Tags: posts polarity-music Automation Bitwig Modulation Tutorial Bitwig-6b11

The Missing Bitwig Modulator

Tutorial | Jan 02, 2026

In this first video of 2026, I demonstrate a powerful workflow in the yet-to-be-released Bitwig Studio 6.0, showing how to transfer recorded automation into device modulators like Phase-4's segments modulator for more flexible, note-triggered modulation. This technique allows you to create dynamic, evolving sounds that are not tied to specific MIDI clips, making it easy to trigger complex parameter movements with each note. I also discuss wishing for a dedicated on-the-fly recording modulator and encourage Bitwig to add such a feature in future updates.

You can watch the Video on Youtube

Short Overview

In this first video of 2026, I share a special technique in Bitwig Studio 6.0 that lets me turn recorded automation into modulators for the Phase-4 synthesizer. This allows me to add unique movements and modulations to my bass sounds and effects without having them tied to the note clips, making my workflow more flexible and creative. By dragging automation into the modulation pane, I can re-trigger these movements like a sample every time I play a note, and the process works for leads, pads, and more. I really hope Bitwig adds an easy way to record modulator movements on the fly, but for now, this trick opens up a lot of new possibilities.

Introduction: Exploring Bitwig Studio 6.0

In this first video of 2026, I want to share something special I discovered in Bitwig Studio 6.0. This version is not out yet but should be released in the next few years. I decided to walk you through a workflow using the Phase-4 synthesizer, specifically focusing on creating dynamic bass sounds and managing automation and modulation in a new, more flexible way.

Setting Up the Phase-4 Synthesizer for Bass

To begin, I loaded up the Phase-4 instrument and started by laying down a basic bass note in a low register. I then added a bit of distortion to give the bass more character, making sure not to overdo it.

Understanding Automation Recording

My usual method for shaping sound movement is to record automation live as I tweak parameters. You can do this either by clicking the automation button or, faster, by using a shortcut key. Once automation is recorded, it can be played back perfectly, tied to the clip I just created.

The Problem with Traditional Automation

A common frustration is that standard automation is bound to the note clip. If I want to trigger the same movements at different positions or rhythms, I must copy-paste the automation manually. This process can be tedious if I want freedom with note placement.

Solution: Dragging Automation into Modulation

Here’s the trick I want to show. Instead of leaving the recorded automation in the clip, I copy it and drag it directly into the modulation pane of Phase-4. This utilizes the Segments modulator, which essentially captures the automation curve as a modulation source tied to the synthesizer rather than the clip.

Steps to Convert Automation to Modulation

I simply draw the automation into the Segments modulator. Then, I link the Segments modulator to my desired parameter and set the modulation depth (often 100 percent). I can delete the old automation since the modulator now handles parameter movement.

Expanding Modulation: Multiple Parameters

This technique is powerful because it’s not limited to a single parameter. I can repeat the process for additional knobs, dragging in more automation curves and using new modulator instances for each. For example, I might add noise, tweak more parameters, and apply different envelopes, all using copied automation and modulation assignment. Any old track automation can be deleted to keep the project clean.

Independence from Note Clips

With this workflow, the movement is no longer tied to the original note clip. There is no visible automation in my note track. Instead, every time I play a note, the Segment envelopes retrigger, almost behaving like a sample. This gives flexibility to trigger the same modulation movements with any MIDI notes, in any position or rhythm I want.

Modifying and Extending Movements

I can keep refining these envelopes, making my synth monophonic, or even adding pitch automation. Using the same copy, drag, modulate, and delete steps, I can achieve intricate parameter movements that re-trigger per note.

Modulator Flexibility: Suggestions for Improvement

What would be even better is if Bitwig had a dedicated modulator that could record knob movements on the fly, automatically looping and re-triggering with every note. This would streamline the creative process even further.

Adding Effects and Modulating the Mix

I took my sound further by adding external effects such as convolution reverb and delay. Using the chain device structure, I could feed only parts of my signal into these effects. I modulated the input to the reverb or delay, again using the Segments modulator, so only specific sections of sound were processed at certain times. This adds even more movement and dynamism.

