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What is the best alternative to Logic Pro X?

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Audacity

All
10
Experiences
Pros
4
Cons
5
Specs
Ryan
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Free, open source and cross-platform

Audacity is available for free on Windows, Mac OS, and Linux with source code available here. See More
Taylor Coogan
Top Con

Not seen as a full DAW

Audacity doesn't have the capabilities of popular DAWs and generally isn't considered to be good option. See More
Ryan
Top Pro

Well maintained

Audacity is constantly updated. See More
Taylor Coogan
Top Con

No real time effects

Users are unable to change effects in real time with Audacity. If effects are to be changed, no sound can be playing or recording. See More
Ryan
Top Pro

Great community backing it

See More
Ryan
Taylor Coogan
Top Con

Doesn't retain audio integrity

Audacity uses destructive editing, meaning applying effects, cutting, etc is non-reversable after you've saved a project. See More
Calvin Grain
Top Pro

Great for vocal track editing

See More
Transverse Audio
Top Con

Unable to use Synthesizers / virtual instruments

You can only use effect plugins or record live with this DAW. See More
RCLeahcar
Top Con

No native 64-bit version, therefore does not support 64-bit VST plugins

Audacity is available only as a 32-bit application, therefore even when running on 64-bit machines, it only supports 32-bit VST plugins unless they are converted to 32-bit using an application such as JBridge. See More
Specs
Compatibility:Mac, Linux, Windows
HideSee All Experiences
299 53

Reaper

All
46
Experiences
Pros
33
Cons
12
Specs
1881
Bani Grisson
thermoplastics
Top Pro

Highly customizable

As well as making your own themes, you can configure the Reaper interface to best suit your needs. There are no limitations to how customizable or programmable Reaper truly is. It's almost magic. Couple this with shortcut editing and you have a winner. See More
1881
CredibleTamanuitera
Slimothy
Top Con

Long drop down menus

There are many features that you'll find nested deep in the menu system. This is fine, but can be a bit of a workflow-stopper. Everything is there but somethings are difficult to find. This can be remedied, somewhat, using the action list. See More
Monika
1881
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Extremely stable, rarely crashes

Reaper receives high praise for its stability. It's one of the many talking points of the software. See More
Bani Grisson
Slimothy
Ynys Lochtyn
Top Con

Lacks VSTis

Doesn't come with a wealth of VSTis. Plugins for things like piano, cello, guitar have to be found elsewhere. But is highly compatible with other providers of those products. See More
1881
Slimothy
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Supports unlimited number of tracks with unlimited number of effects

There are no limits to the amount of tracks or effects that Reaper can run. Reaper is stable enough to handle comically dense projects with style. See More
Monika
LuckyRadegast
Top Con

The MIDI editor is not intuitive and feels very clumsy and inconsistent

It costs time and extra clicks to control the MIDI velocities. If you use the MIDI editor a lot, Reaper is just not for you. See More
1881
Slimothy
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Constantly updated

Reaper's developers add features based on user request at lightspeed. This is what makes Reaper reliable and trustworthy. Fans of Reaper are so adamant about the software because of this. Contrary to Music Radar's review of FL Studio, Reaper is the true "People's DAW". See More
1881
yshkbc
Top Con

Closed-Source

The privacy conscious may be unnerved to find that Reaper is closed-source. This means that what the software may or may not know about you is invisible. Try to protect your data when using closed-source software. See More
Bani Grisson
Top Pro

Very low cpu usage

Reaper's will tailor itself to fit your computer's processing power by automatically using the "anticipative FX processing" feature. See More
Sam Lallit
Top Con

Midi Latency is still an issue

See More
Bani Grisson
Top Pro

Easy to install

No complex activation shenanigans. No dongle and such. See More
yshkbc
Top Con

Lacks LV2 support

Does not support the LV2 plugin standard See More
ExpertKullervo
Slimothy
Daniel Liberatore
Top Pro

Auto-bridges 32-bit plugins in a 64-bit environment

When using a 64-bit installation of Reaper, all 32-bit plugins will still work alongside 64-bit plugins. On computers with an x86-64 CPU and an OS that supports multi-architecture, you can also run bridged 64-bit plugins on 32-bit Reaper. See More
Monika
1881
NonchalantAsherah
Top Con

Overwhelming amount of features available

The programmable interface means that tweaking features is daunting for some. See More
Bani Grisson
Rick Gionfriddo
Slimothy
Top Pro

Portable

Reaper is lightweight enough to be run off of a flash drive; the installer weights less than 20 MB and the portable installation option is included in it. See More
Bani Grisson
thermoplastics
Max Ivanov
Top Con

Midi drum editing not so fast or easy

Cubase has more features for creating and editing midi drum tracks. See More
Chloe Montanez
ToughIdunn
Top Pro

Multiple recording and playback formats

Records in WAV, AIFF, FLAC, WAVPACK, OGG and MP3. See More
Daniel Liberatore
Top Con

No PFL metering

If you want to meter your input levels before your FX and volume fader, you'll need to insert a metering plugin as the first part of the chain, since there is no option for PFL metering. See More
Bani Grisson
Top Pro

Huge community support

See More
WhiteLilac
Bani Grisson
thermoplastics
Top Con

No native groove quantize feature

Straight quantization is available, but the Reaper 4 DAW is still missing groove integration. This feature can be made available with the free SWS extension. See More
Rick Gionfriddo
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Comes with ~300 free plugins

See More
CuriousUrania
Top Con

Midi dropout or inconsistent when render a track

When rendering a track with multiple vst, the midi note either having drop out issue, or not playing on time in render. Tried all render method such as offline full speed, offline 1x and online render, with both case of enabling or disabling the "allow anticipative FX processing", even tried to change the performance options on individual track, the problem still occurs. However, it is still nice to do mixing and recording with all these handful of tools. See More
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Multi-level freezing

A freeze can be applied to a group, and then picked apart track by track. See More
Monika
1881
IndependentCalleis
Top Con

Potentially unattractive GUI

For some, Reaper appears very dated or clunky. The GUI is nowhere near as fluid as its competitors. Ableton, Bitwig, Reason (and others) all provide smoother animations or skeuomorphic feedback. Reaper's instruments and effects come in the form of sliders and very small knobs. It takes the user out of the fantasy of working with certain equipment. This makes Reaper very boring to watch from a distance for some. However, this means nothing in terms of Reaper's raw power. By trading appearance and initial impression for functionality, Reaper stays ahead. See More
1881
Bani Grisson
thermoplastics
Top Pro

Highly Affordable

Reaper can be purchased in two different ways: A commercial license (225 USD) and a discounted license (60 USD). You can use Reaper unhindered with either license. You can only get the discount if your salary does not exceed 20,000 USD. See More
Monika
SuaveHatepuna
Top Pro

Editing audio can be done on track

You don't have to go to a separate editor to edit audio files. You can work directly on the track, and drop/drag pieces to other tracks, sew them together. It's a fun sandbox and easy peasy. See More
1881
Revaz Eristavi
Top Pro

Application is extendable

Reaper has no limitations. Once you understand it, Reaper becomes a mixing, mastering and editing mainstay. Reaper punches way above its price range in terms of sheer brevity. See More
1881
Chloe Montanez
ExpertKullervo
Top Pro

DRM-free

Although it may seem otherwise, Reaper is shareware. After your 60-day free trial runs out, the program remains full-featured. Like WinRAR, the only person forcing you to get a license is you. See More
teadan
Laura Kyle
Rick Gionfriddo
Top Pro

