Bitwig Studio 4.2 DAW Update

Bitwig, the Berlin based music software company, released Bitwig 4.2 Beta, due for a full release in March 2022.

New two main new features include:

• Audio FX: Three new effect modules, chorus, flanger and phaser.
• Note Grid: Note processing and generation unit that seamlessly plugs into Bitwig's modular environment, The Grid.

Audio FX

Three new devices — Chorus+, Flanger+, Phaser+ — have been added to Bitwig 4.2. Each device can be switched into four characters, similar to different eras of vintage studio hardware.

Chorus+ Characters
CE - A synth-style chorus
DD - Subtle, 80s style chorus
8v - Eight voices with plenty of feedback
x2 - Classic voice doubling circuit

Flanger+ Characters
DP - Digital, aggressive flanger
MX - Emulation of a pedal-style classic
TFX - Smooth sound yet with some edge
WA - Stronger flanger flavour

Phaser+ Characters
GS - The spiky one
EHx - Classy and smooth phaser
MX - A raspy beast
MF - Pleasantly greasy and deep

By mixing and matching LFOs, step sequencers, and any of Bitwig’s 38 modulator devices, you can animate the default algorithms and make them your own.

Note Grid

‍The Grid is Bitwig Studio's modular sound-design environment, where building instruments and audio effects with Poly Grid and FX Grid is meant to be more intuitive and fun. Bitwig Studio 4.2 introduces a third device: Note Grid, a device that processes or generates notes.

With the new Note Out module, connecting a gate signal will start outputting notes. Pitch, velocity, and channel can be set manually or with dynamic signals. Thanks to MPE, unfolding Note Out allows signals for each note’s timbre, pressure, gain, and panning expressions. As with all other Grid modules, Note Out (and CC Out) are also available to Poly Grid and FX Grid as well.

Eight musical presets are included today, including new kinds of arpeggiators, swarming polyphonic randomness, modular drum sequencers, and even music-generating patches.

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Further Improvements

Bitwig 4.2 has some been equipped with further updates.

• New mini views for the Oscilloscope and Spectrum devices.
• A new Anti-aliasing option for most Grid Shaper modules.
• And a new Hard Clip module.
• A new Channel-16 modulator. Since Note Grid can sort signals into 16 MIDI channels, the new Channel-16 modulator helps you use those groupings on any instrument or plug-in.
• And when generating notes with a module like Probabilities, it just made sense to add a Confidence output.
• Bitwig is now available in French.

The change-log and release notes are here.

The Bitwig Studio 4.2 beta is available for download now, and it's available to anyone with an active Bitwig Studio Upgrade Plan. The updated sound content includes 44 presets for the new audio FX devices, as well as presets of the eight patches shown in the Note Grid feature video. Anyone with an active Bitwig Studio upgrade plan can download the installer from their account. The official Bitwig Studio 4.2 release is planned for March, 2022.