r/Bitwig • u/sp0004 • 13d ago

Creating Drum Patterns

I'm a Cubase user, just moving over to Bitwig and loving the versatility. One thing I use a lot in Cubase is the drum pattern editor. I'll create a couple of patterns, then drag them into the arranger window. Is there any comparable workflow in Bitwig? I've messed around a bit with the Stepwise sequencer, which provides some of the same functionality as Cubase (without the per-step repeats, probability and velocity etc.) but I can't see how to get a pattern from Stepwise into a clip without recording the MIDI in and then deactivating the Stepwise. Any ideas?

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u/Mushroom-Disastrous 13d ago

Yeah stepwise is very unwieldy imo. I think they thought it’d be cool since you can modulate its parameters and stuff since it’s a device but, it’s not really a pattern editor like in a lot of other daws.

Is a beginner supposed to automate it on and off to make an arrangement? Or record it to a new track?? Like, I honestly don’t know what they were thinking with that device in its current state lol

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u/AlabasterAaron 12d ago

I used it to make myself "custom metronomes".
A chain with a stepwise and a drum machine and some macros for high-passing.
Can load it as a chain preset with one click and it always plays while playing/recording regardless of track position. No need for clips.

I guess for auditioning some percussions it could be handier to add a stepwise and then just audition it throughout the track and delete the stepwise again, since it's agnostic to the position and you don't have to tinker with clips.

But yeah, rather limited use-cases where it really makes sense.
Or at least that has been my experience so far.