Free Reaplugs VST/VSTi bundle

Allows usage of the basic bundled like EQ's and comp plugins in any DAW. See More
Inguna Gudareva
InventiveKupala
Top Pro

Very full featured but basic recording and production can be learned and done in a few hours

Without prior experience with DAW, you can install Reaper, set up ASIO drivers, connect to your amp and mikes, get the hang of recording/re-recording tracks, and render an mp3 in just a few hours. You can accomplish the basics very fast. See More
JM80
Emmanuel Higgins
Top Pro

Many time-saving features

Thought has been given to many time-saving features and shortcuts which speed up workflow considerably. See More
1881
thermoplastics
Slimothy
Top Pro

Universal Tracks

In Reaper, you can record MIDI and Audio onto the same track. As well, there are no distinctions between any form of audio. Surround Sound, Mono, Stereo files, and anything else you can think of; all of this can be recorded onto the same track. See More
Rick Gionfriddo
Top Pro

Supports ReWire

See More
1881
Bani Grisson
Top Pro

Tabbing multiple projects

You can have multiple projects open via tabs at the top left. You can then drag and drop clips, instruments or ideas between projects with ease. See More
1881
ModestHermus
Top Pro

Tool-less interface

Set the cursor, press a key, done. Reaper's cursor is extremely intuitive. A monkey could understand it. Unlike Cakewalk, Bitwig, etc., there is no need to switch cursor editing modes or work around "smart" cursors. See More
1881
Pranav Kamat
Top Pro

Notation Editing

Miraculously, composition-focused musicians can now find a home in Reaper. See More
Slimothy
Top Pro

Lua scripting can be done in the DAW with a built-in IDE

See More
StrongHesat
Top Pro

The software advances with you

If you want to use it as a glorified tape machine and nothing else, you'll still be able to get work done. If you want to learn all the shortcuts, scripts, custom actions and macros and really unlock what Reaper can do, you can do that as well. Either way, you'll still be able to make music. See More
1881
Yoshiyuki
stoltenberg
Top Pro

OSC Support

You can control almost everything via OSC (and MIDI, too). See More
1881
Rick Gionfriddo
Top Pro

Runs well on Wine in Linux

While other DAWs drag their feet on Windows, Reaper hits a solid stride even on Linux. See More
1881
Svjatoslavs Krasnikovs
Joseph Anthony Bonaobra
Top Pro

Potential to be the most beautiful DAW

You can customize Reaper with hundreds of themes, or make them yourself. See More
1881
AdventurousDanina
Top Pro

Clean, easy-to-read GUI

While some may disagree, the GUI has been widely celebrated for its informative nature. Everything you need to see is there or reachable. For more analytical types, Reaper can be of use. See More
JM80
cosmo
Top Pro

Native Linux support

No need to install Wine, Reaper supports Linux natively! See More
1881
MethodicalEuphrosyne
Top Pro

Can edit while you're recording

Reaper allows editing while you're recording for a performative and fluid workflow. This feature can also help save time when mixing. See More
Nedas Kuzas
Heryan Maulana
Top Pro

Smooth

Running smoothly with 50 tracks on i5 gen3 RAM 4GB laptop (mixing and mastering work done separately). See More
Specs
Compatibility:Mac, Windows, 64-bit Linux (beta)
Max number of tracks:Unlimited
MIDI?:Yes
Processing type:32-bit, 64-bit, ARM (32/64-bit, beta, Linux Only)
See All Specs
HideSee All Experiences
716 151

Studio One

All
31
Experiences
Pros
22
Cons
8
Specs
thermoplastics
Slimothy
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Easy to use DAW interface

All components are laid out in an understandable fashion and almost everything is drag and drop. See More
Alex
kdm
Top Con

No real support for synth hardware

SO3 cannot control your synth. You cannot see/control or access patches, their names, or SysEx. It seems that everything is centered around use of virtual instruments, and not hardware synth. See More
thermoplastics
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Efficient DAW workflow

The Studio One DAW doesn't expect users to deal with a lot of windows, answer questions, or use the mouse excessively. This DAW is known for lettings users be creative without getting in the way. See More
Matthew
EmbiggenedTlaltecuhtli
Top Con

No score sheet

There is no built-in score sheet for MIDI tracks, not even a basic one: you must do everything with the Piano Roll. The program may interface with Notation to do that, but you have to buy it separately and it is still clumsy. See More
Monika
thermoplastics
Adam Scott
Top Pro

Melodyne built-in

The Real Melodyne is integrated in the actual DAW. No other DAW is set up to streamline Melodyne. See More
Francisco
nexocentric
Top Con

The DAW can't be used as a ReWire component

The DAW can be used as a ReWire host, but cannot be used as a ReWire component. This is frustrating if you like some of the instrument sounds and virtual synths in Studio One, but prefer another DAW to do your main work in. See More
Dwayne Valentine
Top Pro

Creative songwriting and arrangement tools

Use the 'scratch pad' work on multiple versions for your song without leaving the main window. See More
RCLeahcar
thermoplastics
Old Blue
Top Con

Free version does not support 3rd party plugins

The Artist and Professional version of Studio One 5 may justify their price by including VST and VSTi plugins, but the free Prime version does not support VST plugins out of the box. See More
thermoplastics
Jared Sutherland (Jared James)
Top Pro

Very stable DAW

Performance is rock solid and very efficient, even on lower spec computers. See More
1965gio
Top Con

Bad customer service

See More
thermoplastics
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Automatic delay compensation

When a plugin takes time to process a sound, the Studio One DAW detects the gap and compensates. See More
Monika
DignifiedEros
Top Con

Interface

The interface Graphical is comic bookish. While the DAW is useful there are better interfaces out there. One of the biggest issues is how the signal path is selected. Other DAW's work more like a patchbay allowing for a more visual interaction with the program. Studio One is different and a little obtuse. For example, Digital performer 11, Protools 11, Sonar Producer provide a better experience. See More
Monika
Paolo
Joe Crisp
Top Pro

Good interface compatibility

Works great with interfaces, and doesn't fight with ASIO drivers. See More
DignifiedEros
Top Con

Interface signal selection is obtuse and not as intuitive as other DAWs

See More
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Bounces MIDI in place

When bouncing from MIDI to audio, a new track won't be created, the clip will stay in the same place. When bouncing a specific part of a MIDI clip, it will be placed in a new track. See More
Monika
SuccessfulVesta
Top Con

Non-free software

Does not respect your freedom. Does not provide source code. See More
Monika
thermoplastics
Dwayne Valentine
Top Pro

Multiple key command templates

Possible to use key commands from Pro Tools, Logic, Cubase, etc. See More
IndustriousPazuzu
Top Pro

Lightweight on lower CPU

See More
HonorableFukurokuju
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Dedicated mastering page

Studio one has a page dedicated specifically to mastering which can be very useful when trying to finish your song See More
Chloe Montanez
thermoplastics
Adam Scott
Top Pro

Insert plugins on actual events, not just tracks

Have you ever wanted a delay on just a word or so. No need to automate or move to a separate track. No need to print it to the clip and run out of room on the audio file. Simply amazing feature. See More
Dwayne Valentine
Top Pro

Awesome smart tool

Hovering over different parts of the events in the arrange window activates different tools. See More
Monika
DignifiedEros
Top Pro

Drag and Drop feature is quite flexible and allows for massive free form modification on the fly

See More
Matthew
TranquilNut
Top Pro

Chord Track

Chord track can be used by inserting chords or getting them from an inserted track. See More
Dwayne Valentine
Top Pro

Vocalign built in

Vocalign Project is can be integrated with the option to upgrade to Vocalign Pro. See More
Chris Sederqvist
Top Pro

Available with a rent-to-own option from Splice

For those that can't afford to pay for a full professional DAW in one swoop, this is an amazing opportunity to get Studio One 4 Professional in monthly payments. Pause and resume payments when you want or cancel at any time. See More
ConscientiousMaia
Top Pro

Eficient quality , all more easy and fast.

