Yo, I heard you like Step Recorders?

Update: All the videos I create and post here now also have a dedicated post on my website polarity.me There, you'll not only find the video and relevant links but also a full transcription and a summary, similar to what I share here. Sometimes, I get questions on YouTube that are hard to answer properly in the comment section. So, I've started updating the posts gradually, adding detailed answers with enough text and images to clarify things better. Hopefully, this will be helpful to some of you. Here's the post for this video: https://polarity.me/posts/polarity-music/2025-01-03-step-recording-in-bitwig/

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In this tutorial, I created a step recorder inside the Note Grid of Bitwig Studio, inspired by the step sequencer on the Arturia Keystep. The goal was to replicate that step recording workflow for users without dedicated hardware.

What is Step Recording?

Step recording lets you enter notes step by step, one key press at a time, while advancing through the sequence. It's great for building melodies or patterns on the fly.

How I Built the Step Recorder in Note Grid:

• Setting Up the Basics:

  • Used an Array module to store pitch information.

  • Added a Counter to control step position within the sequence.

  • The counter advances every time a note is played, writing pitch data into the array.

• Playback System:

  • Created a second Counter for playback.

  • Triggered it with a Clock module set to eighth notes.

  • Connected the Array's pitch output to the main pitch output for playback.

• Recording Logic:

  • Added a Latch for the record button.

  • A Gate input controlled when recording started and stopped.

  • Used Logic modules to switch between live recording and playback mode.

• Playback Control:

  • A Toggle button controlled playback start/stop.

  • Adjusted Playback speed using the clock settings.

Adding Velocity Recording:

• Duplicated the same Array and Counter setup for recording velocity values alongside pitch.

• Each step now stores both pitch and velocity data for playback accuracy.

Key Features of the Step Recorder:

• Live Step Recording: Record notes directly with the Note Grid, no need for clips.

• Adjustable Step Count: Easily expand the sequence from 8 to 64 steps.

• Independent Playback Control: Adjust playback speed independently with a Clock module.

• Velocity Recording: Captures both note pitch and velocity data.

• Sync to Transport: Playback can be synced to the DAW’s transport for easier sequencing.

Potential Enhancements:

• Add randomization for pitch and velocity.

• Implement step skipping and reverse playback for variety.

• Use external MIDI controllers for hands-on control.

Conclusion:

This step recorder is a flexible and creative way to build melodies directly within Bitwig Studio's Note Grid. I've included the preset in the video description so you can try it out and customize it further. Let me know if you have questions or ideas for improvements!

• Download Preset: https://bit.ly/3DHSA11