Serious Music Creation with a Flexible Modular Approach
Bitwig Studio 2 is built to inspire. Sketch new ideas. Arrange them. Mix them down. You can even perform with it onstage! Bitwig Studio 2's reworked modulation system provides a flexible environment for music creation and gives you 24 new modulators to choose from. Explore new creative frontiers with an array of new devices. Craft captivating sounds with the upgraded Polysynth. And if you use external synths, you're going to love Bitwig Studio 2's improved hardware integration. You'll zip through your projects, thanks to smart tool switching, improved editor workflow, and easy crossfade creation. Complete with VST3 support, Bitwig Studio 2 also includes a host of menu and window improvements.
Related Videos: Studio 2 Competitive Crossgrade from Paid DAW
Reworked modulation system for increased power and flexibility
Bitwig Studio 2's reworked modulation system uses a flexible modular paradigm. Instead of using a standalone modulator to control a single device, each device now has slots that can accommodate an unlimited number of modulators. And with 24 new modulators, you've got plenty to choose from. Adding modulators to a device is easy. Click a modulation slot, choose a modulator from the pop-up browser, then assign the modulator to your parameter of choice. And many of the modulators can be set to polyphonic mode, allowing for per-voice modulation.
Bitwig Studio 2's New Modulators:
- 4-Stage is an advanced envelope that can be synced to tempo and looped
- ADSR Envelope was inspired by and modeled after classic analog synth envelopes
- AHDSR is an Attack-Hold-Decay-Sustain-Release envelope with slope settings
- Audio Sidechain uses any audio input (in the track or external) as a modulation source
- Beat LFO is a beat-synced LFO with controls for wave-shaping and timing
- Button is a simple control that can be assigned to any parameter
- Classic LFO is highly configurable with numerous available waveforms and polyphonic capabilities
- Envelope Follower is an envelope modulator that's controlled by audio input
- Expressions assigns up to four expressions (velocity, timbre, release, pressure) to any parameter in your device chain
- Keytrack modulates any parameter by key of incoming notes, with curve settings
- LFO is a free-running LFO that can be shaped in many ways
- Macro-4 features four macro knobs in one modulator
- Macro is a simple macro knob
- Math offers a choice of adding, subtracting multiplying, or min/max-ing two parameters
- MIDI modulates any parameter using MIDI CC, pitch bend, or aftertouch data from an external source
- Mix controls a parameter with two faders and a crossfader
- Random gives a parameter a random value every time you play a note
- Select-4 is a morphing modulator with four stages, each able to modulate any number of parameters
- Steps modulates any parameter with a step-sequencer
- Vector-4 is an XY matrix where each of the four corners can be assigned to any parameter
- Vector-8 is similar to Vector-4, but with eight assignable points
- XY is an XY pad that assigns each axis to any parameter
Powerful new devices to expand your creativity
Having a bunch of new modulators doesn't mean much if you don't have something to modulate. That's why Bitwig Studio 2 is loaded with a massive collection of new devices. Add to that an updated Polysynth, and you've got a complete arsenal of sound creation tools. Forge interesting new sounds with several new oscillator mix and filter wave-shaping modes. Control the stereo width of your oscillators with improved unison capabilities. There's also a new highpass filter to eliminate unwanted low-frequency content and a feedback loop around the filter and amplifier section.
Bitwig Studio 2's New Devices:
- Spectrum Analyzer provides a visual representation of the audio material you feed it
- Phaser creates captivating phase-shift effects
- Pitch Shifter shifts your pitch up or down one octave
- Treemonster is an organic zero-crossing amplitude-controlled ring modulator
- Multi-Note is a chorder device that generates up to seven notes based on the note you send into it
- Note Harmonizer transposes your notes in real-time to harmonize with a chord playing on another track
- Note Length transforms all notes to a defined length and velocity
- Note Echo generates compelling note echoes and loops
- Note Latch holds any note you send into it until it receives the next note (or you tell it to stop)
- Note Velocity transforms the velocity of incoming notes using a curve
Better integration for your hardware synths and modules
In-the-box music creation is the wave of the future. That being said, true synth aficionados (like the ones here at Sweetwater) love their hardware. Bitwig Studio 2 makes it easy to integrate your favorite synthesizers, modules, drum machines, and more into your workflow. Sync and note timing have been tweaked. There's also a slew of new devices that make integrating your favorite hardware machines via MIDI or CV/gate a piece of cake.
Bitwig Studio 2's New Hardware Integration Devices:
- MIDI CC sends CC data to external hardware or plug-ins
- MIDI Program Change controls program changes of your hardware or plug-ins
- HW Clock Out sends CV clock to audio outputs, with individual time settings
- HW CV Instrument sends notes as CV and gate to an output on your audio interface
- HW CV Out sends a CV signal to an output on your audio interface
- MIDI Timecode sends MIDI timecode (MTC) through any connected MIDI device
Speed up your workflow with fades and crossfades
Working in Bitwig Studio 2 is fast, thanks to its enhanced workflow. Place fades and crossfades in the arranger timeline or audio editor. Or create fades for audio events inside clips. Then tweak their curve slopes to your heart's content. On top of that, crossfades are automatically created when you overlap clips to prevent unwanted pops and clicks.
Bitwig Studio 2 Features:
- NEW Reworked modulation system with 24 new modulators
- NEW Additional devices and updated Polysynth to jump-start your creativity
- NEW Added devices for better integration of your hardware synths
- NEW Fades and crossfades for speeding up your workflow
- NEW Freely adjust the height of individual tracks in the arranger timeline
- NEW Support for VST3 plug-ins
- NEW Smart tool switching and improved editor workflow
- NEW Dashboard handles many tasks that were previously available in menus and other windows
- NEW Notifications display important messages in a clear, streamlined, and non-intrusive format
- NEW Improved context-aware menu system
- Creative DAW software for production and live performance
- Trigger clips in real time in the Arranger clip launcher to sketch your songs spontaneously
- Powerful multitrack recording capabilities with a streamlined workflow
- Audio and MIDI clips can exist on the same track
- Hybrid tracks can hold both audio and MIDI simultaneously for cleaner project arrangements
- Edit the contents of multiple tracks simultaneously, both audio and MIDI, with Layered Editing
- Control multiple parameters on multiple devices at once with powerful macro controls
- Modulate any parameter with any LFO, envelope, or other mod source
- Supports multi-monitor setups
- Open multiple projects simultaneously to copy/paste or drag and drop between them
