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Musicians new to PC sequencing often feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of features provided by the flagship versions of modern MIDI + Audio sequencing packages, and are on the lookout for easier-to-use applications. Most commercial packages have 'entry-level' versions that are cheaper but may not appear much simpler to the novice, since they merely cap the maximum numbers of simultaneous audio/MIDI tracks, soft synths and insert plug-ins, while their menus remain awash with options. Even some freeware sequencers manage to baffle the newcomer unused to concepts like automation, external clocking, and so on.

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On the other hand, not every new PC musician wants to create all their songs using construction-kit software plus thousands of bundled audio loops! There certainly seems to be a demand for serious creative applications that have fewer options and are easier to use, and this is what set me off on my quest to find out what you could achieve with simpler freeware sequencers and audio editors.

Setting The Scene

It never ceases to amaze me how many talented people find the time to develop and continue to refine the amazing freeware applications available, and are generous enough to release them for all the world to use without charge. I'm also surprised at just how many good freeware sequencers are available. Some are free 'lite' versions of more sophisticated products, while others are free for personal, educational and non-commercial use, but you're encouraged to pay a suggested (small) fee for a commercial licence (in other words, if you end up making money from music you create using it).

Other products are simply classified as donationware: you can download and use them free of charge, but users are encouraged to send a modest financial contribution to help pay the developer's bills and encourage further development (often using Paypal, the most popular way for anyone with an email account to securely send or receive on-line payments using their credit card or bank account).

I must mention one particular sequencer application in passing, given the shock waves it has managed to send through the audio community for its slick, professional interface and huge array of functions. Strictly speaking, Reaper (www.cockos.com) is shareware, but given that you can download the full, un-crippled version to try out, some might consider that other freeware sequencers would now be dismissed out of hand. However, this hasn't proved to be the case. As I said in our recent in-depth SOS review, I was most impressed with Reaper, but (like some other musicians) found some of its features initially confusing, and many novices seem to end up bewildered by the number of choices available. The applications I've chosen to feature in this round-up are those that are easy to get into, yet capable enough to accomplish a variety of serious musical tasks. Along the way I did have to discard a few that were either confusing or unreliable: some seem to remain in Beta versions for several years.

Quick & Fun Freebies

If you fancy a quick, fun approach to making sampled music, why not download Richard Spindler's Gungirl Sequencer (https://ggseq.sourceforge.net/Hom...)? Its approach is simplicity itself — you just use the left-hand folder tree to click on your desired sample folder, and drag files from this folder directly onto any of the eight tracks that appear by default beneath the timeline (although you can add and delete tracks as you need). You can loop any section of the timeline while working on your songs, and each track has its own volume control and mute button, while a global slider controls the overall output level.

You can set the 'snap' value in BPM, frames or seconds, so your samples line up easily on the beat, and to help you do this there's an optional info window, when you audition your samples, that displays their length. Once they're positioned on the screen-tracks, you can drag-copy and move your samples singly, or en masse by rubber-banding a box around them, add fades or control their volume envelopes, and even open up a simple sample editor where you can adjust start and end points and apply time-stretching to make multiple files at different tempos fit your songs. You can even export and import packages of songs, plus their associated samples, so you can collaborate with friends. Professionals might mock, but Gungirl is fun, and it's free.

If you want a very simple and compact pattern-based MIDI sequencer, PQN Audio's VstSeq (https://pquenin.free.fr/pqnaudio/...) is a 132KB download that lets you enter and edit notes manually in its pattern windows, which can have between one and eight measures, each of between two and 32 steps, at a tempo of between 30 and 300bpm. You can send its MIDI output to any of four VST Instruments, and then either export your completed pattern as MIDI files to another sequencer, or render them as completed WAV files.

Kristal Audio Engine

The Kristal Audio Engine (www.kreatives.org/kristal) is an audio-only sequencer in a state of flux between freeware and shareware status. The freeware version 1.0.1 was developed between 2003 and 2004 and is still available for free personal and educational use, but commercial users are asked for a modest 24.90 Euros for a single-user licence. Meanwhile, its lead developer created Kristal Labs Software Ltd in 2006, in order to develop a new commercial product, code-named K2, that looks to be nearing completion (you can pre-register to be informed by email when it's ready).

Kristal Audio Engine: With an easy-to-use interface, plus support for both ASIO drivers and VST-format plug-ins, the capable Kristal Audio Engine provides easily enough features for musicians who only require audio recording and playback.

I found the freeware version refreshingly straightforward. It supports either MME/WDM or ASIO (for lower latency) drivers and offers 16 audio tracks at sample rates of between 44.1kHz and 192kHz, which is quite enough for most musicians who want to record a band or their own music using acoustic/electric instruments, and who don't need MIDI or soft synths. I suspect that KAE may also appeal to musicians who record with a hardware multitrack, yet want to mix on PC.

The main workspace for recording, editing and arranging is termed the Kristal Waver, and is a variation on the familiar 'arrange' page, with horizontal tracks, each containing one or more recorded or imported parts and each with its own 'Inspector'-like panel on the left, containing record, monitor and mono/stereo switches. The usual click/drag move and copy functions are available for parts, while you can alter the start and end points, level and fade in/out times of parts using their graphic 'handles'.

