- Aug 17, 2018 Audacity is an open source software that's one of the most popular music editors with already millions of downloads. This cross-platform app works with not just Windows, but also with MacOS and Linux. This program allows you to not only record music from several different sources, but also post-process nearly any type of audios.
- BTV Solo is a stand-alone software for all music lovers. Use it to create music beats, customize existing songs, and tweak individual music samples. It comes with a host of useful editing tools, built-in mixers, drum kits, and sound effects. It's clean and straightforward UI ensures its effortless working.
- Buy on Amazon: INSTAGRAM/TWITTER/SNAPCHAT: @odiproductionsBlog Article: guys! Here's a video recomm.
EaseUS Video Editor is versatile for audio mixing software. It can manage either recorded or live event sound, enable you to merge audio files together and provide one or more output options. Download from: Download the 'R&B' program here: is a showcase of som.
The best music software for beginners will get us going on putting those creative juices to work and ultimately, down for others to hear and enjoy. Nowadays, there are a lot of solutions when it comes to music production software (also known as digital audio workstations); however, finding the best for when we're just starting out can be difficult when sifting through the rubble. Through personal experience and extensive research, we were able to narrow down our search to just 4 recommendations when it comes to beginner DAWs. The reason we include 4 will depend on a few factors we also want you to keep in mind while searching, and also feel it's important you take the time learn a specific music software that will also allow for some leeway when it comes to a future learning curve once you're a lot better at making music. Let's get started.
Beginners Music Software Picks
What is a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW)?
A digital audio workstation is essentially a fancy name for 'software to make music with'. It is a computer program, both for Mac andor Windows, that provides the user a visual interface to create, edit, add, delete, copy, paste, and mix together sounds to combine for a compiled finished product — a song, track, instrumental, or whatever else you'd like to label as a mixture of a series of sounds. Through this program, you can also warp sounds and songs in many different ways, such as adding effects, changing the pitch of audio clips, reversing, chopping a part, rearranging, and more.
We're no stranger to DAWs. We've been making music for more than 20 years and have tried just about every software out there. For those who have zero experience, never fear! You can always grab some free music software, to get going right away; however, we've been able to fine tune our search and find some more sophisticated solutions as the best beginner's music software. Some are free, some are not. However, those that are not still provide (some, however) free trials so you can start downloading and making music before you even finish reading this guide.
We're glad you're looking to get into music making — it changed our lives, and who knows, this could the start of a huge part of your life you never knew you were missing!
Picking the Best Music Software for Beginners
Yes, this is a pretty big decision — once you choose a software to make music on, we don't recommend switching away from it for a very long time. The reason being is we feel once you invest your time to learning how a specific software works, you want to continue polishing your skills in the software so you can improve your overall production quality. Remember to be patient — we remember first learning Ableton Live after switching over from using Sony Acid after 10 years and were frustrated within the first 10 minutes. When you have ideas and tunes in your head, we understand — you want those to be down into the software instantly. However, that won't happen right away, so one piece of advice for beginners we recommend is — be patient! Just know that frustration will occur.
This is a long-term investment. In our opinion, there's always a new feature to learn in many of the software available today, so even 5 years from now there may be a hot key or tweak you learn about that continues to help your recording and production process. Plus, this can potentially be software you use for the next 10 or more years, so it's OK to be picky. With that being said, don't panic — the software we have here today are perfect for both those learning to start out with and is even used by professionals to mix and master with in the ‘industry'. There's no wrong way to go. Just because a software is termed a ‘beginners' DAW doesn't mean it won't be viable for years of work.
Remember — try the free trials first! Unless your software is free itself of course, we always recommend giving a software test run before you completely make the decision on it being 'the one'. Most of these brands offer free trials, as it would be pretty difficult to try to sell something as large as software without giving people a try first. There are also some tutorials that we will link you to if you want to watch a few videos or read some articles to get a better feel for the music software before you try it.
The operating system (OS) you're using will also be a large deciding factor here, especially if you're on a Mac, since Apple likes to make a lot of their music software only compatible with their OS. Most Windows programs are indeed cross-platform, but if you're on a Mac, you'll be more limited. We included both operating systems in here just in case. We won't tell you which OS is 'best', we've used both and feel they're fine either way you go (the Mac vs. Windows for music debate is always a hot one). With that being said, if you haven't purchased your music computer or laptop for music, you'll need to decide which OS you want first before you choose your music software.
