I think it’s too easy to fall into the “Bitwig Studio vs. name another DAW” conversation. After all, that’s how we naturally judge things. It gives us a point of reference. I know product ‘x’, how does this new product compare to it.
Does it have ‘x’ amount of features? Does it work seamlessly with product ‘x’?
These are questions I’ve thought of a thousand times over as a consumer.
But every once in a while, something comes along that for a moment in time makes you smile.
You forget what your brain is telling you to do, and your musician’s instinct kicks in. That something is Bitwig Studio.
This list isn’t about the 5 features I love in Bitwig Studio. This list is about the 5 things I love about Bitwig Studio as a musician and producer. It’s a subtle but important difference.
So, here’s my personal list:
What I love About Bitwig Studio
1. Firing Up Bigwig Studio (For The First Time)
The first time I fired up Bitwig Studio I wound up MAKING A TRACK! Let’s take a step back here for a second.
My brain was telling me to pick this thing apart. Figure out its weaknesses…break it! But I wound up just making music. And when I came down from music mode I thought, “What the hell just happened?”.
2. Bitwig From A Production Standpoint
From a production standpoint, if you can dream it up, you can probably pull it off. Everything is modular to the core of the platform. You just need to put the right pieces together and voila!
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve thought, “well in theory I should just be able to put this device here, this effect here and…holy crap, I actually pulled it off!”
3. Bitwig Is A Time Saver
It’s the little things that count and save you time. We get to be really efficient at using software by learning key commands. Bitwig Studio makes sense. (E) for the editing panel, (I) for the inspector, (B) for the browser, etc.
If you don’t know a command, there’s a dedicated help page baked in with all the commands and a filter to find what you’re looking for.
4. Bitwig Has A Fast Workflow
Did I mention that you’ll fly on this thing when it comes to production? Cause it’s just stupid fast. Don’t get me wrong, there will be a slight adjustment period.
Once you understand that Bitwig Studio is similar but not like the rest, you’ll be knocking out ideas probably faster than you ever have before.
Chopping up audio in clips is fast, and as stated above, putting the right pieces together to get your “secret sauce” takes no time at all.
5. Bitwig Stands By Its Product
It takes a lot of “you know what” to release a new DAW into a world filled with great ones. It takes even more of “that” to be committed to your product and stand by it.
I’ve been on since v1.0 and haven’t had many issues with it, but for those that have had a niggle here or there, Bitwig has been quick about updating (it’s on v1.0.7 now).
Is every little thing hammered out now, probably not? Standing by your product is huge though. Showing that you have the flexibility and are listening to the community are very important things.
The Wrap Up
So that’s a quick list, but I wanted to give you the view from above and not get stuck in the weeds below…for now. Bitwig Studio’s demo is available at www.bitwig.com for you to try (you just can’t save). Once you grab it, I want you to try something.
Don’t go into it with the same game plan as you do with your current DAW (if you’re currently on one). Why not change it up? Get out of the monotony of reaching for those same tools you use every time. Come in with a fresh mentality and just start making music with Bitwig Studio. That’s what’s most important anyway, right?
Oscar Garza is a musician, composer, and producer based out of Dallas, TX. He has worked either directly or indirectly for software companies like Propellerhead, Ableton, and Avid.
Oscar is currently contracted by +Bitwig and Nektar Technology as a Technology Evangelist for Bitwig Studio and Nektar Technology controllers.
Twitter: @theoscargarza
Instagram: oscardgarza