#201

I’ve got both ableton and bitwig, and enjoy both programs.

The grid is both nice and frustrating for me to use. It’s very well made and sounds amazing, but so far I don’t think it’s possible to have more than one stereo output, I would like to have multiple outputs to be able to have multiple voices inside 1 patch and treat them individually mix wise. There’s no eq in the grid, you can of course use filters, but not really the same.
I was hoping to use the grid as some sort of modular daw, making algorithmic multi voice systems, and it’s definitely possible, but not having more outputs, not being able to host plugins and not having eq’s made it difficult for me to get it to sound like I had hoped. It’s incredibly nice though, and if I had focused on what it could do, instead of what it could not, I probably would have had more success :expressionless::flushed: I’ll be back in the grid sooner or later :partying_face:

It’s still early days with the grid. I hope some of these things will get implemented.

Also, a midi grid would be super amazing. It’s almost the perfect sequencing environment to me. Lots of modular building blocks and very easy and fast to use compared to max.

Maybe some of these things have changed without me noticing since I’ve been using ableton for the last 6 months. Or maybe I’ve missed something in the manual, anyways, I like to switch between bitwig and ableton, both are nice and fun to work with :slight_smile:

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#202

I use both quite a bit: for my way of working, I think Bitwig is the more capable program, but there are enough things that Ableton does better that I couldn’t switch completely. Bitwig is amazing for the routing and modulation possibilities, and ease of integration with modular, but I find working with audio more fluid in Ableton, and the fact is also everyone I collaborate with uses Live.

#203

I found a workaround for a second output from an FX Grid (aside from using a hardware output, which is usually what I do)

  • Either synthesize sound or use an explicit Audio Sidechain or HW In, not the standard Audio In.
  • Add a Modulator output to the grid.
  • Add a DC Offset device to the grid’s Pre FX chain, and link the modulator to the offset.
  • Use an Audio Receiver on any track to grab the output of the DC Offset.

Or you could probably put the DC Offset inside a Chain device with mix 0 in the Pre or Post FX chain; I haven’t tried that. Modulators are mono, so you’d need to extend the workaround for stereo using L/R splitters etc.

A similar workaround can be used to “insert” plugins into the grid.

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Although generally, I agree, being able to actually host a plugin inside the grid, as well as assigning additional outputs, and also subgrids would be great. I’m hoping for a version update for grid infrastructure :slight_smile:

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#204

I came up with a refinement on that method. Create a Chain preset:

  • Chain, with mix = 0, with a meaningful name (I picked “Mod Receiver”)
    add two Macro Modulators, set to bipolar
    add a Stereo Split inside the chain
    in each of the L and R channels of the split, add a DC Offset
    assign the two macro outputs to the L and R DC offsets

Now, inside the grid, for each stereo output, add a Stereo Split and two Modulator Outs. In the grid’s PreFX chain, add a Mod Receiver for each stereo pair, and assign the modulator outs to the two macro knobs.

From there:

  • use an Audio Receiver anywhere in the project to monitor that Stereo Split output of any Mod Receiver
  • or add devices/plugins after the Stereo Split (but inside the Mod Receiver chain), and then add an Audio Sidechain in the grid that listens to that device’s output.

Just using the Mod Receiver output doesn’t work because it’s a silenced chain, you have to point to the thing inside. It’s still a hacky workaround, but it requires a bit less fiddling to set up each time.

3 Likes
#205

BTW 3.3 is out!

Did anybody managed to write script for using monome grid with Bitwig? I’m scratching my head how to make it on my own but this looks a bit complicated.

#206

The monome grid is not a MIDI device.

#207

I’m actually looking for ways to use monome grid for clip lunching in Bitwig. Maybe there is some simpler solution. Would appreciate if anybody has any tips.

Thanks!

#208

You could use a programming language or Max to convert the monome grid’s serialosc protocol to MIDI. Some folks have already done this for other reasons, and you could adapt something for Bitwig clip launching if you rolled up your sleeves.