Limitations with Post-FX

A quick note: when using post-effects, modulation is not polyphonic. If I play multiple notes simultaneously, the effects are not separated per note, but this can be worked around by using grid-based effects.

Final Touches: Filters and Saturation

To round off, I added filter movement and extra saturation for warmth, modulating these parameters with the same drag-and-drop method. The more modulation I introduce, the more lively and interesting the result becomes.

Practical Applications

This approach is not limited to bass sounds. It works equally well for leads and pads, allowing for complex, evolving animations that respond rhythmically and musically to my performance, retriggering naturally as if they were sample-based. But in reality, it’s pure synthesis with full flexibility.

Bidirectional Workflow

It’s also possible to drag Segments modulation curves back into the automation pane if needed, allowing for a flexible back-and-forth between automation and modulation.

Conclusion: New Creative Horizons in Bitwig 6

I hope this trick inspires you as much as it inspires me. Dragging recorded automation into Segment modulators opens up huge creative possibilities in sound design, breaking away from rigid clip-based automation. Let me know what you think about this workflow, and I hope to see Bitwig expand this capability even further in future releases.

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] So this is the first video of 2026, and I want to show you something very
[00:00:04] special in Bitwig Studio 6.0. It's not out yet, but it's probably released in the next few years,
[00:00:12] I think. So we had over two Bitwig Studio 6, and we want to create some kind of sound. So I'm using
[00:00:18] here phase four. And yeah, let's use it actually on the bass sound. So I'm using here some kind of
[00:00:27] low note, something like this, maybe here. We do this, and we do a bit of distortion.
[00:00:35] Not too much. Okay, so usually I just record my automation, and I use a shortcut for this.
[00:00:46] You can press this button here, or you can use a shortcut that's much faster. And then you play
[00:00:51] around on your synthesizer. And you have this kind of automation recorded here, and it plays back
[00:01:04] perfectly. That's okay. But sometimes you want to have this automation actually as a modulation
[00:01:16] stick to your notes. So the problem here is that this automation is tied to this note clip. But
[00:01:23] sometimes you want to play notes in a different, you know, different place and the automation you
[00:01:29] have to you have to copy and paste the automation around. So to make it work. But here we just copy
[00:01:35] this automation and draw it into the modulation pane of the phase four synthesizer. And we have
[00:01:42] now here segments modulator. And then all we have to do is we click this and modulate this
[00:01:48] knob by 100%. And we can pull this down. And then we can also delete the old automation.
[00:01:56] So now the modulator takes over and plays the same thing we just recorded, but only as a
[00:02:07] modulator. And I wish we had some kind of modulator where you can record these type of
[00:02:14] movements because I really do this all the time. And it's really nice. So we can also automate
[00:02:23] more of this. So why not use this here? Or maybe we add here some as a noise,
[00:02:32] something like this. Okay, record this. Okay, so this is the next parameter. We drag this in and
[00:02:43] we modulate this by 100%. And we can delete this. Okay, next one, maybe this one.
[00:02:55] Okay, you can also take this, put this in here, modulate it, pull this down, delete, done.
[00:03:03] Maybe we do this here. Yeah, just a bit at the end.
[00:03:20] Same thing, copy over, delete.
[00:03:25] Yeah, with this kind of stuff can create nice little sounds just with the synthesizer,
[00:03:36] little movements. And it's not tied to the clip. You can see here, there's no modulation there.
[00:03:43] It's just a note and we can play this note in different rhythms, in different places.
[00:03:50] It's almost like a sample because we re-trigger all of these