Across the top of this page is a tool bar containing select, cut, and glue tools, multi-stage undo/redo, auto-scroll and snap-to-grid options, then an info line providing details of the currently selected part, a Zoom strip giving a graphic overview of the entire song, and a Time Ruler calibrated in bars and beats, seconds or samples, where you define loops and so on.

The transport panel provides another familiar set of controls, including a set of 'tape transport' buttons, left/right locator displays, optional metronome, BPM and time-signature readouts, and (very handy for band recordings) a pre-count function using the metronome, to give you time to prepare yourself before a take.

A lot of the creative work goes on in the floating Mixer window. Each of the 16 tracks has its own channel strip with fader, pan, meter, mute/solo buttons, an integral three-band parametric EQ and two insert slots into which you can load any VST plug-in in your collection (and DX ones, if you first install a suitable DX-to-VST wrapper utility). The stereo Master channels provide three insert slots, and the package also includes a few of its own VST-format plug-ins: the three-band parametric EQ again; a chorus; a reverb with a smooth tail; the Kristaliser limiter/distortion; and the surprisingly versatile Multidelay.

SEQ24: If you want a MIDI-only sequencer optimised for real-time live performances using a clutch of hardware synths, this could be just the job.

The only aspect of KAE that I found initially confusing was the mixer's Audio Input slots. There are four available, each of which can host its own Kristal Waver arrange window or a so-called 'Live IN' plug-in. Strictly speaking, the latter are not plug-ins at all, but mini-mixer windows where you can combine up to eight mono or stereo input signals (assuming you have a corresponding number of inputs on your audio interface), adjust their relative levels and reduce them to a single mono/stereo output signal that you route 'live' (subject to normal latency delays) through the EQ and VST effects in the main KAE mixer.

If, instead, you select 'Kristal Waver' for an Input slot, another arrange window appears, so a theoretical 64 tracks are available across the four Audio Input slots (16 for each Waver window), and as soon as you record/import audio data into any tracks in any Waver window they become automatically connected to a mixer channel. However, although playback across these multiple Waver windows remains in perfect sync, there are no 'tile windows' functions to help you visually line them up, and since the mixer only supports a maximum of 16 channels anyway, I suggest you stick to using one Waver window and avoid the extra options and confusion.

Apart from this, I found using Kristal Audio Engine a very pleasurable experience, and there are some helpful tutorials in the HTML manual on Project Management, Recording, Mixdown and Export, plus how to use VST effects. Some potential users may eventually miss automation and it will be interesting to see what additional features appear in K2, but I suspect that most potential users will be quite happy with what there is.

Other Free Sequencers To Try

Although some sequencers at first appear to be freeware, some turn out to be demo versions of shareware products, either with the save functions disabled, restrictions on song time, or a sub-set of enabled features. Here are some you might like to try out that are either completely free or donationware:

• TuxGuitar: If you're a guitarist, why not check out the freeware TuxGuitar sequencer? It offers a set of features that have been specially tailored for guitar players, as well as a piano-roll editor and a lyric editor.TuxGuitar (www.tuxguitar.com.ar) is a multitrack tablature editor and player with special features for the guitarist, including support for various effects (bend, slide, vibrato, hammer-on/pull-off, grace notes, harmonics and so on), plus a score viewer, piano and lyric editors.
• Sequitur (www.angryredplanet.com) offers 'dynamic MIDI-oriented music editing and real-time manipulation' as well as an elegant interface and an interesting 'Echosystem' tool for generating patterns. However, it's still in an early Beta stage and I experienced several crashes while using it, so take care if you try it out.
• The freeware version of Anvil Studio (www.anvilstudio.com) is a more traditional MIDI-based sequencer offering comprehensive staff, lyric, piano-roll, drum, loops, audio and event editors, along with support for a single mono/stereo audio track. This may well suit those with 'read the dots' ability.
• Maize Studio (www.maizesoft.cn) is a 'modular live audio environment' where you build audio devices, connect them in Design View (a virtual patchbay) and see their front panels in Device View. It supports ASIO drivers and VST plug-ins and includes a disk-streaming sampler and audio player.
• Digital Sound Planet (www.digitalsoundplanet.com) have a freeware version of their Quartz Audiomaster, but I suspect that many SOS readers will find its four audio tracks and maximum 16-bit/44.1kHz audio format too restricting for serious use (in fairness, the freeware version is probably intended as a taster for the $90 professional version).

SEQ24

SEQ24 (https://filter24.org/seq24) should please musicians who already have MIDI synths and want a minimalist sequencer for recording and playing MIDI loops, particularly for live performances, where you don't want to be bogged down with loads of features. It runs under both GNU/Linux and Windows, but Windows users do have to initially install two run-time packages before SEQ24 itself, which might be a little confusing for the novice.

However, once this has been done the application itself is very easy to get into, being similar in concept to hardware sequencers such as the Akai MPC range. The main display contains four rows of eight boxes, each of which can contain a sequenced pattern. When you right-click in a box and select 'new', the Pattern Sequence Editor pops up with a traditional piano-roll editor, where you can enter time signature and bar length (between one and 64) for the sequence, and select the MIDI output port and channel to route it to the appropriate synth. You can play notes in from a MIDI keyboard or draw them in using the mouse, and there are various basic editing tools, including undo, quantise and transpose. There's a snap-to-grid function, and beneath the main note display you can view and edit velocity or any other MIDI Controller information. Buttons at the bottom right of the Pattern Sequence Editor control Record arming, MIDI Thru (so you can hear what you're playing before entering record mode), and Sequence to MIDI bus (which toggles playback of your recorded sequence).

