User Guide for Bitwig Studio

Insert the plug-in

Drag’n’drop the plug-in from the Devices Browser window to a instrument track.

Bitwig Studio Config – Drag the plug-in to Arrangement

Plug-in window will now appear.

Bitwig Studio Config – Plug-in Window will Appear

MIDI IN / MIDI OUT

Now we can select the Physical MIDI input port which receives MIDI data from your synthesizer.

Bitwig Studio Config – Assign MIDI Input

And then we choose the Physical MIDI Out port which sends data to the synthesizer MIDI input.

Bitwig Studio Config – Assign MIDI Output

Plug-in will now attempt to establish connection with the synthesizer, so it might take some time if your settings are not right or if you chose a wrong MIDI port by mistake. You should see plug-in saying PROCESSING… somewhere in the plug-in interface and also ABORT PROCESS button will appear.

Bitwig Studio Config – Editor Attempts to connect

If all of the settings are correct, you will see “Plug-in is ready to go!” [1] message in the plug-in display.

Bitwig Studio Config – Connection Established

If something is wrong with your settings, plug-in will say “No response from JP!” [1] and that indicates something is wrong with your synth settings, MIDI device or Studio One Preferences.

Bitwig Studio Config – Failed Connection

Once the connection is in, you should sync the data with your hardware. Usually this function can be ran from the patch librarian tab / page of the plug-in & “Sync Data From HW” button. Check the plug-in user manual to learn more.

We can now close the plug-in window and move on.

Assign MIDI tracks to Bitwig Studio arrangement

Now, in order to send MIDI notes to the synthesizer, we need to have MIDI tracks in the DAW. 

Click the “+” icon in the track list window to show the menu.

Bitwig Studio Config – Add New Tracks to Arrangement

Choose Bitwig [1] -> Hardware [2] -> HW Instrument [3].

Bitwig Studio Config – Choose Track Types

Assign MIDI Out port [1] where your synthesizer is connected. If you use Windows and you’ve setup vMIDI Out port, choose that instead of physical MIDI port. See image below.

Bitwig Studio Config – Assign MIDI Ports

Rename the device to reflect your unit and add the channel id to it. Easier to spot it in the arrange later on. I’ve renamed my device to “JP-8000 ch1” which sends to my JP-8000 Lower layer.

Bitwig Studio Config – Rename and Add Color to your Tracks

Now I’m going to duplicate the track. Right click on the HW Instrument [1] and choose “Duplicate” [2].

Bitwig Studio Config – Create Duplicate of the Track if Needed

Choose the MIDI out channel [1] to reflect the next part / layer in the hardware and rename [2] the devices to reflect the hardware setup. I will rename my device to “JP-8000 ch2”.

Bitwig Studio Config – Change the MIDI Channel to Reflect New Layer

Now MIDI setup is done, and we can move on!

Automating Plug-in Parameters

Click the instrument channel and toggle on “Automation” [1]. See image below.

Bitwig Studio Config – Toggle On Track Automation

Now there is a new track below the instrument track indicating Filter Cutoff automation with lane on the arrangement I’ve drawn with the pencil tool.

Bitwig Studio Config – Start Automating

Finishing it up!

Final step is to add Audio track, so we can hear the synthesizer in action. Click the Audio track in the arrangement window [1], rename to represent your hardware input [2].

Select appropriate Audio Inputs and turn on the track monitoring [3]. Remember to select the inputs where your synth Audio Output is connected!

Bitwig Studio Config – Setting Up for Input Monitoring

Now you should hear the Audio from your synth while making some MIDI blocks and you have some sort of automation (if needed).

Bitwig Studio Config – Everything Runs like well Oiled Machine