Bitwig Studio User Guide
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Dynamics

Each dynamics device is a processor that operate on its incoming audio signals, based off of those signals' amplitude levels and trends.

Compressor

A compressor with standard threshold, ratio, gain, and timing settings.

De-Esser

A de-esser with a variable high-pass filter and monitoring option for the detection circuit.

Dynamics

A flexible dynamics processor that allows for either downward or upward compression on both the loud and quiet parts of the sound. The device also has a sidechain input, an FX device chain for the control signal, and a graphical interface.

Gate

A noise gate with sidechain input and an FX device chain for the control signal.

Peak Limiter

A limiter with peak level, gain, and release controls.

Transient Control

A transient detector that can make onsets and sustain segments relatively louder or softer.

Compressor+

A compressor that takes a different approach. This includes three modes of operation, Character options for different styles of compression, multiband analysis of the incoming (or sidechained) signal, VCA Color options for toning up only the affected signal, and more.

Standard parameters include:

  • Threshold sets the level above which compression is engaged

  • Ratio is the amount of compression applied. For example, a 1:4.00 ratio means that a 4 dB of increase in the incoming signal will cause only a 1 dB increase at output. So large values represent more gain reduction.

  • Attack is the base time when transitioning from no compression to full gain reduction (when input exceeds Threshold)

  • Release is the base time when transitioning from full gain reduction to no compression (when input falls below Threshold)

  • Knee affects how gradual/smooth the transitions are in the dynamics curve

  • Relax bends the compression curve toward 1:1 (no gain reduction), starting with the loudest signals

Gain Reduction Mode offers three options, determining how the device operates:

  • Standard (the default) offers a normal range of compressor Ratio settings, as described above

  • Beyond offers an extended compressor range, adding over- and under-compression options, by replacing Ratio with a Ratio Extended control. This set the amount of compression applied, in three sections across the range:

    • Bottom third [2:1 to 1:1] - Upward compression, amplifying signal above the Threshold

    • Center third [1:1 to 1:∞] - Standard compressor range

    • Top third [1:∞ to 1:-1] - Downward compression, attenuating signal above the Threshold

  • Dual is a dual compressor option, replacing the Knee control with a Lift parameter, which smoothly moves thru custom curves for bumping the signal below the Threshold

The device's central display shows the current compression curve based on the above parameters, which is filled from the bottom to represent the current status of applied gain.

  • The central display also shows the history of both the incoming audio signal (post Input gain) as filled gray, and the output level (pre Mix and Make-up gain) as a white line, as well as an interactive blue line for adjusting Threshold

  • The size of the display adjusts for the Beyond and Dual modes, where gain increase is possible

A Character chooser offers six different styles of compression. Each option changes various gain reduction and envelope behaviors, including numerous "under the hood" options.

  • The Vanilla character (the default) applies parameters literally, including Attack and Release times going all the way down to zero (Auto Timing helps determine how "grabby" compression is)

  • The other five options are progressive, from smoothest to most aggressive:

    • Smooth uses slow per-band response, offering minimal distortion

    • Over tends to compress more quickly but in a stable way

    • Glue is slow to engage and quick to release, for good transient preservation on the mix buss or anywhere else (Auto Timing opens the mid analysis bands a bit, for more space)

    • Resist brings longer envelopes and tries to quickly snap back afterward, to preserve bass and also add even harmonics when pushed

    • Smash over-accelerates the attacks and releases, additionally using the Auto Timing to further increase acceleration

  • The special Auto Timing control is the amount that timing parameters (Attack, Release, and more) are automatically adjusted to suit the incoming audio

  • Taken together, the combination of Character choice and Auto Timing setting offers a wide sonic variety

Multiband analysis means that incoming signal is always analyzed in four different frequency bands. So even when doing "unified compression", behaviors can be tweaked and tailored.

  • The central display visualizes how much gain change is being contributed by each band:

    • Lows are shown in red

    • Lo–Mids are shown in yellow

    • Hi–Mids are shown in green

    • Highs are shown in purple

  • To adjust responsiveness, each band has two offset controls:

    • Intensity Offset relatively adjusts the compression curve for this analysis band. Positive settings represent stronger compression, and negatives settings back off compression from this band. Changes to any band's Intensity Offset is shown on the device's central display as a diverging compression curve for that band.

    • Timing Offset relatively adjusts the timing parameters for this analysis band. Positive settings represent longer times, and negatives settings are shorter than the base settings. Timing changes are only visualized in the gain reduction (and in the audio).

    • These per-band controls are always available in the Inspector Panel

  • The device has a special Expanded Device View, showing a display for each of the four bands:

    • Each display shows only the gain change for that band, along with that band's unique compression curve (along with the global curve behind it, if different)

    • Again, each compression curve is filled from the bottom to represent this band's current contribution to the applied gain

    • Each display retains the global Threshold control, as well as the audio input and output meters for the unified signal

    • Controls for each band's Intensity Offset and Timing Offset are shown in this view as knobs

  • A chooser in the top of the device (defaulting to Device Input) allows for sidechain configurations, by choosing any project audio source for the analysis input

    • A Sidechain FX slot is also there, for any pre-processing you might want to do in the analysis path

The VCA Color Mode option determines the tonal character imbued upon the compressed signal only. So only portions of the signal experiencing gain change will be colored. The four modes are:

  • Clear (the default) applies no coloring

  • Prism gives a clean blend of true multiband compression, with unified single-band compression

  • Transistor provides a consistent analog feel, with a low bump and slightly reduced highs

  • Saturate is a moving analog feel, like tape saturation, with a mid-range bump and some frequency-dependent behavior

  • The mode selected is shown as an icon in the output section of the device, as well as the icon and name in the Inspector Panel

  • Input Gain at the left of the device provides gain for incoming audio signal

    • This is helpful for adjusting the signal to be processed, and for pushing the selected VCA Color Mode to apply more (or less) coloring

Additional features complete the package.

  • Make-up Gain offers gain of ±24 decibels at the output

  • Learn Make-up Gain can be triggered via the little L button beside the Make-up label

    • While running, this function listens to the incoming device level and roughly matches that level at the output by adjusting the Make-up Gain value

    • The learn function will run for 15 seconds, or shorter if you click the trigger button again to turn it off

  • Combo Meters are shown in the output section, comprising:

    • Level meters for output

    • Blue gain meters for applied gain, showing the difference between input and output (this includes Make-up Gain)

    • A numeric readout of applied gain

  • Stereo Independence is the amount of separation between the stereo channels of each analysis band

    • The default setting is 50 %, half-coupling each analysis band

  • Stereo Independence Mode - Distribution/mode of stereo separation:

    • Flat (the default) applies the Stereo Inpedence setting equally to all bands

    • Low separates the lows less

    • Air separates the highs more and the lows a little less

    • Max uses the stereo-channel with the strongest gain reduction for each band

  • Wet / Dry Mix is the amount of processed signal at device output (blended with dry audio signal entering the device), for parallel compression effects

  • If a project or preset uses the Compressor (no plus) device, you can right-click the device header for a Convert to Compressor+ option

    • This will load Compressor+ with the settings that Compressor had, including calculating an appropriate Make-up Gain setting when Auto Makeup was used

    • These are very different devices and will not sound identical, but it will give you a starting point for working with Compressor+

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