See More
Nedas Kuzas
ExpertGrannus
Top Pro

The best DAW in Market and future standard

See More
AwesomestWongTaiSin
Top Pro

Notion 6 easy and full integration for scoring

See More
Svjatoslavs Krasnikovs
HonorableTuriacus
Top Pro

Working with your iPad makes it easier

See More
PerceptiveLadon
Top Pro

Version 5 is the law

See More
Specs
Compatibility:Mac, Windows
Max number of tracks:Unlimited
MIDI?:Yes
Included sounds:Yes
See All Specs
HideSee All Experiences
246 36

FL Studio

All
51
Experiences
Pros
36
Cons
14
Specs
Slimothy
Taylor Coogan
Alex Joseph
Top Pro

Excellent for visual learners

All the stock plugins look really nice and really show users what is being done, it's a great way to learn mixing theory for a beginner. This approach makes FL Studio easy to learn compared to other DAWs. See More
Slimothy
thermoplastics
Ynys Lochtyn
Top Con

Not intuitive for track based recording approach

See More
immanuel kuipers
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Free lifetime updates

With the producer or signature bundle, updates are free forever. See More
Monika
Rūdis
Farzin Javadi
Top Con

Audio recording not as good as the other DAWs

Recording audio is always a problem in FL Studio. See More
Laura Kyle
Endi Sukaj
Sacco Belmonte
Top Pro

Easy to install

No complex activation shenanigans. No dongle and such. See More
UnderstandingHebat
Top Con

Lack of other midi keyboard brands

See More
IncredibleUkur
thermoplastics
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Easy to learn DAW

The FL Studio DAW utilizes drag and drop, and can generally be learned quickly without any prior knowledge. There are also a lot of resources to help begginers and experienced users learn. See More
ImpartialPotrympus
Top Con

The Browser is archaic

Every time it has to refresh, it closes the entire menu. So if you just navigated several dropdowns to find an automation parameter of a third party plugin and you want to automate a second parameter, you have to navigate back to that dropdown all over again. Searching within the browser is a slapped on feature that only shows you a single result at a time, and you have to press a hotkey to cycle through them one by one. Really, your browser in FL is the Windows File Explorer, or Finder in OS I assume. The FL Browser is workflow molasses and should be avoided at all costs except to find samples you already know the location of. See More
Slimothy
Top Pro

Scalable interface

The interface adapts to the screen size it's used on. See More
Monika
H K
Top Con

The GUI is very difficult to see

The color scheme of GUI is terrible. They use a lot of dark and similar color for the GUI. And not skinnable without special knowledge of hack. See More
Laura Kyle
Jonathan Opio
Slimothy
Top Pro

Intuitive piano roll

Piano roll is a FL Studio's instrument step sequencer. It is considered to be among the most intuitive and flexible tools for quickly creating patterns and manipulating all aspects of each note. A single left click inserts a note, while a right click deletes it. It's possible to mute notes, splice them, stretch them, add shuffle, etc quickly. The Piano Roll caters for those new to Music Theory as well, containing an array of chords from which to choose, be it a Major, Minor, Minor 5th, Minor 9th, what have you. See More
teadan
PassionateProteus
Top Con

Shortcuts are weird

And non-reconfigurable. See More
teadan
Jonathan Opio
Top Pro

Sampler

FL Studio has a very unique sampler which allows all kinds of sounds to be experimented with, be it a siren, a water drop, or more commonly, the infamous "Progressive House" Kick. The Sampler also allows the user to retune a sample to any key he/she desires. See More
thermoplastics
Robert “Myrl” Xeraser
Top Con

The soundfont player will trash your projects, no 64-bit version available

Remember that nice project with a soundfont in it ? Yeeeah, load it again and prepare to face stuck MIDI notes and a trashed project. See More
Slimothy
Realaze Summers
Top Pro

Each update is major

When Image Line releases an update, it's safe to assume that there are major improvements in there. See More
WorthyZaoJun
Top Con

Everything.

It is more like a Fisher Price My First Daw than a real, truly professional DAW. See More
Laura Kyle
Sacco Belmonte
Top Pro

Very comprehensive plugin suite included

You have basic and advanced plugins right out the box. See More
JM80
Kimboze
Robert “Myrl” Xeraser
Top Con

Has a slight tendency to crash

Always save before loading a new VST or doing something important: FL is prone to crashes. See More
Laura Kyle
Endi Sukaj
Sacco Belmonte
Top Pro

Fully open: accepts a variety of formats

Accepts VST/VSTi (v2,v3) Wav, Aiff, Rex, Acid, Apple Loop, Ogg, Mp3 as well as almost every video format including Mov and Mp4. See More
Nedas Kuzas
ReveredUrcuchillay
Top Con

Bad sound for expensive piano plugin

Rendered using the same MIDI note and compared it to the render on other daws, it's really bad. See More
Endi Sukaj
Sacco Belmonte
Top Pro

Smooth UI

Compared to other DAWs, FL's UI moves at full monitor refresh rates while others are somehow laggy. See More
Monika
Chris Earnest
Ray
Top Con

Most controls are hidden

In the mixing console, mid, bass, and treble are not explicitly stated as they should be. See More
Slimothy
Top Pro

Supports resampling

Supports resampling (non stretch) which is something some DAWs don't support. See More
Svjatoslavs Krasnikovs
SuccessfulVesta
Top Con

Non-free software

See More
Monika
Sacco Belmonte
Top Pro

Inbuilt cross 32/64bit plugin bridge

You don't need to install/configure a third party bridge. See More
teadan
ResponsibleJulana
Top Con

Not great for Mixing

Every channel should have input gain controller and extra plugins should be added for more creativity. See More
Based Kidd (BasedKiddQP)
Laura Kyle
Slimothy
Top Pro

Perfect for engineering because of the production style workflow

The workflow for creating beats in FL Studio is among the fastest which make mixing and mastering a breeze inserting plug-ins and routing on the mixer. See More
DiligentAjbit
Top Con

Can not customize the GUI

Can not change the UI as I Like and Altering UI is See More
Laura Kyle
Sacco Belmonte
Top Pro

Fully vectorial UI that will scale to virtually every screen

Because most DAWs don't scale well yet. See More
Monika
Jonathan Opio
Top Pro

Sample/MIDI Manipulation in the Playlist Mode

The Playlist mode comes with various tools for cutting out sections of a sample, midi arrangement, or otherwise. One can also clone, mute, solo out, and stretch a sample by any degree, although the sample's key will change. See More
Monika
Laura Kyle
Sacco Belmonte
Top Pro

Can import/export 32bit audio

Just as the internal engine bit depth, there's no loss in quality. See More
thermoplastics
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Good for the studio

Some DAWs are good for live shows, some DAWs are good for production, but the FL Studio DAW has carved its niche in the studio recording arena. See More
Monika
Undra Music
Top Pro

Unlimited creativity

With tools in the piano roll like the "Riff Machine", and the "Randomize" tool, you can literally let the computer automate the production if you want. In addition to plugins like "Gross Beat", Slicex, DirectWave, the ideas can be limitless. See More
Sacco Belmonte
Top Pro

The only DAW with a VJ graphic generation suite (ZG Editor Visualizer)