Patterns can be saved and loaded individually in Standard MIDI File Format 1, or it's possible to import several MIDI patterns into the main display consecutively, to form a 'screen set' of up to 32 sequences. You can even switch live between up to 32 screen sets (1024 patterns in total).

Once you've recorded and edited a few patterns, you open the Song Editor window, where you can build complex arrangements with them. Each gets its own horizontal track, into which you can drop multiple instances wherever they are required. There are Mute buttons, so you can bring tracks in and out in real time, Left/Right locators for setting up loops, and some basic tools that delete sections, add new sections and copy existing sections of your song.

It's early days for the Windows version (which is still officially in Beta), but I didn't experience any crashes, and after just a few minutes I really got into the real-time approach to song-making — you can leave everything looping while you write new patterns, and then drop these into your composition or jam over the top. There are copious keyboard shortcuts for making changes 'on the fly', and you can even define incoming MIDI events that turn sequences on or off, for Orbital-style live performance mixes.

It's a shame that SEQ24 doesn't include a metronome (although I quickly created a hi-hat part to perform this function), and that it doesn't support soft synths. (Admittedly, the latter isn't its primary function, and you could set up software routing to a soft synth host using a Virtual MIDI cable such as Maple MIDI Tools, downloadable from www.hurchalla.com/MapleMTv356.zip.) However, if you've already got a bunch of MIDI synths and you're just looking for a stripped-down step-sequencing tool for your live performaces, SEQ24 could be just the job!

Luna Free

Luna is described by its developers (www.mutools.com) as an ultra-light application that's a rock-solid musical tool. It supports both audio and MIDI recording and playback. There are two versions: Luna Unlimited (just 29 Euros) and the Luna Free 'lite' version under review here, which is still surprisingly capable. Both versions run on Windows and Mac OS X. The Windows version only supports low-latency ASIO drivers (but if your audio interface lacks these, you could try the freeware ASIO4ALL wrapper from www.asio4all.com).

Once again, there's a familiar arrange page (here named the Composer), consisting of horizontal tracks containing multiple audio or 'MIDI Sequence' parts. There's a useful set of four editing tools (arrow, pencil, eraser and splitter), plus various keyboard-shortcut editing commands, while across the top of the Composer page are (from left to right) a set of menu buttons for File, Edit, and Help functions (containing a manageable total of just 21 options in all), a simple Transport panel with BPM and looping options, and a Part Property panel.

The latter is where you name each part, and route it using the surprisingly versatile features. The novice could simply leave the default routing of all the audio parts direct to the 'Audio Output', but it makes far more sense to instead do it via one of the eight available Racks, which appear in a separate window. Each Rack is a mixer channel with fader, pan, meter, mute, and six slots where you can insert a chain of VST plug-ins. MIDI parts can also be routed to a Rack, except that you would instead insert a VST Instrument in the first slot, followed by a chain of effect plug-ins, as required.

Luna Free: Offering both MIDI and audio recording and playback, and a surprising number of options, including sophisticated routing, yet boasting a simple and relatively easy-to-use interface, Mutools' Luna Free is a capable and versatile sequencer.

But there's far more on offer for those who want to explore further. Each separate Audio or MIDI Sequence part in a track can be routed to a different Rack with different effects or synths, so you could change a track's treatment part-way through a song (the only other sequencer I know that offers part-based effect functions is Samplitude).

You can also route multiple audio and MIDI parts to the same Rack, to treat them with the same plug-in chain, or route parts to any active slot in a Rack. So if, for instance, you had an effect chain comprising chorus, EQ and compressor, you could route some parts to pass through all three effects while others were simply compressed, or EQ'd and compressed. You can also insert a send from one Rack to another (perhaps to add global effects such as reverb).

Recording is a little unusual, in that you first draw in a part of the required length using the pencil tool, choose between an Audio or MIDI Sequence part and then select a file name using a custom file-selector dialogue that I found difficult to get used to. Audio editing is also basic: you can define a new start point, and there are normalise, gain and mute functions that operate on any selection, but you'll need an external editor for more detailed work.

However, MIDI editing provides more possibilities, with both event-list and piano-roll editors available, the latter with a lower area for editing velocity or other controller data, plus a more general set of sequence tools and various essential functions including quantise, transpose, modify velocity/lengths, legato, and so on. More experienced users can also launch a Modular Plug Area where you can directly edit the connections between plug-ins and synths in your Racks.

Overall, Luna Free is the most versatile of the three sequencers under scrutiny here, offering both audio and MIDI support, plus routing possibilities that occasionally rival those of the shareware powerhouse Reaper (see review in SOS June 2007). It will therefore take a little longer to find your way around. However, it still provides a rather more straightforward interface than those of many mainstream packages, that is also considerably easier to get to grips with.