Lastly, if you're still looking for some gear to start making music with, you can read our beginners music equipment guide either before or after you choose your software. It may be difficult for you to make much without some type of external piece of hardware first (unless you're big into samples like we are), since a lot of this software is compatible with many recording devices out there, such as MIDI keyboards, VST software, DJ controllers, microphones and more.
You can however try to make some tunes without any gear first (it will be a bit more difficult but you can make it work), by perhaps using their visual interfaces or other features that allow for using just your mouse and keyboard only to arrange sounds and effects. If you don't have gear yet and want to mess around with software, feel free to just see where your mouse and keyboard take you.
The Best Beginner's Music Software
Apple Garageband
Download Full Version | Tutorials | Community
Let's start with our first software pick. One of the best beginner's music software that is available to you right now if you're on a Mac is Apple's software ‘Garageband'. You may already have it — it is a software that is built directly into your computer and comes free with the purchase of any Apple laptop. If not, you can easily download it for free using the link above. Although Mac only and we suggest Windows users to continue reading, it is a fully capable music creation studio that can be used with the simple opening of an Apple laptop and nothing more. There is a complete sound library which includes features ranging from instruments to presets for guitars and voice as well as a selection of drums and other percussion instruments that allow you to make some tunes right out of the box (even if you don't have a keyboard or additional equipment yet).
One fun and interactive feature of Garageband comes in the form of the Touch Bar shortcuts. The Touch Bar on the Apple laptop makes controlling your music creation a more physical and seamless activity, although you'll need a MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar to use it. Because Garageband is an Apple product, it works seamlessly with the other original features of the laptop as well, making this software easy to use if you want to start learning the shortcuts and hot keys.
Since it's hard to sum up the power of software in a few paragraphs, there are few other standouts we'd like to include here. When it comes to sounds, Apple Garageband also has an array of bass tones that are available to you. While using the bass tone feature, you are able to customize tones in the exact way that you want them by shifting the pitch or arranging them in a separate track (although you can do this with any other sounds they have as well, or perhaps samples of your own you'd like to add). There's also something called ‘Drummer', which is a virtual session player, allowing you create drum tracks with some visual help at the same time (you can do so with just your mouse and keyboard with no other gear needed).
We've heard of musicians using this who are into a variety of genres ranging from EDM to Metal, allowing you to create whatever kind of music you desire — we wouldn't limit anybody using this beginner's software based on musical preference. Garageband is also great for beginners who are new to playing music. There are built-in piano and guitar lessons available to you, which is a very unique aspect of this software system as we don't know many others that do so. These lessons even provide feedback to you based on skill set, speed and accuracy of playing notes.
Lastly, something that we love about Garageband is how easy it is to share your finished songs. A finished song can be exported to iTunes and listened to on your music playing device, or posted on social media platforms for you family and friends to listen to. You even have the option to save your songs and make them into ringtones — why not?
Overall, with their plethora of features, Apple's Garageband is a great way to create customized music, especially if you're a beginner music recorder or producer. If you're on Mac, we recommend just downloading it right now while you finish reading this article so you can start playing around — why not, it's free!
FL Studio
Full Version in US | UK | Free Trial | Tutorials | Community
FL Studio does not come included with the purchase of a laptop, as does Apple's Garageband, however is compatible with only Windows, so for those who aren't on a Mac, here's our number one pick. It's also known by some as FruityLoops (the original name) if that rings a bell. Once you purchase the FL Studio package, you are given access to a lifetime of free updates, meaning that you will never have to purchase another software —you'll just have to update. This is definitely a popular music production system and is used worldwide, and has been since the early 2000's.
When it comes to some standout beginner's digital audio workstation features, FL Studio gives you access to composing, arranging, recording, editing, mixing, and mastering professionally sounding music. These features allow you to find and create the exact sound that you are looking for. There are multi-touch mixer and fading groups as well as six different mixer layouts, giving you command over your music. The UI scales perfectly up to 8K even across multiple displays, which is pretty impressive.
