Comb Guitar - Physical Modeling Guitar Preset for Bitwig

Tutorial | Jul 06, 2022

In this video, I discuss my preset called "Comb Guitar" which is available on my Patreon with the lowest tier. I show how it can sound like an acoustic guitar and I explain how the tonality, decay, pitch mod, and impulse responses can be used to change the sound. I also demonstrate how it can be used with Betwick Studio to create interesting guitar sounds. Lastly, I encourage viewers to check out my Patreon and download the preset.

You can watch the Video on Youtube

• support me on Patreon
• download the Preset on Patreon

Overview #

I just released my "Comb Guitar" preset, which you can get on my Patreon for one euro. This patch simulates an acoustic guitar using physical modeling in Bitwig’s Polymer synth. You can easily tweak the tonality, add pitch wobble, and adjust the decay to get anything from thin to thick sounds. There’s also a control for a broken, more realistic vibe, and you can blend in body or room impulse responses for extra character. If you want more space, just dial in some reverb or delay. The preset is polyphonic, so you can play chords, use the strum device, or try out different amp presets for electric guitar tones. It’s simple to use, fun to tweak, and works great for all kinds of styles. Check it out on my Patreon and get access to all my other presets as well.

• "Comp guitar" preset available on Patreon for one euro
• Simulates acoustic guitar using Bitwig’s Polymer synth and physical modeling
• Remote controls for tonality, decay, pitch wobble, and a broken/disonnant character
• Blend in guitar body and room impulses for realistic sound or more synthetic tones
• Built-in reverb and delay for spacious effects, fully tweakable
• Polyphonic for chords, works well with Bitwig’s strum device and note effects
• Compatible with Bitwig amp presets for electric guitar sounds
• Easy to use, versatile for many music styles
• Includes access to other presets on the same Patreon tier

Introduction and Where to Get the Preset #

I introduce my new "comp guitar" preset, which is now available for just one euro on my Patreon. As always, supporting me on Patreon at this tier gives you access to this preset and all the others I have uploaded. In this video, I want to show you what makes this patch special, how it sounds, and how you can use it creatively in your own tracks.

What the Comp Guitar Preset Is #

This preset emulates the sound of an acoustic guitar using Bitwig’s Polymer synthesizer and some physical modeling techniques. The idea is to get a convincing, playable guitar sound that is easy to tweak and works both for solo lines and chords. The patch uses a combination of synthesis, filtering, and impulse responses to shape the sound.

Main Controls and How to Use Them #

The preset comes with several remote controls that let you shape the sound quickly:

Tonality #

The tonality control changes the timbre of the guitar, giving you a way to shift the character of the sound easily. You can automate or modulate this with step or random modulators, or map it to velocity, the mod wheel, or even an MPE controller for expressive playing.

Decay #

Decay in this preset refers not to the envelope of the amp, but to the decay of the impulse sent into the comb filter, which simulates the resonance of guitar strings. By turning up the decay, you can make the sound thicker and more sustained. Lower decay gives you a thinner, more plucky sound. There’s a sweet spot for most styles, but you can experiment here.

Pitch Modulation #

Pitch mod adds vibrato or a subtle wobble to the pitch. This can be mapped to the mod wheel, so you can bring it in as needed for expressive playing or to add realism to your lines.

Broken / Dissonant Character #

The "broken" control introduces a bit of dissonance and irregularity, making the sound less perfect and more realistic, like a slightly detuned or worn-out guitar. You can also modulate this with velocity for occasional random variations.

Impulse Responses and Spatial Effects #

Guitar Body #

This knob blends in an impulse response that simulates the body of a real guitar. With it dialed out, the sound is much more synthetic. Turning it up adds the resonant qualities of a wooden instrument.

Room/Ambience #

You can also add the effect of playing in a real room by bringing in a "wooden attic" impulse response. Sliding the control to the right makes it sound like the guitar is further away from the microphone, adding depth and space.

Reverb and Delay #

For even more spaciousness, you can use the built-in reverb and delay effects. These are fully tweakable in the FX box, where you can adjust brightness, dampen the high frequencies, or create long ambient tails. This makes the preset suitable for everything from intimate fingerstyle to lush ambient layers.

Polyphony and Note FX #

The preset is polyphonic, so you can play full chords without issues. It works especially well with Bitwig’s Note FX devices, like the Strum device for realistic guitar strumming or quantizers for creative sequencing. You can also combine it with Bitwig’s amp presets to push the sound more toward electric guitar territory.

Flexibility and Use Cases #

This comp guitar preset is designed to be as flexible as possible. You can shape the sound from clean and pure to gritty and broken, adjust how close or distant the guitar feels, and make it fit a wide range of styles. The sound remains expressive and playable throughout, whether you want a realistic acoustic, a lo-fi guitar, or even something more experimental.

How to Get It #

If you want to try the preset, all you have to do is join my Patreon at the lowest tier. You’ll get instant access to this and all my other presets, with new patches added regularly. It’s a simple way to support the channel and get useful tools for your own music.

Closing #

Thanks for watching the video and checking out the preset. Leave a like if you found this helpful, subscribe for more Bitwig and music production content, and head over to my Patreon if you want to grab the preset and see what else is available.

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.