Beta Testing of Bitwig Studio 5.2

[sQeetz]

That's the reason I switched to Live a couple of years ago. But considering everything still prefer Bitwig...

[SLiC]

That's the reason I switched to Live a couple of years ago. But considering everything still prefer Bitwig...

I’m using the same DAWs as you (plus Studio One) and they all have their own unique flavour, each with strengths and weaknesses….wouldn’t be without any of them! Bitwig fits with my modular head, Live for clips/performance (all based around PUSH) and Studio One for linear, detailed recording and editing (mainly live instruments). They are like my kids, no favourite (honest )

[Jac459]

It happens all the time with every plugin if it's active or not...

It's weird that it only does it for me if Bitwig is in focus and we are both on Macs... I have a M1 MBP... you?

I have a M1 MacBook Pro and an M2 Mac mini and it happens on both
edit: and it's not OS version dependent... I'm on the latest Sonoma 14.4.1 , but it was the case way back on whatever version was actual 3-4 years ago

I am puzzled sQeetz, I am in the middle of moving but yet, I HAD to test as I never noticed this issue.

AND I STILL DON'T HAVE IT.

So to be crystal clear:
1 - I am on MacBook Pro M2 Pro.
2 - Latest Sonoma.
3 - Bitwig 5.2 latest Beta.
4 - Bitwig as FULL SCREEN (can't loose any screen space).
5 - if I open a plugin by key shortcut OR clicking on the small screen icon, the focus WON'T be given to the plugin and the mouse will react as if it was on Bitwig (and the mouse cursor changing according to Bitwig).
6 - AS SOON AS I CLICK ON THE PLUG-IN: the focus is given to the plugin. With the cursor working well for BOTH the plugin and Bitwig.
7 - Note that if I open Bitwig windowed, it works all the time.

Now, where it becomes interesting. I tried the same for Reason Studios.
1 - I am on MacBook Pro M2 Pro.
2 - Latest Sonoma.
3 - Reason Studio 2, latest version.
4 - Reason as FULL SCREEN (can't loose any screen space).
5 - if I open a plugin by clicking on the Rack screen icon, the focus WILL be given to the plugin and the mouse will react as if it was in the PLUGIN BUT the mouse cursor won't work anymore for Reason !
6 - AS SOON AS I CLICK OUTSIDE THE PLUG-IN: the focus is given to Reason. With the cursor working well for BOTH the plugin and Reason.
7 - Note that if I open Reason windowed, it works all the time.

So my conclusion is, there is a bug in Mac for full screen with "windows" (as it is a rare case).
Reason and Bitwig handle it with different choice, none better than the other (my personal opinion), but rigorously the same issue.

Can Live user do "exactly and precisely" the same steps ?

[Rivanni]

Can Live user do "exactly and precisely" the same steps ?

The same sometimes happens in Live 12. However, the issue is more prevalent in Bitwig.

In my case, it doesn't matter whether the Live or Bitwig window is full-screen. The DAW cursor is shown in either case.

In Live, it sometimes depends on the type of plugin.
Arturia plugins only have this issue in Live 12 when I use the AU version. No problems with the VST. But there is in Bitwig.

Plugins from Native Instruments also have this issue in Live 12, regardless of their type.

Plugins from Valhalla, XLN Audio, u-he, and Spectrasonics don't show the issue in Live 12, but they do in Bitwig (full-screen and windowed).


I tested on a Mac M1 Studio Max with Sonoma 14.5 beta.

[pdxindy]

Maybe if more people start complaining about it, they'll reconsider... but last time I've tried, they just went meh... doesn't bother anyone else, so it stays that way...

I assume most people never bother with full screen mode cause it has little advantage and that's why it hardly ever gets noticed or mentioned.

[Jac459]

Can Live user do "exactly and precisely" the same steps ?

The same sometimes happens in Live 12. However, the issue is more prevalent in Bitwig.

In my case, it doesn't matter whether the Live or Bitwig window is full-screen. The DAW cursor is shown in either case.

In Live, it sometimes depends on the type of plugin.
Arturia plugins only have this issue in Live 12 when I use the AU version. No problems with the VST. But there is in Bitwig.

