Sign In:     

Forum: General Discussion

Topic: RekordBox - Bitwig export
Has anyone else seen this?
https://youtu.be/EAyVOz6VwNE?si=SWkXlZfgZNlUjJYg

As a Bitwig user I'm pretty excited at the idea of having access to my DJ library, with analyzed songs, ready for quick editing.
I do not use Rekordbox, but I'm wondering Virtual DJ can do the same thing, maybe though a CDJ export?
I see Bitwig plans to implement stem extraction soon too. I've been hoping they would eventually do this.
 
Posted 6 days ago @ 1:51 am
This is not really CDJ export (although it could be done that way in theory) because it would mean all OneLibrary capable software would get this for free, which AlphaTheta wouldn't want.

It's most likely Bitwig understanding the database format directly.
Tbh VirtualDJ's Database format is pretty wide open/readable, so it may not be that difficult to have that integration.
I'm not a Bitwig user (although I do read and see good things about it), but I'm a REAPER user - might be worth a look (if only I had the time lol). Better yet if the exposure could be done through some standard, cross DAW API it could be nice/more universal (like VST).

A natural follow-on to this too could be direct stem creator vdjstem file export too from studio stems within the DAW, as an alternative to manual stem creator tool use to compile the stems.

I could also see DJay Pro doing something like this with Logic Pro as Algoridim is already "cozy" with Apple.
 
Yes I saw it yesterday. IMO it's not really much to get excited about. It's always been possible to load a track from your library into an audio editor and make changes to it.

You can do it free with Audacity. I use Adobe Audition (and Cool Edit before that). If I really need to go to town on something then I use Ableton Live.
 
Yes but if I'm not mistaken, the key here is some things are already inferred from the metadata in the database, like tempo (maybe even tempo change markers or a tempo envelope), section markers (probably from repurposing Phrase analysis, which, imo has always been bad), and may auto adjust the track volume based on the autogain volume calculated.

Combined with AI (Bitwig has a very powerful MCP server/AI Agent that exposes what seems to be all of its functionality and even has a deterministic Music Theory component with specific music theory understanding as one of the MCP tools it exposes - bitwig_agent), you can probably achieve some powerful things with limited knowledge of how to work in a DAW or music theory concepts itself.

With thag said though, it still is a niche offering.
 
I was going to cover that in my earlier post, but I opted for brevity.

Tempo and key is already known from the (in our case) VDJ data, but IMO it's not critical anyway if you're just importing then i.e. rearranging. Same with cue points or that Rekordbox "here's the verse, here's the break" business. Those things can be determined by listening.

None of that stuff is really essential for the purposes of making an edit of a track. In days of old it would have been done by recording onto 1/4" tape and splicing.

I guess for real beginners who need their hands holding, but would they be prepared to buy a DAW for that, or subscribe? I get the impression Bitwig are just trying to sell a few more copies, so came up with the idea of marketing to DJs.
 
Yes all what you said is correct and everyone who's already using a DAW independently is doing that, but the real gain is time saving (all that is inferred) and potential flexibility for persons who aren't well versed/familiar/efficient with the DAW workflow.

Exposure is definitely the goal on Bitwig's side - I think it was also said (if I'm not mistaken) that if you aslo purchased a full licence for any of the tiers you also get the integration.
AlphaTheta was probably thinking they needed an offering to compete with Serato Studio.
 
Another thing that could be automated - if the DAW supports video editing (REAPER definitely does, not sure of others), you can add the lyrics extraction to a text rending on a separate track, as a start for further karaoke editing.
 
Yes, I know you can basically edit any song in any DAW, but there is a convenience factor here. To load the song and have things pretty much mapped out, and then to be able to extend, shorten, arrange, extract stems, etc, quickly and be done with it is pretty enticing.
For Bitwig's part, up till now they have been an 'Ableton' for people who want to dig deep into sound design. It's cool geeky stuff, but DJ's are on the other end of the spectrum. It's much easier to try and find a cool remix than to make one. But tools like this could help with that. Another way to add your own style to the music you play.