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This post originally appeared on Flypaper by our friends at Soundfly.
Whether you’re working out of a home studio or a small project studio, your Digital Audio Workstation (or, DAW) is probably the single most important part of your setup. It’s the bridge of your musical Starship Enterprise, containing and co-ordinating all the software and hardware you use to create and communicate each of your decisions. It’s no surprise then, that much like the fights that people have over Nintendo/Xbox/Playstation or iOS/Android, the world of audio production is rife with software fan service and forum flame wars (harmless, of course, but they can be quite harsh!)…
Part of my job is to help you cut through all the post-truth out there and make the right choice for you about where to lay your precious tracks. In the interest of doing just that, I’m going to deal with a controversial point straight up: There is very little, if anything, that differentiates DAWs in terms of pure sound quality. Without diving deep into the complex, fascinating, and heady science of signal processing, all major recording software is now able to sample using at least 32-bit floating point calculations. If you’re really interested in this (and why wouldn’t you be?) this article is a great introduction to the science behind this topic. But basically, any DAW you choose will deliver the same audio transparency and clarity.
The quality of your mix will come down what you put into the DAW; which is why making the right choice for you is so important. Just like there’s no guitar that will suit all guitarists, there’s no platform that will be right for every producer. It’s about choosing the one with the workflow and atmosphere that makes you feel at home and gets your songs where they need to be. I’ve tried a bunch of DAWs in my time and I’m always looking for a cool new thing. The reality is that it’s hard to be a jack-of-all-trades with recording software. At some point you need to dive in a build a relationship with your DAW, mastering its peculiar perks and quirks.
I should disclose that I’m deep in a ten-year love/hate relationship with Ableton Live (I teach the free Live Clicks and Backing Tracks course on Soundfly on how to use Ableton for on-stage electronic syncing and processing). I’m also friendly with REAPER, suspicious of Pro Tools, and really intrigued by Logic Pro X and Studio One 3. What follows is one muso trying to be fair and fun about a topic that’s full of myths, tribalism, and a bit too much seriousness. Not every DAW on the planet is mentioned here, so feel free to add your preferred programs in the comments below! Onwards, upwards, and in no particular order:
GarageBand
Arguably the most popular DAW ever created, GarageBand comes free with every Macintosh computer and boasts a simple, clean interface. The last couple of versions have seen GarageBand come to resemble a diet version of Apple’s flagship DAW, Logic (discussed below). It’s both loved for its simplicity and loathed for its limitations. Case in point: Claire Boucher, also known as Grimes, recorded her breakthrough album Visions using nothing but GarageBand. That is, before later renouncing the platform as far too limited.
Pros
Simplicity is the major selling point here. GarageBand takes the complex world of music production and streamlines it into a basic, welcoming package with a gentle learning curve. There’s enough in the way of beats, drum samplers, software instruments, and effects to keep one occupied for a while. The simplicity of the software also means work happens quickly. You can hear basic results immediately, enjoy the vibe, and keep working.
Cons
The counterbalance of simplicity is limitation, so GarageBand’s strength is also its weakness. The possibilities for complex routing, sound design, and audio problem-solving that are common in other DAWs are simply not present here. You’re most likely to hit these walls in the mixing stage, or when trying to complete a finicky task (such as programming a detailed drum part or completing a track that requires a great deal of automation).
What It’s Best At
GarageBand can get you where you need to be quickly. Where a fast, simple, and no-frills solution is called for (and maybe one that also works on your iPhone), GarageBand is going to deliver the goods. It did for Rihanna with “Umbrella,” and for the demos that got Cloud Nothings signed to labels.
Ideal User
It’s ideal for beginners looking to dive into the world of audio recording, or established artists who are looking to get ideas down fast. It’s the 4-track of the 21st century.
Logic Pro
If GarageBand is the Ikea of the audio production world, where you can buy a door that will lock and keep the elements out for cheap, then Logic Pro is a boutique furniture store in the nice part of town where you can buy a nice stained-wood deal with Tiffany glass that will make the neighbors a little jealous. Seriously though — Apple’s flagship DAW is a major player in the market, and with good reason. In essence, it takes the best of GarageBand, but unleashes it from the burden of limitations, and is the base platform for many professional studios.
Pros
You get that classic Apple design aesthetic: clean, simple, accessible. Yet there’s a good deal of grunt under the hood. You’ll find audio editing and recording capabilities comparable to any other product on the market, and then some. Logic aficionados that I’ve spoken with are particularly enamored with the MIDI editing capabilities, regarded alongside Cubase and Ableton Live as some of the best around. Along these lines, Logic comes bundled with a diverse array of quality synths, sample instruments, and studio-grade effects out of the box.
I find that many DAWs offer an emphasis on either MIDI and synth capacity, or on recording and audio editing strength. Logic strikes the balance between the two very well, offering many options to both new users and recording vets. At around $300 in the Apple App Store, it’s not exactly cheap, but it is relatively good value for money considering what you get in one package.
Cons
Mostly minor issues — the audio editing probably isn’t quite as strong as you’d find in Pro Tools, and the workflow is not really customizable the way it is in REAPER. Your mileage may vary regarding the bundled sounds as well. As a guitarist and a prog-rock aficionado, I find the bundled amp sims to be underwhelming, but I do really appreciate easy access to a Mellotron.
While it’s hard to state any major flaws, I was irked by the lack of a demo capability for the program. Since being attuned to the workflow of a program is such a big deal, this is mildly unforgivable. Yes, it’s possible to pirate the software to try before buying, but that shouldn’t be necessary. Somehow, I doubt Apple are losing sleep over this though…
What It’s Best At
Logic works as a comprehensive and super-slick complete package, covering all the bases of modern music production with style and aplomb. When I use Logic, I have the feeling that the sound or instrument I need in any given moment is at my fingertips. Contrast with something like REAPER, which is more open-ended, but will need more investment from the user regarding sample libraries and plugins.
Ideal User
Logic is undoubtedly professional-grade and fits in easily in a studio setting. Yet a determined amateur could certainly justify the price tag, especially if they were looking to create music that combined recorded and synthesized elements on a frequent basis, and it’s a great foundation for home recording (it’s the recommended DAW in Soundfly’s free course Demo Recording 101). And if you’ve been cutting your teeth on GarageBand and are ready for the next step, but don’t want to start learning a new piece of technology from scratch, Logic is the obvious answer.
