I don't consider no distinction between tracks and buses a feature. To me its very confusing. Add to that no distinction between MIDI tracks and audio tracks and the confusion is upgraded.

More detailed information here: http://www.bitwigtutorials.net/
 
Looks a lot like SONAR, doesn't it? Although I couldn't find anything about multi-timbral samplers, meaning multiple separate MIDI and audio tracks. All I see are instrument tracks. Seems to be oriented toward looping and matrix-view type composing, but that may be a reflection of where they see their primary audience.

John
I don't consider no distinction between tracks and buses a feature. To me its very confusing. Add to that no distinction between MIDI tracks and audio tracks and the confusion is upgraded.

Have you (at least) not tried Reaper?
 
They also have no distinction between tracks and buses.
 
It takes looking at the paradigm differently, that's all.
 
Can't teach old dogs new tricks, eh?

I, personally, think Reaper is a knock out....

For the money and the footprint and the features...you can't beat it...
it doesn't come with "fluff" to get you to buy...just a solid performing DAW...

X3 is still my interface and workflow champ..and, as of right now, it's been very stable...
so, they ARE making strides...so, that definitely is in Cakes favor...

Bitwig was just kinda clumsy and awkward for me...granted I could learn to live with it...
But WHY?  And for 5 times the price of Reaper?  Hmmmm...no....I don't think so ...

I'm waiting for one of these guys to "knock it out of the park"  If I could get all the features
of Cubase and X3 in ONE package, with Stability....SOLD....

But I'm not holding my breathe....

I've been following since the first announcement. I like the idea of a group of developers that get fed up with where they are and go out and start up a company - that's cool. The API thing sounded very cool when I first heard of it but I've been getting into MAX (via Live) and it can be extended via C++ or Javascript. 
 
While I have been following I have been losing my interest somewhat. I may download the demo once things get sorted out...a v1 release is not something I would look forward to floundering around in.
 
I'm good with the no distinction between buses and tracks...it actually makes more sense to me for some reason.
 
Honestly though: do we not live in wonderful times?
 
Regards,

I really didn't think Bitwig would come out before Sampletank 3 but now that Bitwig has been released, maybe IK Multimedia can hire their coders help get Sampletank 3 out the door...
just sayin...

gustabo
I really didn't think Bitwig would come out before Sampletank 3 but now that Bitwig has been released, maybe IK Multimedia can hire their coders help get Sampletank 3 out the door...
just sayin...

If Bitwig had followed the IK Business Model then iBitwig would have been out first...IJS....

I think it has some nice features coding-wise, which already Bit mentioned.  That stuff is pretty cool in my book.   But as for general use as a DAW?  Well, I downloaded the demo and will give it a whirl, but I don't really expect to be blown away since there are no multi-output synths, no MIDI tracks per se (I think), it's handling of MIDI hardware seems a bit spotty, etc.  Especially at its asking price!   Although, for Live users it's right in the ballpark...  
 
 

bapu

John
I don't consider no distinction between tracks and buses a feature. To me its very confusing. Add to that no distinction between MIDI tracks and audio tracks and the confusion is upgraded.

Have you (at least) not tried Reaper?
 
They also have no distinction between tracks and buses.
 
It takes looking at the paradigm differently, that's all.
 
Can't teach old dogs new tricks, eh?

I own a license for Reaper.  

John

bapu

John
I don't consider no distinction between tracks and buses a feature. To me its very confusing. Add to that no distinction between MIDI tracks and audio tracks and the confusion is upgraded.

Have you (at least) not tried Reaper?
 
They also have no distinction between tracks and buses.
 
It takes looking at the paradigm differently, that's all.
 
Can't teach old dogs new tricks, eh?

I own a license for Reaper.  

So do I but it doesn't mean I'm hip to it's idiosyncrasies.
 
Reaper's great but it's a bit of a wailing wall of a DAW in that incorporates anything and everything anyone can shout for in the way of features making it confusing for all but the very persistent types that finally get to master it.
 
Bitwig while it looks to have some innovation and strategy gone into it along with some well implemented stuff is failing for me largely because it has clearly over promised and under delivered. 
 
It's a niche DAW yet it's inter communication abilities with other apps is apalling, no Rewire is a disaster given the type of tool it is and the suggestion to use Jack is nothing short of a joke.  Ever tried working with Jack on Windows?  Even if you do jump through that hoop there's no way of syncing two apps except via midi.
 
The much publicised network collaboration features and it's Max style modularity are now pencilled in for V2, in other words you'll be paying for another upgrade before you get those.
 
The leaness of it at this stage would have been excusable for a new DAW to market if what was there worked properly and as advertised but this thing is facing a public onslaught because so much of it is broken, it's making Sonar's X1 look like a smooth release and we all know how that REALLY was given a bit of time and distance away from it so as not to cause us to get all defensive about it today...
 
I've got a funny feeling the well catered for Windows and Mac users will likely die off in the short-term, after all the 'new DAW' hoo ha, and maybe the development it gets due to the Linux demand over the long-term may indeed see it emerge as a ground-breaker in the end and may even make Linux itself a viable platform for music creation.
 
I ain't writing it off yet, nor will I be buying it anytime soon.
 
btw does anyone know if the code base is built on Java, in order that it is cross platform capable?  In which case expect to see some mobile computing spin offs from it while they use the 'big app' as a test bed for smaller ones.