Best DAW for Beginners
There are many DAWs available for Music Producers. Honestly, no DAW is better than others. Every DAW is capable of making music! Yes, if you have skills, you can make good music with a most basic DAW!
However, when it comes to beginner producers, it's very hard to choose their first DAW. Some DAWs might seem too complicated for beginners while others might feel boring to them. Also, some DAWs are very expensive while many of them are affordable.
So, today, we're going to discuss some great DAWs for beginner producers which will help them to produce better music and learn more.
Here's a brief list of DAWs that we're going to discuss:
Free DAWs
Paid DAWs:
Free DAWs:
1. Garageband (Mac Only)
It's hard to deny that Garageband is probably the best choice if you're a Mac user. It's a stripped-down version of Logic Pro. It's a great choice for both beginners and professionals. And, if you're comfortable with it, upgrade to Logic Pro can be a great decision.
Pros: Free, Simple User Interface, Support from Apple.
Cons: Available for Mac only, the user interface is limited.
2. Cakewalk by Bandlab
Cakewalk is definitely one of my favorites. Cakewalk, previously known as Cakewalk Sonar is a free DAW by Bandlab. It is a great choice for everyone - from beginners to professionals.
Pros: It's Free and has everything that a professional DAW should have.
Cons: It is available for Windows only.
3. Soudbridge
Soundbridge is a free Digital Audio Workstation. It is a great choice for beginners. Its UI is quite simple compared to other DAWs. It also has everything a great DAW should have. So, if you're a Windows or Mac user, you should definitely try this one!
Pros: Free to use, Simple User Interface, VST Support.
Cons: Lacks some advanced features.
4. Ableton Live Lite
Ableton Live Lite is the stripped-down version of Ableton Live. If you're considering joining the Ableton Gang, you should definitely start with Ableton Live Lite. It's a great DAW for beginners and think you'll love it.
Pros: A lighter version of Ableton, Easy to switch to Ableton Live
Cons: Limited to 16 tracks.
5. Pro Tools First
Pro Tools is probably the most famous DAW in the music industry. Pro Tools First is the Free version of Pro Tools. It's a great DAW if you want to upgrade to the full version of Pro Tools in the future. However, it has some limitations. It limits you to 16 audio, MIDI, aux, and virtual instrument tracks, and 4 inputs.
Pros: Includes 20 Native Effects, Based on Pro Tools.
Cons: Limits Track Count, No VST Support, Limits CPU Usage
Paid DAWs:
1. FL Studio
FL Studio from Image-Line is a popular choice between beatmakers and home-studio producers all over the world. The best thing about this DAW is its user-friendly interface. Also, unlike other DAWs, it is very affordable and provides lifetime free updates to all its users. Yes, you don't need to pay them for any future updates (even the major updates). You only need to pay once (price depending on the edition you choose) and you will receive all the future updates. Also, it's very easy to learn and there are a ton of tutorials and support available online! So, if you are looking for a user-friendly DAW, FL is perfect for you!
Check Pricing On Imag-Line Website.
2. Ableton Live
Just like FL Studio, Ableton live is also a popular choice among home studio producers. Its user interface is also great for everyone. You can learn it easily. However, unlike FL Studio, Ableton does not provide free upgrades. You have to pay for every major upgrade (for example, from Ableton live 11 to Ableton live 12). Apart from that, it's an awesome DAW and you may not regret buying it!
Check the price on Ableton's website here.
3. Logic Pro
Logic Pro is a Digital Audio Workstation from Apple. Just like Pro Tools, Logic is also considered the industry standard. The main highlight of this DAW is its awesome integration with Apple's hardware. This main highlight is also its greatest weakness. The problem is that it does not support any other operating system. It only works on Apple's hardware. So, if you're a Mac user and if you're looking for a great DAW, you should definitely try Logic Pro. It's quite affordable and its upgrade price is also relatively cheaper than other DAWs.
Check the price on Apple's website here.
4. Cubase
Cubase is also a popular choice in the music industry. If you're looking for something that fits somewhere between FL/Ableton range and Logic/Pro Tools range, Cubase is a great choice. It's a great choice for intermediate producers. Also, it's packed with amazing quality plugins from Steinberg. So, that's a plus. Just like Ableton and Logic, you need to pay for major upgrades.
*Check the latest price on their website here.
5. Reaper
Reaper has a soft corner in the heart of every producer. We can easily say that reaper is a perfect choice for everyone. The fact that it's cross-platform makes it more likable. You can run it on Linux too! Most of the DAWs do not work on Linux. Its user interface seems too basic at the start. However, it's very customizable and that's why producers love it. You may think that some features are missing at the start but once you start exploring, there's nothing that reaper can't do. It's a feature-rich DAW that can easily compete with other DAWs. Also, it's free for 60 days and you can buy a discounted license for $60 if you cannot afford the full license.
*Check the latest price on their website here.