testing of Bitwig Studio 5.3

Bitwig Studio 5.3 is now in beta testing for users with an active Upgrade Plan. It features three families of drum instruments, a playful sequencer device, and more. It's phat-beats o'clock.

NOTE: Do not use a beta version to work on important projects! Project files created or saved with the beta cannot be opened in previous versions of Bitwig Studio. So if you are opening working projects, save copies of them for beta testing (instead of saving over your original files).

If you think you have found a bug, please drop us a line at beta@bitwig.com. Please be sure to include:

And if you get a crash report dialog from the program, please click Send Report. Adding a comment is most helpful, but this can still be useful to us regardless.

System Requirements

Windows - Windows 10, or 11 (all in 64-bit), and DirectX 11 or higher
Mac - macOS 10.15 ("Catalina") or above
Linux - For installing the Flatpak file, any modern distribution with Flatpak installed (more information here). For installing the DEB file, Ubuntu 22.04 or later. DX11-level Vulkan is also required.
a CPU capable of SSE 4.1

What's New in Bitwig Studio 5.3, Beta 1 [released 20 November 2024]

Three New Drum Families

25 new compact, expressive drum instruments have arrived
The devices work well both within their families and beyond
This includes Bitwig's first Cymbal devices (there are four), and five new Percussion elements (including a famous cowbell)
Output scopes animate the sound result
All instruments have Tune, Velocity Sensitivity, an FX chain for nested processing, and a post-level Output control
Nearly all devices also have a Decay control
Some devices have a Consistent Sound toggle in the Inspector Panel, to retrigger filters and/or oscillators on each note
Some devices have a Sound Variation range in the Inspector Panel, to give it more (almost a multisample feel), less, or no (0 %) randomness from note to note
All of these devices support relative pitch expressions, so triggered notes can include custom pitch envelopes and bends
- This is good for notes that are edited with micro-pitch, or triggering notes from MPE-type controllers that support pitch expressions
- Gain and panning expressions are also fully supported

New drum instruments: The `v8` Family

Inspired by the TR-808, these ten instruments cover the core elements and most of the iconic percussion
Additional parameters and extended ranges are available, giving room for new sounds and responsiveness
New instrument: v8 Kick (Kick), with additional controls for Punch, Shape, Drive, and Click
New instrument: v8 Snare (Snare), with additional controls for Tone, Snappy (or noise), Stereo Width, and Click, as well as an Alternate Tuning toggle in the Inspector Panel
New instrument: v8 Tom (Tom), with additional controls for Punch and Click, as well as a Noise element added to the drum with Tail and Stereo Width controls
New instrument: v8 Hat (Hi-hat), with additional controls for Color, Noise, and Dirt
New instrument: v8 Clap (Clap), with additional controls for Flam and Stereo Width
New instrument: v8 Cymbal (Cymbal), with additional controls for Color, Noise, and Tilt
New instrument: v8 Rimshot (Percussion), with additional controls for Tone, Noise, and Bite
New instrument: v8 Cowbell (Percussion), with an additional Color control
New instrument: v8 Claves (Percussion), with a Decay control
New instrument: v8 Maracas (Percussion), with Attack and Decay controls

New drum instruments: The `v9` Family

Inspired by the TR-909, these nine instruments cover all elements of the original hardware
Additional parameters and extended ranges are available, giving room for new sounds and responsiveness
New instrument: v9 Kick (Kick), with additional controls for Punch, Shape, Buzz, Click, and Compression (to give a suppressed envelope character)
New instrument: v9 Snare (Snare), with additional controls for Snappy (or noise), Drive, Tone, and Click
New instrument: v9 Tom (Tom), with additional controls for Punch, Shape, Tone, and Snap
New instrument: v9 Closed Hat (Hi-hat), with additional controls for Impact, Density, and Stereo Width
New instrument: v9 Open Hat (Hi-hat), with additional controls for Impact, Density, and Stereo Width
New instrument: v9 Clap (Clap), with additional controls for Flam and Stereo Width
New instrument: v9 Crash (Cymbal), with additional controls for Impact, Density, and Stereo Width
New instrument: v9 Ride (Cymbal), with additional controls for Impact, Density, and Stereo Width
New instrument: v9 Rimshot (Percussion), with a Tone control

