Make a track with BITWIG STUDIO 8-TRACK
This month we have a rather excellent giveaway. Bitwig Studio 8-Track is a cross-platform DAW for Windows, OS X and Linux and is an entry level version of Bitwig’s feature-packed DAW. But when we say entry level, all that means is that it has some intentional limitations such as overall track count, effects sends and bundled content.
Beyond these it still looks and behaves just like the full version. This means you can take full advantage of Bitwig’s simple drag and drop workspace, its powerful modulation system and of course its blended timeline and clip launching options.
The 8-Track licence authorises the Essentials software pack, which includes Bitwig-ready loops, various sound generating devices such as the excellent Drum Machine, FM-4 and Polysynth, and a bunch of Bitwig’s own processors. These are all supported by an extensive set of production-ready presets and a powerful browser. In our tutorial, we’ll build a track from scratch, using components from the Essentials bundle as well as some choice sounds, instruments and effects from our very own Studio. This is available from filesilo. co.uk/ComputerMusic and to follow the tutorial you need to install two instruments (DopeVST Beat Machine CM and Dmitry Sches Thorn CM) and four effects (Surreal Machines microfuse, OverTone DSP PTH2A-CM, D16 Frontier, PSP cmDelay). You can follow the various steps as closely as you like, or simply open the included tutorial song to see what we did.
To get started visit the link in the ‘Bitwig 8-track instructions’ document at FileSilo.co.uk (sorry, we have to place it there to stop piracy). You’ll get a code emailed to you. You are now ready to start our tutorial! Your registered copy provides a discounted upgrade path to both Studio 16-Track and the full version, Bitwig Studio. BItwig is a little like two sequencers within one DAW, and this makes it one of the most creative and intuitive ones we’ve used. But you don’t have to take our word for it, dive in!
> Step by step
1. Install and activate
1 Bitwig Studio 8-Track looks and feels just like the full version but has some intentional limits such as track count, inserts and included content. That said, the installer is the same whichever version you have and is available at their home page www.bitwig.com.
2 To get started, download and run the correct installer for your platform. We’re using Mac OS X and you’ll notice you simply need to drag and drop the application disk image into your applications folder.
3 Next up, you need to set up a user account here www.bitwig.com/account-register. Make sure to verify your email address by clicking on the link they email you, then log in and go to your Account Info page. At the bottom there’s an option to add a serial number. Enter your special Computer Music Bitwig code.
4 When you first launch Bitwig Studio it will prompt you to log in. This is used to check your authorisation and activate the correct version. It will then run a plugin check for third party plugins. Subsequent launches will be more straightforward as they will go straight