Ableton Live
Ableton Live is a bit of an enigma, and was definitely a game-changer when it emerged from Berlin in 2001. Designed primarily for use on-stage, it’s nonetheless the studio DAW of choice for a growing and loyal base of musicians. It’s been built primarily for DJs and electronic musicians, but there’s enough pure audio capability in there to keep it nipping at the heels of the other big-name DAWs. More and more these days, it’s being trusted by all types of musicians to create both electronic and acoustic tracks. (We’ve created an ongoing series of courses that teaches you how to use Ableton Live to build entire tracks out of found sounds and audio samples. It’s called Any Sound Will Do, and current courses are taught by YouTube star Andrew Huang and Ableton Certified Trainer Brian Jackson.)
An excerpt from Soundfly’s free course Capturing and Warping Samples in Ableton Live
Pros
The interface, first and foremost. It’s clean and simple, but unlike Apple’s aesthetic, Live’s layout feels designed to enhance workflow. You can work in the standard, linear Arrangement view, or jam a song out as “loops” and “scenes“ by flipping to the cubic Session view with a button tap. Another big plus are the effects and instruments Live comes bundled with. Like many other DAWs, they sound great, but they also go a step further by integrating into the program’s interface and workflow in surprising ways.
Finally, Ableton is an innovator in blue-chip musical ideas. Push is a touch-based hardware interface that makes the program hands-on and intuitive. Link can wirelessly sync two machines running Live to the same time-clock, running them in tandem. MAX for Live takes the MAX/MSP programming architecture and integrates it within the program, basically open-sourcing development of new plugins and program workarounds.
Cons
The audio capabilities leave quite a lot to be desired compared to other programs, a hangover from the program’s origins as a DJ tool. You can track stuff, sure, but you’ll run into headaches if you want to edit, comp, and mix a rock band like a pro in this setting.
Automation is a bugbear of mine with Live. If you’re tweaking physical knobs or faders on your synth or your MIDI controller, you’ll be fine. But the inability to manually click and type a value on a point is a glaring oversight that should have been remedied years ago.
What It’s Best At
It’s a truly immersive creative experience, unique and open-ended. Live is rock-solid on stage and shines as a songwriting tool. It also has the feeling of being more like an actual instrument than other DAWs, which is why tons of artists use it live on-stage to expand the electronic capabilities of their instruments. It’s hard to put into words until you try it.
Ideal User
Electronic musicians, first and foremost. But film composers, rock musicians, pretty much anyone can create great music from start to end with Live. It depends if it’s unique approach feels good to you.
REAPER
Just over 10 years old, REAPER was started by the same dude who created Winamp (remember that from the days of Napster?). It’s got humble beginnings and a humble price tag, but it’s been created to compete with the big players and boasts a devoted community and passionate development team, both focused on continuous improvement. Flexibility and stability are mainstays of the program — the man behind Tycho, Scott Hansen, uses it in both recording and live performance.
Pros
First up, the price tag. After a full-featured 60-day evaluation period, a full personal license is only $60. Those who appreciate detail and customization will have a field day with this program. The audio routing is incredibly powerful, allowing for complex bussing and sub-mixing. The cutting and editing of audio is powerful and streamlined, and the built-in REAPER effects are all usable (albeit no-frills). On top of this, the program is eminently skin-able and scriptable, with fully customizable commands and hot keys. Out of all the programs listed here, this is one you can really make your own.
Cons
While Tycho claims to have taught himself REAPER in a week, it may have been one loooong week. It can be hard to wrap your head around REAPER at first, as there is so much going on. The manual is thick, detailed, and daunting. For some people, this is just what they want, but for others the depth is going to be intimidating and off-putting. You’ll either need a bit of experience with friendlier DAWs or time to learn the ropes before you jump in.
What It’s Best At
Functioning as a very cheap, uncompromising rival to Pro Tools, Cubase, and the like. By combining a quality feature set with a low price point, REAPER makes a strong case as the mainstay DAW for a small studio.
Secondly, if you’re into multi-channel audio work and VR sound design, with REAPER’s free Ambisonic Toolkit plugin, you’ll be able to make 360° ambisonic sound design with little to no technical obstacles or learning curve.
Ideal User
Someone who is serious about audio production and getting pro-quality results, but can’t afford to shell out the oodles required for a big-budget product. Or someone like me who wants to have their computer recording package look like an old analog console. So cool.
Read more on Flypaper: “Ten Tips for Creating More Realistic MIDI Music”
Pro Tools
The undeniable industry standard, Pro Tools is the lumbering DAW behemoth by which everything else is judged. It’s been designed from the ground up to be the standard for large commercial recording studios and media production houses, and with a vintage of 27 years, it’s definitely had time to establish its majority market share. Many swear by it, but in past years it’s come under criticism for perceived issues with creative workflow and the strict licensing and commercial practices of its parent company, Avid.
Pros
Pro Tools was designed from the ground up to work with rack-mounted studio gear, large mix consoles, and complex patch routings. If your aim is to work with these kinds of things, there’s a lot of capability here to help you. As Pro Tools pioneered many innovations in non-destructive editing, take-comping, and bus-routing, there’s serious depth below the surface. From a pure audio recording and manipulation standpoint, it’s hard to beat.
There’s also the question of hardware. Avid has created a whole line of audio hardware — from consumer-grade interfaces to the highest pro-quality desks — designed to work specifically with Pro Tools. If you love the program and can afford the hefty prices, this could be seen as a long-term investment in your career.
Cons
Not only is “dongle” a silly word, it’s also an annoying device you have to plug into your USB slot to make Pro Tools work at all. It’s an indication of the kind of tight control Avid place on their propriety software. And while the audio capabilities are top-notch, people who like to work with VSTis are going to find the MIDI interface endlessly frustrating.
What It’s Best At
A perfect recipe of editing and mixing solutions, tailored to perfection over a generation.
Ideal User
If you know Pro Tools, then you know how to walk into just about any professional music facility in the world and work the desk. If that’s your goal, then you need to familiarize yourself with this program. All indications are that it’s not going anywhere soon.
Cubase 8.5
Cubase has been around in some form since 1989. Along the way, their parent company Steinberg has been responsible for some DAW innovations and concepts, like VST plugin architecture, that have been widely adopted in the industry. Cubase 8.5, accordingly, is a bit like Logic Pro X — doing a bit of everything quite well — but with its own feel and flavor.
Pros
Cubase is the MVP on your production team. It can handle pro-level audio and mixing work in a similar fashion to Pro Tools, but has also invested significant effort over the past few releases to balance that with a pretty sweet creative workflow. The MIDI and plugin capabilities of Cubase are second to none, making it a really good choice for musos who want to explore both their compositional and engineering sides. There’s even some pretty strong notation capabilities that make it a solid candidate for orchestration, transcription, and film composition. One of the most interesting features of Cubase 8.5 is their new cloud collaboration service, built specifically to handle long-distance collaborative projects, including the sharing of plugins via a service called VST Transit.
