Bitwig Studio updated to v4.3

Bitwig has announced that Bitwig Studio v4.3 is now available. The new version introduces some new devices (Convolution and Delay+), improvements to flagship synthesizers, a load of fresh sound content in the form of an impulse response library plus an additional, massive sound package of analog-inspired presets, and support for the new plug-in format CLAP.

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].