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BUFFR

Retrospective audio and MIDI recording in Bitwig

Keep DAW audio, System Audio, and controller MIDI available after you play—even when BUFFR is on the master and the instrument track was not armed.

Reviewed July 25, 2026

The quick answer

Load BUFFR on Bitwig’s master, a group, or an individual track. While capture is active, it keeps a rolling audio and MIDI history for up to two hours. Select the part you need afterward and drag it into Bitwig.

For a controller, choose Global MIDI. BUFFR then listens to that OS MIDI input directly, so the plug-in can stay on the master or a bus instead of the armed instrument track.

What Bitwig already records

Bitwig’s Master Recordingrecords the master output independently of the project transport. It is useful for a performance you deliberately start capturing, and its result can be dragged into Bitwig destinations.

That differs from a rolling look-back buffer. You still switch Master Recording on before the material you want. BUFFR continuously retains recent material while its capture is active, so the decision about what to keep can happen afterward.

What BUFFR adds

  • DAW audio passing through the plug-in, plus a separate stereo System Audio source.
  • Host-routed MIDI or one selected hardware controller through Global MIDI.
  • All 16 MIDI channels, including CC, pitch bend, pressure, MPE, and host note expression.
  • Main plus up to seven stereo aux inputs when Bitwig supplies that routing.
  • Up to two hours of history, Spectral Grab, and crash recovery.

A normal master insert receives the summed master signal, usually stereo. BUFFR’s 16-channel capacity does not turn that signal into automatic stems. Use instances on individual tracks or groups when separate audio histories matter.

Quick Bitwig setup

  1. Install BUFFR, rescan Bitwig’s plug-ins, and load its CLAP build.
  2. Place it on the master for the mix, a group for a section, or a track for isolated audio.
  3. Choose rolling capture and set a history length from 1 to 120 minutes.
  4. For controller capture on a bus or master, choose Global or Host + Global and select the controller.
  5. Play normally. Global MIDI does not require the BUFFR track to be armed.
  6. Drag across an audio or MIDI lane, then drag the selection into Bitwig.

Audio exports as 24-bit FLAC by default; MIDI exports as a Standard MIDI File. BUFFR must already be loaded and capturing—it cannot recover material from before it was active.

Host MIDI or Global MIDI?

Host MIDI is delivered by Bitwig and follows its timeline with sample-accurate timing. Use it on the instrument track receiving the MIDI.

Global MIDI listens directly to one selected controller. It preserves the performance spacing with approximate DAW alignment and lets BUFFR live on a bus or master. Host + Global captures both, but duplicates notes if the same controller reaches BUFFR through both paths.

A master-track instance is not a project-wide tap for every MIDI clip generated inside Bitwig. It receives the host MIDI Bitwig routes to that instance and/or the physical controller selected in Global MIDI.

Linux, CLAP, and the Bitwig MIDI route

Bitwig supports Linux and CLAP, so BUFFR’s CLAP build is the natural first choice. Bitwig’s RawMIDI path may not share a physical controller directly with BUFFR. When either side reports that the device is busy, use BUFFR’s compatibility route:

  1. Open Settings → MIDI source → Set up routing in BUFFR.
  2. Enable the one-time Virtual MIDI setup and select the physical controller.
  3. Select Virtual Raw MIDI as Bitwig’s controller input.
  4. Start or restart BUFFR’s MIDI route and confirm both sides receive the performance.

The full setup, including Flatpak visibility, is in theBUFFR manual.

Bitwig Master Recording or BUFFR?

Use Master Recording when you know in advance that you want one continuous master recording written to disk. Use BUFFR when you want an always-available look-back window, audio and MIDI together, or a controller remembered without putting the plug-in on its armed instrument track. They can run together.

Frequently asked questions

Does Bitwig have retrospective MIDI recording?

Bitwig’s current documentation describes armed note recording and audio-only Master Recording. BUFFR supplies a rolling MIDI history that can be recovered as a MIDI file.

Can BUFFR capture MPE in Bitwig?

Yes. BUFFR retains MPE and expressive data including pitch bend, channel and poly pressure, CC, and host note expression.

Can BUFFR record System Audio beside Bitwig?

Yes. Computer output is retained as a separate stereo source beside the audio arriving from Bitwig.

Should I use CLAP or VST3?

Use CLAP first in Bitwig. BUFFR also supplies VST3 when needed.