Bitwig Studio User Guide
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0. Welcome to Bitwig Studio

Welcome to Bitwig Studio! We are glad you have joined us and are excited to help you create, compose, polish, and perform your music.

And welcome also to our Bitwig Studio Producer and Bitwig Studio Essentials users! Most of Bitwig Studio's functions and resources are available in all of our products so this user guide applies equally to all programs.

If you are reading this user guide as a web page, the table of contents along with a search function and language selector is available either on the right of this text or at the bottom of this page (hello, mobile interface). And if you are viewing the PDF version, use your program's normal features for browsing sections, searching, etc.

The purpose of this document is to walk you thru most of Bitwig Studio's functions and show you how to operate the program. The chapters and topics are arranged progressively, with basic concepts appearing first and advanced ideas showing up later. And although this document does not attempt to explain fundamental audio and musical concepts, it is written for users of any stripe who want to use software to make music.

In addition to this document, other resources will be mentioned when appropriate, and you can always visit Bitwig's website for the latest information. And please share any feedback you have or issues you encounter by visiting our support portal.

In this chapter, we will begin with links to sections that have changed in this version. We will move on to the Dashboard, which is more or less the command center of Bitwig Studio. Finally, we outline a few conventions that will be used across this document. But you will not make sound in this chapter; that is what the rest of this document is for.

What's New in Bitwig Studio v5.2

For those of you who are recent Bitwig users, hello! Here are some pointers to new and changed sections of this document. New features and some of the updates in Bitwig Studio v5.2 include:

  • New audio FX device: Compressor+ (Dynamics), an all-in-one compressor for any use case, from adding color and tone to mastering (see Compressor+).

  • New audio FX device: Over (Distortion), an anti-aliased clipper, with multiband options and more (see Over).

A Trio of Inspired EQs

  • New audio effect: Sculpt (EQ), a component-model of the renowned Pultec EQP-1, but with variable Color options (see Sculpt).

  • New audio effect: Focus (EQ), a component-model of the renowned Pultec MEQ-5, but with variable Color options (see Focus).

  • New audio effect: Tilt (EQ), a classic tilt equalizer, putting twin shelving filters under one set of controls (see Tilt).

Precision Editing, with Key Commands and Time Selection

Beat Detection & New Tempo Functions

  • Beat detection now occurs long with onset analysis when audio is dragged into a project, with more precise stretch expressions being added to new clips (see Stretch Expressions).

  • Various Audio Import Settings determine how clips are prepared when audio is dragged in (see Behavior Settings).

  • Modifiers are now available when dragging in audio, giving user direct control of whether to import audio to Stretch to Project Tempo, to Play at Original Speed, or to Insert Audio as Raw (see Behavior Settings).

  • A new Detect Event Tempo… function runs the tempo- and beat-detection analysis on selected audio clips, with additional parameters (see Clip Functions).

  • A new Set Event Tempo… function sets a fixed tempo for the contained audio events (see Clip Functions).

  • A new Apply Tempo Curve to Arranger function writes tempo automation into the project to match beat markers from selected Arranger audio (see Clip Functions).

  • A new Set Project Tempo function changes the project tempo to match the primary tempo of the selected audio (see Clip Functions).

Other new things include:

  • Functions are now collected into submenus, when dealing with clips (see Clip Functions), audio events (see Audio Event Functions), note events (see Note Event Functions), and devices.

  • New Grid module: Crossover-2 (Mix), a two-band frequency split (see Crossover-2).

  • New Grid module: Crossover-3 (Mix), a three-band frequency split (see Crossover-3).

  • New Grid module: All-pass (Filter), a filter with adjustable slope in a simple one-by-one interface (see All-pass).

  • New Grid module: Shift Register (Level), a serial level sampler with up to eight out ports, found beside to Sample / Hold (see Shift Register).

  • Updated device: Chain (Container) now has a Learn Wet Gain function, automatically matching the dry and wet levels to provide a balanced Mix knob (see Chain).

  • Updated device: FX Selector (Container) now has adjustable fade times, offering expressive controls in the transitions (see FX Selector).

  • Updated device: Multi-note (Note FX) now has a Learn Chord function, programming the device based on the next notes played (see Multi-note).

  • Updated Polymer/Grid module: Wavetable (Oscillator) now has new options, to Remove Fundamental from tables, or to Remove DC Offset to make modulation-type tables good for audio (see Wavetable).

  • Updated Grid module: Velocity In (I/O) now has a Velocity Mode option, determining whether note ons, note offs, or a mixture of both are provided by the module (see Velocity In).

  • Bitwig Studio's graphics engine has been rewritten, making the program more responsive and efficient with both streamlined code and GPU utilization.

  • Plug-ins are now included in Bitwig's undo history, treating CLAP and VST plug-ins the same as our native devices.

< Bitwig Studio 5.2   The Dashboard >
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