Trying Out Trackers

If you like building up your songs from step-sequenced samples or VST instruments, you may want to investigate a 'Music Tracker' application. Originally developed for the Commodore Amiga platform, there are now quite a few available for the PC (see my July 2004 PC freeware round-up for more info on Trackers (www.soundonsound.com/sos/jul04/articles/pcmusician.htm). Here are some of the latest and greatest that follow in this tradition:

• According to its developers, Buzz (www.buzzmachines.com) is not a sequencer, nor a soft synth, nor a tracker, but all these things and more. You can route its Machines (Buzz objects which either create or modify sound — there are already over 100 available) in real time in the Machine Editor, which is a free-form graphic patchbay where you can connect together synths and effect chains. You can then create songs by chaining together Patterns in the Sequence Editor. Although Buzz itself is no longer being further developed, there's still a thriving community of Buzz users and Machine creators.
• Psycle (https://psycle.pastnotecut.org) is a 'modular music creation studio' that supports VST instruments and effects in both its own and VST formats, and has various similarities to Buzz, offering an advanced Machine View where you connect virtual components together. It features a 64-track step sequencer with loads of facilities.
• Skale Tracker (www.skale.org) supports VST Instruments, MIDI In/Out and 256 virtual channels, and seems to have an enthusiastic following and an active forum, despite the most recent Beta release being in 2004 (its developer has changed job and location, and no updates have therefore been written for some time). The web site was still out of action when I wrote this feature, but nevertheless you can still download the application itself.

Wavosaur

Many freeware sequencers (and even some commercial ones) require an external audio application for more detailed editing. Most people looking for a free PC audio editor have in the past opted for Audacity (which we reviewed in our PC music freeware round-up in SOS July 2004). This package is currently up to version 1.3.3 and now features new repair and EQ effects, timer recording, automatic project save/recover, to help you avoid losing your precious work after a power cut, and an improved selection bar, although it still manages to keep a modest 2.6MB download size (https://audacity.sourceforge.net).

However, Audacity has recently encountered some competition from Wavosaur (www.wavosaur.com) which, as its name suggests, is a Wave editor, although it also supports multi-channel WAV files, AIFF, Amiga IFF, AU, SND, VOX, VOC, OGG, MP3 and RAW sample formats. At just 171KB, it's also one of the tiniest downloads I've ever come across.

Wavosaur: Many freeware (and even commercial) sequencers rely on an external audio application to perform really detailed edits. The freeware Wavosaur editor may provide all the features you need to supplement your audio sequencing program.

I found Wavosaur very easy to get to grips with, since it uses standard Windows shortcuts for most editing functions, and I liked its ability to use the mouse scroll-wheel for horizontal/vertical zooming of waveforms. You can work with multiple files open simultaneously and copy and paste between them, and there's also a good selection of basic edit functions.

A useful selection of basic audio-processing options, including reverse, bit-reduction, pitch-shifting, fade-in/-out and normalise, is also provided, plus some more unusual effects, such as Truncate (which discards all samples whose level lies above a user-defined threshold) and Gapper (which creates periodic gaps at a user-defined frequency).

Fortunately, Wavosaur does support ASIO as well as Windows WDM drivers, so you get low-latency operation, and it also supports the VST plug-in format, so you can use all your favourite effects. However, like various other aspects of Wavosaur, its VST Rack that accesses these operates in rather an unusual fashion, making it easy to dismiss before you've discovered its true capabilities.

First of all, it doesn't link to a specific VST plug-ins folder: the Load VST button function in the VST Rack window instead lets you browse anywhere on your PC for suitable DLL files. This is flexible, but unnecessarily complicated if you use nested folders for different manufacturers, since you need to navigate to the desired folder. You can chain up to 256 plug-ins, and view them in any combination (although the software can't deal with generic plug-ins that don't have any graphic interface of their own), but it's not until you spot the innocuous tick-box on the VST Rack toolbar labelled 'Processing' that you realise it's possible to audition effects in real time as well as apply them off-line. (Most other applications instead provide a bypass button to allow you to switch the effects off.)

Similarly, in the Tools menu there's a useful selection of view options, including statistics, normal and 3D spectrum analysis and a sonogram, which all provide static displays for the entire audio file. You might conclude that there are no real-time analysis options, until you discover that the Input and Output 'oscilloscopes' both provide a handy selection of phase-scope, spectrum and scrolling sonogram displays in real time, as well as the more normal waveform option.

In other words, Wavosaur is a far more capable program than it at first appears to be, and after an extended session I was impressed, especially as this is an application that's still in its early days. I have noticed a few people reporting instability problems, but then I've also noticed that some people find Audacity frustrating to use. The beauty of the fact that they're freeware programs, obviously, is that you can download both and see which suits you best.

So you’ve got the gear, but do you have the software to lay it all down with? You can’t paint without a canvas. Perhaps you’re looking to switch to a more popular, supported digital audio workstation? Some say its all about the musician and that the recording software doesn’t matter…we agree, but to a certain extent. Give somebody like DJ Premier or Danger Mouse a vintage Boss drum machine and they can probably still make a hit. However, in our opinion you need the proper software to give you the full capabilities of the song you’ve worked so hard on building inside of your head — something to really transfer those ideas into a reality. You also need to optimize your workflow to simplify the process of making music so you don’t even have to think anymore — you can just create. With that being said, picking the best DAW can be dependent on a few factors. Let’s review the top 10 best digital audio workstations out today and help you pick which DAW is best for you.

What is a digital audio workstation (DAW)?

