So, this week has seen the launch of the first major new player in the world of Digital Audio Workstations in a long, long time.

To be fair, Bitwig launched their Beta quite a while ago, (and I blogged about the promises it offered in terms of collaboration with other users), but it’s been a rocky road for the guys and we’re pleased to be hosting the Shiny new finished product here at Scan Towers tonight as part of our ongoing Webcast series.

Bitwig are promising a fresh look at the DAW, and their heritage suggests that they have the capability to do this very well (ex- members of the original Ableton team remember).

They claim that every new feature in Bitwig was designed by Muscians and is therefore very useful, as opposed to features included by programmers just because they can…

WINDOWS, MAC OS X, LINUX All for one, one for all. The next generation of software for sound and music creation is available on all three major platforms: Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. Produce, share, and collaborate from completely different machines. When it comes to which operating system you wish to use with Bitwig Studio, the choice is yours.

INTEGRATED USER INTERFACE

Customized workflow to match any style.

Today it’s possible to make music with any DAW. What sets each one apart is workflow, how quickly you can realize your ideas, and the freedom to choose how you produce and perform. In Bitwig Studio, use the Clip Launcher alongside your arrangement to draft your song‘s layout on the fly, or use it exclusively as a performance tool. This is one of many features that demonstrates Bitwig Studio’s seamless integration of multiple views into your workflow as needed, the way you want it.

PLUG-IN SANDBOXING Damage control. Never again will a single plugin take down your entire project. The “sandboxing” feature built-in to Bitwig Studio ensures plug-in crashes will not interrupt valuable production time, or better yet, your performance on stage. Choose 32-bit, 64-bit, or choose both. No third-party bridging is necessary to run your favorite plugins side-by-side. Bitwig Studio protects your workflow while efficiently running your VSTs for non-stop creativity.

 

UNIFIED MODULATION SYSTEM

Modulation redefined.

Modulating one parameter from the next often means losing hands-on control – until now. Bitwig Studio is hard-coded with a Unified Modulation System, allowing you to easily link any device parameter, including nested internal devices and VST plug-ins, without losing hands-on control. Never before has modulating virtually any parameter between devices been so simple. Nothing is locked, so you can manipulate on the fly to find the perfect range of modulation. Make your devices take on a life of their own, create dynamic relationships between sounds, and hear your music begin to breathe.

 

OPEN MULTIPLE PROJECTS

Limited to one idea? Think again.

The bassline from your last session could be the missing piece of your current project. The rhythm section in your latest song carries perfectly over to the next. No need to close anything or dig through complex file structures. With Bitwig Studio, open multiple projects at the same time and drag-and-drop between them.

 

OPEN CONTROLLER API

Your controller just became a lot smarter.

“Smart controller“ takes on a new meaning in Bitwig Studio. The Open Controller API is accessible not only to you, but also to third party manufacturers for complete integration of your favorite controllers like never before. This feature allows you to freely edit existing control maps direct from the companies that design your controllers, or to easily create your own. Get the most out of your gear with hands-on control of parameters that mean the most to you, and take full advantage of every pad, knob, button, and key at your fingertips.

				DETAIL EDITOR Everything in its place. Bitwig Studio is designed to offer unprecedented flexibility by eliminating boundaries at every step of music creation and performance to give you greater control over your workflow than ever before. The Detail Editor revolutionizes audio editing by allowing you to perform non-destructive editing within a clip, allowing you to stretch, split, pitch, pan, copy, reverse, add, move and re-arrange audio as you wish. Edit multiple tracks in the same view, edit notes using audio as a reference, isolate your view to one clip or expand it to see the everything in the entire track. Consider the Detail Editor your very own limitless creative space. Go wild.
DYNAMIC OBJECT INSPECTOR Build up your ideas, faster. Start with a groove or motif, take the idea that inspires you from the start and quickly transform it into a complete composition. Bitwig Studio introduces new ways to keep up with your inspiration. Take the Dynamic Object Inspector, it allows you to select multiple notes or events and edit them together with an interactive histogram, easily adding variations as you go.

 

Included Devices

Made in Berlin.

Each device in Bitwig Studio was designed in-house using a modular system integrated in the application. The modular system will be available to anyone using Bitwig Studio in the future. A simple click will allow you to modify any existing device, or create your own. Our selection of current devices demonstrate the power hidden beneath the hood of Bitwig Studio, where limits are defined by the scope of imagination.

So Given all of this Wonderfulness, how is it going to be received?

Well, its worth taking a look at our webcast tonight, or looking at the archive on You Tube later, and judge for yourself.

Either way, we’re very excited to be in at the start of this and wish our Bitwig Buddies all the very best for the future.

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