Do you focus on the processors when looking for new sounds, or does it matter what type of generator you’re using? Bitwig Studio 4.3 (Beta) has arrived, bringing space and tone, as well as a convolution device for real and imagined spaces, a new delay that loves the limelight, and some downright electric components for our synths.
Bitwig Studio 4.3 has brought with it a wealth of new features, including Convolution. This powerful tool allows you to apply the sonic characteristics of any physical space or effect to your sounds.
Whether you’re looking for realistic reverbs or want to add an extra dimension to your music, Convolution can take you there. In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at what Bitwig’s Convolution can do and how you can use it to create stunning sounds!
Convolution – Your Sound is Going Spaces
The new device from Bitwig Studio, Convolution, offers a world of possibilities for sound design. With its ability to take any sound and imprint it with an impulse, it can create environments and effects that would otherwise be impossible to achieve.
The included content features a range of impulses from 12th-century cathedrals and legendary studio effects to more abstract spaces. This opens up a wealth of possibilities for creating realistic reverbs and otherworldly sounds. Whether you’re looking for realistic or otherworldly effects, Convolution has you covered.
You can easily adjust color and tone, or draw your own envelope to reshape the impulse itself. Plus, since we support “true stereo” (four-channel) files as well as loading any audio as an impulse, you can drag and drop anything onto Convolution and see what impossible space you land in.
It’s like entering a time machine where you can explore how different rooms would’ve sounded in the past, or how future spaces might sound.
Bitwig’s Impulse Responses allow you to take your sounds to different places around the world. With 270 options, you can choose from reverbs recorded in ancient train stations, French cathedrals, monk meditation halls, and private attics.
You can also use Convolution and these Impulse Responses to imbue your tracks with the tones of iconic hardware studio gear like vintage spring reverbs pedals, and digital FX units.
These options provide a wealth of possibilities for creating unique and interesting soundscapes. Whether you’re looking for a realistic or more experimental sound, Bitwig’s Impulse Responses offers something for everyone.
- 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
Bitwig Studio 4.3 Delay+ – Fashionably Late
Bitwig’s latest audio effect, Delay+, is a powerful tool for shaping sound. With a familiar layout of controls, it’s easy to get started with Delay+. But where this plugin really shines is in its ability to transform your sound.
By manipulating the delay time, feedback, and cross-feedback, you can create entirely new sounds that will add interest and depth to your music. With its simple but effective interface, Delay+ is a must-have for any serious musician or producer.
Begin by setting the delay time in seconds or beats, and then nudge each channel a few milliseconds for immediate stereo. Choose from five Blur settings to transition from a lightly animated feedback to a fully evocative reverb. A Ducking option maintains control by lowering your delay cloud when powerful signals are detected.
- 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
You may place the Pitch Shifter, Flanger+, or any VST plug-in in the feedback loop of our nested architecture. So, whether you need a little slapback or a colorful wash of sound, Delay+ has you covered.
The New Polymer
At first glance, Polymer and The Grid may appear to be very different beasts. Polymer is a powerful synthesizer with a wide range of sounds, while The Grid is a sequencing tool that is designed for live performance. However, the two devices share a common core: they both use the same modules.
This means that when something new comes along, everybody wins. For example, Bitwig 4.3 introduces two new modules: Union and Low-pass MG.
Union is an oscillator that plays it straight, blending three waveshapes into one pleasant, drifting output. And for filtering, Low-pass both his classic filter and mix buss. These new modules are sure to please both Polymer and The Grid users alike.
But plenty of other features has also arrived. The low-pass SK filter is now Sallen-Key, with 16 modes on tap. Bitwig Studio Comb filter gained a Damping control for a touch of finesse. ADSR and two other envelopes now have added modes for Digital precision, or Analog simplicity and feel.
Plus all filters get a Q Limit to rein in their resonance, and all oscillators have more phase mod range for more brittle, digital sounds. So whether starting a sound in Polymer or growing a world in The Grid, new sounds are at hand.
Also new in this version are four Flexible Modulation slots per patch into which any source can be placed. A flux capacitor couldn’t make it easier to dial in the right amount of FM or AM modulation.
Bitwig Studio 4.3 is now in beta and can be tested by anyone with a Bitwig Studio license and an active Upgrade Plan. The installers are available in your user profile. Bitwig expects to release 4.3 in Q2 this year. As always, this is a free update for all license holders with an active Upgrade Plan.
Bitwig Studio 4.3 includes a number of new features and improvements, such as a new MIDI controller script API, support for the Akai MPK249 and MPD226 controllers, and improved CPU performance.
For a full list of changes, see the Bitwig Studio 4.3 beta release notes. To get started with the beta, simply download and install the software from your user profile. Note that you will need to have a Bitwig Studio license and an active Upgrade Plan to access the beta installers. If you don’t have an Upgrade Plan, you can purchase one from our online store. Thanks for testing!
NOTE: Do not use a beta version to work on important projects! Project files created or saved with the beta cannot be opened in previous versions of Bitwig Studio. So if you are opening working projects, save copies of them for beta testing (instead of saving over your original files).