A digital audio workstation is essentially a blank piece of paper and the necessary paint brushes for an artist to create their works of art on. All you need to bring is some sounds, your talent, and most of all, your creativity. A DAW is a computer program designed for editing, recording, mixing and mastering audio files. You can record your various instruments, MIDI controllers and vocals, lay down the tracks, rearrange, splice, cut, paste, add effects, and ultimately finalize the song you’ve got cooking for the world to hear.

Professional, semi-pro and home studios use DAWs as their backbone for making music if their main focus is to have a digital setup. Aside from those who use real instruments, we do know of some well-known musicians who still use analog setups, such as drum machines and synthesizers with real mixing boards and the like, but a majority of people nowadays are strictly computer-based or at least have a hybrid studio to incorporate both (why not?). This trend only continues to grow as technology advances. Aside from a computer or laptop for music of course, a DAW is the most important piece of production gear you’ll need to get the ball rolling for those masterpieces waiting to be created.

How to choose your production software

To us, choosing your DAW is like picking which soda to drink. Either way you go, it won’t necessarily be wrong especially in this day and age. As you can see in the comments, this decision brings much debate (rightfully so, and we’re glad it does since it allows us to continue to evolve and learn about music production as a whole — keep them coming). However, taking into consideration your personal needs is very crucial. Here are some important aspects to keep in mind during your search that we recommend.

• Your budget – We always list this first in our music equipment guides because it’s a pretty big given, but it’s always something to think about. Our opinion and mind state is to think of this as an investment. Typically a 4-5 year and beyond one (like buying a car), so you’re going to want to get it right. We’ve been using our DAW now for more than 10 years! Why fix what isn’t broken? With that being said, there is always free music software out there you can check, but we do recommend that if it takes saving up a few more hundred dollars, it’s worth it to wait. You want to think long-term, but before you do drop that money most of these companies offer free trials (which we’ll provide).
• What is your experience level? If you’re starting out, you don’t want to get too crazy in terms of a DAW, such as going with Pro Tools right away (they have entire school programs created for this software after all). You want to start with something that you can easily understand and use in order to get your music-making skills going. In that case, we’d recommend our newly published best beginners music software guide. Getting an expert-level software from the start can not only take months to learn but also be daunting, ultimately discouraging producers from continuing to sharpen their craft. Don’t get us wrong, if you’re the type to want to go big right away, be our guest. However, as stated in our beginners recording equipment article, we do recommend starters begin with something a bit smaller. On the other hand, if you’re a bit more experienced and you’re looking to take a step up, going the extra yard and getting an expert-level software such as Pro Tools may be hard at first, but an ultimate investment when thinking of the future. Which brings our next point.
• Mac or PC? The ever-popular debate of Mac or PC for music production will always be a relevant one. If you already have your music computer, great. Otherwise, you’ll of course need to invest in a powerful enough rig to support the DAW that you end up choosing after reading this article, which will always entail you choose your operating system afterwards. If you want our opinion — it doesn’t matter. We’re more if Windows types of people, whereas our friend we just worked with a few weeks ago says Mac only. This is entirely subjective. What will really come down to the choice is if you don’t have your OS yet and have already picked software to use. Some software come Mac-only, whereas others (and most, for that matter) work with both. We’ll let you decide this one!
• Think about the future, too – If you are a beginner, take the previous bullet-point into consideration, but keep the long-term in mind as well. Starting with a beginner software is great for right at the beginning, but it may get boring after your first year or two and you need to keep in mind that you’ll eventually be good enough to use more functions of the software. For children or youngsters, starting at a beginner-level is most recommended, but if the DAW you chose at first has a low ceiling, you’ll eventually have to make a switch and learn an entirely new software (it’s what I did with Acid Pro…I had to eventually move on to Ableton which took me some time to learn — although I did understand the universal basics of music software, so it wasn’t too bad). We’d go with something in the middle – a software that will take some time to learn, but will ultimately offer some valuable advanced features down the road when you’re ready. Although in the end, even the “beginner” programs could last you quite a long time (well-known musicians still use software considered to be ‘entry-level’ such as FL Studio).
• Do you perform live? A few of the software we list are more optimal for performing live, such as giving us some easy integration with MIDI controllers, VST instruments, control surfaces and other live performance-specific gear and features. Live performance gear gets a bit more tricky and you’ll want to make sure all of your tools flow well together. Regarding software, there are some more live-tailored features in some DAWs, such as saving presets, matching the interface with what you’ve got in front of you, etc. Some are just more geared to live performances, while others being for when you’re deep inside of the studio well-past midnight. Ultimately however, any software is fine for performing live.
• Stick with what you’ve chosen –The more familiar you become with software you’ve picked, the quicker and easier you workflow is, the more confident you become, and ultimately, the better your music sounds. Think you’ve learned a DAW to its fullest? Learn it again. Look into hot keys, extensions, etc. You want to be able to immediately put an idea into play to keep that work flow going. Join message boards or subreddits about the software to brainstorm with others. The more you know about your software, the easier it is to get those thousands of ideas circulating in your brain during your production onto the piece of paper. It’s an investment, but once it’s as smooth as butter, pumping out that music becomes even more beautiful as times goes on (it almost becomes second nature, such as driving a car). Don’t fix what isn’t broken.
• Relax! It’s 2018 — the digital age is here, and most of the production software out there is up-to-date and very popular. Either way you go with the 10 we’ve listed, you’re getting lifetime support, huge communities with message boards, and YouTube tutorials on any of the software you choose. You can’t really go wrong with one or the other, even if you’re a beginner. So don’t panic. There are also many similarities with software so if you do end up switching to a different DAW later down the road, it won’t be completely foreign.