Cons
Compared to Logic Pro X, which is similarly featured, Cubase is the more expensive option. On the other hand, unlike Logic, Cubase has a try-before-you-buy option so you can see if it feels right for you.
Normally I try to be objective and find a couple of significant program faults, but it’s quite hard to pick holes in Cubase. It truly is a comprehensive and well-rounded solution. Its long heritage has meant that the major kinks have been ironed out, but Steinberg have also endeavored to stay on the leading edge, lest their product stagnate.
What It’s Best At
A tried and true DAW that can handle pretty much anything you throw at it.
Ideal User
Almost anyone who wants depth, flexibility, and stability in their platform and is willing to pay for it.
Studio One
The new kid on the block, Studio One is made by audio hardware manufacturer PreSonus. The hype pitches it as a killer app, as full-featured as the big boys but with the cutting edge thinking of a new product. It has accumulated some loyal converts among top-level engineers, but it’s fair to say it’s still gathering momentum in the wider audio world. However, having just hit its third stable release, it has surely come into its own as a standalone DAW.
Pros
The creative workflow innovations are too abundant to list here. Features like Scatch Pads allow you to break a song into sections or arrangements that can be worked on individually, within the one song project, saving you space and time. Cool drag-and-drop arrangement features mean your song structure updates responsively — say, when you decide that cool bridge would actually make a far better outro. There’s an integrated project/mastering solution for handling full albums that automatically updates your mixes as you tweak them.
In terms of pure sound, the mixing window splits the difference between typical DAW workflow and features imitating an analog desk. I personally found it really pretty. And to sweeten the pie, PreSonus has cut deal with cool third-party developers, like Melodyne, to provide a suite of instruments and effects bundled with the software.
Searching for new converts, PreSonus have also made it easy to try and buy Studio One. There’s a demo version, a cheap “Artist” version, and attractive educational and cross-grade discounts. Even the full “Professional” version undercuts Cubase, Ableton Live, and Pro Tools.
Cons
The loop and sound libraries that ship with the program are frankly not as rich and deep as those provided with competitors. And while I personally like the single-window layout approach of Studio One, it’s not a format that plays nicely on a laptop. You’re gonna want a pretty large monitor to make the most of it.
What It’s Best At
A leading-edge solution that can handle every step of the creative process with a raft of slick innovations.
Ideal User
Musicians who want to get in on the ground floor with what may be tomorrow’s new standard DAW. Only time will tell.
Alex Wilson is a multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer from Sydney, Australia. He founded the post-rock band sleepmakeswaves, with which he has toured Asia, America, Europe and Australia. In his spare time he writes music for short films, produces bands and subsists on altogether too much coffee. Alex is the instructor of the upcoming Soundfly course, Ableton Live Clicks and Backing Tracks.
133 comments
Join the conversationThe Unknown Best - February 9, 2017
FL studio. That is all.
Perellex Music - May 18, 2017
Yeah how can you not mention fl but have garage band on there???????
Issachar shashi - August 3, 2017
how about fl studio
Am3r1c4nPsycho - October 5, 2017
thats what i use FL Studio 12
a - April 25, 2018
FL studio’s UI is absolute shit. Having to work with diddly knobs instead of having access to numbers and having no support for modifying keybindings (!?) is unexcusable.
FL Studio 12 User - May 15, 2018
Not sure what dusty version of FL you were using, but “having access to numbers” instead of using knobs is and has be something you can do in FL. Keybinding is easily solvable with AutoHotKey and as for it having UI that is absolute shit, that’s an opinion so… sure.
SG - December 18, 2018
AutoHotkey is bad solution.
Dale Strand - January 20, 2021
What about Mixcraft pro studio 9? Inexpensive and does it ALL intuitively!
Also — N-Track 9 — excellent!
BWL - November 14, 2019
Ehh, FL Studio got all that and even spesific different settings to loads of wellknown hardware…. And now you can basicly mesh it with any daw….
RIO1210 - July 23, 2018
HE DON’T HAVE WINDOWS PC,THATS ALL
Look before typing - August 15, 2018
It’s available on Mac.
Douglas - February 10, 2017
Without SONAR on this list, it comes across a. It biased. Just sayin.
Greg - May 17, 2017
Yep, SONAR is how I roll, it’s lack of inclusion speaks louder than words………
Wookiee - May 18, 2017
Totally agree with you Douglas. But it seems they all like to over look a very good DAW,
Shame on you Reverbnation
Doug T - May 19, 2017
Agree totally, using Sonar platinum and love it.
LHB/Back Road Studios
Steve - September 21, 2017
I have used most of the ones in this list. I have reaper. I never use it. I know and can use Logic. Meh! Its like any apple product. I have used Cubase and didn’t like it. But Cakewalk Sonar….. While it has a steeper learning curve that the rest you can do more with it and when you do learn it you can do more with it.
Steev - March 28, 2018
I’ve gave every DAW mentioned here enough time and effort to honestly see and feel what it is about and I REALLY was ultimately impressed with Studio ONE.
I’m a 30 year veteran and HUGE fan of Cakewalk and crack my whip of SONAR Platinum. Clearly the most feature rich DAW at a very affordable price, err “Used to BE”, which makes it hardly worth mentioning at this point.
Unfortunately Gibson pulled the plug and shuttered the Cakewalk Store and SONAR doors. It’s no longer on the market sooo, ahh, well not until the new owners, Bandlab start offering it again on the market.
Judging by official talk in the Cakewalk Forums, it will no longer be branded as Cakewalk or SONAR.
However, a rose is a rose even if you insist on calling it something else…
o'darque hunnett - June 14, 2018
SONAR was a great DAW to work with 10 years ago or so, but since I made the move to Mac for music production, and noticed (at the time) SONAR was for PC only, I got in good with Logic and PT, and really never looked back. So I too thought it strange that this was excluded, but since this was posted over a year ago, I can forgive that oversight.
Douglas - February 10, 2017
Or a bit biased, if autocorrect has anything to do with it.
Dave - February 10, 2017
There are several not on here that others have brought up, as well. All of which are really solid. We’ll need to work on a second version of this post soon!
Ryan - February 11, 2017
You left out Sony ACID!!!? lol No worries, software hasn’t been updated in years- but it does everything I need.
Steev - March 28, 2018
ACID Pro 7 does really weird things to my Behringer X Touch. But the fader strips and transport controls work so everything is OK as long as I don’t any control buttons. :-p
It’s a hard DAW(?) not to love, I’ve been using ACID software since version 2 and being a singer/songwriter kinda guy I’m not even all that crazy about loop based music creation. But curiously enough and contrary to popular belief, ACID is VERY capable of doing amazing feats of audio editing, with or without loops as well as do things no other DAW can do.