There is a large selection of copyright free audio samples which allow you to create music right off the bat, and a playlist option that allows you to drag and drop various audio files. This will be particularly useful for those who don't have their gear yet. Also, the multi-touch feature of the FL Studio allows this software to be controlled with your fingers when using a multi-touch monitor. This unique aspect makes creating music a physical activity in case you're into touch screens or don't want to fiddle with a mouse or keyboard too much, although we ultimately recommend using some MIDI gear later down the road.
The layout and use of a vector-based, animated interface is very aesthetically pleasing and allows you to understand easily what is being used and what isn't. There's also great help across the internet as well as inside of the software itself. There are high-quality loops and pattern-based MIDI composition tools. This program has come a long way since its creation in 1998 and has been able to change and modernize with the rest of the world. They do a great job as it is kept up to date by the company and has many updates in order to keep the software bug-free.
This program may seem daunting for some of you when looking at it, especially some youngins, but many people claim that it is a system that is easy to learn. When one takes the time to understand FL Studio, using its features to their full potential will allow you to create powerful, customized, and professional sounding tracks, especially if you're on Windows.
Ableton Live
Full Version in US | UK | Free Trial | Tutorials | Community
Let's take a look at another one of our favorite picks as the best music software for beginners, or really for literally anybody since this is the software we use. This time we are compatible for both Mac as well as Windows, so no limits here. This software has been hailed as the simplest DAW to navigate and use, especially within the last 10 years or so. It definitely takes a while to fully understand all of the different features and modes that are available to you in this program, but it isn't impossible. Ableton Live takes a unique approach to composition and arrangement when compared with the traditional DAW. To name a few highlights, for one, there is a synth built into the program that allows you to create deep sounds without a keyboard. If you do indeed have some gear and you are to add play a melody and forget to record, Ableton has a lot of 'smart features' that can for example 'remember' melodies, etc.
Another reason we love this as a beginners DAW is creating music with just the arming of a MIDI track. Pressing play allows you to begin. Once you have an idea, pressing the Capture button after you've played it will allow the Live feature to match your tempo and timing and start your melody in a loop. You can shape the sound of the drums via the controllers on your program, or perhaps quantize or rearrange notes you played if you didn't like how it came out when you recorded real-time (some may call that cheating, others call it the new norm). Also, with the addition of some new devices called Wavetable, Echo, Drum Bass, and Pedal, you will be able to elevate your music to an entirely new level. These devices let you customize your music through sculpting your sounds to the exact way that you want, and are great visualizations of complex musical concepts many aren't able to achieve especially when first beginning.
With Ableton Live, you are also given the ability to edit multiple MIDI clips at the same time. You can view multiple MIDI clips across a variety of different tracks, all within a single view. This allows you to have a better command over musical tones and relationships present in your song. Everything from melodies and harmonies to sampled beats can easily be turned into MIDI, making it easy to control and customize. Ableton Live also allows you access to over 3,000 instrument sounds, 5 synths, 3 samplers, 390 drum kits, and over 4,000 free loops for your personal use right when the download and installation finishes. Their easy to use browser also allows you to find whatever sounds you want and allows you to place them on your work easily.
Despite these great features, it does take an open mind to make the switch from traditional DAWs to the Ableton Live. It is a unique set-up that requires some time to learn, but when you understand how to use this system, Ableton Live can prove to be one of the best beginner's music software programs on the market now. It's used by every single 'skill level' in the music industry, so this will be a long-term investment and you may indeed never have to switch software ever again.
Logic Pro
Yes, this is a pretty big decision — once you choose a software to make music on, we don't recommend switching away from it for a very long time. The reason being is we feel once you invest your time to learning how a specific software works, you want to continue polishing your skills in the software so you can improve your overall production quality. Remember to be patient — we remember first learning Ableton Live after switching over from using Sony Acid after 10 years and were frustrated within the first 10 minutes. When you have ideas and tunes in your head, we understand — you want those to be down into the software instantly. However, that won't happen right away, so one piece of advice for beginners we recommend is — be patient! Just know that frustration will occur.