Our picks for the top 10 best music creation software

Below is our list for top 10 best DAWs out there. Take into consideration the level you’re currently at, where you plan on being for the future as well as the overall capabilities you’re looking for. Visit their website or the purchase link we provide for more information. We also tried to throw in the free trials and a few video overviews. We hope this guide has helped continue your music creation journey — keep the questions and comments coming at the end of the guide, we’ve really enjoyed the discussions throughout the years.

If you’re looking for some smart device DAWs instead (some, but not many, home studio artists are starting to go with this route due to convenience, although we still don’t recommend it right now), check out our best music making apps article since we made a separate guide altogether for that subcategory.

Ableton Live

Recommended level: All levels

Operating system: Mac or Windows

Free trial | Full versions (Live 10 Intro | Live 10 Standard)

Tutorials | Forum | Video

Since it’s introduction in 1999, Ableton Live has been steadily growing as a very popular DAW and for good reason. We know we’ve gotten scrutiny for listing it first, and everybody is entitled to their opinions. However, we feel this is the best digital audio workstation for most of our readers. Here’s why (and just a few reasons, considering it would take days to explain the power of this) — you’ve got the standard multi-track recording (an unlimited number of audio/MIDI tracks for songs) and cut/paste/splice features, but what’s especially great about this software is the seamless MIDI sequencing software and hardware. We’ve had so many fusses with our MIDI controllers getting mapped to our sounds through the DAW (back when we used Acid Pro in 2005-2010), but ever since the switch to Ableton it’s been extremely headache-free. Another huge plus is the included sound packages included. Although this really depends on your preferences and whether or not you have your gear and sounds up to speed, it comes with 23 sound libraries (about 50 GB of sounds), so you can make music right out-of-the-box (great for starters).

To finish off our description for the beloved Ableton, this thing is the absolute best music software for performing live with. We’ve experienced very few glitches (the biggest fear of performers…it can make or break a set). What’s even better is that Ableton has paired up with some brands to create gear specifically for the program, often matching interfaces with the software for easier pairing and remembering of sounds. Although this is an extremely simplified summary of the software, you can’t go wrong with Ableton Live, regardless of your “level” (how do you even categorize that?). We recommend trying it first to see what it’s all about — you then have two versions (intro for about a hundred bucks or standard for half a G — try intro first before you go all the way up).

FL Studio

Recommended level: Beginner and up

Operating system: Windows only

Free Trial | Full Version

Tutorials | Forum | Video

This is one of the best DAWs for those looking to start out and get their feet wet in the music making world. FL Studio by Image-Line has been out and about for quite some time, being one of the most popular software to date. It’s got your standard protocol with pitch shifting, correction, time-stretch, cut, paste and the works, but it’s interface is especially well-suited for the beginner. It’ll take a little bit of reading to start going, but once you’ve got the hang of it you’re good to go. There are plenty of YouTube videos out there dating back to 2005 giving tutorials for pretty much any feature you need explained. Their latest version includes over 30 synth software for out-the-box usage, so if you’ve just purchased a controller and want some sounds to start fiddling with you don’t have to spend much money.

You can use MIDI keyboards, record into it with a microphone, do your standard editing and mixing — it just gives you what you essentially need in music software with a simple interface. There are some advanced features as well, so once you become familiar with it you can delve further into these to attain a solid learning curve for the future, too. It’s very user-friendly, especially with adding some virtual instruments and playing them on MIDI. Another perk is it works great with PC or Mac. The retail price is also a lot lower than others out there, so it’s definitely budget-friendly. We’d recommend getting this if it’s for somebody younger as well. What made this program famous in our opinion and still does is the fact that 9th wonder uses FL Studio today (if anybody is a fan like us).

Apple Logic Pro X

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Recommended level: Medium to expert

Operating system: Mac only

Full Version | No free trial available!

Tutorials | Forum | Video

This is an amazing digital audio workstation, particularly for those with a Mac (not compatible with PC). What stands out with Logic Pro is the interface — very advanced to help with the music making process by including track consolidation (track stack), instrument layering, an intuitive mixer for plug-in control, and a “score editor” to allow you to create your own MIDI (comes with nine MIDI plug-ins that help you transform the sounds, such as chaining multiple plug-ins together, scale velocity, etc) tracks with only a mouse (most programs have this). It has a “virtual drummer” feature which features an interactive drum set for visual implementation of drums for some fun playing and natural sounding kits. Also has an arpeggiator that’s better than a lot of software out there — it’s programmable too.

This thing is just jam-packed with features, synths, plug-ins, and not to mention a great interface for easy learning. Even if you’re a beginner, although not recommended, you can probably get away with using Logic — it’ll just take some time to learn it. Just remember, it’s worth sitting down for even a month or two to learn the basic ins and outs of this and you’re good to go for years. Logic Pro isn’t going anywhere any time soon, and their community is huge for any questions that may arise. Another plus is it comes with a sound library and loop collection with some pretty fresh out-of-the-box effects as well, so if you’re looking for some sounds for your controllers/pads this is a plus.