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#209

Yeah doesn’t look like a simple solution but will try it thanks!

#210

You can probably rig something together using DrivenByMoss’s OSC support.

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#211

This could work, but rather than using a programming language to convert serialosc OSC messages to MIDI, you’d need to instead convert them to DrivenByMoss OSC messages. Every OSC API is essentially a new protocol, OSC messages are not standardized.

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#212

Thanks will look into DrivenByMoss!

#213

Ok this is a bit harder then I thought. But I managed to install DrivenByMoss and setup OSC to work with Max. I made a simple patch and can send data from Monome 128 to start and stop clips using /track/clip/launch message into udpsend but I’m not sure how to setup udpreceive to make all the clips visible on Monome.

How can I set monome serial to receive OSC data on port 9000 that is required by Bitwig?

I would really appreciate help.
Maybe somebody went that far with setting up Bitwig with the grid. Thanks!

#214

Monome serial was deprecated in favor of serialosc which negotiates port numbers on your behalf. This is convenient when you are using the serialosc max object but less helpful when needing to use a specific port number from a non-monome OSC source.

Monome Bridge can be helpful in your circumstance:

#215

Thanks Jason, yes Monomeserial is really handy. I could probably use Monomebridge but seems it is not supporting led insensitivity level.

Is there any other way to change OSC receiving port using Monomeserial?

#216

If you have another patch that you are using for adjustment of brightness levels, you might try opening it up along with the monomebridge patch to see how you might combine their functionality.

At this point you’re well into DIY territory.

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#217

Has anyone tried something like granular synthesis in (just) Bitwig?

Sampler has its grains mode but I find it a bit limited because you can’t manipulate parameters of each grain AFAIK.

I was thinking if you were working with a sound file you could use the Sampler and modulate the playback start point on many many notes. Switch off the “steal next note” thing, and crank up the number of voices. You could then alter whatever parameters are available per note, e.g. a long release to make something more droney, manipulating filter settings to create that classic AudioMulch Nebulator feel (if you know you know :sunglasses:), etc.

But also wondering if folks have tried anything in the Grid and/or if anyone has thoughts re: manipulating an incoming buffer (like this plugin Argotlunar).

1 Like
#218

Textures mode of Sampler is a pretty capable granular synth (inside and outside of the grid). I hear you about lacking control over individual grain parameters. Are there specific parameters you’d like to manipulate?

Interesting question about granular operations on a live buffer. It’s not something I’ve tried to accomplish in Bitwig yet. I’ll think about that next time I have it open.

#219

I’ve really only used the sampler for drone loops. I hope someday the Grid gets some buffer modules similar to ER‐301; it’s one of the few areas where it seems a little weak.

1 Like
#220

Oops, I actually meant Textures when I wrote “grains mode”.

In general, I think anything where there is an envelope per grain and you’re manipulating the size or shape of that envelope would sound quite different to what Textures does.

One idea was applying a filter and manipulating cutoff and/or resonance per grain, perhaps including having an envelope against each. I can imagine clouds (Clouds?) of notes billowing up as a lowpass opens up. Maybe long grains and each having its own ADSR and/or having the base cutoff for each jumping about.

Another idea was pitch. You could have a fairly subtle pitch spread per grain to create a kind of chorus. Or you could start with pitches jumping all over the show and reduce this modulation to shift into something more sonorous. Something a bit like the THX logo sound but via grains rather than sustained notes.

I also wondered about manipulating volume envelopes over time, e.g. going from very tight staccato blips to bigger clouds or from a backwards-feeling upwards saw shape to shorter attack and more release.

Anyway, I think I’ve given myself a bunch of ideas now. :smiley: I’m going to try my approach sending many midi notes (same pitch) to Sampler and modulating the playback start point. I’ve done this to make very basic sort of timestretch effects already.

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