This is a long-term investment. In our opinion, there's always a new feature to learn in many of the software available today, so even 5 years from now there may be a hot key or tweak you learn about that continues to help your recording and production process. Plus, this can potentially be software you use for the next 10 or more years, so it's OK to be picky. With that being said, don't panic — the software we have here today are perfect for both those learning to start out with and is even used by professionals to mix and master with in the ‘industry'. There's no wrong way to go. Just because a software is termed a ‘beginners' DAW doesn't mean it won't be viable for years of work.
Remember — try the free trials first! Unless your software is free itself of course, we always recommend giving a software test run before you completely make the decision on it being 'the one'. Most of these brands offer free trials, as it would be pretty difficult to try to sell something as large as software without giving people a try first. There are also some tutorials that we will link you to if you want to watch a few videos or read some articles to get a better feel for the music software before you try it.
The operating system (OS) you're using will also be a large deciding factor here, especially if you're on a Mac, since Apple likes to make a lot of their music software only compatible with their OS. Most Windows programs are indeed cross-platform, but if you're on a Mac, you'll be more limited. We included both operating systems in here just in case. We won't tell you which OS is 'best', we've used both and feel they're fine either way you go (the Mac vs. Windows for music debate is always a hot one). With that being said, if you haven't purchased your music computer or laptop for music, you'll need to decide which OS you want first before you choose your music software.
Lastly, if you're still looking for some gear to start making music with, you can read our beginners music equipment guide either before or after you choose your software. It may be difficult for you to make much without some type of external piece of hardware first (unless you're big into samples like we are), since a lot of this software is compatible with many recording devices out there, such as MIDI keyboards, VST software, DJ controllers, microphones and more.
You can however try to make some tunes without any gear first (it will be a bit more difficult but you can make it work), by perhaps using their visual interfaces or other features that allow for using just your mouse and keyboard only to arrange sounds and effects. If you don't have gear yet and want to mess around with software, feel free to just see where your mouse and keyboard take you.
The Best Beginner's Music Software
Apple Garageband
Download Full Version | Tutorials | Community
Let's start with our first software pick. One of the best beginner's music software that is available to you right now if you're on a Mac is Apple's software ‘Garageband'. You may already have it — it is a software that is built directly into your computer and comes free with the purchase of any Apple laptop. If not, you can easily download it for free using the link above. Although Mac only and we suggest Windows users to continue reading, it is a fully capable music creation studio that can be used with the simple opening of an Apple laptop and nothing more. There is a complete sound library which includes features ranging from instruments to presets for guitars and voice as well as a selection of drums and other percussion instruments that allow you to make some tunes right out of the box (even if you don't have a keyboard or additional equipment yet).
One fun and interactive feature of Garageband comes in the form of the Touch Bar shortcuts. The Touch Bar on the Apple laptop makes controlling your music creation a more physical and seamless activity, although you'll need a MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar to use it. Because Garageband is an Apple product, it works seamlessly with the other original features of the laptop as well, making this software easy to use if you want to start learning the shortcuts and hot keys.
Since it's hard to sum up the power of software in a few paragraphs, there are few other standouts we'd like to include here. When it comes to sounds, Apple Garageband also has an array of bass tones that are available to you. While using the bass tone feature, you are able to customize tones in the exact way that you want them by shifting the pitch or arranging them in a separate track (although you can do this with any other sounds they have as well, or perhaps samples of your own you'd like to add). There's also something called ‘Drummer', which is a virtual session player, allowing you create drum tracks with some visual help at the same time (you can do so with just your mouse and keyboard with no other gear needed).
We've heard of musicians using this who are into a variety of genres ranging from EDM to Metal, allowing you to create whatever kind of music you desire — we wouldn't limit anybody using this beginner's software based on musical preference. Garageband is also great for beginners who are new to playing music. There are built-in piano and guitar lessons available to you, which is a very unique aspect of this software system as we don't know many others that do so. These lessons even provide feedback to you based on skill set, speed and accuracy of playing notes.
Lastly, something that we love about Garageband is how easy it is to share your finished songs. A finished song can be exported to iTunes and listened to on your music playing device, or posted on social media platforms for you family and friends to listen to. You even have the option to save your songs and make them into ringtones — why not?
Overall, with their plethora of features, Apple's Garageband is a great way to create customized music, especially if you're a beginner music recorder or producer. If you're on Mac, we recommend just downloading it right now while you finish reading this article so you can start playing around — why not, it's free!