ACID IS probably the easiest way to create and record music there is. You don’t even have to be a musician to create music with the tons of provided loops, or know anything about recording other than arm the track, hit record.
ACID Pro 7 is also the leader “Welcome to the World of MIDI Instruments for Dummies.” It automatically adds, a track, sets up MIDI mapping/routing,, and you’re good to go for sequencing MIDI loops, or just hit record and start performing on a MIDI keyboard/controller.
However, it’s as weak as it is simple for MIDI editing, compared to any and all other DAW’s, it’s abysmal.
ACID PRO 7 can still be gotten from MAGIX and at a ridiculously low fraction of it’s original price, and it runs just as great on Windows 10 as it did on all previous version of Windows.
Paul - May 17, 2017
… how about REASON ?
Bro Ken - August 3, 2017
Yup. Most realistic DAW on the market. With 9.5’s addition of VST support, it is unstoppable.
Steev - March 28, 2018
I’m not really a big fan of working in Reason as a stand alone DAW, but that’s just because I personal find it a clunky workflow.
I really like to ReWire Reason to SONAR. It becomes a Super Duper nitro burning MIDI synth rig with an overhead cam and glass packs!
That’s a very LOVABLE work environment.
Jonathan - March 5, 2021
yeah, same here… He mentioned Garageband and then forgot epic DAWs like Reason (Awesome and inspiring in a unique way and plenty of superb devices like Europa, Grain, Drum Seq, Players and many many amazing creative FXs), FL (now version 20 has polish graphic and Mac support) and to say all, he wrote almost all absurdity about Ableton Live.
SO: almost useless article dear Reverb Nation very disappointed by these misleading reviews!
Jeffrey Tveraas - May 17, 2017
Apple Logic Pro X is only $199.99 thru the Apple Store, not $299.99 as mentioned above. Otherwise a cogent overview of major DAW’s, thanks.
John - May 17, 2017
Of the three DAWs I have exposure to (GarageBand, Studio 1, ProTools) I think the assessments are fair. I own and use Studio 1 and found it super easy to set up and use. No HW keys. The free de-featured version gives you a really good feel for it and actually useful for simple things. After using the free version I bought the next level. It worked great with my older audio interface with no trouble. I use it on a desktop with 2 older monitors. I agree that the supplied loops and sounds are weak. They left me scavenging for some good basic roots drum loops to support my songwriting.
Rob - May 17, 2017
Thanks for taking the time to write this article. However I would disagree that Garage Band is simple. I found it to be very user-hostile and counter-intuitive, like all Apple software. I bought Logic, because a couple of people recommended it, but I consider that a mistake. There are some good things about it, but editing is very difficult. Most aspects of Logic are counter-intuitive, like all Apple software these days. 15 years ago, Apple software was user-friendly. Now it’s the opposite. And there is no manual. The “Help”, like all Apple help, is not local to your computer, so you have to go online to access it. Most people don’t want their DAW online while working. But why bother? Apple “Help” is worthless. I had to buy a book by a third party to figure out how to use the software. I keep saying I’m going to switch to Reaper, but after spending $200 on Logic, I hate to admit I wasted my money.
Ian Graham - May 17, 2017
I would love to know what PT’s has over Logic in audio editing as I seriously keep reading this yet have not been shown where it’s “better”. There are some areas in Logic that perhaps need to be “clicked on” in preferences (fade tool/marquee click zones), but after 9 years of using Logic, not seen a problem.
Steev - March 28, 2018
Pro Tools is the industry standard.
David prior - November 16, 2019
Pro Tools WAS the industry standard.
Dale - December 5, 2018
I am not sure what Logic could have that Pro Tools doesn’t. I haven’t used Logic, but I have used Garageband and the waveform editing in Pro Tools is lightyears ahead of GB. So unless Logic is equally ahead of GB, then I would imagine PT is better.
Martin - May 17, 2017
No Reason?
Thom - August 3, 2017
Reason Rocks!
PierreG - May 17, 2017
Don’t forget to include Tracktion – Waveform next time out!
ED - May 18, 2017
Mixcraft Pro and Sonar should have been compared as well as Reason.
Jeff - September 10, 2018
I have Mixcraft Pro 8. I started out with the Pro 6 version.
The reason I chose Mixcraft was because of reviews I read before I bought it. People said it was easy to learn. I never recorded before, I never used a DAW before. And I still don’t know much about DAWs, but I can and do use Mixcraft with good results. It’s moderately priced at about 150.
If I had it to do all over again I would have started with Reaper. For the money you can’t beat it. And if you never used a DAW before there are some great tutorials on YouTube that get into Reaper so you can learn by watching.
But since I have Mixcraft and use it with success, I’ll stick with it. It’s pretty easy and fun to use.
MR MICHAEL F TULK - May 18, 2017
I likes Audacity I does.
BWL - November 14, 2019
Totally agree, but now im more comfortable with just using fl studio as a very creative sampling and sound edting tool. Also been using Wavelab, goldwave, audacity and all the other popular free softwares and the mpc’s etc. The first “musicprogram” i got my hands on was hiphop-ejay to madtracker. upgraded to fasttracker 2. Cubase i didn’t understand at the time, i have tried most softwares and much hardware musical tools. And after all this “what is the best” buisness i am currently a proud and entertained user of FLstudio(RecButton is key) with some AbletonLive a seldom time when i dont have anything else. when i started using friutyloops it was like version 3.1. I was made fun of because the cool kids used Reason, logik, protools and cubase etc. After a massive beatbattle FLstudio was forever never lame=)=)=)=) blablablanla blablabla VST rocks and DLL-files can do magic sometimes!!!
Juan Ortiz - May 18, 2017
I use audition CS6, good for my needs, does anyone feel the same?
G. Ponzoni - August 3, 2017
yes! I love adobe audition, it’s very user friendly and intuitive, great if you grew up making analogue music.
It’s basically what “cool edit” turned into. Cool edit should be mentioned for OG status on this list. People were looping beats and making mixtapes in the mid 1990’s with it. Older and better than most of these things mentioned.
IF you actually want to record a live band, with multiple tracks, everything listed in this article is over priced garbage.
I have used (at work in a concert theater hall) Pro tools and Logic pro X. Pro tools – laughably bad with it’s cumbersome controls and stupid “tools selection” for everything vs. highlighting what you want to edit and then simply choosing the effect or edit you want to do with it. Basically pro tools adds an extra step to EVERYTHING, extra mouse clicks, extra menus etc.. very annoying.
