Bitwig today announced a major update to its namesake DAW, Bitwig Studio 2.4.

Bitwig Studio 2.4 introduces a completely overhauled Sampler and major workflow improvements, which they say ‘greatly advance Bitwig Studio’s production and performance functionality’.

Here’s the official intro video:

Here’s what’s new in Bitwig Studio 2.4:

• Sampler – With Bitwig Studio 2.4, Sampler now comes equipped with granular and wavetable techniques.
  • Repitch represents a traditional sampler mode so its Speed control dynamically changes the playback time and pitch, even allowing negative speeds for record-scratch effects and more.
  • Cycles preserves note pitches while using Speed changes to warp the sample, and an additional Formant parameter dynamically shifts the sound’s character. This is done by generating wavetables from the sample audio and stretching this to play incoming notes. Even metallic variations can be made when keyboard tracking is disabled.
  • Textures uses a granular synthesis approach, preserving the samples’ original pitch while allowing for independent controls for Speed, Grain size, and grain Motion.
    Additionally, each mode can be set to freeze (? icon). This puts the sample playhead under your control, letting you grab the parameter directly or use Bitwig Studio’s numerous modulators to innovative effect.
• Updated Multisample Editor
  • A revamped multisample editor has different ways of viewing your zones, depending on what the situation requires. You can also freely create groups, which make editing multiple zones a breeze. A new Select parameter decides which samples will be triggered as each note is played. And both the velocity and select parameters can transition across zones, blending multiple samples and creating endless sonic combinations.
  • Additionally, three modulation sources are available which have per-zone modulation amounts, in case particular zones should adjust the cutoff frequency or anything else. And each instance of Sampler can be set to play its audio directly from disk, freeing your RAM for other tasks.
• Channel Support – MIDI coming into Bitwig Studio now preserves its channel data by default. Layered editing can now work by channel with intuitive view/edit modes and various options for how notes are colored. Channel data can be useful to hardware MIDI devices, VST plug-ins, or internal Bitwig Studio devices, like Instrument Layer. And the new Channel Filter and Channel Map devices can make channels dynamic within a chain. Whether you are using MIDI or not, channels can be a welcome addition to your workflow.
• ParSeq-8 – ParSeq-8 is a unique parameter modulation sequencer, where each step is its own modulation source. It can use the project’s clock, advance on note input, or just run freely in either direction. As it advances, each step’s targets are modulated and then reset.
• Note Counter – Use Note Counter to create cycling modulation patterns as each new note arrives.
• On-screen Controller Visualization – On-screen visualizations of hardware controllers now appear directly in the Bitwig Studio window. So when you turn a knob on your controller, its effect is visible right on screen. New controller takeover modes also define how the hardware controls and software parameters interact, and these on-screen visualizations show you the full relationship at a glance.
• Resize and color – Change track widths in the Mix view or change scene width in the Arrange view, and enjoy larger clip views and waveforms. You are in control of what and how much you see. In Bitwig Studio 2.4, you can also give scenes their own color to help you manage complex projects.

Bitwig Studio 2.4 will be released in beta first, and is expected to have a full release later this summer. It is a free upgrade to everyone with an active Upgrade Plan. See the Bitwig site for details.