No other DAW has that. See More
Monika
Sacco Belmonte
Top Pro

It comes as VSTi and Rewire

So you can use it inside another DAW. There's no other DAW capable of doing that. See More
Chloe Montanez
PrivateMenhit
Top Pro

Non-invasive DRM

Forget copy protection USB-dongles and phone-home activation. Just import a reg key file and your license is activated. See More
Laura Kyle
Endi Sukaj
Sacco Belmonte
Top Pro

Patcher: Modular environment

See More
Laura Kyle
Endi Sukaj
Sacco Belmonte
Top Pro

It is the only DAW where you can program real scratching sequences (Turntablism)

You can make your own scratches with the "Fruity Scratcher" or "Wave traveller". See More
Monika
Endi Sukaj
Slimothy
Top Pro

Flexible internal linking engine

Its linking engine and controller plugins are very flexible and useful all across the software. For mixing and also for performance mode. See More
Laura Kyle
Endi Sukaj
Sacco Belmonte
Top Pro

Imports video for scoring

You can open several video players. See More
Transverse Audio
Top Pro

Powerful Sound Editor

Edison is a great way to record and edit samples, sound effects and is a very easy way to create sample packs and sound libraries. See More
Chloe Montanez
PrivateMenhit
Top Pro

Reasonable and liberal license

Buy once, and you're allowed to use it on every computer you own. See More
DependableMultultu
Top Pro

Amazing sequencer to input midi

See More
PracticalZaden
Top Pro

Has the best startup sound

See More
Slimothy
Top Pro

It's possible to run FL Studio on Linux via Wine without a noticeable performance impact

Version 12 of FL Studio includes a new Generic ASIO driver that's capable of achieving same low latency performance as the native Windows version. Instructions on how to set up the DAW to run on Linux via Wine can be found here. See More
Monika
Sacco Belmonte
Top Pro

Complete control over multiple Launchpad Pro animation lightshow projects

Live can, but working with more LPs is a pain. See More
DazzlingHidimbi
Top Pro

Shows other instrument notes in background if needed

See More
Slimothy
Top Pro

Very flexible timeline

See More
Slimothy
Top Pro

Best stretching algorithms in the market

See More
Svjatoslavs Krasnikovs
GutsyAchuhucanac
Top Pro

Developed by a team of friends

See More
Specs
Compatibility:Mac, Windows
Max number of tracks:500
MIDI?:Yes
Processing type:32-bit, 64-bit
HideSee All Experiences
298 55

LMMS

All
22
Experiences
Pros
15
Cons
6
Specs
Slimothy
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Cross-platform

LMMS works on Linux, Windows and OSX. See More
Ben Colvin
Top Con

No merging or splicing options

There is no feature that allows you to merge or splice tracks in LMMS. See More
Transverse Audio
JM80
pe ka
Top Pro

Is a great open-source alternative to FL Studio

Interface look like FL Studio interface. Has many of the same windows such as step-sequencer, piano roll, playlist, mixer, etc. See More
John Paluska
Top Con

Pitch bending could be more native

Sometimes you can pitch bend with the Piano Roll Editor but with many instruments you cannot and are limited to the pitch knob in the main plugin interface. See More
Slimothy
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Free and open source

LMMS is available for free with source code licensed under GPL and available on GitHub allowing anyone to edit and extend the software as they see fit. See More
Paolo
InterestingAphros
Top Con

Program crashes a lot

This happens more frequently when loading VST files. See More
John Paluska
GuessWhatBBQ
InterestingAphros
Top Pro

VST Support

Uses VeSTige as the VST plugin. It has some bugs but most VSTs work with it. See More
Transverse Audio
Top Con

Limited mixer rack

You can only add Virtual Instrument tracks into the mixing console/rack. See More
pe ka
Top Pro

Portable

LMMS is lightweight enough to be run off of a flash drive. See More
Monika
UnderstandingHebat
Top Con

GUI is ugly

See More
pe ka
Top Pro

JACK Audio Connection Kit support

See More
Transverse Audio
Top Con

Limited effect plugin support

A lot of 3rd-party effect plugins don't work. See More
John Paluska
pe ka
Top Pro

MIDI controllers support

Just plug in and play. Plug in the MIDI keyboard before opening LMMS and it'll automatically pick up that you've connected the keyboard. See More
pe ka
Top Pro

LADSPA plugins support

See More
pe ka
Top Pro

Multiple languages support

See More
pe ka
Top Pro

VST plugins support

See More
Paolo
Undra No Fuxtogive
Top Pro

Works with many VSTs and effects

See More
Raghu Ranganathan
Top Pro

Preloaded with basic VST instrument plugins and modifiers

LMMS comes with a triple oscillator, Gameboy sound emu, NES sound emu added into the software, which makes it easier to create sounds without the inclusion of external plugins. It is very accessible for beginners. See More
Transverse Audio
Top Pro

Computer Keyboard to MIDI

You can use your computer keyboard as a MIDI controller. See More
CaffeinatedMultultu
Top Pro

Easy to use

LMMS is ideal for beginners, as it is easy to use and comes with tons of ready to use instruments and samples. See More
Transverse Audio
Top Pro

Sandbox layout

All windows in the DAW can be moved around freely and are not attached to a grid. See More
Specs
Compatibility:Linux, Windows, Mac
Processing type:32-bit, 64-bit
Included sounds:Yes
Plugin Compatibility:VST, LADSPA
See All Specs
HideSee All Experiences
263 58

Pro Tools 2018.7

All
23
Experiences
Pros
13
Cons
9
Specs
InfluentialVucubCaquix
Top Con

Too damn expensive

See More
thermoplastics
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Very fast precision editing

The Pro Tools DAW is know for making clip manipulation a fun and productive experience. See More
Slimothy
Top Con

MIDI and composition tools are a bit dated

See More
thermoplastics
Slimothy
Top Pro

Mature editing and mixing facilities

As the Pro Tools DAW was originally developed to be an audio-only system with recording, editing and mixing in mind, these core features have been the most developed over time. It can be argued that the Pro Tools DAW has the best editing and mixing capabilities of any DAW, and for these reasons is considered by many to be an industry standard. As such it is an excellent DAW for multi-track mixing and recording. See More
Monika
Marcus Schulte
Top Con

Slow, old, outdated

Highest processor usage of any DAW, poor software optimization and patching of outdated code has left a slow bloated husk of a DAW that struggles to run smoothly on even the highest end modern computers. See More
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

64 Bit

This long awaited feature has finally been added. See More
Joe Crisp
Top Con

Audio Drivers and ASIO

You cannot change the audio outs in ASIO on the fly, like in some other software, without having to save and restart the entire program, plus it's very finicky about audio drivers See More
thermoplastics
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Extremely clean DAW interface

The Pro Tools DAW is known for being simple and easy to use. The UI is straightforward and isn't weighed down with useless features. See More
Belle
Joe Crisp
Top Con

Prone to crashes

While it might be the "Industry Standard" for recording award winning albums, Avid has focused more on anti piracy and security while sacrificing stability, it seems to me they just change their plugin standard and slap a new version number on it and rush it to market. See More
Joe Crisp
Top Pro

Clean, Uncluttered Interface

The UI is very clean and uncluttered so there's not too much going on onscreen to have to try to focus on, do wish they would implement a theme system though, so you could change the colors of the UI, I prefer a dark theme as they are easier on the eyes See More
thermoplastics
Taylor Coogan
Slimothy
Top Con

No RTAS or VST plugin support

The Pro Tools 11 DAW dropped RTAS support in favor of their own AAX (Avid Audio eXtension) format. Without AAX availability, a VST wrapper is required. See More
Slimothy
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Free version available

