Bitwig 5 browser is a mess

[aMUSEd]

I wish there was a button for presets along with the buttons for samples etc

What do you mean?

I mean there are buttons on the side for 'Everything', 'All Instruments', 'Audio FX', 'Note FX', 'Plugins' and 'My Library' - why not one for presets?

Uhh... just make one

The only Quick Source on the left side that is fixed is Everything... all the others you can delete, rearrange, or add your own

I didn't know you could

[amg56]

[quote=fceramic post_id=8751676 time=1695586703 user_id=181949]
Sometimes I really feel that the Bitwig designers don't use their own software.
Sometimes it's so convoluted that I just feel lost looking around at all the tiny icons, filters, collections, locations and modes. It's such a mess.
[/quote]

My point exactly.

[askewd]

I love the new browser. I've use a minimal approach and set up only 2 categories... synths & devices.

Favourite synths are stored in the synths category & pops up on instrument tracks.
Favourite devices, stored in the device category, named sensibly, ie "Comp - TDR Kotelnikov" (this way all comps are grouped together in the list).

Have removed as much eye clutter as possible.

Use 'everything' category when searching for some random preset or sound.

Works great for my needs. But I understand everyone has different requirements and tastes.

b2.png

[1234Hi5!]

maybe a dumb question but I couldn't find by searching the manual or googling - can you tag plugins with your own tags? how? Im trying out push three with drivenbymoss and it'd be nice to be able to tag plugins so I could add devices easily (id like a onesynthchallenge tag maybe) and there doesn't seem to be an option to add device by collection on the push three drivenbymoss script
I have to say I find the new browser pretty confusing in general and mostly just find devices by typing the name now

[Jolaff]

maybe a dumb question but I couldn't find by searching the manual or googling - can you tag plugins with your own tags? how?

You cannot tag a plugin itself but you can add tags to the presets of those plugin. So what I did is created an "init preset" for all the plugins I use most and I load those preset instead, so I can find them with tags...

[1234Hi5!]

maybe a dumb question but I couldn't find by searching the manual or googling - can you tag plugins with your own tags? how?

You cannot tag a plugin itself but you can add tags to the presets of those plugin. So what I did is created an "init preset" for all the plugins I use most and I load those preset instead, so I can find them with tags...

Cool, that’s a good workaround thanks

[xbitz]

I love the new browser. I've use a minimal approach and set up only 2 categories... synths & devices.

Favourite synths are stored in the synths category & pops up on instrument tracks.
Favourite devices, stored in the device category, named sensibly, ie "Comp - TDR Kotelnikov" (this way all comps are grouped together in the list).

Have removed as much eye clutter as possible.

Use 'everything' category when searching for some random preset or sound.

Works great for my needs. But I understand everyone has different requirements and tastes.


b2.png

It's especially nice that items like drumpads, samplers, and so on can be set as default contexts with new sample-based categories
https://youtu.be/aVTZ07sNXJU?t=246
5:12 the BWS related part

[_leras]

I look at the old pop-up browser, it's all logical and clear and well ordered, nothing shouts at me for attention and the layout is balanced, nothing jumps at me. I can directly select anything from any column with one click. It is a relaxing experience.

For many people, the old browser with its many columns seemed intimidating and confusing, precisely because of the lack of visual hierarchy. If nothing jumps out at you in a design, that also means that nothing presents itself as an obvious initial focal point.

When I started using Bitwig, I mostly ignored all the columns that meant nothing to me, until I learned how to hide them.

I think what I'm trying to say is that the old browser looking balanced to you is likely also a result of you simply being used to it, and you're probably generally good at parsing complex UIs. But not everyone is.

I really like the browser in v4. The extra columns gave me context of a file system like structure that could be drilled into.

I'm finally trying to move to v5.1... but the browser is very unintuitive to me at the moment. I can't tell devices from presets etc. so it's harder for to simply browse.

I probably need to read the manual... But the old browser was just right for me... I wish there was an option that I could use the old style browswr still.

[_leras]

yes another example yesterday, plugin tone booster installed, can't found tone booster under manufacturer tag ?

'ToneBoosters' - no space between the two words.

I think this sums up on of the issues I have, if I can't remember the time exact name things don't show up.

Then when I simply want to explore by e.g. developer name, I can't get the exact thing and lots of presents show up with similar name etc.

Choosing what to filter on is then no longer intuitive...

I'll have to take some time, read the manual and set up how I need it to be. Pretty frustrating when I thought the old browser was perfect...

[pdxindy]

I probably need to read the manual... But the old browser was just right for me... I wish there was an option that I could use the old style browswr still.

Reading the manual is helpful. There is a lot of info there and the browser has lots of capability that is not immediately evident.

[_leras]

Ha ha.. so my exact primary struggle appears to be...

I want to add an effect and I get a mix of plug ins and presets, all good l can just filter by Bitwig and/or UAD.... Ah... Except I can only see a creator option and not the Vendor option that it seems I need. That's ok if I remember the name, I can type it... But sometimes I want to explore a bit and look at the options...

And... All these cryptic icons... My brain works so much better when the text says 'plug in/device/preset/samples' etc

[pdxindy]

Ha ha.. so my exact primary struggle appears to be...

I want to add an effect and I get a mix of plug ins and presets, all good l can just filter by Bitwig and/or UAD.... Ah... Except I can only see a creator option and not the Vendor option that it seems I need.

Vendor should be there. And you can save the default. For example, you can show all FX devices, not show the presets. Select Vendor (Don't know why you don't see it) but don't actually pick a vendor.

Now save that as the default for that context and next time you open the popup for FX, it will show all devices, no presets, and you will see the vendors listed in the left column.

[S950]

Is anyone’s browser in 5.1, the selection specifically, still jumping around like it’s had 10 espressos? I’m noticing it mostly in the right hand browser. It’s like the mouse wheel is scrolling (it’s not) so the selected item bounces around, sometimes quite dramatically. I reported that to Bitwig some months ago but mine is still trippin’.

[enCiphered]

Hmm, sounds strange. My browser's sippin' herbal tea instead of espresso. No wild dance moves in my selection tab. Maybe time to ping the support guys again, they can help.

[enCiphered]

Hmm, sounds strange. My browser's sippin' herbal tea instead of espresso. No wild dance moves in my selection tab. Maybe time to ping the support guys again, they can help. Best to make a video of the hiccups!