I thought it was the worst recording program ever until my job got Logic pro X… ugh.. setting the I/o’s with a live 48 track board was a night mare. Then they decided to put it on a mac book air and it crashed every time I recorded with more than 1 track going or 4 mics at once.. and this is what some blow hole at apple sold them to be “cutting edge top of the line” what a waste of money… left me scrambling with sub par recordings until they got better hardware. Again logic pro follows Pro tools’ retarded interface of having to select a tool first to do anything. For example in pro tools: if you have a section you want to simply delete, you would think you could just highlight it and hit the “delete key” right? WRONG!!! you need to select the “cut” tool.. (you need to find it first) and then “cut” the piece you want to delete, (this takes 2 “cuts” if it’s in the middle of the wave like most things are). then select the piece you “cut” from the main wave. THEN hit delete.. (ugh) but yet this is better and “industry standard” … like I said laughable at best. same with fading, same with EVERYTHING.. instead of an “edit” menu with these things (normal) there are tools you select to do things.. Using an apple computer just amplifies the horror. You have to hit “command” +” Ctrl” + “x” to do something. like really? 3 key combos? what is it, 1986? on an Apple II E ?? get with the program.. I shouldn’t feel like a programmer just to edit some wave files, but yet people will defend apple as the best.. even though it is more cumbersome to use. Side note: at least logic has “shortcuts” if hitting 3 and 4 key combos is short.. Oh and the mouse for apple has 1 button…. no simple right clicking options for you… all of those things are either hidden under 3 or 4 tiered menus or a random 3 key combo WITH a mouse click you have to keep learning.
So yea the 2 “heavyweights” pro tools and logic pro = GARBAGE!!! straight overpriced garbage.. in my opinion especially for simply recording a live performance. They fail miserably. They do the job but over complicate it to a level of absurdity, and yea “apple help” is just a forum of other pissed off apple customers left to help each other.. although SOMETIMES a person from apple chimes in and drops a link.. like, wow thanks.. to either another forum or another web page from 10 years ago; Ridiculous and hilariously bad, and again people hold apple up on some weird outdated pedestal.
If you are more electronic and into FL piano rolls then no, Adobe audition is not for you.
If you actually play an instrument and just want to record it, or a band, or a live room, or concert hall well, then:
Go get a version of Adobe Audition, much easier, cheaper and straight forward and VST friendly if that is your scene.
For people who have the equipment and the sound they like and just want to hit record, nothing is better than adobe audition. It offers plenty of effects, effects loops, midi support and other things but that is not my scene, I can’t comment on that.
I’ve wanted to try reaper as it looks kinda analogue friendly, but I have not.
HOW adobe Audition is NOT MENTIONED ON THIS LIST baffles me..
except maybe it’s because it is more of a kick ass recording program than a “digital workstation”?? but isn’t anything you record on a computer a digital workstation? Like you aren’t making EDM with adobe audition but why would you want to anyway?
well, actually you could. If you had your beat machine and synths in person and not digital then yea it would be real easy, or get a vst for them, also easy, so actually you probably could make anything on adobe audition if you tried.
Dada Veda - August 17, 2017
How can you get Adobe Audition cheaply: it seems to be tied up with an expensive subscription to Adobe, like all their other products. I still use Cool Edit pro and would like to have Adobe Audition but it seems too complicated and expensive to get.
Ash - May 7, 2018
Find a copy of Creative Studio 6.0 (last version before Creative Cloud) — it’s still supported and patched for new OS versions on both Mac and Windows, I believe.
yoshida - May 18, 2017
Comparisons table would be very much appreciated.
Wookiee - May 18, 2017
As always no mention of SONAR typical.
jacy - November 22, 2017
agreed! I’ve actually learned almost all of these daws and SONAR won by a long shot. shame gibson brands drove it into the ground!
John Cleghorn - May 21, 2020
Sonar is free… Free now. Its great. Free upgrades too. Nice FX. BandLabdotcom. It’s Cakewalk Sonar.
Thomas - May 18, 2017
Once again Sonar is not mentioned but garage band is simply because it’s an apple product. Hey Wookiee! I don’t know what is about most of these bloggers/writers have against Cakewalk but it’s obvious they have something against it. Sornar is above all the other DAWs here the most user friendly and as powerful as any.
Erick - May 18, 2017
Why is it no one ever mentions CAKEWALK SONAR…well established and very capable DAW with MIDI software powered by KORG. I’ve been using it for years but you wouldn’t know it even exists in articles like this. It’s been around a lot longer than Abelton Live for example and certainly it was around long before half the DAWs mentioned here. Can you explain why Cakewalk Sonar is always left out of DAW and MIDI recommendations?
Raees - May 18, 2017
Seriously? No FL Studio?
They’ve been a big enough player in the space for long enough to have a mention at least.
And out of all you’ve mentioned, it’s my favorite to work with for various reasons.
Jeremy - May 18, 2017
Agree that Sonar should have been listed. Missed the boat there. Used it for many years. And they left out Reason?!?!? Reason is very capable, and rock solid. Someone isn’t paying attention.
I recently did a comparison of Ableton, Reason, Studio One and Protools. Protools is a memory hog. Unless you want the “industry standard status” and need that for some reason, all of these other options are very capable. Much depends on your approach. I landed on Studio One for studio recording, but still do special projects in Ableton and Reason as I have been using them for many years. Only reason I don’t use Sonar anymore is that it wasn’t cross platform for so long (Cakewalk missed the boat there), but this is apparently changing. But in the end it’s not the tools…. it’s the artist and the material!
Navee - May 19, 2017
Magix Samplitude Pro/Sequoia formerly SEK’D is definitely a contender. Propellerheads REASON has grown up as a DAW and can now play a lil with the big boys! Nuendo has the greater edge over Cubase but either or are the BEST at handling its native core VST technology. SAWStudio, though an older DAW is worth a mention…RADAR?!? …and there is also no reason Harrison Mixbus should not have a place in this setting. At the end of the day, they are all the same IF one uses third-party plugin techniques (I.e. placing a console strip emulator on each channel, etc.) while leaving native DAW effects untouched. It always boils down to “WHO” is behind the DAW console and “WHAT” knowledge they have about gain stage leveling to get the most of out emulated-hardware gone-software and signal processing. A professional can make the purpose of ANY DAW…however workflow and the ease thereof (I.e. how many mouse moves, clicks, dropdown windows, etc.) is the only difference between them. Professionals NEVER over process…less and subtle is the difference between a demonstration or commercial finish. Regardless of ANY DAW or analog system: it is the power of sales in purchases of composition completions that determine the actual worth at the very end of the day! No matter how great one’s setups, mixes, and masters are: if no one purchases them it does not qualify as anything great. There are plenty of records recorded on grand SSL and Neve consoles that sit comfortably in $1 bins…it gets no realer than that!
Phil - May 19, 2017
What about Digital Performer and Reason??