FL Studio
Full Version in US | UK | Free Trial | Tutorials | Community
FL Studio does not come included with the purchase of a laptop, as does Apple's Garageband, however is compatible with only Windows, so for those who aren't on a Mac, here's our number one pick. It's also known by some as FruityLoops (the original name) if that rings a bell. Once you purchase the FL Studio package, you are given access to a lifetime of free updates, meaning that you will never have to purchase another software —you'll just have to update. This is definitely a popular music production system and is used worldwide, and has been since the early 2000's.
When it comes to some standout beginner's digital audio workstation features, FL Studio gives you access to composing, arranging, recording, editing, mixing, and mastering professionally sounding music. These features allow you to find and create the exact sound that you are looking for. There are multi-touch mixer and fading groups as well as six different mixer layouts, giving you command over your music. The UI scales perfectly up to 8K even across multiple displays, which is pretty impressive.
There is a large selection of copyright free audio samples which allow you to create music right off the bat, and a playlist option that allows you to drag and drop various audio files. This will be particularly useful for those who don't have their gear yet. Also, the multi-touch feature of the FL Studio allows this software to be controlled with your fingers when using a multi-touch monitor. This unique aspect makes creating music a physical activity in case you're into touch screens or don't want to fiddle with a mouse or keyboard too much, although we ultimately recommend using some MIDI gear later down the road.
The layout and use of a vector-based, animated interface is very aesthetically pleasing and allows you to understand easily what is being used and what isn't. There's also great help across the internet as well as inside of the software itself. There are high-quality loops and pattern-based MIDI composition tools. This program has come a long way since its creation in 1998 and has been able to change and modernize with the rest of the world. They do a great job as it is kept up to date by the company and has many updates in order to keep the software bug-free.
This program may seem daunting for some of you when looking at it, especially some youngins, but many people claim that it is a system that is easy to learn. When one takes the time to understand FL Studio, using its features to their full potential will allow you to create powerful, customized, and professional sounding tracks, especially if you're on Windows.
Ableton Live
Full Version in US | UK | Free Trial | Tutorials | Community
Let's take a look at another one of our favorite picks as the best music software for beginners, or really for literally anybody since this is the software we use. This time we are compatible for both Mac as well as Windows, so no limits here. This software has been hailed as the simplest DAW to navigate and use, especially within the last 10 years or so. It definitely takes a while to fully understand all of the different features and modes that are available to you in this program, but it isn't impossible. Ableton Live takes a unique approach to composition and arrangement when compared with the traditional DAW. To name a few highlights, for one, there is a synth built into the program that allows you to create deep sounds without a keyboard. If you do indeed have some gear and you are to add play a melody and forget to record, Ableton has a lot of 'smart features' that can for example 'remember' melodies, etc.
Another reason we love this as a beginners DAW is creating music with just the arming of a MIDI track. Pressing play allows you to begin. Once you have an idea, pressing the Capture button after you've played it will allow the Live feature to match your tempo and timing and start your melody in a loop. You can shape the sound of the drums via the controllers on your program, or perhaps quantize or rearrange notes you played if you didn't like how it came out when you recorded real-time (some may call that cheating, others call it the new norm). Also, with the addition of some new devices called Wavetable, Echo, Drum Bass, and Pedal, you will be able to elevate your music to an entirely new level. These devices let you customize your music through sculpting your sounds to the exact way that you want, and are great visualizations of complex musical concepts many aren't able to achieve especially when first beginning.
With Ableton Live, you are also given the ability to edit multiple MIDI clips at the same time. You can view multiple MIDI clips across a variety of different tracks, all within a single view. This allows you to have a better command over musical tones and relationships present in your song. Everything from melodies and harmonies to sampled beats can easily be turned into MIDI, making it easy to control and customize. Ableton Live also allows you access to over 3,000 instrument sounds, 5 synths, 3 samplers, 390 drum kits, and over 4,000 free loops for your personal use right when the download and installation finishes. Their easy to use browser also allows you to find whatever sounds you want and allows you to place them on your work easily.
