Support more than 2 audio channels for tracks. This would allow for advanced spatial audio work for e.g. ambisonics, Dolby Atmos, etc.
For reference:
- First order ambisonics B-format requires 4 channels, third order 16 channels, sixth order 49.
- Popular film scoring formats are e.g. 5.1 (6 channels) and 7.1 (8 channels).
Spatial audio is here and probably to stay, with Apple Music now having Spatial Audio playback and VR being very fast growing (not to mention advances in Wave Field Synthesis, see e.g. holoplot.com).
What problem(s) would this feature resolve?
Users are limited to stereo or simple (amplitude-based) surround sound with Bitwig stock features, surround pieces cannot be exported as multichannel files.
How does this feature fit in Bitwig as a product?
Bitwig being at the forefront of experimentation, this would be very on-brand.
Is there already an alternative way to achieve this on Bitwig?
It’s already possible to do some surround work in Bitwig, by using modulators and sends/audio receivers. Because of the lack of multichannel tracks however, no ambisonics/object based audio is possible without relying on third party products, and the workflow is very cumbersome and limited.
Could it be implemented using Bitwig components or APIs, without Bitwig team’s support?
No.
Could it be provided by a VST or something else reasonably integrated with Bitwig?
It is possible to create a Grid preset synced with a Reaper instance that provides the multichannel features – see Bitwig Preset: Mono AmbiEncoder 3o public.
Are there other products that offer this feature?
Yes, Reaper offers up to 64 channels. Protools, Logic, and Nuendo also support multichannel tracks.