Come on fellows!
Palmer Jan - December 24, 2017
Yeah – I’m shocked I’m not hearing anything about Performer – it’s been around as long as Pro-Tools and is capable of handling anything you throw at it..Caveat – I’ve been using it for 20 years or so, so I may be just too lazy to try anything else – although Pro-Tools is the bomb for final production because every other studio uses it.
Darrell - May 20, 2017
Sony (now Magix) Vegas has always been my go to. I can do both audio and video editing as well as mixing!
Wobblyboy - December 27, 2017
I have been using Vegas and Acid Pro as DAWs since they were developed by Sonic Foundry. Easy, intuitive, and powerful. They are never mentioned as DAWs????
Gary Marshall Marucci - June 1, 2017
Sonar was probably one of the first daw recording platforms out there! ✔ In the beginning it ran under the name of Cakewalk, then changed to Sonar. It had built in sequencing options such as opening midi files & converting midi to audio. It’s editing capabilities were also excellent! There was nothing on the market like it for home & pro studios in a daw type recording platform! When pro tools came on the scene it was nothing more than a tape deck & mixer type of platform! Finally they started adding the same type of features as Sonar. Other daw’s followed. Seems to me that they do not give Sonar it’s due respect and place in the industry! My friend worked with Ray Charles who absolutely loved Sonar at the time! I have a good friend who makes & produces some excellent recordings with Sonar, he is the brother of (Chris McHugh) – Nashville drummer for Keith Urban & so many more! It’s always the pro tools Apple type of user platforms that you always here about from people! These are the same people that use iPhones & buy their coffee ☕ from Starbucks with their noses up in the air! (LOL!) I have had a lot of friends in the industry & have been involved with producers such as the late Chas Chandler. -(Jimmi Hendrix)- (The Animals)etc.. I believe it is always the person behind the gear & not the gear 100%. So far I have been able too manipulate any idea using Sonar! It’s time Sonar gets some due respect!😎✔
ErWi - June 6, 2017
I think the issue with Sonar is that it is not Mac compatible which sucks. I’ve been using it for years and now have lifetime Platinum updates but I want to get a Mac…not sure what to do. I think Sonar is awesome.
G. Ponzoni - August 3, 2017
why do you want a mac? they are terribly cumbersome to use.. (in my opinion and experience) The mouse has 1 button (if you get a mouse, that’s extra).
do you like being able to right click on things?? can’t do that with a mac..
instead of being able to hit delete, do you want to hold down 2 buttons and THEN hit delete? or command + X
I forget, it’s just really stupid.. think twice before getting a mac they are stuck in 1986 with some things. Maybe it’s a problem with the initial mac os code? they are too lazy to update it/change it??
Matt - October 14, 2017
You can use any mouse with a mac, and right clicking is just as possible as on any PC. For everything else, I can click on it and hit delete just like on a PC. Within office programs, all the same shortcuts exist as well. On their laptops, a two finger click on the pad is a right click. No second button required.
I was an Apple hold out for awhile, but once I got used to the differences in OS and learned the shortcuts and mouse pad motions, it was fantastic. I have a hard time using Windows PC’s now…keep trying to use the pad movements to see all open programs, and scrolling pages….
One overlooked benefit of Apple, if you are using laptops for live use, is that if you ever have a problem, any Apple store in the world will have a version of your laptop available. This is almost impossible with a windows PC. If I drop my macbook the day of a gig, I can just walk into any Apple store and get an identical version.
Don’t get me wrong, there are still a few things I do not care for, but I had frustrations with Windows when I was using it as well.
Dale - December 5, 2018
G. Ponzoni, you say “in your opinion and experience” well, obviously you don’t have a lot of experience. I bought my first Mac 16 years ago and I have always been able to “secondary click”. The procedure is different with the built in touchpad of a Mac laptop, and the Apple senses where on the surface you click, but the feature is there. You can also use any standard mouse (I use a Microsoft mouse with my Mac).
As for delete, I don’t even have a clue what you are talking about. Sounds like nonsense to me. I don’t think you really have any experience with a Mac because you don’t have a clue what you are talking about.
Oh, and for the record, I use both Windows and Mac and have for years.
S1 Lover - July 24, 2017
I love studio one
TecCrowd - July 24, 2017
Hi there, Thank you so much for writing about DAWs. Very helpful article for every musician.
FrankC - August 25, 2017
Macs do indeed come with a mouse and they are right-clickable. The current mouse that is included with a new Macintosh computer does only have one button, but depending on where you press it, it performs different functions, including right click. The surface of the Apple Magic Mouse also serves as a mini-track pad, allowing the user to assign functionality to different “gestures” performed by the fingers as they brush the surface of the mouse. In addition, mostly all third party USB mice work with Macs with varying degrees of functionality dependent on the manufacturer’s implementation of the mouse’s driver software. However, most mice that I’ve seen will work on Macs with at least basic functionality with no additional software required.
All new Macs come with a mouse except laptops which have a trackpad built in.
Gregory Pellegrino - August 27, 2017
Why would you be “Suspicious” of Pro Tools? It’s my preferred DAW…
Sean McAleavy - September 4, 2017
I personly use Studio One. I, admittedly, am a total techtard. A year or so ago I graduated from a Boss BR1600 to Studio One because of the free version they hand out. It was free so I thought I might as well check it out. Within 10 minutes of installing it, I was actually recording an acoustic guitar track. I had no manual or any other experience on a DAW whatsoever. It really is that intuitive! So I started to think that maybe the DAW intimidation factor was all in my head and maybe ProTools was not out of reach for me. So I ordered a copy. And boy oh boy was I wrong! ProTools is a cumbersome beast, and after a few days with it, I decided to return it. I got myself the Artist version of Studio One and have recorded and released three albums in the past year using Studio One. I can’t speak on anything about MIDI or other kinds of programming based things because I don’t use them at all. I use only real organic hold in your hand instruments: Guitars, Drums, Bass, Piano, Organ. Harmonica, Violin etc. If I have a gripe about Studio One it would be the amount of CPU it eats up. It is said to be three times that of other DAWS and it is an issue I hope they will address soon because I feel at home with this DAW. But as I said it is a definite issue
Sean McAleavy - September 4, 2017
I noticed I misspelled the very first word that I possibly could have misspelled. That just sucks!
Sergio di Lima - September 21, 2017
É…O Sonar é realmente muito bom,deve estar entre os tres melhores
C.Y. Oni - September 25, 2017
Musically speaking, no other DAW is as efficient, smart and so artful as SONAR PLATINUM!
Deebo - November 2, 2017
Hi there.
How about Mixcraft? Especially the latest version?
