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Bitwig Polysynth Device - Guide to Features, Controls, and Sound Design

Bitwig Guide | Mai 09, 2022

The Bitwig Studio Polysynth features two identical oscillators with flexible waveform shaping, unison, sync, blend operators, and the ability to blend with noise and modulate filter parameters. It offers robust filtering options, two envelope generators for amplitude and filter shaping, and extensive modulation and voice control for a highly customizable sound. Additional options and voice modes can be accessed through the inspector panel, providing versatile sound design capabilities.

You can watch the Video on Youtube

Short Overview

I love working with this polysynth because it offers two fully featured oscillators, each with dynamic waveform displays and powerful blending options. I can shape the sound in countless ways, from crossfading waveforms and adding sub layers to experimenting with unique blend operators and filter FM. With flexible filter types, onboard envelopes, and handy device chains for note and audio effects, it gives me plenty of creative freedom while remaining intuitive and inspiring to use.

Overview of the Bitwig Polysynth Instrument

In this video, I explore the extensive features of the Bitwig Polysynth, detailing its structure, controls, and creative possibilities. The Polysynth is designed for flexibility and sonic variety, offering deep control over every stage of sound generation and shaping.

Oscillator Section: Two Identical Sound Sources

The Polysynth's backbone consists of two fully featured oscillator units, stacked vertically. Each oscillator is identical in terms of available parameters and interface, so the following features apply equally to both:

Dynamic Wave Shape Display

Each oscillator features a display that visually represents its current waveform. Any change in parameters, like pitch, wave shape, or modulation, is immediately reflected in this display, helping with visual feedback during sound design.

Pitch and Octave Controls

I can control the pitch of each oscillator in two ways:

Shape and Pulse Width Management

Shape Crossfading

The unique shape control enables creative blending between three distinct waveforms:

Pulse Width Control

I can use this to modify the sonic character of both the pulse and higher octave saw waves, giving more variation to my sound palette.

Sub Oscillator

A dedicated control mixes in a sub pulse wave one octave below, with its own pulse width control. This thickens the overall sound and is useful for bass-heavy patches.

Oscillator Sync

Sync Function

I can synchronize an oscillator to a master oscillator, adjusting the frequency offset from 0 to 60 semitones. This opens up classic hard sync tones and unique harmonics.

Reset Button

This ensures every note starts at the same phase for precise, repeatable attack characteristics.

Voice Management, Unison, and Stereo Width

Voice Count

Each oscillator supports up to 16 simultaneous voices for fat, layered sounds.

Unison

When multiple voices are active, Unison allows detuning between them, creating rich, wide sounds.

Oscillator Width and Panning

These controls manage how voices are spread across the stereo field and allow individual oscillator panning for spatial sound placement.

Blending Oscillators: Operator and Mixer Section

Blend Operators

At the top of the section, I can select how the two oscillators are mixed. The standard options include linear mixing and various crossfading techniques. More experimental choices like amplitude modulation (AM), phase-related mixes, and maximum level hybrids invite more complex and unexpected interactions.

Operator Descriptions

Noise and Filter FM

Blending extends to integrating white noise with the oscillators and using filter FM, where a fixed-frequency oscillator modulates the filter cutoff for added timbral complexity.

Pre-Filter and Filtering

High-Pass Filter

A high-pass filter follows the blend stage, with adjustable cutoff, resonance, and drive. I can choose several modes and shape the pre-filter timbre for more sculpting power.

Main Filter Module

The main filter includes multiple selectable types (gentle and four-pole variants of low-pass, high-pass, band-pass, and band-reject). Controls here include:

Filter FM and Drive

I can further shape the sound using filter FM (covered previously) and add energy or grit with pre-filter drive and built-in distortion, modifiable in different ways for evolving textures.

Envelope Generators

Dual Envelopes

The Polysynth provides:

Both are classic ADSR envelopes with independent attack, decay, sustain, and release controls. They can also modulate other destinations for dynamic sound design.

Output and Performance Controls

Velocity Sensitivity, Gain, and Panning

Additional controls manage how note velocity affects the sound, as well as overall gain, stereo panning, and output level.

Device Chains and Inspector Panel

Note and FX Chains

Inspector Panel

The device offers expanded options in Bitwig’s Inspector panel, including:

Workflow Tips and Modulation

The Polysynth is deeply integrated with Bitwig’s modulation system, allowing nearly any parameter, including blend operator and drive, to be assigned as modulation targets for complex, evolving sounds.

