The latest version of Bitwig’s DAW software has just entered public beta testing, and is available now for all users with an active Upgrade Plan. Bitwig Studio 6.1 focuses on the built-in Sampler tool, which has been treated to a significant overhaul and now boasts a whole host of new capabilities. 

Other additions include per-slice looping and modulation capabilities that allow parameters to be set differently for each slice, blurring the lines between a sampler and a step sequencer. 

As well as allowing users to manually define a root note, Sampler now features dynamic pitch analysis. Clicking the orb icon creates an analysis of the sample, and the entire sample will then dynamically match whatever pitch is played — the function works in all play modes and with slicing and multi-sample modes. A Repitch mode then dynamically speeds up or slows down sample playback to match the played notes, offering a new take on Auto-Tune-style effects.

Sampler’s Spectral play mode has been designed to provide the cleanest possible time-stretching, and is said to excel at preserving the sound of a sample as its playback speed is changed. With the Preserve Onsets option engaged, the feature ‘unstretches’ samples around their transients to preserve punch and character, and when combined with Sampler’s automatic tempo detection – which can be linked to the project tempo – Spectral promises to make quick work of locking samples to time. 

Spectral can also do some wild things to timbre. Optional formant processing can morph a sample in ways subtle or uncanny, while Bend can retune its harmonics, with options to quantise them to the nearest octave, or even the project key signature.

Joining Spectral is Fragments, a new mode that offers advanced granular playback. Generating up to 256 independent grains per voice — with each grain treated to its own playback rate and direction, position and size — Bitwig say that Fragments is a mighty tool for precise and unusual grain-shaping.

With playback slowed down, grains can be treated like an oscillator. Complex textures can be created with the random Motion setting and variable grain playback direction, while grain envelopes can be shaped from smooth to sharp, and grains can be synced to the project tempo for rhythmic effects. An additional Repeats control causes grains to recur up to 16 times to create massive, dense soundscapes. 

The classic Repitch mode now features two new characters that emulate hardware sounds. Analog brings saturation and tape-style ‘flavour’, while Digital can emulate iconic samplers from the 90s, or just mangle sounds beyond recognition! Thanks to Sampler’s polyphony, this processing can be applied on a per-voice basis.

Cycles mode has been updated, too, and now combines sampling with synthesis. Three new characters can adjust the pulse width of a sample, rebalance its odd and even harmonics or apply phase modulation, and with Freeze engaged, Sampler becomes an oscillator with vast timbral range. There’s also a new Duophonic option that crossfades between two Cycles engines for a smoother sound.

All Sampler updates are also available in the Sampler module in Bitwig’s sound design environment, The Grid. Some additional Sampler features are available only in The Grid. In Fragments mode, grains can be triggered via signal input, while optional module outputs give users access to Sampler’s analysis data. This enables powerful extensions of sampling, such as triggering drum sounds with synced onsets, matching an oscillator to a sample’s moving pitch, or layering sounds using amplitude data. 

The new Sampler features plenty of other upgrades, including: 

• Playhead visualisations have been improved.
• Edits can snap to onsets for quick adjustments. 
• New looping options determine what happens when a note is released.
• The new Bell filter is useful for quick tone-shaping of each voice.

There are also many improvements to multi-sample functionality, including: 

• Dragging multiple samples onto a track instantly creates a round-robin Sampler. 
• Dragging multiple samples with a modifier layers the samples and automatically tunes them. 
• Zones can be muted and soloed for easy editing.
• With multiple zones selected, their values can be quickly edited using the Histogram. 
• Live Select Updating can crossfade between samples via pressure, modulator or other inputs. 

Bitwig’s new pitch-detection algorithm also appears in Tuner, a new analyser that’s available in both as a Device and within The Grid.

Bitwig Studio 6.1 is supported on PCs running Windows 10 or higher, and Macs running macOS 12 and above.

The beta version of Bitwig Studio 6.1 is available for free to all Bitwig Studio, Producer, and Essentials users with an active Upgrade Plan as of 18 June. The Bitwig Summer Sale is now live, with all editions of Bitwig Studio discounted by 25% — there’s also a special offer including Bitwig Connect.

• Bitwig Studio $€299 (usually $€399)
• Bitwig Studio Producer $€149 (usually $€199)
• Bitwig Studio Essentials $€75 (usually $€99)
• Bitwig Connect + Bitwig Studio Producer $€499

www.bitwig.com