Benjamin Hay - November 9, 2017
I have always used the likes of Magix Music Maker and Audacity as a team to get my songs out there – have been for the last 7 or 8 years and have found no reason to jump ship. I also thought MTV Music Generator 2 on the PS2 was the bomb until I realised that you couldn’t have other people hear them unless they turned up in your own home.
Benjamin Hay - November 9, 2017
Oops, I meant “I also thought MTV Music Generator 2 on the PS2 was the bomb until I realised that you couldn’t have other people hear your songs unless they turned up in your own home.”
Gary - November 22, 2017
These blogs are always created by a competitor marketing bumm … you get what you pay for, and as a longtime user of Sonar Platinum….can’t touch it.
Tom Inglis - December 6, 2017
There’s an old saying, “There’s an ass for every seat”. Although the adage is referring to romantic relationships, it applies to DAW’s as well. Each person’s workflow, project particulars, available hardware and past experiences will determine the best DAW and associated software for them. I’ve played with most of the DAW’s mentioned in the article and comments to date. As a full featured, highly configurable DAW, I absolutely love Reaper. It’s got a fairly steep learning curve but the 600 plus page manual, while dry for reading cover to cover, is well indexed so it’s not too hard to find the section that covers what you need to get done.
That said, in my current workflow, I use Audacity and LMMS augmented with tracks produced with Drumbot and Online Sequencer (onlinesequencer.net). They are simple like me and I am comfortable in a combined Windows and Linux environment so the cross-platform interoperability is critical. My budget ranges from low to non-existent and my material is not particularly complex. I generally program a midi percussion track, sometimes augment it with virtual instruments (keys, strings, horns, very occasionally bass). I will sometimes play the tracks back and record them in a real space, with or without live instruments and vocals, applying real time effects, to get a “live room” sound. Other times, I will simply add the physical instrument and vocal tracks and get a cleaner, more polished mix. My goal is always to try and emulate a band playing in the room. I use twenty or thirty tracks to build the mix but there are many duplicates with different treatments that I mix between. In general, the arrangements are between 4 and 8 original tracks so, as I said, my needs are quite basic. When I find the need for more flexibility, I will certainly go back to Reaper. I like their business model, customizability and the fact that you can make it do just about anything.
Palmer Jan - December 24, 2017
Actually – “ass for every seat” comes from the car business – 🙂
Tom Inglis - March 28, 2018
I did not know that, thank you for the clarification.
TopCat_Jimmy - December 16, 2017
I Love The Write up about Reaper DAW. I use Reaper. Thanks for the great review! makes me feel proud! Im sharing this article on my twitter; TopCat_Jimmy. (under the same name on my Reverbnation page) I have my youtube channel TopCatJimmyTV,. I also have Pro-tools. Thats a good portrayal of that DAW and Avid as well.
DjLayLine - December 22, 2017
Hello,
A DAW is for a music producer what a canvas is for a painter.
Owing a canvas and the right tools doesn’t make you a painter and the same applies with your digital audio workstation.
But definitely all the above DAW’s will get the job done. And not only in your home studio but other semi-pro or professional recording studios.
I personally use Ableton Live and Logic Pro and cover pretty much all my needs in electronic music production.
Cheers…
Steve - January 31, 2018
No review of DAWs is complete without Digital Performer. DP is a powerhouse that can handle anything you throw at it. It’s especially well suited for film work. For those interested in checking it out, the Sound On Sound review is a good resource.
https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/motu-digital-performer-9
Ben - February 6, 2018
Great to see Reaper on the list, I really think it’s underrated! I find it doesn’t lead you in a certain direction as some software can
Mauro Iuliano - February 14, 2018
I’m currently in Studio one after being for decades with logic. S1 it is one of the buggiest daw ever.
Whoever likes it, can have a watch to the bunch of videos I placed on you tube. I called them “butterflies” as they refuse the terminology bugs because it is not a repetitive issue….much worse, every song you make you incur in a different problem, making more than a daw a new release of Tomb Raider.
I’m now thinking of moving whether to reaper or cubase: My working style is to do everything in one daw, as I never have a strictly phase where I switch from arranging to mixing but it is more of blurred boundary.
what guys can advice me?
Meanwhile if somebody is considering S1 might have a look at those videos, which I made in the last months…I could have done more, trust me:
https://youtu.be/6QmBaDJCebU
https://youtu.be/u9UcAj5fcSI
https://youtu.be/qRmB1PMFO5Y
https://youtu.be/5tcXa-Bdt5M
https://youtu.be/jFJb0TUgZSY
Smartcric - April 11, 2018
I liked the way you told
but, how about Mixcraft? Especially the latest version?
Neeeu - April 30, 2018
Informative Post.
Thanks for sharing
Tc
Rick H - May 12, 2018
If this list was extended to Top 10 DAW “shortlist”, you would need to include Acoustica Mixcraft
Bob Matlin - June 14, 2018
The DAW I’m using is Ardour; as a long time linux user, I started with Audacity when I was making simple recordings which didn’t require a lot of editing. When I needed to do more, I found Ardour and it’s done whatever I need so far. My music is fairly sparse but I’m able to set up buses for submixes, apply a variety of effects, and find that the workflow makes sense to me. It’s cross-platform and free so I imagine it’s at least a good place to start for many home recording studios.
o'darque hunnett - June 14, 2018
I’ve used Sonar 8, GB, Logic, PT, Audition, Ableton Live 9 and (Sonic Foundry) ACID; and have seen Studio One, Reaper, Reason, FL and Cubase being used by others. I think the adage is true in that there are plenty of tools that do more than one thing, but only ONE of them do it better than the others. So far, I’ve used PT for live tracking and overdubbing acoustic instruments, Logic for synth-based compositions and Live strictly as creative scratch-pad compositions. PT sucks for synth-based stuff (and the stock plug ins past Xpand are boring); Live is horrible once it comes out of Session View; and Logic ain’t the best choice for moving entire song sections around for when I want to make full songs. Each of the DAWs I use do one thing better than the others. It’s because of this that I’d rather marry Logic, screw PT and kill Live…and keep Studio One as a best friend because I’ve seen songwriters do some awesome stuff with it. That’s just one man’s opinion based on what I’ve read in the post and these comments.