[00:03:59] segment envelopes all the time. So it's very nice to have. Let's do actually some more movements here.
[00:04:08] I pull this up and also make this monophonic. So maybe the pitch.
[00:04:18] [Music]
[00:04:23] Drag this down.
[00:04:24] Copy this and then modulate here the pitch by 12.
[00:04:34] And we're going to delete this.
[00:04:39] [Music]
[00:04:44] I have to probably change this here to this, maybe to minus 12.
[00:04:51] Get automation is basically here added to what I have. Maybe I need to go minus 3.
[00:05:12] So if you like this, maybe I need to make it bipolar.
[00:05:23] Yeah, that's better. Okay, this is the solution. Okay, what else? We can also add effects of course.
[00:05:35] So we can maybe use a convolution reverb here, 1%.
[00:05:40] Like this is a chain device. Put this into the chain.
[00:05:48] Use a tool and we bring this to 50% and maybe we analyze the loudness here.
[00:06:00] [Music]
[00:06:09] So it's roughly the same loudness. Maybe go to 40.
[00:06:12] And then we modulate here the tool because we want to feed only parts of the sound into the reverb.
[00:06:19] Maybe use delay here also.
[00:06:22] 50%. Let's try this out.
[00:06:29] Okay.
[00:06:33] [Music]
[00:06:39] Copy this, put this in here.
[00:06:43] We modulate here this by 1 and you can just remove this. Done.
[00:06:50] [Music]
[00:06:57] Maybe a bit more.
[00:06:58] Was it this or was it that? I think it was this.
[00:07:03] [Music]
[00:07:16] Of course here the post effects, these are not tied to voices.
[00:07:19] So when you play immutable voices at the same time, it's not gonna, you know,
[00:07:24] it's not split and you don't have polyphonic voices.
[00:07:27] But maybe if you use some FX audio effects, some grid-based effects,
[00:07:33] then it's probably gonna work anyway.
[00:07:38] So yeah, I can do some more things here.
[00:07:41] Maybe an EQ back here or maybe a filter movement.
[00:07:49] Yeah, it's probably nice.
[00:07:54] So I feel like this.
[00:07:57] Move it in here.
[00:08:02] And then we delete this here. Bam.
[00:08:08] [Music]
[00:08:16] And at the end a filter plus, a bit of saturation.
[00:08:22] And maybe here a bit of low-passing.
[00:08:30] [Music]
[00:08:36] Something like this.
[00:08:37] The more you do, the more movement there is and the better it sounds.
[00:08:46] [Music]
[00:08:55] And again, you can play this multiple times in different positions.
[00:09:01] [Music]
[00:09:06] And it really triggers here every time and it's like a sample,
[00:09:10] but it's not a sample, it's more like a synthesizer.
[00:09:13] And I do this sometimes lately.
[00:09:15] It's kind of interesting that you can do this now in Bitwig.
[00:09:18] And also, of course, you can drag this the other way around, right?
[00:09:22] You can drag here some segments curves back into the automation pane.
[00:09:29] Probably most people notice.
[00:09:31] But having here automation recorded on the fly and then just drag it into the
[00:09:40] modulation pane is really nice.
[00:09:42] And then you can play it on the keyboard.
[00:09:44] It's not only interesting for bass sounds.
[00:09:47] Also, if you have lead sounds, pad sounds and so on,
[00:09:49] you just press these keys at multiple times or slightly delayed
[00:09:56] and all your segments envelopes kind of evolve over time slightly differently.
[00:10:03] It's really nice.
[00:10:04] I wish they implemented some kind of modulator where you can record on the fly.
[00:10:08] Just some type of knob and it records a smaller loop.
[00:10:13] And then it just plays back every time you press a key.
[00:10:17] Would be so nice to have as a modulator.
[00:10:19] Maybe as an inspiration Bitwig, please make it happen.
[00:10:23] Okay, that's it for the first video of 2026.
[00:10:26] I just want to push this out for some reason.
[00:10:29] I just did this in Bitwig and I want to show it to you.
[00:10:32] I think it's a nice trick.
[00:10:36] Let me know what you think.
[00:10:37] Leave a like.
[00:10:38] Leave a subscription.
[00:10:39] See you in the next video.
[00:10:40] Bye.
[00:10:40] [BLANK_AUDIO]