Why Use Bitwig Polysynth?

With its dual oscillators, versatile blending/mixing, rich modulation, advanced filtering, and envelope options, the Bitwig Polysynth is a flexible, creative workhorse for sound designers and musicians alike. Its clear layout, visual feedback, and deep integration with Bitwig Studio’s workflow accelerate experimentation and production.

For more practical examples, tips, and performance inspiration, I recommend checking out the channel’s additional tutorials linked in the video description.

Full Video Transcription

This is what im talking about in this video. The text is transcribed by Whisper, so it might not be perfect. If you find any mistakes, please let me know.
You can also click on the timestamps to jump to the right part of the video, which should be helpful.

Click to expand Transcription

[00:00:00] This instrument has two substantial oscillator units.
[00:00:03] Oscillator one is found on top and oscillator two is on the bottom.
[00:00:08] As the oscillators are completely identical in structure and parameters,
[00:00:13] we will only discuss them once.
[00:00:14] Each oscillator unit has a dynamic wave shape display.
[00:00:19] As the oscillator parameters are adjusted,
[00:00:22] this display will reflect the current wave shape generated by this oscillator.
[00:00:28] The pitch of an oscillator can be adjusted by a perfect fifth up or down.
[00:00:32] That's all. Seven minus seven semitones and seven semitones.
[00:00:36] Below this pitch knob is an octave switch in organ foot notation.
[00:00:41] From the default setting, the oscillator can be set from two octaves down
[00:00:46] to three octaves up or any octave in between.
[00:00:49] The shape control allows you to plant three distinct waves.
[00:00:54] At the center position, you get only a sawtooth wave at the current pitch.
[00:00:59] Moving from the center position to the left, crossfades into a pulse wave that is one octave up.
[00:01:06] Moving from the center position to the right, crossfades into a saw that is one octave up.
[00:01:13] Below this shape knob is a pulse width control that affects
[00:01:18] both the pulse wave at the left position and the sawtooth at the right position.
[00:01:23] A sub pulse wave that is one octave down can also be blended in.
[00:01:27] Below the sub level knob is a pulse width control for the sub wave.
[00:01:32] Each oscillator unit can also be synchronized to a tunable oscillator.
[00:01:37] The sync knob controls the frequency of the master sync oscillator as an offset
[00:01:42] from the oscillator's unit's pitch from zero semitones up to 60 semitones.
[00:01:47] The reset button beneath the sync knob causes the oscillator unit to return to its initial
[00:01:53] phase for each incoming note. Next, the lower control determines the number
[00:01:57] of voices used for each note played by this oscillator unit.
[00:02:01] Settings range from one voice up to 16 voices per note.
[00:02:06] When more than one voice is active here, the unison knob above becomes active,
[00:02:10] allowing you to set the maximum the tuning per voice from note to tuning up to a full semitone.
[00:02:16] And beside unison is a control for oscillator width,
[00:02:19] which is also enabled when the oscillator is using more than one voice.
[00:02:23] This control adjusts the panoramic spread between the various oscillator voices in use.
[00:02:28] And beneath the width control is a panning setting for this one oscillator.
[00:02:34] The next section starts with various blend operator options at the top of the device.
[00:02:40] The operator selected determines how oscillator 1 and 2 are mixed together into a composite signal.
[00:02:48] Options on the top row offer slight variations on the standard mixing crossfading approach,
[00:02:53] and the choices on the bottom row are a bit more exotic and surprising.
[00:02:58] While trying out these unique combinations, don't forget that this parameter 2
[00:03:03] can be a modulation target. A short note on each blend operator.
[00:03:08] Mix is a linear mix of oscillator 1 and 2.
[00:03:12] NEG is a linear mix of oscillator 1 and a negated version of oscillator 2,
[00:03:17] potentially creating phase cancellation. Wipe is a mix of oscillator 1 and 2,
[00:03:22] but using a slightly non-linear ramp resulting in stronger signals at the extremes.
[00:03:27] AM is of course amplitude modulation of oscillator 1 from oscillator 2.
[00:03:33] The 1 and 2 knob, or the mix knob, is essentially an attenuator for how much modulation is being
[00:03:40] applied to oscillator 1. Sine is a mix of oscillator 1 and the version of oscillator 2
[00:03:46] that has oscillator 1 polarity applied to it. And max is a mix of oscillator 1 and a hybrid
[00:03:54] signal reflecting the maximum level of oscillator 1 and 2. The section below is a grab bag of
[00:04:00] features that primarily relate to the blend and mixing of the instrument's generator units.
[00:04:06] In the first row, the 1 and 2 knob controls the blend between oscillator 1 and oscillator 2,
