interesting seeing peoples take on bitwig. I love it, I think ableton looks absolutely horrible and isnt nearly as clear on how to use its core functions. Ive been using bitwig since it came out for production and ive been using reaper for a very long time from tracking/mixing/mastering "live" music.

 

It might be NOW, but I'm pretty sure that when I first picked up Ableton, Logic didn't have warping at all. Back then, your choice was really between Ableton and ACID Pro. Back then, we were all slicing stuff up manually in Logic or Cubase and then aligning it all by hand/eye.

But sure, I'd go over to Logic in a shot if I could do so without using a Mac. Or if Macs today were like Macs in the 90's, when you could open the box and update your parts yourself.

 

You are talking about automatically time stretching samples as loaded into project? Time is handled a little "differently" in Logic, but it's so damn close to what acid was like. I stopped using acid in/around v3, because they made some dumb changes I did not like with how it interfaced with Sonic Foundry Sound Forge 4.5. It started doing strange things to audio while they were changing how things loaded when automatically time compressed or expanded. Logic handles this better or equal to any of them. I would also prefer Ableton over Bitwig on a pc. For only this one thing, I would bounce Bitwig as "main daw" contender.

 

Last edited: Nov 5, 2022

I am starting to look into it more and more. I use Cubase primarily but something about Bitwig is calling to me. I like the look of the interface. I also wouldn't mind trying it for more experimental sound design / thinking outside the box ideas. I tried Ableton in the past and it didn't gel with me. So Bitwig is next up on my list of things to learn when I have more time.

 

If you think something is not musical you just have to repeat it until it is.

 

I have started a couple of tracks with Bitwig and it rocks, but I´m chained to ableton Capture MIDI feature. That little stupid thingy is the best thing ever invented for shy musicians. If I hit the record button everything turns shit and I block myself, but... Can I jam pressure free and hit a button whenever I like?. Fuck yeah. If something similar appear on Bitwig I´ll jump inmediatly but until then...

 

I am using Magix Acid Pro with my multitracking acoustic drums. I am impressed with it's ease of use. I have been wanting to check out Bitwig.

 

I got Bitwig studio with the purchase of some hardware and as a creative DAW I think it is unparalleled, but there are some mental paradigms to fight through to get the most out of it.

As a purely mixing or high productivity DAW for post and mixing it doesn't compete in that arena.

It does have probably the best and most configurable stock FX and instruments available of any DAW though and there is value in that.

That's my take on it, I play around with it every once in a while but it's a learning experience every time. Sometimes that's good, sometimes that's frustrating.

 

Yes, this. I also can't see myself using Bitwig as a main daw. I just think it has interesting sound design capabilities. I think if I couldn't use Ableton, I'd either go back to Cubase or take the trouble to learn Reaper properly. But Reaper's midi capabilities just seem so cumbersome and counterintuitive to me.

 

I use Nuendo for my main DAW, Bitwig for performance and sound design. Sometimes when I'm tracking in Nuendo, I use Bitwig in tandem for its modulators, via Jack; Bitwendo.

 

Fantastic well balanced daw especially for sound designers due to the immense amount of midi and modulation tools available. Quite a few functions are missing tough such as midi comping and instrument bouncing but knowing Bitwig it will be implemented in the near future.

 

Oh? what makes you say that?

 

Bitwig is made by ex coders of Ableton so they know what they're doing. Bitwig I tried a few times and I like it. I'm an FL Studio/Studio One guy.. I also like Reaper. I like how Bitwig won't shut down like FL Studio and Studio One if you have a dodgy plugin. that was impressive. and I never scanned my vst's, as soon as i loaded Bitwig is was ready to go, all my synths and vst's were all there without me even scanning, I have no idea how, but I like it

 

I'm an FL user who uses 32-bit VSTs heavily, which have been completely abandoned by Cubase and Ableton (jBridge is a thing but I've heard its compatibility is not as good as native support, so I don't bother).

Bitwig (and for the record, Reaper and Renoise) supports 32-bit VSTs natively, which gave me the incentive to try it. Because of that it's one of the few DAWs that could work for me.

Though one of the first things I noticed is that Bitwig had an issue with my old DLL copy of Steinberg Neon. The second you load it, for some reason it outputs a speakers-destroying noise... I tried the updated 2010 version and it worked fine though. That was the only 32-bit VST issue so far. To be fair, when I tried Native Instruments Pro-Five in FL, it completely froze the DAW... (Luckily Pro-52 works fine.. yeah I like old things).

I was really missing the 'keyjazz' feature of FL, where you can use your typing keyboard as a midi controller. This is a feature that's existed in music software since AHX on the Amiga in 1997, or perhaps even ProTracker in 1990. I don't always have a MIDI keyboard plugged in, and sometimes I like to doodle out ideas or test new synths. I always have a typing keyboard in front of me, so it's convenient to make use of that sometimes.

I've really yet to delve into Bitwig, but it seems like there's a lot of modular features, like I can use one of Bitwig's LFOs to control parameters on my synths, which is a pain to do in FL. I feel like I'd use that heavily becuase I like automating parameters.

Also the linear system is going to require quite a bit of adjustment because I'm used to how freeform FL is. But it seems promising. I also like how the people behind it seem humbler than most, like they actually believe in something, supporting open standards and supporting music education. Rather than Steinberg/Avid CEOs who only look at profit margins and shove dongles up your butt.

 

does it make any difference what daw you use?

 

Very interesting comments. I used Cakewalk for years, until moved to Ableton.
Now, I wish there is a version of Ableton Live with just the Arrangement view and they drop the childish Session view with a decent mixer view (yes, I know that Live is loved precisely because of the Session view).
Also, I used for some time the old Tracktion, it was something different with a very good CPU demands on my crappy PC, but when I tried the new WaveForm I hated it. My bad.
I tried Bitwig, and loved its MIDI capabilities, but for some reason its interface makes my teeth hurt. Maybe it is an adquired taste.

 

Resource hungry even more so than Ableton. It's main competition. They do have a solid idea though and I would stand behind them if it didn't eat up my processing power.

 

Workflows across DAWs differ greatly, and some have built-in features that are only attainable in others via 3rd party plugins or other kludgy workarounds. Depending on the project, it does make a difference.

 

The essence of your question appears to be "what do people who do not use Bitwig think of Bitwig"? I am perfectly qualified to answer this! I do not, nor have I ever used Bitwig and I can say with absolute authority that I have no opinions, good or bad about Bitwig.
I hope this gives you some clarity in whatever it is you seek.

 

Was going to love it ... but it can't even handle my soundcard.
A bug known since day one, they NEVER solved it for years.

Pure joke.
How can i take a DAW seriously, being the ONLY one for 20 years giving me a "no sound card" error ?
It was a short test ...