Bitwig has announced the release of Bitwig Studio 1.2 Beta, the latest version of the cross-platform music production software.
In March 2014, Bitwig Studio was introduced to the world as “The Next Generation of Music Software.” Since then, a global audience has seen Bitwig implement countless new features to meet the demands of a better workflow and something different.
Today, Bitwig is proud to announce all Bitwig Studio license holders have access to the latest beta version in anticipation of the official release in October 2015.
The entire Bitwig community can now test the new features of Bitwig Studio’s most significant update yet, Bitwig Studio 1.2.
Changes in Bitwig 1.2 Beta
- Group Tracks — When building up a Bitwig Studio project, the individual parts can get out of hand. In most cases, there comes a point when it’s essential to get a handle on the mix in the most efficient way. Group Tracks is a tried and true way to quickly manage multiple parts of a mix at once. Tracks that have common mix or tonality settings can be set in groups to minimize large sections of a project. Consolidate your mix and get organized with Group Tracks.
- Pop-up Browser — To accelerate the browsing workflow, all devices in Bitwig Studio 1.2 feature the Pop-Up icon. This advanced browsing feature appears in a new window that uses Bitwig Studio’s tagging system to eliminate the boundaries between devices. The result is a meta view of all available sounds in one category. Searching for the right bass? It doesn’t matter if it’s a Polysynth preset or a sample, you now have the freedom to audition all your content in place while playing on the fly. Use the Pop-Up Browser to find the right sound quickly and to get back to what is most important, making music.
- Histogram Display for Dynamic Devices — Several audio devices in Bitwig Studio 1.2 feature a new window into a visual environment illustrating the dynamics of sound over time. The Histogram Display makes use of scale, light, shade, and volume on an XY grid to visualize sounds. The result can be found on the Audio Mod, Compressor, Dynamics, LFO Mod, Peak Meter, Gate and Transient Control devices. The Histogram Display allows for quick analysis of device settings as they dynamically affect sound using animated graphic displays.
- Project Templates — Project Templates eliminate repetitive tasks by predefining the most commonly used project setups for the style of production you work with most often. It’s clear that every project is different, but making several custom Project Templates containing various devices and routings can offer a great starting point for any production.
- Customizable Shortcuts — Extending on the freedom that exists throughout Bitwig Studio, customizable shortcuts are now available. Now it’s easy to see the factory shortcuts available for anyone to change, and all the parameters to which can be freely assigned. The shortcuts feature is now available in the Bitwig Studio preferences.
- Per Project Mappings — Bitwig Studio makes every effort to eliminate the boundary between controllers and those who use them. This is immediately noticeable from community designed controller scripts or the newly enhanced MIDI mapping functionality. The depth of these mappings can get extremely detailed, and keeping track of their unique settings in each project is no small task. In the 1.2 update a new finger-pointing icon in the lower right of the project window. Pressing this icon reveals a new mapping panel. The mapping panel keeps track of any parameter mapped to a controller or computer keyboard and is completely editable.
- Expressive MIDI Support Multidimensional Polyphonic Expression — The ultimate goal for controllers is to offer an unparalleled connection to the sound being played or created. In the past few years, multi-dimensional controllers have pushed the boundaries of MIDI, and created a gap between the degrees of freedom they are capable of and what DAWs and plug-ins were designed to utilize. Multi-dimensional controllers send gestural data that most software is not equipped to deal with, which limits the creative use of multi-dimensional controllers. Music instrument manufacturers and music software editors alike share a strong interest to agree upon a set of conventions that enable an improved user experience of new controllers, allowing to achieve more with electronic music than before. This is where MPE (Multidimensional Polyphonic Expression) or “Expressive MIDI” comes in. By supporting this preliminary standard, Bitwig Studio 1.2 is among the first DAWs capable of capturing and utilizing the precise features of the most advanced MIDI controllers available on the market today. Expressive MIDI allows for natural articulations which creates a significantly deeper connection to sound. With Bitwig Studio 1.2 and MPE controllers, expressive control such as pitch, tremolo, or vibrato is literally at your fingertips.
- The following additional features can be found in the Beta as well:
- Oscilloscope
- Device Inspector
- Delay-4
- Expand Clip Height
- High-DPI and Retina Display Support
- Jack Support + Jack Transport
- Poly to Mono Modulation Mappings
- Pressure Note Expression
- Roger Linn “LinnStrument” Support
- Roli “Seaboard” Support
Bitwig Studio 1.2 Beta is now available to download for Bitwig Studio license holders.
Bitwig has also launched a limited time cross promotion, offering 30% off products from selected Bitwig partners.
To mark the occasion, Bitwig teamed up with three outstanding partners to offer special vouchers good for purchases with iZotope, The Loop Loft and Keith McMillen.
This special offer is available to all current license holders, and anyone who purchases Bitwig Studio for a limited time. Each voucher can be redeemed for big savings toward amazing software, sounds, and hardware.
More information: Bitwig