It’s only usually priced around $200 retail, so it’s pretty easy on the wallet compared to others. Just remember this only works with Mac. It’s stated to give Pro Tools a run for their money — I’d recommend grabbing it if you’re just a step below Pro Tools and don’t want to spend the money or take months or *gasp* take a class to learn it. If you want an easier interface that’s geared more towards beginners, you can read further until you get to Garageband — Apple’s more simple digital audio workstation that’s free.

Avid Pro Tools

Recommended level: Expertprofessional

Operating system: Mac or Windows

Free Trial | Full Version

Tutorials | Forum | Video

What’s there to really say about Pro Tools by Avid? Or how about, what isn’t there to say? If you’re looking for the mixing and mastering industry standard (which is now debatable, I see from our comments over the past few years), this is the software to get. Ask any professional producer or sound engineer and they’ll say that anything else in the DAW world is just a waste of time. However, a lot of them say this after becoming certified in the program — as we stated before, there are entire school programs dedicated to Pro Tools. If we really wanted to describe this software to you it would take us 100 articles, but here’s a bit of a breakdown: It gives you the standard ability to compose, record, mix, edit, master, etc. What’s advanced is it has its own Avid Audio Engine which gives you a super fast processor, a 64-bit memory capacity for sessions (never lag, freeze, etc), its own latency input buffer to help with that annoying delay, and built-in metering. Change the tempo with time-stretch of any track, and there’s something called Elastic Pitch that’s a bit like autotune in the sense of ‘correcting’ harmonies. Also comes with 70 effects and plug-ins: reverb, compressors, EQ’s, channel stripping, the works — merely anything you can think of, Pro Tools has. I can’t even begin to list everything it can do.

We also know some pro musicians who use Pro Tools only for mixing and mastering and having an additional DAW to make their music from scratch. It’s compatible with both Mac and PC, although with Mac it works a bit better (was originally created strictly for this). Please note that we’ve heard a lot of reviews out there state that it’s very buggy on Windows, so use with caution. If you go big with Pro Tools, you’re set for life. Just know it takes hours, days, weeks or even months of learning it. But once you do, it’s not only the best music-making decision for you, but perhaps a future career prospect as well. We’re not sure if it’ll ever go away.

Propellerhead Reason

Recommended level: Slightly above beginner to semi-pro

Operating system: Mac and Windows

Free Version | Full Package

Tutorials | Forum | Video

Reason by Propellerhead is slightly less known in the music software community, but is one of the most stable as far as we’ve learned. Pretty nifty since you can drag and drop among the interface (such as synth patches and effects straight into the sequencer), has a relatively fast system as many have stated, and most importantly, the workflow is exceptional for those within the middle to semi-pro range. It’s not too complex but not that simple either — in our opinion right in the middle. However, I’ve heard that some of the plug-ins offered by Reason are a bit out-of-date as compared to other DAWs like Fruity Loops.

Reason has a very solid mixing console, better than a lot out there besides Pro Tools or Logic. This is also a great DAW for those recording guitar or bass since it includes amp and speaker plug-ins from Softube. These are nice for adding effects and presets to your riffs and it works well with both PC and Mac. What’s pretty nifty is the software’s ability to cut and splice audio files automatically…although I’m a bit tedious when it comes to this, it’s nice to get those files chopped before you start digging in. Pretty accurate most of the time but others I have to clean them up a bit…ultimately it doesn’t hurt. Lastly and just for some more FYI, it supports all MIDI hardware so you’re pretty good to go in terms of essential features within a workstation. Nothing too huge like Pro Tools in a sense of mastering or more advanced effects features, but for half a grand retail, Reason is really giving other DAWs a run for their money.

Apple Garageband

Recommended level: Beginners only

Operating system: Mac only

Full Version (free)

Forum | Tutorials | Video

Garageband by Apple is an extremely popular DAW, especially among beginners. Extremely suitable for those in the starting stages of music, particularly younger ones or those who merely want to lay down some tracks and make some cool tunes. However, I have some friends who tour nation-wide that still use Garageband just because of its simplicity and ease of use for recording. We’d go with this over Fruity Loops in terms of starting from scratch as your first DAW if you’re on a Mac.

What’s also special about this software is its got the very user-friendly interface that helps you visualize what you’re making — keyboard, synths, and percussion. It offers some pretty solid presets for vocal and guitar recording as well, although nothing too out of the ordinary. It does have a few good amps and effects for the guitar or mic. As a cool little additive, if you’re looking to learn how to play piano, it’s got a nice built-in lesson function for both piano as well as guitar. It maps out the chords and explains what they are to help you get a better understanding of music theory. It supports your standard USB keyboard and gives you some loops built-in to mess around with (you can buy more through their app store), and there’s something called “Smart Controls” which is basically an interactive control of plug-ins — knobs, buttons, sliders, etc with images to really visualize what you’re doing behind the scenes.

Just an overall solid digital audio workstation for beginners, especially because it’s free. The way they monetize off of the software is basically purchases for more plug-ins, effects, and others; however, you can get away with what it comes with. A nice little touch is it’s compatibility with iPads if that’s what you’re looking for, a trend we’ve seen increase lately.