New drum instruments: The `v0` Family

A group of drum instruments sharing varied digital approaches
All manner of techniques are used, including detuned oscillator banks, FM, sets of filters that are sometimes harmonic, and even physical models
New instrument: v0 Kick (Kick), with additional controls for Punch, Click, Shape, Body, and Noise, as well as toggle for whether to use Stereo Noise or not
New instrument: v0 Snare (Snare), with additional controls for the Noise, Click, and Shell components, as well Shell Ringing, Shell Size, and Shell Spread parameters
New instrument: v0 Tom (Tom), with additional controls for Punch, Click, Rumble, Air, Shape, and Stereo Width
New instrument: v0 Hat (Hi-hat), with additional detune controls named Carrier Bank Spread and Modulator Bank Spread, as well as a single Oscillator Banks Range (set in semitones), as well as Tone, Phaser Mixer, and Frequency Shift (for the phaser) parameters
New instrument: v0 Cymbal (Cymbal), with additional detune controls named Carrier Bank Spread and Modulator Bank Spread, as well as a single Oscillator Banks Range (set in semitones), as well as Tone, Phaser Mixer, and Frequency Shift (for the phaser) parameters
New instrument: v0 Zap Kick (Kick), a psy-inspired kick drum, for any sound that wants to swoop
- Tune setting defines the target pitch… unless the Tuned toggle is disabled, in which case the target pitch is zero Hertz
- Gated toggle (on by default) makes this a sustaining drum instrument, and accordingly adjust the behavior of the Release / Decay timing parameter
- Zap Depth (Zap on the faceplate) defines how far the pitch swoops, and Zap Decay sets its timing
- The gear icon exposes three direct modulation targets, allow you to create your own modulation of the exponential Pitch (when Tuned is on), linear Frequency, and Phase
  - Controlling Pitch Mod with a Segments (Envelope) modulator could let you shape your own zap
  - Freq Mod and Phase Mod can be used as synthesis targets, but the choice(s) are yours

New device: Stepwise (Note FX)

A playful step sequencer device has joined Bitwig's 30+ note processors and containers
The first device made to generate notes, Stepwise has eight identical rows with these parameters:
- A bank of steps, each of which can be off, a normal note, or an accented note
- The Note (in MIDI notation) being triggered by this row
- The Rate (note values, or Bar) that each step takes
  - Notes are triggered for half of the step duration
- The Length of each row, from 1 to 16 steps
- The Velocity used for this row
  - Normal notes use the row's Velocity value
  - Accented notes use the row's Velocity value plus the global Accent Boost parameter, which is found in the Inspector Panel
- The Timing Offset (as ±100 %) to position where each step lands
  - So if Rate is set to Bar and Timing Offset is to +75 %, each step would land on beat 4 of the current bar (assuming 4/4)
- A Use Global Groove option, to follow the transport's groove when it is enabled
- A Mute option, to silence this current row (unless it is set to Solo)
- A Solo option, to silence notes from other rows and only hear this row
Except for the bank of steps and Solo, all other parameters can be modulated or controlled
Functions are also available for each row, which are exposed by clicking the monkey wrench icon in the device headers:
- Nudge Left (←) wraps the visible steps to the left
- Nudge Right (→) wraps the visible steps to the right
- Invert Pattern (Flip) turns all notes off, and turns all rests to notes
- Randomize Pattern (dice) creates a new pattern for this row
- By right-clicking on the row's bank of steps, options for Copy Pattern, Paste Pattern, and Clear Pattern are also available
A global Use MIDI Channels option (Inspector Panel) uses the row number for each note's MIDI channel, which can be extracted after Stepwise by:
- Triggering the Channel-16 (Note-driven) modulator
- In any Grid patch, parsing each lane's stream (via the Note In module)
- Using the Note FX Layer device to separate the lane outputs into individual chains (for example, see the factory preset "by MIDI Channel")
- Recording the note output onto another track
Using bar 1, beat 1 as its starting point, this device's unique approach to phase will:
- Only wrap each lane at the end of its length
- Reproducibly start each lane at the same point when triggered from any particular bar/beat location
The device will pass thru any incoming notes, so:
- You can still trigger clips (or use live controller input) along with a running Stepwise
- Adding two (or more) Stepwise devices in a row will provide more lanes

