Bitwig announces Bitwig Studio 4.1 with 8 new Note FX

Bitwig Studio
(Image credit: Bitwig)

Bitwig have announced the release of Bitwig Studio 4.1, the latest version of their increasingly popular DAW.

The headline here is the introduction of 8 new Note FX (Bitwig's term for MIDI effects) which manipulate incoming MIDI data in various ways. 

The effects range from the functional to the creative, and can be combined together (or modulated with Bitwig's Modulators) to create some pretty unusual results. 

Bitwig's updated range of Note FX includes some effects that producers will recognise from other DAWs, such as Note Repeat and Quantize, and some more creatively stimulating options. 

The Humanize effect applies randomization to timing and velocity to give rhythms a more natural feeling, while Randomize takes this up a notch by randomly modulating any note expression, including pitch. 

Our pick of the bunch is Ricochet, which models notes as bouncing balls in an enclosed space, which retrigger when they collide, using their position to modulate panning and timbre.  

There are a few other updates worth mentioning. Color palettes can now be applied to tracks, clips and layers, with the option to transform image files into palettes within Bitwig. 

Track MIDI output is now directly accessible, and Bitwig's Sampler has been upgraded to feature a Release chain, triggering an instrument of your choice when a note is released.  

Bitwig Studio 4.1 beta version is available for download today. The official Bitwig Studio 4.1 release is planned for this year.

Matt Mullen
Tech Editor

I'm the Tech Editor for MusicRadar, working across everything from artist interviews to product news to tech tutorials. I love electronic music and I'm endlessly fascinated by the tools we use to make it. When I'm not behind my laptop keyboard, you'll find me behind a MIDI keyboard, carefully crafting the beginnings of another project that I'll ultimately abandon to the creative graveyard that is my overstuffed hard drive.

Get over 70 FREE plugin instruments and effects… image
Get over 70 FREE plugin instruments and effects…
…with the latest issue of Computer Music magazine