The new version of Pro Tools is called Pro Tools First. It is free with some limited features. Pro Tools First allows four track inputs and three projects. See More
Svjatoslavs Krasnikovs
SuccessfulVesta
Top Con

non-free software

See More
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Comes with 8GB of included sounds and 55 included effects

See More
Monika
thermoplastics
Taylor Coogan
Top Con

No built-in pitch correction

While some other DAWs are equipped with pitch correction, the Pro Tools DAW is missing this feature. In order to use pitch correction, it must be added as a plugin. See More
thermoplastics
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Much faster than Pro Tools 10

The improvement from the Pro Tools 10 DAW to the Pro Tools 11 DAW is highly noticeable. See More
Slimothy
Adam Scott
Top Con

No batch export

You can not pick separate tracks to export in one pass that gives you separated files. See More
Monika
ReasonableNgai
Top Pro

If you're an audio engineer, you already know how to use it

See More
ReasonableNgai
Top Pro

Easy to understand file system

See More
Monika
ReasonableNgai
Top Pro

Designed with proper session organization habits in mind

See More
Monika
ReasonableNgai
Top Pro

Constantly updated software to accommodate Post/Film industry requirements

See More
Monika
ReasonableNgai
Top Pro

A signal flow that makes sense when working with a hybrid setup

See More
Specs
Compatibility:Mac, Windows
Max number of tracks:256
MIDI?:512
VST:AAX Native, AAX AudioSuite
See All Specs
HideSee All Experiences
37 35

ReNoise 3.0

All
15
Experiences
Pros
11
Cons
3
Specs
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Program custom tools

Users can make their own instruments and effects using Lua . See More
Ray
dadapotok
Slimothy
Top Con

Interface can be confusing to people who's not familiar with trackers

Trackers are different from sequencing (arrangement) view (most DAWs) and session view (Ableton, Bitwig). See More
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Very stable

DAWs are notorious for crashing, especially at the peak of a workflow. ReNoise 3 is known for its outstanding stability. See More
teadan
Svjatoslavs Krasnikovs
SuccessfulVesta
Top Con

Non-free software

See More
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Requires minimum mouse input

Shortcuts and other methods are used in order to minimize the amount of work that users must do with a mouse. This can greatly increase the efficiency of a workflow. See More
Taylor Coogan
Top Con

Cannot record multiple tracks simultaneously

Live musicians are limited by only being able to record on one tracks at a time. See More
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Sophisticated effect modulation

ReNoise 3 offers a ridiculous amount of flexibility when it comes to automation. Instead automating by sliding points around, users can choose from an array of preloaded automation patterns in order to produce more interesting sounding patterns. See More
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Optimized for dual monitors

Users who have more than one monitor can view the sampler, plugins, and MIDI controls in the instrument editor, which can be moved to a second monitor. See More
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Uses a module tracker instead of piano roll

Module trackers are preferred by some users because they help increase productivity. See More
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Unique grid based tracker

ReNoise 3 replaces the typical piano roll with a tracker, which is claimed to be "the most powerful tracker in existence". The difference between piano roll and tracker is that piano roll moves horizontally, while trackers move vertically. Users may find this confusing at first, but trackers make it simple to customize every individual note. See More
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Highly customizeable effect chains

Effects can be applied to samples in Instrument Editor in addition to being sent through track input. This is highly useful when dealing with multi-sample instruments, as each sample can have one or more effect chains. See More
Ray
Ted Curran
Top Pro

Limitless sampler

The sampler is deeply embedded in the way the whole DAW works, and it allows the user to build complex synth sounds with ease. See More
teadan
WorthyFionnuala
Top Pro

Vst support

See More
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Advanced pattern command

The Pattern Command called "MaYbe" guesses which note will be next in a progression based on the user's habits. See More
Specs
Compatibility:Mac, Windows, Linux
Max number of tracks:Unlimited
MIDI?:Yes
Processing type:32-bit, 64-bit
See All Specs
HideSee All Experiences
69 9

Waveform

All
11
Experiences
Pros
7
Cons
4
DeliberateSandas
Top Pro

Clean interface

See More
DeliberateSandas
Top Con

Not open source

See More
Alex
PerceptiveAverruncus
Top Pro

Very stable

See More
CuriousPuhaorangi
Top Con

Not suited for LIve Performance

No session based Workflow (like Live/Bitwig), hiccups upon loading projects. See More
teadan
ModestBudai
Top Pro

Linux support

Runs great on Linux(except LV2 Support). See More
vj mag
Top Con

Not option to easy cut a file

There is no scissors tool or similar.... See More
Rick Gionfriddo
Top Pro

ARM/ARM64 support

Runs on SBC (single board computer) systems like the Raspberry Pi3, Pine64, and ODroid development boards, as well as systems like the Pinebook and Chromebooks with ARM based SoC CPU's that have been reformatted with a Linux OS. See More
Endi Sukaj
JoyousSemele
Top Con

Crashes a lot

See More
SmartWatatsumi
Top Pro

Creative Tools

Has a Chord Track, MIDI pattern creator and great included tools. See More
Paolo
HonorableHaumia
Top Pro

Ideal for beginners

Self-explaining interface. See More
Alex
PerceptiveAverruncus
Top Pro

Easy to understand

Very logically structured. See More
HideSee All Experiences
53 8

Cubase 10.5

All
31
Experiences
Pros
18
Cons
12
Specs
Paolo
CharmingPatollo
Top Pro

Powerful range of audio editing tools

See More
Paolo
Joe Crisp
Top Con

Annoying dongle

Not unlike Pro Tools, you have to have a dongle containing your license plugged into your computer or you can't use the software. See More
Slimothy
Top Pro

Supports chord tracks

See More
Paolo
NiceMutunusTutunus
Top Con

Quite expensive

This costs significantly more compared to other DAWs. See More
thermoplastics
Slimothy
Albert Candy
Top Pro

Large selection of time stretching methods

The Cubase DAW offers 11 different kinds of time stretching methods. See More
thermoplastics
Taylor Coogan
Top Con

Confusing pages

The Cubase DAW displays pages that tend to confuse users. See More
Paolo
CharmingPatollo
Top Pro

Great MIDI editing options

See More
RCLeahcar
Top Con

Not the most stable of DAWs; crashes relatively often

I have worked with Cubase since Version 5, and I have found the software to be relatively unstable. It is quite temperamental and can crash at times, especially when you're working on big projects. See More
thermoplastics
Slimothy
Top Pro

All takes can be shown in a single track

When in stacked mode, all of your takes can be shown in a single track side by side. You can then select what parts of which take you need. If you are recording MIDI, the Cubase DAW allows creating a pattern that can overlap and be re-used as many times as needed. See More
Monika
UnderstandingHebat
Top Con

Installs third-party software on your computer (e-licenser)

See More
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Great summing engine

The summing engine is responsible for processing tracks and combining them into the correct output. In comparison to other DAWs, Cubase's summing engine is excellent. See More
Svjatoslavs Krasnikovs
SuccessfulVesta
Top Con

Non-free software

See More
Slimothy
Top Pro

Quantize can automatically tighten MIDI inputs

Automatically tightens your MIDI inputs to be on time. Quantize has two modes. Hard Quantize will adjust based on strict settings (precisely on beat by default) and Iterative Quantize will adjust in increments. Excellent for keeping the human element in recordings. See More
CredibleTamanuitera
Top Con

Poor sample editing

The sample editor isn't too great and there's no option to launch external sample editors. See More
Slimothy
Adam Scott
Top Pro

Batch export

You can pick separate tracks to export in one pass. You can even have them open up a new project or drop in the same project automatically. Huge time saver and DSP Saver. See More
Monika
kairal mixccrafty
Top Con

Not what it used to be

The new updates kind of ruin the old classy feel. See More
thermoplastics
Slimothy
Top Pro

Powerful, time-saving Logical Editor

Logical Editor allows customizing MIDI data according, in order to set rules to save time. See More
JM80
ModestKhipa
Top Con

Runs poorly

See More
LearnedSaule
Top Pro

Pro edition is exellent for audio mixing also.

