BITWIG STUDIO 2.4
In 2018, Bitwig Studio 2’s two major point updates delivered multiple new features, fresh devices and more. The big st uff, however, came in the DAW ’s inst rument category…
Sampler upgrade
Bitwig Studio’s 2.4 update introduced some major upgrades to the DAW’s flagship Sampler instrument. The multimode resonant filter and looping options remain from the old version – here, it’s all about the three playback modes, selectable via a dropdown menu. The default Repitch is a classic sampler mode whereby playback pitch and time are interlocked.
Phase-4
Bitwig Studio 2.3 heralded the arrival of Phase-4, a four-oscillator ‘phase-manipulation’ synthesiser inspired by ‘80s Yamaha and Casio classics. To assist in wave-bending adventures, you can pop open the synth in Expanded Device View, also new with v2.3, to get a real-time visual representation of all four identical, colour-coded oscillators; plus the summed output waveform and envelopes.
Sampler Cycles
Flip Sampler’s main mode to Cycles, and Sampler generates a wavetable from the currently-loaded audio sample. Speed and Formant knobs then allow you to creatively spin your sound into a wide range of unusual timbres, everything from the metallic to the downright mental.
Phase-4 Controls
The four main controls (Pitch, Glide, Shape and Mod) govern global control over said parameters, visualised by coloured dots moving around the XY pad. Furthermore, each oscillator can be panned and soft-clipped, then fed into the seven-mode resonant filter. And in true Bitwig modular fashion, any Modulator can be brought in for parameter sweeping, wobbling or movement. Powerful stuff.
Sampler Textures
The Textures option divides the audio into tiny grains – granular synthesis, natch. Switch to it, and the knobs change to Speed, Grain and Motion, which facilitates the creation of cloud-like textures and ethereal timbres. Finally, all three modes feature a Freeze button: toggle it to freeze playback, then get the playhead moving manually with one of Bitwig’s internal Modulators to get scratch-alike effects.
Phase distortion
Phase-4’s four oscillators can do Casio CZ-esque phase distortion: crank an oscillator’s Shape dial to twist its shape, set an oscillator’s Formant value between 1 and 9, and sweep Phase to shift and skew the wave. Each oscillator can also modulate the phase of itself (for feedback effects) or any other oscillator, FM-style – per-osc modulation is dialled in with the four mini Mod knobs, while the main Mod knob will proportionally scale this modulation.