In terms of layout and navigation, Bitwig Studio looks and feels like a hybrid of Live and NI’s Maschine software. The increased size of everything means you’ll have to do a lot of scrolling to tweak everything, but it’s a worthwhile tradeoff, especially on a Retina screen where everything just pops. Even if you’re using a laptop with a tiny screen and like to have the file browser open at all times, you’ll never feel like you’re squinting to understand what your instruments and plug-in effects are doing – something that’s a regular problem using Ableton Live on my 13-inch MacBook Pro screen. In terms of layout and navigation, Bitwig Studio 2 looks and feels like a hybrid of Live and MaschineĪesthetically, Bitwig Studio 2 is way ahead of the competition. It’s surpassed my expectations in a lot of ways, but it’s also a complex beast that won’t be for everyone. I never tried Bitwig Studio’s first version, but the launch of version 2.0 seemed like the ideal opportunity to finally give it a go, especially given the additional features the company has added, including complex MIDI effects for generating and transforming musical notes and plug-ins that send signals to analog gear such as Eurorack modular synths. However, it’s easy to get too stuck into your comfort zone. On paper it’s the most advanced DAW in the world, but that only makes the thought of switching even more daunting. Since launching in 2014, it’s taken a slightly different approach to other DAWs, offering features such as touchscreen support, the ability to add modulation plug-ins into its instruments and effects and support for expressive MIDI controllers such as ROLI’s Seaboard. This is one reason why relative newcomer Bitwig has a hard task ahead of it. Bitwig Studio is, functionally and aesthetically, a lot like Ableton Live – partially because key members of the team used to work for Ableton. I first started using Ableton Live 10 years ago, and I still find features I didn’t know existed, because once you get stuck in a way of doing things, it’s very difficult to change your habits. Whether you use Ableton Live, FL Studio or just Apple’s humble GarageBand, it’s often easier to carry on using the same software than learn a completely new method, especially when a digital audio workstation (DAW) can take months, if not years to master. When it comes to making music on a computer, people tend to stick with what they know. Can its second version appeal to wider audience? Scott Wilson tests the upstart DAW’s new features and discovers that its largest audience could be gear obsessives. Since it launched in 2014, Bitwig Studio has gained a small but dedicated following in a market dominated by software like Ableton Live and Logic.
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