It provides all the industry requirements and features an optimized workflow for mixing See More
CredibleTamanuitera
Top Con

Lack of built-in noise reduction

There's no built-in noise reduction FFT profiler like you might see in some other DAWs. There's noise gate but it's not the same. If you're on Windows, then you can get around this by downloading ReaFir. See More
NiceMutunusTutunus
Top Pro

Incredible and well integrated EQ

See More
Taylor Coogan
Top Con

No sampler

To many producers, sampler is one of the most important tools in a DAW. Cubase does not come with a sampler tool. See More
Paolo
CharmingPatollo
Top Pro

Recent updates have added some great features

See More
Monika
UpbeatMunsin
Top Con

Not the DAW for tech savvy users

See More
LearnedSaule
Top Pro

The industry standard for MIDI sequencing and arranging

See More
WhiteLilac
SkillfulChronos
Top Pro

Sampler Track

Has an awesome and easy to use sampler. See More
thermoplastics
Taylor Coogan
Slimothy
Top Pro

Allows changing a pattern in one place to effect each instance of it

Using Parts, the Cubase DAW allows creating patterns that can be re-used as many times as needed, and can be edited in a single place. See More
SkillfulChronos
Top Pro

Superior sample editing

Lot's of options to edit samples on the fly with direct offline processing you can apply effects without sacrificing performance. You can even use Wavelab as an external wave editor. See More
WonderfulMamitu
Top Pro

ARA2 implementation of plugins

Plugins that use the ARA2 technology can be implemented into the DAW for seamless and "native" like editing. See More
Belle
Johann-Peter Hartmann
Top Pro

More features than any other DAW

See More
Specs
Compatibility:Mac, Windows
Max number of tracks:Unlimited MIDI and Audio Tracks (Pro), 128 MIDI and 64 Audio tracks (Artist), 48 Audio and 64 MIDI tracks (Elements)
MIDI?:Yes
Processing type:32-bit, 64-bit
See All Specs
HideSee All Experiences
167 26

Zrythm

All
7
Experiences
Pros
5
Cons
1
Specs
VigorousNjorun
Top Pro

Monolithic

Unlike many Linux DAWs, Zrythm comes in one coherent program. See More
VigorousNjorun
Top Con

Only free if you compile the source code

See More
Nedas Kuzas
LogicalNahundi
Top Pro

Free software

AGPLv3 licensed with source code available. See More
IntuitivePariacaca
VigorousNjorun
Top Pro

Cross-platform

Installers can be bought for Linux, MacOS and Windows. Or you can compile the source code for free on any platform. See More
PhilosophicalVainamoinen
Top Pro

Intuitive U.I.

Ability to add MIDI notes, Automate, & Modulate with ease alongside chord assistance. See More
Nedas Kuzas
FerventTepoztecatl
Top Pro

Looks visually good and the performance is also amazing

See More
Specs
Compatibility:GNU/Linux, FreeBSD, Windows, Mac
Plugin Compatibility:LV2, VST2, VST3, AU, LADSPA, DSSI
HideSee All Experiences
21 5

Tracktion 7

All
10
Experiences
Pros
6
Cons
3
Specs
thermoplastics
Taylor Coogan
Neil Mitchell-Goodson
Top Pro

Single screen interface

Everything that is needed is within easy reach, no deep diving in menus or pop up windows. See More
HelpfulAnbay
Top Con

Unstable

Crashes quickly and frequently. See More
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Very compatible

Tracktion 5 is now compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux. See More
Anthony Vanover
Top Con

Cluttered interface, not user friendly

See More
Neil Mitchell-Goodson
Top Pro

Racks

Self contained modular environment for hooking up processing chains of plugins or instruments in any way you want. See More
Taylor Coogan
Top Con

Lack of drivers for Linux

There are no official drivers for any multi-channel audio interfaces, putting Linux users at a disadvantage. See More
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Bundles with Melodyne for no cost

Melodyne is a pitch correction software that now comes free with Tracktion 5. At $60, Tracktion 5 with Melodyne costs about half as much as the standalone version of Melodyne. See More
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Multi-channel MIDI support

Multiple MIDI instruments can be recorded in different tracks at the same time. See More
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

MIDI to audio feature

Traktion 5 now has a MIDI to audio function so users can quickly freeze MIDI notes and manipulate them as audio clips. See More
Specs
Compatibility:Mac, Linux, Windows
HideSee All Experiences
74 15

Seq24

All
4
Experiences
Pros
1
Cons
2
Specs
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Open source

Seq24 can be used and edited by anyone for free. See More
Taylor Coogan
Top Con

MIDI only

Seq24 only has MIDI capability, no audio clips allowed. See More
Taylor Coogan
Top Con

Low compatibility

Seq24 only runs on Linux and win32. See More
Specs
Compatibility:Windows, Mac
Hide
7 2

Reason

All
21
Experiences
Pros
15
Cons
5
Specs
MagicalThoosa
Top Pro

Now supports VST

As of version 9.5, Reason now supports VSTs. See More
PatrickM
Top Con

Dated low resolution graphics (GUI/UX does not scale for 4K displays or higher)

Rack and mixer are still low resolution, designed for displays in the "pre-4K" era. Even on 1080p HD displays, the rack and mixer can be difficult to see and work with. See More
PatrickM
Top Pro

Modular enviroment

Synths, effects, and utilities can be modularly wired via audio and CV. See More
Monika
UnderstandingHebat
Top Con

GUI not for everyone and complicated

See More
Laura Kyle
marcel streefkerk
Top Pro

Easy and intuitive while being feature rich

You can go really deep into creating sound and routing. Find possibilities you cant do with any other DAW. See More
Svjatoslavs Krasnikovs
SuccessfulVesta
Top Con

non-free software

See More
ohblox
Top Pro

Great built in instruments and effects

Mulitple high quality built in synthesisers, drum loops, samplers and effects with plenty of pre-built patches to explore plus the ability to create your own unique sounds. See More
Adam Scott
Top Con

Mix only by ear

You can not type in a value in the mixer. See More
PatrickM
Top Pro

Mimics true hardware through a skeuomorphic GUI/UX

Reason's rack and mixer visually emulate real studio hardware through a skeuomorphic GUI/UX, allowing you to route audio cables and CV very intuitively. Hit "tab" on your computer keyboard, and you can see the rear of the rack, making routing very easy to understand. See More
ResponsiveUastyrdzhi
Chris Sederqvist
Top Con

Still not performing well using VST's

Everything seems to work fine for VSTs now, works like a charm with my akai mpk mini and rstouch reason studios controller on my ipad, which was just updated for reason 11. See More
ResponsiveUastyrdzhi
MagicalThoosa
Laura Kyle
Top Pro

Easy to learn

Reason may look intimidating at first, but it is just as easy to learn as any DAW, if not more so, yet has incredible depth once you delve deeper, with some options that are just not possible in other DAWs. See More
Adam Scott
Top Pro