Master Recording for Direct Capture

The new Master Recording feature allows you to record and capture your audio in new ways
In the new section of the transport, click the small record icon to write whatever is reaching the Master track directly to disk
- A red timer will appear (where the Transport Time normally is), to show you the elapsed recording time
- Recording will start, even if you never start Bitwig's transport
- Recording will continue, even if you stop (or restart, or jump) Bitwig's transport
- When you click the Master Recording button again, recording will stop
- The Browser Panel will automatically jump to the master-recordings folder of the current project, in case you want to drag the audio straight into the Arranger/Launcher, or a Sampler (or Convolution) device
- The new section also shows your master track output meters at all time
The provides many new workflows, including:
- Capturing a full live performance straight to disk
- Recording performance gestures that include starting and stopping the transport
- Recording anything that is triggered by transport stop [such as Globals (Interface) modulator effects, or just the way Steps and other sequencers change on start/stop]
- Capturing audio and then dropping it into a Sampler without ever stopping the transport
- Directly capturing ideas, without ever hitting play

Audio System Overhaul on Mac

The audio engine has been rewritten on Mac to support switching interfaces quickly
- A special System configuration will follow the OS's choice of audio output and input devices
- When the manually selected interface becomes unavailable, you will automatically be switched to a previously used audio interface (if available)
- When audio interfaces become available, a notification will ask you if you want to switch to it
Audio interfaces are now auto-populated within Bitwig Studio, offering routings to all physical inputs and outputs (as well as stereo versions, where sensible)
Configuration of each interface allows renaming of ports, favoriting of ports (so they show in top-level choosers), or offering only the mono or stereo version
- Configuration is only necessary if you want to customize these elements; the ports will be available automatically within Bitwig Studio
- Configurations are singular for each interface and will be remembered
- Names you had previously setup will be imported
- The new way of configuring audio devices is also available on PC for setting up ASIO devices
Multi-configurations are now possible from Bitwig Studio, pooling multiple audio interfaces so you can use them simultaneously

Polyphonic Shifting Modules

Two higher-level Grid modules have joined the Delay / FX category
Both change the frequency of incoming signals, and they can be used in any Grid patch
To start, just drop either module in and turn the big knob to begin shifting
Even tho they process any incoming audio signal, both have special key-tracking options, so…
- Using these in Poly Grid will just work with the incoming note stream
- Remember that FX Grid has a Note Source option (in the Inspector Panel), for routing note signals in from other tracks
- Being Grid modules mean they will work as mono or polyphonic components, to match your patch; have fun~

New Grid module: Freq Shift+ (Delay / FX)

An analog-syle frequency shifter, with optional delay network and much more:
- A central Freq Shift control offers a range of ±100 %, as defined by the current Range and Unit settings found just beneath the knob
  - Unit options include expected kHz and Hz, as well as note-length options for beat-synced shifts, and a special Keytracking mode that connects uses the pitch of any note(s) reaching the Grid device to control the Freq Shift amount directly
  - The Rate In signal is added to the frequency shift amount
  - The Rate In is scaled by its attenuator, based on the current Unit being used. (In the special Keytracking mode, the Rate In signal is attenuated by the normal Freq Shift knob, and the pre-cord for note pitch is used without attenuation.)
- Feedback is applied directly within the frequency shift function, and an additional Feedback Direction control lets you pick whether feedback cascades upward in frequency (positive values) or downward (negative values)
  - In the Inspector Panel are parameters for the Feedback High-pass Cutoff and Feedback Low-pass Cutoff frequencies, letting your tame or shape the feedback
- Enable Delay toggle wraps the frequency shift in a delay line (whose Delay Time can be set in time, up to 1 second), good for classic analog effects
- Several Filter Options are in the Inspector Panel:
  - Filter Quality sets the precision being used for the frequency shift
  - Anti-Reflection Filter will filter out negative frequencies (which can happen when shifting down)
  - Additional All-pass adds an extra all-pass network to the circuit, for extra phase-y goodness
- The Phase In signal allows phase modulation of the oscillator that is doing the frequency shifting
  - The stereo Phase of this oscillator is available in the Inspector Panel
  - A Phase Offset (R) for the right channel is available both in the bottom right corner of the module and in the Inspector Panel, for some instant stereo

