The latest version has Note Grid for outputting midi from the Grid within Bitwig. But you would still need a HW Instrument to then send it on to an external device (at least as far as I know). Latency is inevitable with computers and external gear, but these things should be compensated for within Bitwig to get your external instruments in time with Bitwig tracks.
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…every day…i get lost on another way to sonic eternity…
too many wigs for too many bits…
keep it simple has never been a better advice as it is, when it comes to using bitwig…
the more simplicity u keep strictly, the more complexity u’ll get rewarded with…
at the end of every given day…puh…
never knowing all, never seen it all… has never been so constantly present to me…
got shitloads of aims to reach, while still getting lost…again and again…
bottomline…there’s always a way to get this program to do exactly what u want from it…
if u only try harder NOT too hard…to only find out at the end…ooops…there it is…
and it’s been that easy ???
am i too stupid or too blind to see…?
come again…
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Thanks!
Yes - the recording compensation is working well. In fact, it’s how I’m seeing the latency that the HW Instrument adds.
One example is trigs/notes coming from the DT sequencer (for example a kick drum), and sending trigs/notes from Bitwig to the kick drum track (CH1). If you compare the audio of these, they are different because of latency that the HW Instrument is adding for the return audio. IOW - You can’t get them perfectly in sync when recording as the audio is coming from the same device (the DT in this case).
Maybe my case is a bit odd, but I wish they had a way to send just the midi data externally.
This also would be very useful in Note Grid.
I’m not too knowledgable about latency and things like that, but I never use the return audio option within the HW Instrument plug-in. Instead, I just use it to send midi, then have a separate audio track recording the output of the external device. I’m not sure if this makes any difference (it’s just the way I’ve always done things) but it could be worth a try. Alternatively, can you manually adjust the latency within the HW Instrument plug-in or elsewhere in Bitwig? Maybe search latency in the manual to see if anything useful pops up?
What’s everyone’s experience with CPU performance? Im just trialling Bitwig Studio this week (i absolutely love it) and yesterday i noticed some slight audible stutters (kind of like when my old G4 iBook would crap out under too many reverbs in Ableton)- however i’m using an M1 Pro, and the session itself is one or two stock BW synths and effects, a couple of VST’s (Roland JV-1080), some moderate modulation going on- i.e nothing that should be even remotely taxing. Just wondering if there’s some optimisation i’m overlooking? I can see some mentions of this kind of thing on teh internet, but they seem to be mostly quite old
I also use Bitwig with an M1 Pro, and I don’t get stutters with tons of tracks and plugins. Could be a sound card issue, or something else like a browser causing CPU spikes? What’s the CPU meter at the top of the screen showing? And I guess you could try the old favourite of rebooting the Mac and seeing if that helps?
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I had the same, switching to a different plugin hosting mode fixed it (i contacted support this was their solution). I have it set to within bitwig and have stellar performance ever since. Not tried switching it to some other mode again though, and it feels like a bug within bitwig.
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CPU meter is looking healthy. Have re-booted and all going good atm… Thanks for the tip : )
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Cool, thats good advice, thanks : )
Loving BW right now, but still annoyed at the lack of accurate level/rms metering. I can happily use BW with no VSTs - it’s kinda ridiculous that this is the exception…
Im hoping things like this will be next for them to sort out now the grid has been well established.
Would also love a “lighter” skin as find it hard working all the time in a dark skin
How are people finding Bitwig as a hub for a hardware setup?
Is realistic these days to use this as a replacement for an octatrack or MPC?
I’m hoping to be able to sequence and record hardware synths/effects alongside VSTs etc with it all syncing nicely in a hassle-free world.
Anyone doing this kind of thing?
Hey,
yeah i went from using Deluge as sequencer to Bitwig. I find the arrange window is easier to use than Deluge´s.
I have basically only hardware but i like to use hardware with software FX since i dont have a hardware mixer and no hardware effects.
This works fantastic in Bitwig, i can add as many software effects i like without any latency being introduced, at least that i notice.
If i have trouble, i can record the sound and put it into sync manually, but i rarely need to.
I also use some software synths and i use Reaktor and the Maschine software without problem.
For hardware, i use Waldorf Iridium, Kodamo EssenceFM, Elektron Analog Rytm mk2, Machinedrum mk2, Monomachine mk2 plus two Eurorack synth modules - Neutron Sound Dust Of Time. I also have the Maschine mk3. I have an Antelope Orion 32 HD as audio interface, and an Iconnectivity MioXM midi interface.
Amazing setup, i am SO happy with this gear. 
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If you disregard the obvious “advantages” that make a lot of people prefer hardware; muscle memory, simpler interfaces, etc. etc. I definitely think Bitwig is capable of what mpc or octatracks do and more, especially with all the modulations, the grid, notefx. etc. I find it equally as creative for sound design and composition.
For me it’s more a question of workflow, I enjoy both very much, wouldn’t do away with either in my setup, but i rarely use both together even though it is possible, for me it’s either or.
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Ah nice, nice, thanks for your answer, your setup ssounds sweeet!! great to hear you’re not getting any latancy issues, and that’s with monitoring through Bitwig?
Also really interesting that you’re using Antelope. The reason I was checking Bitwig again is that it’s free with the Antelope Zen interfaces at the moment - very tempting!
I’m using a 1010bluebox to multitrack which I like but then the DAW is a totally separate processs that can be kind of a pain when I have like 20 jams to go through and make sense of weeks after recording them! I’m thinking it would be nice to have everything integrated more.
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Overbridge and digitone (or other OB compatible hardware) really makes it nice and reliable to sync bitwig and hardware btw
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Yeah, i use overbridge with my Rytm mk2 and it´s absolutely amazing. Had a lot of trouble in previous OB iterations and with my mk1 but now it´s all smooth sailing!
Yeah it´s with monitoring through BW, true. Works great! I just turned down all faders in my Antelope mixer and re-routed the inputs so the sound would pass through the software instead - it was some time ago but i think i routed so the sound would go through the usb connection instead, or something. The antelope routing system is crazy, i really ripped my hair out until i understood how it worked. Now i am totally down with it. 
Oh, yeah - if you can get a discount on the newer interfaces, go with it! When i bought mine i got Ableton lite or something, but i rather work with Bitwig since i think ableton is too clip-focused.
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Totally, there’s definitely a million pro’ and cons with hardware sequencing. i’m just thinking I’d like to streamline the process a bit maybe. I doubt I’d get rid of the octatrack entirely for exactly the reasons you mention.
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anyone using the Push 2 (with Mossgraber’s script) (latest BW version) with a mac?
I used it in the past on an intel mac, and it was fine… is it still ok on Intel ?
but on my M1, its always had issues when switching between the various ‘play modes’ to use the pads, where the pad ‘lighting’ is incorrect i.e the pads to not light up as they should.
I mentioned this to Jurgen last year when the M1 came out, and he assumed it was a macOS/M1 issue… and indeed there were some midi issues then, but its still the same a year later, and midi is now reliable…
(unfortunately, he does not have an M1, so cannot see/reproduce the issue)
its a bit of a shame, as it pretty much means the Push2 is useless with bitwig, which does tend to take me back to Live 11… despite wanting to dig more into Bitwig.