Multi FX presets

The multi fx are very nice. Great for transitions and complete sound management. See More
Slimothy
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Offers an easy way to quantize and slice audio

Reason makes it easy to stretch audio or slice it up for glitchy sound effects. When audio is loaded, it is analyzed so slice markers can be placed at the beginning and end of each note. Slice markers appear when the audio sample is double clicked. See More
PatrickM
Top Pro

Massive free video tutorials content

Professionally produced tutorial videos often released by Propellerhead that show you how to use the software. Reason also has a thriving user base that offers video tutorials showing you how to do almost anything you need. See More
Laura Kyle
Adam Scott
Top Pro

Amazing automation arrangement

Using clips makes it very easy to automate precisely. See More
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Can convert audio to REX files

REX files record effects and slices on top of the original file, and will play audio at the tempo of a project. REX files provide many uses and are a great addition to Reason. See More
PatrickM
Top Pro

Built in Audio Pitch Editor

Reason's Audio Pitch Editor easily can hold its own to Melodyne Essentials. Makes editing vocals and other monophonic sound very easy. See More
Slimothy
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Supports MIDI out

MIDI out is a new addition in Reason, allowing feedback to MIDI devices. See More
marcel streefkerk
Top Pro

Loop, convert and overdub on the fly

See More
JM80
InventiveRongo
Top Pro

Great for live peformances

See More
Specs
Compatibility:Mac, Windows, Linux
Max number of tracks:UNLIMITED
Included sounds:7 GB
Instruments:16
See All Specs
HideSee All Experiences
60 14

Bitwig Studio

All
30
Experiences
Pros
22
Cons
7
Specs
Alexandre Bique
Top Pro

Great modulation system

See More
SensibleMacCuill
Paolo
KnowledgeableNjirana
Top Con

Unreliable for professional production

Full of random bugs. Bad performance when using many tracks. See More
Ray
dadapotok
Top Pro

Supports expressive MIDI - MPE

Makes use of the Seaboard, Linnstrument, Continuum and other modern expressive controllers. See More
KnowledgeableNjirana
Top Con

Very bad performance when working with several tracks

See More
thermoplastics
J. Adam Morris
Top Pro

Cross platform and highly compatible

The Bitwig DAW runs on Mac, PC, and, Linux. This DAW also has the distinction of being one of the only DAWs that can run 32 bit and 64 bit plugins at the same time. See More
WhiteLilac
Bani Grisson
Top Con

Pricey

Pricey in comparison with other major DAWs. See More
Ryan McCants
Top Pro

Highly modular

See More
HonestEiresione
Top Con

No Native Video Playback Monitoring

Doesn't have video playback monitoring for film / Tv and Gaming video audio. But can use MTC with 3rd Party Video Monitors or other DAW with video monitor capabilities. See More
Monika
LearnedNemain
Top Pro

Easy automation

The easiest DAW to do automation in. All you have to do is press record and start moving knobs, and that's it. See More
Paolo
KnowledgeableNjirana
Top Con

UI gets frozen, VSTs crash all the time

Very frustrating to work with. See More
Monika
MightyEnyalius
Top Pro

Dual sequencer

The ability to run two sequencers at the same time, while swapping out sounds gives you great flexibility to complete a song. See More
teadan
yshkbc
Top Con

No LV2

Has no support for LV2 plugins. See More
Alexandre Bique
Top Pro

Very efficient preset browser

See More
Svjatoslavs Krasnikovs
SuccessfulVesta
Top Con

Non-free software

See More
LearnedNemain
Top Pro

Create custom Synths/FX in the Grid

Create any style synth, wavetable, fm, analog, and fx in the grid. See More
Alexandre Bique
Top Pro

Very active development

See More
Monika
trollworkout
Alexandre Bique
Top Pro

Touch screen support

This software has big, responsive, easy-to-handle controls that work really well on a touchscreen. Additionally, it has a tablet mode that re-organizes the UI to make it much simpler and perfect for smaller screen devices. This is both a mobile touchscreen app and a DAW at the same time! It even has a built-in keyboard/drumpad. See More
Alexandre Bique
Top Pro

Very powerful voice stacking mechanism

See More
Laura Kyle
Top Pro

Very intuitive/user-friendly

See More
Matthew Coley
Top Pro

Supports multiple midi instruments on one track

Being able to add multiple midi instruments on the same track is a nice feature. It allows for much easier setup for VSTs like Cthulhu. It's also nice to be able to have multiple instruments setup that can be toggled. See More
Alexandre Bique
Top Pro

Powerful devices/presets/sample browser

See More
Alexandre Bique
Top Pro

Open multiple projects

See More
Alexandre Bique
Top Pro

Many high quality free sound packs

See More
Alexandre Bique
Top Pro

Ableton Link Support

See More
Alexandre Bique
Top Pro

You can write your own controller support in Java

See More
Monika
trollworkout
Top Pro

Supports sf2 samples out of the box

There is an instrument called Sampler which can correctly load sf2 instruments as a multisample preserving all individual sub sample settings and zoning. You do NOT need a VST to play soundfonts and you don't need to extract the sf2 samples! This is unique among all popular DAWs. See More
Alexandre Bique
Top Pro

Very good integration with Eurorack

See More
teadan
Alexandre Bique
Top Pro

Plugin Crash Protection

Plugins can be sandboxed. See More
Alexandre Bique
Top Pro

State of the art time stretching

See More
Specs
Compatibility:Mac, Linux, Windows
HideSee All Experiences
223 46

Ardour

All
20
Experiences
Pros
12
Cons
7
Specs
Ray
LearnedAcmon
Rick Gionfriddo
Top Pro

Compatible with Linux, Windows 7/8.1/10 and macOS

Ardour is cross-platform and works on Windows & macOS. See More
HelpfulKakka
Top Con

Relies on JACK

The Linux version relies on JACK to function correctly, and JACK is extremely difficult to install and configure. Ardour should have JACK support, but it should also connect directly and play audio on its own by default. See More
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Open source

Ardour is open source, so it can be downloaded and modified without restriction. See More
Matthew
CompassionateTengri
piR
Top Con

Builds are paid

Pre-built releases are paid and the only way to get the program for free is to build it yourself. See More
Ray
Top Pro

Linux version has JACK support

On Linux, you can use JACK to freely route audio and MIDI to and from other software as hardware. See More
Nedas Kuzas
VigorousNjorun
WhiteLilac
Top Con

Quirky UI and navigation

See More
pe ka
Top Pro

LV2 plugins support

See More
VigorousNjorun
Taylor Coogan
Top Con

Not user friendly

Ardour can be difficult and unconventional to use. See More
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Clean linear interface

See More
Taylor Coogan
Top Con

No support for VST plugins for OS X

Plugins can be used on OS X only if they are downloaded in AU format, which is supported. See More
pe ka
Top Pro

LADSPA plugins support

See More
Bruno Vernay
Top Con

Too many plugins

It is hard to find good useful plugins. It looks like every developer's plugin has ended up in the list. See More
HelpfulKakka
Top Pro

Powerful routing

Thanks to JACK support, and the inclusion of built in tools, the routing options of Ardour are limitless. See More
Ray
LearnedAcmon
Top Con

No 'scenes'

Ardour doesn't have 'scenes' like Ableton does (would be very handy for live-preformances). See More
Nedas Kuzas
Bruno Vernay
Top Pro

Excellent support community

See More
Bryan
Sojan Janso
Top Pro

Free version with minimal limitations

Unlike some other DAW's which often limit saving, exporting, or advanced features, Ardour permits you to try all the features for free, with the only limitation being ten minutes of project length maximum. Demo. See More
Ray
LearnedAcmon
Top Pro