Despite these great features, it does take an open mind to make the switch from traditional DAWs to the Ableton Live. It is a unique set-up that requires some time to learn, but when you understand how to use this system, Ableton Live can prove to be one of the best beginner's music software programs on the market now. It's used by every single 'skill level' in the music industry, so this will be a long-term investment and you may indeed never have to switch software ever again.
Logic Pro
Purchase Full Version | No Free Trial Available! | Tutorials | Community
The last program on our list of best beginner's music software programs is called Logic Pro. Some of you may have heard of this one — this system is very aesthetically pleasing and easy to understand, but is quite complex when you first get a hold of it. This is a system that can be purchased via the App Store on your laptop where it will automatically download as a new app (as you can see, no free trial, which definitely irks many out there — including us). This software seamlessly integrates with Apple products just like Garageband does, but allows you some extra features that Garageband doesn't have.
For one, Logic Pro allows you to utilize iOS devices and turn them into a multi-touch controller for the program. The physical, interactive aspect of Logic Pro makes it are more interactive experience when creating your music. Notably, there is a ‘Smart Tempo' feature integrated into the program which allows you to sync timing of your tracks automatically. This gives you full control over your music without having to work hard to get your music to perfectly match the track. This allows you to keep all of your tracks synced automatically. This makes working on your tracks easy because you no longer have to worry about the minute adjusting of melodies and loops to fit perfectly with your tune.
With Logic Pro X, you are given access to over 7,000 copyright free Apple Loops. Choosing from these loops allows you to integrate them into your songs and add new twists to create something great. Their loops are unique because they are tagged with various keywords, even conformed automatically to your specific tempo and key. You can move single beats within a waveform, which gives you full control over your music down to the tiniest detail.
Ultimately, we love Logic Pro and the look and feel of the program as a whole. It's the most advanced software we'll recommend for a beginners DAW, which is why it's listed last (and unfortunately there's no free trial to test first which may steer some of you away, although you can always watch some videos perhaps). It provides you with a lot of control over details, allowing you to have a fully customized track that you and your friends will love and give you music making capabilities for nearly the rest of your career.
More gear reviews and guides in the realm...
Music making is a passion and it's absolutely not a big deal these days with hundreds of apps available on the internet. Yes, there ample free apps available that can help you churn out a professional quality feet thumping piece without spending a dime.
From making full tracks on your smartphone or tablet, or simply using an exclusive hardware sequencer instead of a computer, internet is the best source that can help you make music digitally.
That being said, there is still no alternative to a PC where you can download and install a music making software or DAW (digital audio workstation) and record music, organize and mix complete tracks directly from the desktop, seamlessly. Bonus – when done in the right way, these tracks are of release quality.
Windows is the most used platform in the world and so, if you are hunting for the best Windows software for making music, we have the ultimate list for you in this post. While some are completely free to download and work with, some offer the free trial version before you invest in the Pro version. So, read on to find your pick..
Audacity
Audacity is an open source software that's one of the most popular music editors with already millions of downloads. This cross-platform app works with not just Windows, but also with MacOS and Linux.
This program allows you to not only record music from several different sources, but also post-process nearly any type of audios. With the help of this software, you can also add different effects to your music, fine-tune the pitch, bass, and treble, and even assess tracks using its tool for frequency analysis.
Your tracks are presented as editable waveforms by the software that can be edited by the users. As a user you can also edit the music track using the cut, copy, and paste features or even use its wide range of added plug-ins to improve the series of effects and the audio assessment. The program comes with an in-built support for plug-ins like LV2, LADSPA, and Nyquist.
Free Mixing Software
Supported Platforms: Windows, Mac, and Linux
Price: Free
Get it here: https://www.audacityteam.org/download/
AbletonLive Lite 9
The Live Lite 9 version of Ableton is a restricted version of the program, however, it's one of the best software for music making out there. The best part about it is that it's free to download and is compatible with both Windows and Mac. With the paid version you get an additional 4GB of sounds.
What's amazing is that, you get upto eight recording tracks for free if you choose not buy the upgraded version. It also comes equipped with a range of effects and tools that help you to make high-quality music tracks. You can also add MIDI tools like keyboards with it. It can be easy to use if you already know how the music making programs work. Ableton is an industry level software that's used by many musicians and producers to create music and record.