[00:04:11] using the blend operator that was selected above. The noise knob then controls the balance between
[00:04:17] both oscillators and the white noise generator. And the final knob on this row is actually control
[00:04:23] for the filter section. This filter FM parameter allows an audible rate oscillator of fixed frequency
[00:04:30] to modulate the filter cutoff frequency. The second row of the section starts with an optional
[00:04:36] high pass filter that comes after the signal sources are blended. The first parameter contains
[00:04:42] both a cutoff frequency control and the mode selector via the drop down menu beneath the knob.
[00:04:48] The next knob is a resonance control for this high pass filter. And the last is a pre-filter
[00:04:54] drive control for either amplifying or attenuating the blended signal at the end of the stage.
[00:04:59] The next section deals with the instrument's filter module. The first control sets the filters
[00:05:05] mode. This graphical control at the top can toggle between seven filter types. A gentle low pass filter,
[00:05:12] a four pole low pass filter, a gentle band pass filter, a four pole band pass filter,
[00:05:18] a gentle high pass filter, a four pole high pass filter and a band reject filter respectively.
[00:05:23] The following row includes filter controls for the cutoff frequency, the amount of resonance
[00:05:30] being applied, a wave shaping control, a keyboard tracking control that determines how much the
[00:05:36] cutoff frequency is controlled by the incoming node pitches and the control for how much and
[00:05:41] at what slope the filter envelope generator affects the cutoff frequency. And don't forget
[00:05:46] the filter FM control that lives in the previous section and was mentioned there.
[00:05:50] The odd control out in the last row was the wave shaping parameter in the center. This non-linear
[00:05:57] distortion offers several modes in the drop-down menu beneath the amount knob. If you want more or
[00:06:03] less of this effect, try adjusting the drive control from the previous section or even modulate drive
[00:06:08] and/or the shaper amount. Below the filter section are the instrument's two envelope generators.
[00:06:16] The filter envelope generator FEG is normal to the filter cutoff frequency via the EG attenuator
[00:06:22] knob in the filter section. The amplitude envelope generator AEG controls the instrument's main
[00:06:27] amplifier. Both envelope generators can also be used as modulation signals for other purposes
[00:06:33] by using their modulation routing buttons. And each envelope generator has standard attack,
[00:06:38] decay, sustain and release controls of their own. The final parameter section contains four knobs
[00:06:44] controls for velocity sensitivity, gain, panning and output level. The polysynth also has two device
[00:06:52] chains you can use. The first one is called note, a chain for processing incoming note messages
[00:06:57] before they reach this device. So you can apply some note effects or maybe you can create some chords
[00:07:03] in it. And FX, a chain for processing the device entire audio output. So you can apply some audio
[00:07:09] effects, reverb, pitch shifting and so on. As with all instruments and audio effects or devices
[00:07:16] in Bitwig Studio, if you select the device here, you can find more information or options on the
[00:07:21] left side in the inspector panel. For instance here we can select multiple voices. So in this moment
[00:07:27] the polysynth has 12 voices polyphonic. You can pull this down to monophonic, so now it's a
[00:07:35] monophonic synth. You can also switch between two monophonic mode. And when you hover over these
[00:07:41] buttons, you can find some more help. So a monophonic playback with only one voice active.
[00:07:46] And Digi is basically a monophonic playback with two alternating voices envelopes that will
[00:07:51] be always triggered from zero and so on. There's also voice stacking feature where you can use
[00:07:56] then the voice stacking modulator. And you have some information here of how many voices are active.
[00:08:03] You can also select your different triggering modes. So each time you trigger a note, how the
[00:08:08] polysynth behaves, still the same key. So when you press multiple times the same key,
[00:08:14] you can say don't create a new voice. I want to have still this one voice active. And yeah,
[00:08:22] you can change this here basically. So don't forget the inspector panel. It's pretty important for
[00:08:29] most of the devices so you can find additional informations and options here. If you need some
[00:08:35] help or some tips and tricks for how to use this device in real life or some practical examples,
[00:08:41] then there's a link in the description below you can use to my other channel,
[00:08:45] where I have a lot of different tutorials and how to approach making music with the polysynth.