My second journey to Superbooth in Berlin this year felt different. It wasn't just about soaking in the atmosphere of innovation and new gear; I was on a mission. As an avid Bitwig Studio user and one of the administrators for a vibrant Bitwig Telegram community (as well as running my own channel), I had reached out to fellow users and subscribers. The goal? To gather the questions, concerns, and hopes that resonate most deeply within our community. After sifting through a wealth of feedback from the Bitwig+ Telegram group and my own channel's followers, I compiled and categorized these thoughts, aiming to give our collective voice a chance to be heard directly by the minds behind our favorite DAW.
I was fortunate enough to reconnect with a familiar face: Fredrik Larsson, Bitwig GmbH's Business Development Manager. Our paths had crossed before – at last year's Superbooth, and even on the diverse stages of a FENIX music festival where we both performed. We'd also interacted online a few times since then. So, when Fredrik graciously agreed to sit down for an interview amidst the Superbooth buzz, I was both thrilled and immensely grateful. His willingness to engage undoubtedly eased the nervousness that comes with representing so many voices, making the conversation flow more naturally. For his time and openness, I extend my sincere thanks once again.
This interview aims to bring you Fredrik's responses to the questions that matter most to us, the Bitwig community. We delved into the exciting new Bitwig Connect hardware, the future development trajectory of Bitwig Studio, the company's relationship with its passionate user base, and what might lie ahead for this innovative DAW. So, let's dive into the conversation.
Me: First of all, could you please tell us your name and what you do at Bitwig?
Fredrik Larsson: So, my name is Fredrik. I've been with the company for just over 10 years. I joined the company before we launched the first product to the market. So, I've been part of the team for some time. My main responsibilities are taking care of the website and the webshop, direct sales, partner promotions, and some partner connections. I travel a lot with the company as well, to do all the trade shows and do a lot of demos and workshops. Some of the videos you might have seen, I've done videos with Sonic State, Attack Magazine, and so on.
Me: Superbooth is always cool. How is Superbooth for the Bitwig team this year?
Fredrik: A very good show. It's always one of the highlights each year, I would say, because it's a show in Berlin. We are from Berlin, of course, so it's our backyard, it's our home turf. And we've been part of the show since the very beginning, and we've seen it grow, and every year it's becoming more and more important, and more and more people are coming. So, this year is very full of people, not only coming to us, of course, but coming everywhere. And, yeah, we had a lot of people come by the booth. I've done a lot of demos and answered a thousand questions, and really enjoying it.
Me: I know you make music under the nickname Krumelur. Do other people in the Bitwig team make music too? What kind of music?
Fredrik: Yes. I mean, I'm probably the only psytrance producer in the team. Other people make more like electronic, downtempo styles of music, ambient, and guitar-based music. Also, some people are making beats and hip-hop, and some really cool dub music. We have a lot of people playing instruments also in the team, so people playing, you know, more guitar-based music as well. It's quite varied. Many people make music. Maybe I am the one who is more prolific in the team, if you know what I mean. So, not so many people release music and tour like I do, but we're all musicians. We all have a very strong passion for music-making and production.