Supported Platforms: Windows, Mac
Price: Free version available; upgrade starts from $99
Get it here: https://www.ableton.com/
FL Studio
If you are a first-timer, looking to start with a music making software, FL Studio is the best option for you. It's been in the scene for quite some time now and is one of the most popular DAW software till date. From sound correction, cut-paste, or stretching to pitch shifting or the works, it's got all the usual protocols you could think of. The biggest plus point of this program is its interface which is especially designed to suit the beginners.
Easy To Use Music Mixing Software Chromebook
While you can refer to the YouTube video tutorials for any explanation required on any feature, you also get 30 synth software along with it for out-of-the-box usage. So, for those who have just bought a controller and want to try out some sounds to start with, you do not need to spend those added bucks. Whether you want to record in it using microphone, do the usual editing and mixing, or use the MIDI keyboards, it fulfils all the essential requirements of a music software. Bonus – it comes with an extremely user-friendly interface.
Supported Platforms: Windows only
Price: Free trial available; Full version starts at $99
Get it here: https://www.image-line.com/flstudio/
Magix Acid
While it may not be the leading software in the category with a dated looking interface, it still takes pride with its strongest features like automatic audio time-stretching and pitch shifting. Bonus- it also features the MIDI now.
Yes, it may not be the best performing software on the list, but Magix Acid is definitely fast, competent, and user-friendly. It's been recently owned by Magix and the version 8 is about to be launched that indicates towards a much-needed change with an all-new user-interface. It's also touted to come up with 64-bit and VST3 support.
Supported Platforms: Windows
Price: Free trial available; Upgrade starts at $90
Get it here: https://www.magix.com/in/music/acid/
Tracktion T6
Tracktion T6 is a two years old program that still boasts of loads of features. It's a software with a simple design making it easy to understand and use. The interface is a workspace where you get all that is required in a single window. The workspace helps you avoid the inconvenience of jumping to various screens.
The best part is, that every section is flexible enough and so, it helps you to fine-tune it according to your workflow. Moreover, whichever specifications you have selected elsewhere, the bottom panel turns into screen. With its more established DAW system, it certainly has an exclusive appearance. As bonus, the program comes with unending range of audio and MIDI tracks, however, it's based on the hardware potential. Yes, it also supports several plugin formats such as VST, Audio Units, and more.
Supported Platforms: macOS/Windows/Linux (VST, AU and Linux VST)
Price: Free
Get it here: https://www.tracktion.com/products/t6-daw
DarkWave Studio
When looking for a free DAW software, DarkWave Studio is definitely worth a try. It's not only free of cost, it's also perfect for the Window users as it supports all platforms from XP to 10. What's interesting is, it does not require much space for storage and can be easily discovered and downloaded online.
Among its many features are the Sequence Editor, Virtual Studio, Multitrack Hard Disk Recorder, and Pattern Editor. While the Pattern Editor helps you select digital music patterns and even edit them, the sequence editor enables you to arrange patterns to mix up the track patterns and any arrangements together. You can explore the recording options under its HD recorder tab. It also allows you to choose from the multiple plug-ins (19) that can help you add virtual effects to the music tracks.
Supported Platforms: Windows only
Price: Free
Get it here: https://www.experimentalscene.com/software/darkwave-studio/
Presonus Studio One Prime
Those looking for a free version of this efficient program can download their freeware edition which is Studio One Prime. For advanced features you can purchase the upgraded version that's specifically for artists and professionals. Studio One is the basic version out of all which you can add to your software collection using any my.presonus.com account. The system requirements include a minimum of 4GB RAM and 30GB of storage within, and it works with the latest versions of Windows.
Despite lacking the advanced features in comparison to the upgraded version, the free version retains the same instinctive interface with drag and drop feature that helps you to create fresh tracks and even add effects. The USP of Studio One Prime is that it comes equipped with endless audio files, FX and virtual tools. Not just that, it also allows you to add nine local audio effects to your music pieces. Some of the mixing and control features that are retained in the free version are easy chain side routing, control link MIDI mapping, and latency compensation. Bonus – the freeware also offers multitrack MIDI and multitrack track change editing instruments. Overall, even being the curtailed version, the freeware still retains most of its essential tools.