HorseWY - July 10, 2018
I’m pretty happy with basic recording for copyrighting purposes using Garageband on an iPad Pro. I found a way to covert my final mix into file formats on a thumb drive that connected to the lightning port and this makes it unnecessary for me to have to buy a Mac like Apple kept telling me. So I can now get a cheap laptop, burn a disc, fill out the forms for DC, and get my copyrights secured. Too many thieves in this business. CEP now Audition was and should be a perfect DAW for me, but I don’t disagree being familiar with Pro Tools and Logic Pro X is important for being a sound engineer. I’m a producer and a musician, so I’m going to use whatever I can use to get a quality recording that hopefully stands the test of time. Any opinions on Ardour, the Linux open source DAW? I’d appreciate feedback on that. I Am Still amazed! at how good Garageband worked to track my upcoming CD on an iPad Pro using the stock microphone for acoustic and amped electric guitars. Makes me feel less of a shmuck shelling out $1200 for a tablet I can’t even connect a DVDRW to. This is where I sometimes want to sue Apple. It’s my music, Apple! How dare you! lol, I vented. But seriously, I’d appreciate feedback on a workable system in Linux running Ardour on a budget. $1 a song is not much to ask people to pay … 1/4 the price of a Latte …for decades of listening.
johni maclen - July 22, 2018
No matter how great one’s setups, mixes, and masters are: if no one purchases them it does not qualify as anything great.
noobers - September 1, 2018
mixcraft pro studio 8 for me
started with the free ableton and too complicated and too expensive. tried reaper and wtf… way too complicated but it is cheap..then tried fl studio, didn’t really like it and it costs as much as logic pro x (would’ve gotten that)
would’ve gotten logic pro x if my mac was newer…. got the special $99 mixcraft pro studio special and now am making music 😀
ya it’s kinda buggy but which DAW isn’t??
BWL - November 14, 2019
FLstudio 20 with asio4all or wdm sound
alufoil - January 21, 2019
how about fl studio
Paul Colley - February 4, 2019
…MOTU Digital Performer…? DP 10 is about to be released. I’m amazed that DP has fallen so far behind in their user base… I personally can’t stand PT. There are several solid studios in the OKC area that use DP.
Nathan Chisholm - February 28, 2019
Bitwig kicks all their ass! Best DAW ever and i own Abelton 10, Sonar platinum, Studio one 4, Reaper,
George Mokaila - July 19, 2019
It’s official: FL STUDIO is the most hated DAW by so-called “PROs!” I use it. Love it. Team that up with Waves plugins – it’s unstoppable. Yeah it has it’s own downside especially when handling too much pressure. But it gets the job done. Garageband? Replace that demo thing with a proper DAW not listed here already.
So insulting!
Ha Nguyen - April 25, 2020
Great infomation, thank for share
Martin - May 14, 2020
Great article share of music instruments information.
John Cleghorn - May 21, 2020
BandLab is great. It’s free “Cakewalk Sonar’. Nice FX. Free upgrades too. FREE FREE FREE
partial0910 - July 28, 2020
Great article share of music instruments information.
4/0 Aluminum Wire - September 16, 2020
Learn more and i know how to use the studio.Thank you.
Masstamilan - November 27, 2020
Superb website you have here but I was wondering if you knew of any community forums that cover the same topics discussed in this article? I’d really like to be a part of community where I can get advice from other knowledgeable individuals that share the same interest. If you have any suggestions, please let me know. Bless you!
Mehul Apte - November 30, 2020
Thanks for sharing. Great article
BenGodfrey - January 5, 2021
nice article
John - January 9, 2021
nice article man
Chakushinon - January 15, 2021
Fl studio aslo. Thanks for sharing
Dale Strand - January 20, 2021
Mixcraft pro studio!!
N-Track!!
Cheap . . . Easy to use . . . Pro results!
viacasinos - January 28, 2021
nice article
DJ Steve Francis - February 1, 2021
I just youse audacity for my live recoding. Run 2 tracks 1 left and 1 right. And that it have a 12 chanals USB mixer into a Windows 10 pc in my studio. 10 album 112 song
And working on 18 albums this year it all you need.
Abiyah - February 15, 2021
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Ailatun - February 15, 2021
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Sterling - February 22, 2021
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John Banks - February 28, 2021
Mixcraft Pro Studio 9 for the win!
Chuffy - April 21, 2021
What about Cakewalk?
zainsaeed - May 7, 2021
thnks for sharing
Kev Henderson - May 7, 2021
Love the fact so many mentioned SONAR. To be frank, I’m still using SONAR 8.5 Producer which ran 400 beans even 10 years ago. Yes Gibson sold out and now it’s called Cakelwalk by Bandlab. it looks more like platinum. I still am using 8.5 and works just fine on Windows 7 Pro. I haven’t jumped to 10 because I am waiting to “clone” my hard drive in case making jump to Windows 10 proves to disable function or not. I have read it will work but is not officially supported and wasn’t when Sonar still existed on market. The problem is if i ever need to re-install from my boxed version of 8.5 i’m out of luck probably because how would i use my seriel number or license code! And with Windows 7 being by the way side…yada yada yada…i do have it installed on and another PC and a powerful one and could i suppose record only it not connected online… but i would have to transfer back and forth and that’s a headache. The reason I still use Sonar 8.5 producer is , if you ever used it you understand the theory behind, “if somethin’ ain’t broke don’t fix it” …I do have REAPER and i have Cakewalk by Bandlab that will open old files however, many plugins will be gone rendering me to totally remix again. Sonar 8.5 i can still run 32 or 64 bit on same machine , and that is important to for some of the original Cakewalk effects that I do happen to like using as needed. I will however jump to another DAW but for now? eh. I hate the idea of having to buy yearly update license from AVID so Pro Tools no thank you… I am how considering MOTU Digital Performer which now runs either PC or MAC. Not sure why Digital performer wasn’t mentioned! Right now it’s a toss up betyween Studio ONe Prffesional and MOTU DP if i make the jump. For now I love the analog feel of The dinosaur SONAR 8.5 Producer…the original top dog flagship …why? BECAUSE IT WORKS!
anita1 - June 21, 2021
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aluminum sheet - December 6, 2021
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1060 aluminum sheet - December 6, 2021
Arguably the most popular DAW ever created, GarageBand comes free with every Macintosh computer and boasts a simple, clean interface.
tigersalu.com - December 10, 2021
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Sellve - January 18, 2022
Amazing information. Thank you so much for writing.
Rabbitmp3 - January 19, 2022
Studi One is still my baby if we talked about music production, Altough i’ll use Reaper when it comes to recording. i can say that the two i’ve talked about is best combination ever.
Nick - January 21, 2022
I’ve been using Studio One Pro since it came out. Studio One Pro and Studio One has come alone way from when it first came out. With the updates and upgrades over the years Studio One Pro just keeps on getting better and better. It’s the only DAW on the market today that you can Mix and Master within the Daw itself. Having a project page is very useful when mastering. What I’ve also learned over the years is not to use a lot of third party plugins while Mixing or Mastering. I’ve found that certain aftermarket plugins use a lot of resources causing your Daw to slowdown or even crash.
nitish - January 28, 2022
I normally use garage band