Bitwig & PreSonus DAWproject

Bitwig and PreSonus Studio One are pleased to announce DAWproject, a new format for project files that allows for easy exchanges between different programs. As of today it is supported in Bitwig Studio 5.0.9 and Studio One 6.5. DAWproject is the latest Bitwig-led initiative aimed at connecting our music technology industry and giving musicians more freedom. It follows the 2022 launch of CLAP, the free and open plug-in standard we launched last year in collaboration with u-he.

“Every DAW is different, and that is a strength of our industry. Allowing users to take their work between programs is now easier than ever — and the right thing to do.”, says Claes Johanson, Bitwig co-founder and lead developer of DAWproject.

Arnd Kaiser, General Manager at PreSonus Software: “Our vision for Studio One has always been to eliminate workflow barriers and enable users to collaborate. With DAWproject, we are thrilled to introduce a new open format that allows users of different DAWs to work together seamlessly for the first time. We are proud to launch this groundbreaking new format in partnership with Bitwig.”

DAWproject File Format
Music producers often work with multiple Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs). Some seek inspiration through new features and technologies, while others use different programs for different stages of their production and/or performance process. Unfortunately, no exchange format existed that allowed for sharing projects between DAWs, forcing users to export and re-import audio stems instead.

DAWproject is an open and free file format that makes it much easier to move from one DAW to another, enabling producers to choose their preferred DAW for specific tasks. No more complex and time consuming procedures for moving projects, converting formats, and exporting or importing — DAWproject files include all the most important information in a DAW-agnostic format.

Key Features
Here are the key features that DAWproject format supports, with a comparison to MIDI and AAF for reference. As you’ll see, DAWproject files cover a wider range of data relevant to DAWs and DAW-like applications.

Resources & Availability
DAWproject is available now, and  supported in Bitwig Studio 5.0.9 and PreSonus Studio One 6.5. Read up on the details in our knowledge base article “DAWproject Format FAQs”.

The DAWproject file format is open and free and can be implemented easily by other DAWs and DAW-like software and hardware. Here’s the specification on Github for interested developers and users.