Supported Platforms: Windows only
Price: Free; upgrade available for $450
Best Software For Mixing Music
Get it here: https://www.presonus.com/products/Studio-One/get-studio-one
Avid Pro tools
Those looking for tools especially designed for mixing music the professional way, Avid Pro Tools is just what you need. This advanced yet simple tool helps you to excel the industry standards. While it offers the usual facility to create, record, mix, edit, master, and more, it also comes with the advanced version (Avid Audio Engine) that's loaded with a super speedy processor, 64-bit memory, latency input buffer of its own that helps during any delays, and an innate metering.
Time-stretch to alter the tempo, or Elastic Pitch which is somewhat similar to the autotune that helps rectify harmonies are among the other features to name a few. What's more? It also comes packed with 70 effects and plug-ins, and other features like channel stripping, compressors, EQ's reverb, and so on.
Supported Platforms: Windows or Mac
Price: Free Trial available; upgrade starts at $24.92
Get it here: https://www.avid.com/pro-tools
Ardour
It's a fantastic piece of software that works perfectly well with Windows, Linux, and OS X. The version 5 comes with an all revamped graphic user interface that's sorted with tabs. Ardour also sports loads of new features that efficiently assist you while making any alterations to the tempo, mixing, writing scripts, or using the plug-ins. The biggest plus point of this DAW software is that it's free and open source, while the subscriptions start from as low as $1 month.
Supported Platforms: Windows, Linux, OS X
Price: Free (Open Source); Subscription starts from $1
Get it here: https://ardour.org/
AmpliTube Custom Shop
Although it's a curtailed version of AmpliTube 4, it's still a completely operational application for guitar rig modelling. There are 24 models in the free version and there's a lot in the offering for the guitarists to record into their laptop directly. The tones offered by AmpliTube are genuine and there's an amazing standard of customizations available which includes the microphone selection and replacement.
The biggest bonus however, is the custom shop feature. But, if you are looking for more features, you will have to purchase the paid version. for additional stompboxes, amp models or cab sims.
Supported Platforms: Windows and Mac OS (64-bit only)
Price: Free version available
Get it here: https://www.ikmultimedia.com/shop/
LMMS (Linux Multimedia Studio)
One of the best multi-platform music making software around, Linux Multimedia Studio is also compatible with Windows and Mac. It's a free and open source program that works just perfect for all levels of music creators. The program comes packed with five editors and a wide range of synthesizers that can further fine-tune your music tracks. The tracks can be further imported to both MIDI and Hydrogen Project files along with the Song Editor. Moreover, the application also supports plug-ins like VST and LADPSA that can be mixed with several additional effects into the tracks.
Supported Platforms: Windows, Linux, Mac
Price: Free
Get it here: https://lmms.io/
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is another open source music making software that's more of a digital drum program that sounds like a drum. The Windows version is in the beta stage. It comes with a GMkit that's pre-installed and includes tools like Pedal HH and Cowbell drum kits, Jazz, Snare Jazz, Ride Rock, Ride Jazz, Snare, Stick, and more.
You can also get access to its endless patterns through the pattern sequencer and can even link patterns together in a music track. The Mixer offered by the program is another useful tool that can help you to tune the drum volume and also add some added special effects. From importing and exporting song patterns into tracks to organizing different drum audio effects on a file to overlap them, there's a lot that Hydrogen offer its users for free.
Supported Platforms: Windows and Mac
Price: Free
Get it here: http://hydrogen-music.org/
Propellerhead Reason
Although a not so widely known software, Propellerhead Resaon is indeed a stable offering in the category so far. It's a compact system with drag and drop interface, is fast enough, and of course, offers an exceptional workflow for middle to semi-pro range music makers.
It comes with a strong mixing console and makes for a great DAW software for guitar recordings or bass as it comes with amps and speakers. Additionally, it's efficient in cutting and splicing music files automatically. Bonus – it supports all MIDI hardware.
Supported Platforms: Windows and Mac
Price: Free version available; upgrade starts at $99
Get it here: https://www.propellerheads.se/en/reason
While there are umpteen such music making software around that one can use for creating a professional piece, the above listed programs are definitely for those who want to create a masterpiece. So, make your choice and rock the stage with a brilliant sounding track.
I find passion in writing Tech articles around Windows PC and softwares
