Bitwig Studio has announced version 6.1 of its Studio DAW offering a “radically updated” Sampler with many new and advanced features.
Two new play modes are the time-stretching Spectral and the granular Fragments, as well as additions to existing modes including authentic hardware emulation.
Slicing
Samples can be sliced in all play modes and then mapped and triggered from a MIDI controller or the piano roll, by beat, pitch, automatic detection, or other manual methods.
Slices can be triggered in many ways – not just simple MIDI notes but via automation, modulation, velocity and more.
Added to this is dynamic pitch analysis, allowing samples to follow the pitch of notes being played.
Pitch Analysis
As well as being able to set a root key for samples, Sampler can also do dynamic pitch analysis that matches whatever pitch is played.
It works in all play modes and with slicing and multisample modes. Sampler can dynamically speed up and slow down through the sample to match the chosen note.
Time Stretching
Spectral is designed to provide the cleanest possible time-stretching of samples. Preserve Onsets can calculate and “unstretch” samples around transients.
There’s also Relative Formant Shift, Bend, and quantising of harmonics to a musical scale.
Granular Engine
Fragments is a new mode for advanced granular playback. Up to 256 independent grains per voice are possible, each having its own playback rate and direction, position and size.
Hardware Emulation
The Repitch mode now features two new characters for emulating hardware sounds.
Analog brings juicy saturation and tape flavour, while Digital emulates iconic ’90s samplers and the like.
Upgrade
Bitwig Studio 6.1 is a free upgrade for Bitwig Studio, Producer, Essentials and 8-Track users. Sampler’s new play modes are only available in the full version of Bitwig Studio.
The full change list is here.