Plugins from Native Instruments also have this issue in Live 12, regardless of their type.

Plugins from Valhalla, XLN Audio, u-he, and Spectrasonics don't show the issue in Live 12, but they do in Bitwig (full-screen and windowed).


I tested on a Mac M1 Studio Max with Sonoma 14.5 beta.

But very importantly, I understand that you confirm that anyway, in either cases (and I just tested with Pigments for good measure) for Bitwig (and for Reason), it is fixed with one click.

So the discussion of workaround using the launcher or mixer or whatever are absolutely not necessary at all.

It is not a bug but a glitch, and I would guess it is coming from MacOS management of windows.

And by the way, as I have only one screen and I like my plugins big, I do prefer the behaviour of Bitwig vs Reason (but I would guess it is highly dependant of your setup).

In either case, it doesn't matter...

[Jac459]

Maybe if more people start complaining about it, they'll reconsider... but last time I've tried, they just went meh... doesn't bother anyone else, so it stays that way...

I assume most people never bother with full screen mode cause it has little advantage and that's why it hardly ever gets noticed or mentioned.

But do you have the same behaviours than me or a different ?

Are we seriously talking about the default focus of a window?

If it is the case, I think the Bitwig developers can drink champagne and celebrate, that means that the quality of their DAW is so awesome that one unnecessary click become an issue.

Well done guys !

[sQeetz]

No. it's always every time with every plugin under any circumstance. Windowed, full screen,.. doesn't matter

[Jac459]

No. it's always every time with every plugin under any circumstance.

Ok so basically you have a bug others don't have.
Maybe that is an info you can share with the support. It will help them.

Mind to share some specific plugins so I can make 100% sure that the bug doesn't happen to me for those ?

Edit: I also see you have Reason Studios, you can read my steps with Reason and confirm you have the same ?

So we can see if maybe it is a general setting with your computer?

[sQeetz]

No. it's always every time with every plugin under any circumstance.

Ok so basically you have a bug others don't have.
Maybe that is an info you can share with the support. It will help them.

Mind to share some specific plugins so I can make 100% sure that the bug doesn't happen to me for those ?

It's with every plugin. u-he, pulsar, everything.... on both machines. M1 MBP and M2 MacMini

[Jac459]

No. it's always every time with every plugin under any circumstance.

Ok so basically you have a bug others don't have.
Maybe that is an info you can share with the support. It will help them.

Mind to share some specific plugins so I can make 100% sure that the bug doesn't happen to me for those ?

It's with every plugin. u-he, pulsar, everything.... on both machines. M1 MBP and M2 MacMini

Ok so I confirmed with U-He Diva, Zebralette 3 and Hive 2.
Same, no issue on my side (except the initial focus).
As one of our machine share the same CPU, the same OS, the same DAW and the same plugins... I would think it is a setting...

[kmonkey]

Maybe if more people start complaining about it, they'll reconsider... but last time I've tried, they just went meh... doesn't bother anyone else, so it stays that way...

That's quite a strange & worrysome reaction to an obvious bug indeed.

If it is intended behavior then it's not a bug. You may express your feelings about it (I can certainly sympathize with people reporting this) but if this is intended, then it's not a bug but rather a poor decision.

[jens]

Yeah perhaps it is intended - but then Support could and should have told them how to avoid it.

[Rivanni]

I assume most people never bother with full screen mode cause it has little advantage and that's why it hardly ever gets noticed or mentioned.

I don't know about the first, but the issue is unrelated to full-screen, as it also happens in windowed mode.

People most likely immediately click on the plugin window because they want to use it and don't notice it.

Some plugins respond to input from the scroll wheel, so the issue would still be present.
You can, for example, control u-he plugins with the scroll wheel while Bitwig has the focus. In that case, the Bitwig cursor is annoying. But even in those plugins, you probably click at some point, if only to get rid of the Bitwig cursor.

[pdxindy]

But do you have the same behaviours than me or a different ?

I don't know what behaviors you have.

Here, the cursor follows Bitwig when Bitwig is in focus and it follows the plugin when the plugin is in focus. THat changes in full screen mode.