Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) are used by 99% of all music producers. They make music producing obtainable to everyone no matter the budget as long as they have access to a computer.
Considering that the goal of DAWs is to create a more efficient way for audio recording, audio editing, MIDI editing, mixing, and mastering, among other functions, every Daw has its own way to reach this goal.
In this article, I will explore the best DAW Software right now and what they can offer.
If you’re looking to get into music producing on a DAW, this is the article for you.
Let’s get right into it.
Disclosure: Some of the links in this article may be affiliate links, which can provide compensation to me at no cost to you if you decide to purchase a paid plan. These are products I’ve personally used and stand behind. This site is not intended to provide financial advice and is for entertainment only.
What are the Best DAWs?
The following are the Digital Work Stations to consider.
1. Abelton live.
An inspiring DAW with a next-level workflow
Operating System: PC/Mac
Features: Live and session view — designed for live performance; a huge library of samples; VSTis and effects; VST3 support.
Popular Uses: Live performance (funnily enough), beat and loop creation/structuring, midi compositions due to its massive library of sounds and VSTs, audio processing and multitrack recording.
Genres: Electronic, RnB, hip-hop and pop
Ableton Live Pros and Cons.
Pros
-Beginner friendly
-Incredible MIDI and automation Features
-The session view makes writing fun and fast.
-Great stock plugins
Cons
-Audio editing isn’t as robust as in some other DAWs
2. Apple Logic Pro.
Amazing value and great performance on the Mac
Operating System: Mac
Features: Free version upgrade; huge library of native VSTs and virtual instruments; smart tempo — automatically detect and match the tempo of your recordings; iOS support.
Popular Uses: Midi compositions due to its massive sound library, heavy-duty music processing, audio engineering, sound editing and multi-track recording.
Genres: Classical, film score, electronic, ambient, hip-hop indie and pop.
Logc Pro X Pros and Cons.
Pros
-Beginner friendly
-Extremely versatile
-Great for writing music
-Great for recording, mixing, and mastering
Cons
-Audio editing isn’t as robust as in some other DAWs
3. FL Studio.
DAW that's kickstarted many hiphop music producers' careers
Operating System: PC/Mac
Features: Shared license between PC and Mac versions of the software; free lifetime updates; step sequencer perfect for beginners and electronic producers.
Popular Uses: Creating beats, manipulating synths, heavy-duty song creation, structuring beats and loops, remixes.
Genres: Anything — from hip hop to ambient to trap.
FL Studio Pros and Cons.
Pros
-Beginner friendly
-Incredible MIDI and automation features
-Unmatched piano roll for writing music digitally
-FL’s patterns make it easy to write and arrange songs
Cons
-Some production techniques require weird workarounds
-There are redundant features, which can make it more confusing to use
4. Steinberg Cubase.
A grand old DAW that can still keep pace with the bright young things
Operating System: PC/Mac
Popular Uses: Creating beats, manipulating synths, song creation, structuring beats and loops, remixes.
Genres: Electronic, RnB, Trap, hip-hop and pop
Steinber Cubase Pros and Cons.
Pros
-Been around a very long time
-Excellent included instruments
-Great channel strip
-Fantastic integrated sampler
-Solid and dependable
Cons
-Interface can get crowded
-Feels a bit big and bloated
-Not as innovative as other DAWs
5. Studio One.
An 'upstart' DAW that's now playing in the big league
Operating System: PC/Mac
Features: Integrated drum and harmonic editing; native gain and phase controls when mixing; groups (busses) for tracks super easy.
Popular Uses: Studio One is very similar to Reaper in that it is a natural choice for heavy-duty music production, drum programming, mixing, mastering and sound engineering.
Genres: Rock, pop, metal, punk, electronic, classical — again much like Reaper, Studio One is flexible and is used for creating all sorts of music. It perhaps lends itself more to heavier music ie. Metal, punk, DnB due to the intricate possibilities of its drum editor.
Studio One Pros and Cons.
Pros
-Extremely Versatile
-Tons of features for writing and composing
-Great stock plugins
-Customizable interface to match your workflow
Cons
-Interface can easily become cluttered if you aren’t careful
6. Cockos Reaper 6.
A seriously powerful DAW at a bargain price
Operating System: Mac/Linux/Windows
Features: Supports VST plugins; sophisticated mixing table; fully-functional 30-day trial.
Popular Uses: Heavy-duty music production, mixing, mastering and engineering, a customisable DAW software experience (in terms of user interface, graphics and layout).
Genres: Rock, pop, metal, punk, electronic, classical — there is no particularly popular genre for Reaper, speaking to its versatility.
Reaper Pros and Cons.
Pros
-Beginner friendly
-Full-fledged DAW at a low price
-Customizable interface to match your workflow
-Good stock plugins, especially for sound design
-Super powerful routing
Cons
-As far as DAWs go, it’s really new. So it’s features aren’t going to be as flexible or detailed as some other DAWs’.
7. Apple Garage Band.
A great introduction to music making
Operating System: Mac
Features: A huge Apple sounds and loops library; free instrument lessons; multitrack recording and editing.
Popular Uses: Beginner music production, sample editing, plunderphonics, learning how to use DAWs.
Genres: Hip-hop, plunderphonics and lo-fi (due to the large sample library). Pop music.
Garage Band Pros and Cons.
Pros
Free with all Macs
-Very easy to use
-Ready-made upgrade path
Cons
-No PC version
8. Avid Pro Tools.
The industry-standard recording and post-production software
Operating System: PC/Mac
Features: Has a limited, but free version; an online cloud for simple collaboration; huge sample and plugin library.
Popular Uses: Professional grade multitrack recording, audio processing, mixing and mastering. Working with songs that have upwards of 50 stems/individual tracks.
Genres: Pop, rock, RnB, indie, classical, jazz, blues and folk.
Pro Tools Pros and Cons.
Pros
-A genuine industry standard
Cons
- Still best-suited to linear recording
What is the Best DAW for Budget Music Producers?
If you are on a budget then there are two answers, if you are a mac owner then we would say to go with Garage Band as its completely Free. Once you have mastered and made some money then upgrade to Logic Pro.
But if you are a PC user then FL Studio has a great entry lever edition called Fruity. Costing under 100€ this is a no brainer.
Once you have chosen the Best DAW for you.
If you have chosen the right DAW for you and want to start with some high quality sounds then make sure to check out the Sonic Sound Supply library of Drum Kits, Loops Packs, VST and much more.
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