Our Favorite DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations)

Although there are other options, digital recording is the easiest and most cost effective way to get started producing music in a home studio. This means you're going to need recording software, otherwise known as a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW). There are many different DAWs available for different purposes, with a huge community of home studio owners keen to help you get started and learn how to achieve the results you're looking for.

We're not going to try to tell you which is the best DAW, because that will always create controversy. Ask any 10 home recording artists for their best choice and you'll get 10 different answers. In any case, there's no such thing as a "best DAW" because the choice will vary depending on your budget, requirements and preferences.

Our goal here is simply to give you a broad overview of our favorites, so we're not going to dive into the fine details. If we spark your interest, the chart below gives you links to the manufacturer sites where you can analyze the tech and workflow of each DAW in greater detail.

Favorite DAWs

Free DAWs:

• Magix Music Maker. Great if you're a beginner.
• Garage Band. This is a great choice if you use a Mac because it's OSX only.
• Audacity. Operates more like a tape recorder.

DAWs less than $100:

• Cubase Elements ($99 one-time). Go for this if you can't afford Cubase Pro below.
• Pro Tools Subscription ($29.99/mo). Simple, straightforward interface.
• Cakewalk Sonar Artist ($99 one-time or $9.99/mo). Well-established DAW, great for music production.

DAWs over $100:

• Cubase Pro ($549 one-time). Cubase is one of our favorites because it's a great "all 'rounder" and you'll see it on many preferred lists. If you can't afford it, go for the cheaper Cubase Elements above.
• FL Studio ($199 one-time). Great DAW to get started with because it's so easy to use.
• Reason ($399 one-time). Very popular DAW because its "rack-like" view and CV routing help produce some great results.

If you want to get a different take, click here to check out an interesting post from one of our Users.

Summary

There are a lot more DAWs that are worth a closer look, depending on your situation. Here's a summary: