Windows: Redux keyboard focus issues in Bitwig

Help, Support & Bugs
1

System: Windows 11 24H2, Bitwig 5.3.12, Redux 1.4

Observation: Redux does not take full keyboard focus (open active window), making editing difficult. Regular a-z keys are seen by both Redux and the host (which leads to some side effects), but e.g. space and shift do not seem to reach Redux at all and are either “stolen” by Bitwig or not grabbed by Redux.

Reproducibility: It seems to be DAW and platform specific; I do not have these issues in Bitwig on Mac OS 15.5, nor in Ableton 12 on Windows, or in other plugins. I’ve deactivated any keyboard remapping I’m aware of.

Can it be reproduced and verified as a bug in Redux? Otherwise I’d like to hear from someone having this working fine on Windows + Bitwig (indicating a system/setup issue) and to learn of any workarounds. Thanks!

2

I’m having the same issue with Redux 1.4 and BWS 5.3.10 Windows 10
Space to play phrase no longer works
I have found that using the keyboard to change phrase length is intermittent

I had no issues with vst2 version V1.3.3

3

Can replicate this here as well. We’ll try to find a workaround, and else try to get some help from the bitwig crew.

As a workaround for the Phrase’s Pattern Editor you can also use the Return key to start/stop playback.

This does not work when typing in text though, which is especially annoying in the new phrase script editor.

3 Likes
4

Thank you for the quick reply and for your efforts!

5

Not even sure if this is contributing to the issues, however make sure you cut/move the vst from your downloaded location to C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3
When I just copied the Renoise Redux.vst3 I got this error in the plug scans in BWS

com.bitwig.flt.library.metadata.reader.exception.CouldNotReadMetadataException: could not read metadata: LoadLibrary for VST 3 plug-in C:\Users\<user>\Downloads\rns_rdx_140_windows\Renoise Redux x64\Renoise Redux.vst3 return NULL. Error code: 5. Access is denied.
6

More digging, I believe the keyboard input for phrase length and scripting stops working when BWS finishes indexing.
Excerpt from the BitwigStudio.log in AppData\Local\Bitwig Studio

Line 219: [2025-07-09 18:35:48.663 indexer info] Could not read metadata for Renoise Redux.vst3/Contents/Resources/pattrns.dll com.bitwig.flt.library.metadata.reader.exception.CouldNotReadMetadataException: could not read metadata: com.bitwig.flt.library.metadata.reader.exception.CouldNotReadMetadataException: could not read metadata: Not a plug-in file

and

Line 219: [2025-07-09 18:45:13.700 indexer info] Could not read metadata for Renoise Redux.vst3/Contents/Resources/pattrns.dll com.bitwig.flt.library.metadata.reader.exception.CouldNotReadMetadataException: could not read metadata: com.bitwig.flt.library.metadata.reader.exception.CouldNotReadMetadataException: could not read metadata: Not a plug-in file

Both times keyboard functionality in phrases stopped after indexing completed.

7

The metadata issue is almost certainly a separate problem and more likely to do with plugin file permissions or bitwig’s indexing

8

Yes, there is no manifest in Redux, but it’s also not required.

Got a reply from the Bitwig devs: the keyboard issue happen in other plugins as well, is a regression in Bitwig and will be fixed by them in an upcoming update.

5 Likes
9

Awesome thanks for chasing that up

1 Like
10

Did they confirm it was related to indexing as keyboard for typing on the script editor etc works fine until indexing stops

11

Any news on Redux and the issues within Bitwig? I can confirm that 1.4.2 still has issues with space bar on phrases and keyboard input into phrase length and scripting stops working after a few mins, when using the latest beta of BWS 6 b3.

12

I will ask them again what the status here is…

2 Likes
14

@davfre interesting on my Windows PC the keyboard in phrase and scripts stops working after a time.
@taktik thanks I have the say the last vst2 release (1.3.4 & 5) of Redux had the space bar play issue. I rolled back to V1.3.3 and the space bar to start phrase works in BWS5 and BWS6

15

can confirm I also still observe the keyboard focus issue on Windows 11 (redux 1.4.2 vst3, Bitwig 6.0b3)

16

Just got a reply from the Bitwig crew. This is still a known issue, and a fix is still in the queue.

17

Thanks, probably behind the we took things too far with version 6 better peddle back a few changes backlog

18

Hey, thanks for checking in on this … will report this to Bitwig too

Um, any way to use undo in the meantime ? ( when keycommands do not work - i’m guessing maybe possibly no )

19

Reported this ( also ) to the developer, they say they are aware and are working on a fix ( it is not only Redux btw )

20

Using the Bitwig beta with Redux, reported it, but still not fixed :face_in_clouds: at least they are aware of it.