The Studio On Your Screen
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| Cakewalk Sonar-X1 |
MODERN DIGITAL AUDIO WORKSTATIONS—
portable computers that are powerful enough to be self-contained
multi-track studios—are so ubiquitous that it’s shocking
to discover they’ve only been around since the ’90s. In those
two decades, however, DAWs have grown faster, more capable,
and easier to use, which is great news for those of us who
haven’t yet jumped into computer-based music production.
Now is an exciting time to jump in: Almost every manufacturer
offers free or very inexpensive entry-level versions of
their software, and most of these programs run on both Mac
and PC platforms. In fact, the hard thing is deciding which
program to get. How much MIDI do you plan to use? Do you
want to record just yourself, or your band? Do you need lots of
virtual instruments? Do you want to be able to print charts?
What can you afford?
Although every DAW has its specialties and its limitations,
the most important thing is to find the one with the interface,
workflow, and capabilities that suit you. Talk to your friends,
download the trial versions, and test-drive them. Perhaps you’ll
discover that there’s no such thing as the “best” DAW—whatever
works best for you is the one.
ABLETON LIVE 8
Th is staple of the laptop musician’s arsenal may not seem like a
typical DAW in the mold of Logic or Pro Tools, but once you’ve
recorded into it, there are an astounding variety of ways to manipulate,
arrange, loop, and otherwise morph your tracks. Prices range
from $99 for Ableton Live Intro to $850 for the full suite with a
packed library, audio content, and instruments. ableton.com
ACOUSTICA MIXCRAFT 6
This PC-only DAW has everything you need to get started,
including a healthy loop library, almost a dozen software instruments,
and simple but effective score editing and printing.
It’s a big package that’s easy to use, even if it does get a little
crowded on laptop screens, and the price ($75) is definitely right.
acoustica.com/mixcraft
ADOBE AUDITION CS6
Audition’s lack of notation view, MIDI, or support for control
surfaces (such as hardware mixing boards) means that it isn’t
for everyone, but if you messed around with Cool Edit Pro or
work with Adobe Premiere, you might dig it. Mac users can get
Audition for $94; it’s $320 for PC people. adobe.com/audition
AUDACITY
Don’t need fancy effects, lots of loops, or a boatload of virtual
instruments? Try Audacity. It’s free, easy to use, blessed with
an uncluttered user interface, and barebones but stable. It also
doubles as an easy way to convert old recordings into digital
files or analyze your favorite bass solo by changing the pitch
and speed. audacity.sourceforge.net
AVID PRO TOOLS 10
Despite challengers to the throne, this king of the DAW world
stays on top thanks to its audio-editing tools, which are second
to none. PT10’s biggest news is that it’s the first iteration of
Pro Tools that doesn’t require proprietary hardware. Try a free,
30-day trial or go for the gradually more full-featured SE, MP9,
Express, Pro Tools 10 ($700), or Pro Tools HD 10
($880) versions. avid.com/protools
CAKEWALK SONAR X1
Sonar occupies the middle ground between
laptop/electronic-friendly DAWs such as Ableton
Live and Propellerhead Record, and more traditional
sequencers such as Cubase and Logic,
with some of the advantages of both. This PConly
program comes in several flavors, including
Essential ($70), Studio ($150), Producer
($300), and Producer Expanded ($50 more).
cakewalk.com/sonar
COCKOS REAPER 4
What it lacks in instruments, notation view or
printing, and sample libraries, Reaper makes up
in strong core features, a small footprint (it’s a
2MB download), lots of plug-ins, an unusually customizable
interface, and its $65 price. reaper.fm
CUBASE 6.5
One of the oldest, biggest, and most full-featured
DAWS, Cubase has bolstered its latest iteration
with better audio-editing capabilities and new
synths and stompbox/amp simulators. Like other
manufacturers, Cubase offers tiered pricing that
ranges from $99 for Cubase Elements 6 to $500
for the full version. steinberg.net
GARAGEBAND ’11
GarageBand, part of Apple’s iLife package, comes
standard on new Macs (you can also buy it for
$79). It’s not ideal for MIDI-heavy projects or odd
time signatures, but its thousands of loops, its
piano and guitar lessons, its virtual instruments,
as well as its selection of virtual amps and pedals
make it perfect for DAW novices. apple.com/ilife/garageband
LOGIC PRO STUDIO 9
GarageBand’s big brother is a similarly intuitive
and beginner-friendly DAW bolstered with more
editing flexibility, more loops and samples, a
wider palette of instruments, full MIDI capabilities,
and MainStage, which makes it easy to bring
your favorite sounds onstage. In 2011, Apple discontinued
entry-level Logic Express, but Logic
Pro Studio 9 is only $200. apple.com/logicpro
MOTU DIGITAL PERFORMER 7
Many musicians have deserted this classic Macplatform
DAW for Pro Tools or Logic, but fans
stick with DP for its highly adaptable interface,
multiple workflow options, and deep audio- and
MIDI-editing tools. DP7 prices range from $325
to $495; DP8, which will run on both Mac and
PC, is expected to be available sometime in 2012.
motu.com
PRESONUS STUDIO ONE 2
This new kid on the DAW block is easy to use
and learn, and it’s packed with cool plug-ins.
Although there’s no notation view or quantizing,
it does have surprisingly good mastering
tools. Try Studio One Free, do the Artist edition
($100), dig into the Producer package ($200),
or go pro with the Professional version ($300).
presonus.com/studioone