Bitwig Studio 6 details revealed, and editing gets a big boost

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Bitwig vs. Ableton and Other DAWs

  • Several users praise Bitwig as the fastest-evolving DAW they’ve used, contrasting it with Ableton’s slower fixes (e.g., long-standing plugin delay compensation issues).
  • Others feel recent Bitwig versions focused too much on modular features rather than core workflow, sequencing, and audio editing improvements.
  • Bitwig’s modulation system, probabilistic sequencing, and per-note automation are highlighted as areas where it led and other DAWs later followed.
  • Some still prefer Ableton for navigation speed, Push integration, Max for Live devices, AI-based sample tagging, and stem tools in Logic/Ableton.

Company Culture, Anecdotes, and Origins

  • One commenter reports negative personal interactions with Ableton’s CEO; others report the opposite, and several push back on making product decisions based on unverified anecdotes.
  • Bitwig is said to have been founded by ex-Ableton engineers and to mirror Ableton’s general workflow closely enough that skills transfer easily.

Linux, Tech Stack, and Alternatives

  • Bitwig’s official Linux support is a major selling point; some would switch fully if their audio interfaces were better supported on Linux.
  • Bitwig’s UI is implemented in Java atop a C++ engine, cited as a good example of a modern Java GUI.
  • Reaper is described as a “programmer’s DAW” with extensive scripting (Lua/Python) and flexible hardware integration.
  • Zrythm is mentioned as a FOSS Bitwig-like DAW; reactions range from “promising” to “very buggy and unpolished.”

Community, Business Decisions, and YouTube Presence

  • The “Spectral Suite” episode (extra-paid devices beyond the normal Bitwig upgrade plan) caused a backlash; Bitwig reversed course, but some YouTube creators reportedly cut ties and coverage dropped.

AI, Stem Separation, and Feature Focus

  • Some applaud Bitwig v6 for not chasing AI or stem separation, seeing most AI features as aimed at non–serious creators.
  • Others argue stem separation and ML-based tagging are genuinely useful (e.g., remixing, sampling, reference tracks), and see omission as a downside.
  • Several appreciate Bitwig’s focus on deep timeline event editing as a more meaningful productivity win than trendy AI add-ons.

Choosing a DAW & Longevity Concerns

  • A new user worries Bitwig could “disappear overnight”; responses note it’s over a decade old, at version 6, and unlikely to be riskier than other DAWs.
  • General consensus: DAWs share many concepts; switching is manageable, and choice should be driven by workflow, platform (especially Linux), and specific feature needs.