New Grid module: Pitch Shift (Delay / FX)

A pitch transposer, with keytracking, grain control, and various modulation options (including phase modulation of any signal):
- A central Pitch Shift control offers a range of ±48 semitones (or ±4 octaves)
- A Keytrack toggle enables a pre-cord adding the pitch of any note(s) reaching the Grid device to the module's pitch buss (as a regular Bitwig pitch signal, where C3 is a "zero" signal)
- The Pitch In signal is also added to the pitch buss of the module, after being scaled by its attenuator
- Grain Rate sets the windowing rate for the transposition function
  - If the Grain Rate In port is connected, the Grain Rate parameter is replaced by this incoming signal (as scaled by its Grain Rate Attenuator setting)
  - In either case, the Adaptive Grain Rate toggle adjusts the grain rate relative to the pitch transposition amount, for an often cleaner sound
  - The Inspector Panel's Grain Fade parameter sets the transition time between successive frames (which keeps the module from producing pitch chirps)
- The Phase / FM In signal allows phase/linear frequency modulation of the oscillator that is doing the pitch shifting
  - Phase modulation will work even when pitch shift is not active (or zero), so this module could be used to phase modulate any signal
  - The Use Linear FM toggle in the Inspector Panel switches the Phase / FM In to perform linear FM, which will only work when pitch shifting is occurring

New Features

Bitwig Studio is now available for Windows ARM
New Accents (Data) Grid module: Tri-state event sequencer, with an out port for Normal steps and a separate out port for Accents
New Step Access (Phase) Grid module: Transport-relative phase signal generator, for reaching particular step ranges (good for data sequencers)
New Dome (Filter) Grid module: a Hilbert transform, providing any signal's real & imaginary portions, as well as its magnitude & phase
Note FX Selector (Container) device: Now has a Solo Active Layer option in the Inspector Panel
- This provides a way to exclusively switch between note generators
- So if you load multiple Stepwise variations, or Note Grid generators, etc., you can use the Note FX Selector to cleanly switch between all available layers
Note In (I/O) Grid module: Now has a MIDI Channel(s) setting, for either allowing in All MIDI channels (the default setting of 0), or specifying one channel for the module to receive
CLAP plug-ins: Can now convert to/from instances of the same plug-in as VST2, VST 3, and CLAP (when supported by the manufacturer)

Improvements

Projects and presets now load faster on all computers
- Bitwig Studio's device/DSP code now compiles in parallel for quicker loading of projects or even preset browsing
- The result is now cached more efficiently so after presets are loaded the first time, they will load faster thereafter
Drum Machine (Drum Kit) device: Now uses better text shortening/abbreviations, to make the slots of the device more readable
The original drum instruments (E-) have been renamed the v1 family, as they were the originals:
- E-Kick (Kick) is now v1 Kick
- E-Snare (Snare) is now v1 Snare
- E-Tom (Tom) is now v1 Tom
- E-Hat (Hi-hat) is now v1 Hat
- E-Clap (Clap) is now v1 Clap
- E-Cowbell (Percussion) is now v1 Cowbell

Fixes

Randomize (Note FX) device: Now works consistently when modulated, whether the track is in focus or not [36965]