Steinberg Cubase

Recommended level: Semi-pro to expert

Operating system: Windows or Mac

Free Trial | Full Version

Tutorials | Forums | Video

You’d be surprised at how many people use Cubase music software. Steinberg has their signature key, score and drum editors included in the workstation. The Key Editor lets you manually edit your MIDI track in case you need move a note over here and there. You get your unlimited audio and MIDI tracks, reverb effects, incorporated VST’s, etc. Although it’s seen as a bit of a trend from these DAWs, ultimately trying to separate themselves from the competition, Cubase has one of the biggest sound libraries that come with the box. You’ve got something called the HALion Sonic SE 2 with a bunch of synth sounds, Groove Agent SE 4 with 30 drum kits, EMD construction kits, LoopMash FX, etc. Some of the most powerful plug-ins within a DAW. We recommend going with Cubase if that’s what you’re particularly looking for.

Some just say that it’s a bit expensive and very hard to learn — but as stated previously, once you learn it, you’re good to go for a very long time. I’d recommend going with Pro Tools or even Logic Pro if you’re going to be spending a lot of time learning a software, you might as well make it one of the more popular ones. If you buy it from Amazon you already get the eLicenser. It’s around $400 retail. Watch the videos on the Steinberg website to see what’s new in the latest version.

Cockos Reaper

Recommended level: Semi-pro and up

Operating system: Mac and Windows

Tutorials | Forums | Video

Reaper by Cockos has lost a bit of popularity with the emergence of Ableton and Logic Pro, but it still holds strength as far as a dedicated DAW goes, and is actually more useful for those mixing or mastering needing flexibility. You download the software and get it for 60 days and then have to pay to download a license to keep it going. We feel this is a great strategy for both the brand and user since it allows us to try it out for an adequate amount of time without having to drop some dough. Reaper is pretty unique when it comes to comparing to other DAWs out there. It’s coded by a smaller group of individuals aimed to give us the mere essentials of a DAW without a bunch of features we probably we won’t ever use. You can drag and drop your VST’s and FX, map your MIDI controllers seamlessly, cut, paste, split and edit individual tracks, plug-in support for a majority of creators. This is basically an open-source, nitty-gritty software.

It supports most audio interfaces, plug-ins and effects. When downloading Reaper, you really have nothing to lose since you get to try it for 60 days before buying. If you’re shopping around and serious about your research, we say to give it a go since you get 60 days of full usage for free. Who knows? It may be the DAW for you, or perhaps some software to add to your toolbox when it comes to finalizing tracks after you complete the recording process (many popular producers do this).

PreSonus Studio

Recommended level: Beginner to semi-pro

Operating system: Mac or Windows

Free Version | Full Version

Tutorials | Message Boards | Video

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Here we have a very stable music software by a brand we love, PreSonus. They include Studio One DAW in a lot of their products, such as their AudioBox iTwo audio interface we recently reviewed. This isn’t just a little add-on to products, however — It’s a full on standalone workstation giving you drag-and-drop functionality, unlimited tracks, MIDI, VST, buses and FX channels, as well as mastering integration (not necessarily on Pro Tools level), a Melodyne feature, and some nice reverb effects that sound very smooth (some of the best reverb some have heard). It’s stated to be a bit easier in terms of workflow as compared to more popular DAWs, such as Logic needing a few more extra steps to achieve a certain function you need. The interface isn’t that impressive in terms of aesthetics but I’d take workflow over looks any day — pretty standard.

The 64-bit sound engine gives you studio-quality recordings. It basically has all of the essentials and we see it competing against a lot of the other more known DAWs out there. It’ll take a bit to learn the mastering tools but if you need a software for that this can get you by if you are trying to avoid Pro Tools. It’s compatible with both Mac and Windows and starts around $400 retail. Check out their nice little package called the PreSonus AudioBox Studio which gives you Studio One (Artist version, not Pro), headphones, a mic, audio interface, and necessary cables. Otherwise, go with something more popular.

Acid Pro 8

Recommended level: Beginner and up

Operating system: Windows only

Free Trial | Full Version

Tutorials | Forum

Last but not least, this thing will always be our baby. When I first started making music in 2001, I had an old version of Acid Pro when it was still made by Sonic Foundry. I got so accustomed to it I continued to use Acid Pro 4.0 until early 2010 when I finally made my switch to Ableton. There were pros and cons for sticking with the software for so long, one pro mainly being that I knew it like the back of my hand. If my friends were ever over making music and wanted something done, I could merely press a hot-key and had it complete, getting some ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ here and there. The downside was that it was a bit buggy when it came to MIDI incorporation and other more-advanced features that are available with DAWs nowadays. Their latest version is actually very stable and we recommend this for beginners until even semi-pro like we were for the past decade.

Acid Pro (now owned by Magix) just does what you want in an essential-based manner. There’s the recording ability, loop audio tracks, and MIDI support. It’s got a pretty solid sound series loops (3,000 sounds) and comes with about 90 VST’s to mess around with using your MIDI controller. The time-stretch works pretty well too, something I’ve used quite a lot if I need to slow down or speed up a sample or track I’ve recorded. It’s downloadable and very cheap, so if you’re looking for a budget-friendly DAW and one that has been around for decades — this is it.

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