Inline mixing console

You can view and edit plugins directly from the console's mixing channels. See More
LearnedAcmon
Top Pro

Multi-display support

See More
Nedas Kuzas
GregariousConcordia
Top Pro

VST3 Support in version 6+

See More
Specs
Compatibility:Windows ,Unix-like, MacOS,
MIDI?:Yes
Processing type:32-bit, 64-bit
Plugin Support:VST, LADSPA, LV2
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489 89

Ableton Live

All
33
Experiences
Pros
20
Cons
12
Specs
thermoplastics
Slimothy
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Great creative DAW workflow

Ableton's session view gives a much quicker, more flexible way of experimenting with ideas than a typical linear interface. In session view, each instrument part is a separate entity that can be mixed and matched with other parts without having to rearrange anything. Any and every effect is consolidated into one clean looking interface. It allows users to experiment with effects and other manipulations very quickly. Because of this, Ableton is known as one of the most creative DAWs out there. See More
1881
Monika
thermoplastics
Top Con

Expensive

At 749 USD, Ableton Live Suite (the most fully-featured edition) is more expensive than other DAWs. Ableton Live Standard can be bought for 449 USD. Ableton Live Intro can be bought for 99 USD. Rounding up, all three versions will set you back triple digits. That's before you get into additional sample and plugin packs, which also cost hundreds of dollars. Consider the price of the software before you enter the Live ecosystem. See More
Laura Kyle
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Advanced automation

You can add curves to automation. Additionally, Ableton lets users duplicate certain automations quickly. See More
1881
Xe
Top Con

Can't save keyboard shortcuts globally

There are no global keyboard shortcut editing mechanisms in Live. You are only able save keyboard shortcuts per project. This makes production a long-winded endeavor. To edit shortcuts on Live, use Ctrl + K, or CMD + K. See More
thermoplastics
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Great for sampling

The Ableton DAW offers a great sampling experience, which can be approached in many different ways. Audio can be directly chopped, quantized, warped, and even chopped into MIDI clips. Ableton's built in sampler also allows clean pitching along with useful loop functions. See More
Monika
trollworkout
Top Con

No 32 bit VST support on newer

The ability to load 32 bit VST was dropped for some godawful reason. At $700 - a hefty price tag - and most of the code already in the software, you'd think they would be able to keep that functionality, but no. See More
Slimothy
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Optimized for playing live music

While all DAWs are capable of playing music live, Ableton Live is the most DJ friendly DAW out there as it allows mixing and mashing various MIDI or audio clips together in real-time while still making sure that they're in sync. See More
Monika
1881
Yoshiyuki
Top Con

Not very stable

Live has been known for its hilariously bad stability on weaker systems. But this is only when it is under enormous strain. It will be under enormous strain, too. Most people that work in this software love to fill their projects up with tons of cool ideas. Ableton should bear this in mind when continuing to update Live. See More
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Advanced content browser

The browser lets users choose from live Sets, tracks, clips, devices, presets, samples, etc. There is also an auto-play function for audio clips that enables users to browse samples quickly. The search function is also handy, but only for clips that are labeled appropriately. See More
Monika
trollworkout
Top Con

No SF2 support

Soundfonts need to be imported as samples, and they don't work as intended since the zoning is lost. See More
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Many software specific controllers

Many MIDI controllers have been developed for the exclusive purpose of being used with Ableton. Some popular Live controllers include Push, APC40, and Launchpad. See More
Monika
neuronaut
Top Con

Plugins on frozen tracks are loaded and unloaded as the session opens slowing down opening and creating DSP limitations

For example: If you freeze more than the allowed number of plugins on a UAD DSP device, when you open your session, Ableton will open and close all the frozen plugins on every channel even though they are not active in the session. The UAD control panel application displays the DSP usage of the hardware. During loading the levels (bars) will fluctuate by extreme amounts and typically will produce errors once the Ableton session is loaded. After the session is loaded, UAD plugins that should be running are disabled because there wasn't enough DSP available during load. The user then has to open and look at each UAD plug in to see if they are disabled and turn them off and on again to enable them. This illustrates there is enough room for the DSP load for unfrozen plugins, but that the loading process was at fault. See More
JohnLoftus
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Minimum skeuomorphism

Skeuomorphism is described as retaining antiquated aesthetic features on an updated version of a device. For DAWs, this happens when an interface is littered with analog nobs, wires, and other things that are reminiscent of older technology. While this can be considered a stylistic choice for some DAWs, it tends to block progress towards better practices in music production. See More
Monika
CooperativeMaat
Top Con

Limited routing

Tracks can go into groups and sub-groups (as of Live 10), and sends are available, but that's the extent of routing. See More
Monika
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Outstanding EQ

Ableton's new EQ includes an integrated spectrum analyzer so users can see exactly which frequencies need to be adjusted. Additionally, this EQ cuts by 48 db. Up until Ableton Live 9, the EQ only cut by 12 db. See More
Nedas Kuzas
LoyalIkaRoa
Top Con

Sound library sounds really bad

See More
teadan
PrincipledMihr
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Comes with 70GB included sounds

15 software instruments, 55 audio effects and 17 midi effects. See More
Monika
UnderstandingHebat
Top Con

Max makes startup longer

See More
thermoplastics
Vlady Yakovenko
Top Pro

Endless creativity

After some training this daw can be used for doing anything. There are basically no limits. See More
teadan
SuccessfulVesta
Top Con

No LV2 support

Does not support the LV2 plugin standard. See More
Slimothy
Top Pro

Exemplary time stretching facilities

Not only can the time stretching can be done in real-time, there are about a dozen of TC/E algorithms to choose from. See More
1881
Svjatoslavs Krasnikovs
SuccessfulVesta
Top Con

Non-Free Software

It's not free. Worse yet, there's no source code. This can be a privacy concern for some. See More
Monika
Taylor Coogan
Hauke Frederik Pengel
Top Pro

Max for Live lets users build custom tools

With Max for Live, users can create custom synthesizers, audio effects, sequencers, samplers, and more. Max for Live is a feature that is available starting with Live 9 Suite. See More
teadan
Andy Franke
Top Con

Sometimes very slow reaction

If you switch from one track to another with APC- or Push-Controller. See More
Monika
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

Dual monitor support

Starting with Live 9, users can see session and arrangement views at the same time with dual monitor support. See More
Belle
Jhon J Lagos
Top Pro

Multiple "workflows" or ways of achieving an outcome

Not everyone realizes this, but anything can be done in multiple ways in Live. Multiple ways of playing samples, multiple ways of slicing samples, multiple ways of sequencing MIDI, etc. See More
Monika
1881
Taylor Coogan
Top Pro

MIDI notes can be forced to a scale

With a simple plugin, Ableton allows the user to pick from a wide variety of scales when triggering notes. See More
1881
UpbeatToltecatl
Top Pro

Widespread Online Support

The amount of well-versed tutorials and guides online can help you master Live in a few hours. Secret tips and tricks are also widespread. Forums are filled to the brim with support for any issue you can think of. See More
1881
Monika
MojoBandito
Top Pro

Can play a midi note from the middle

In Live V10, you can trigger MIDI notes without having to do so from the start. See More
1881
PrincipledMihr
Top Pro

VST3 support as of Ableton 10.1

VST3s now run smoothly in Ableton 10.1 and up. However, be careful when loading in CPU-heavy plugins. See More
ReflectiveAchlys
Top Pro

Able to to download own skin/theme

You can make your own skin/themes online and use it in "preferences" tab! See More
WorthyFionnuala
Top Pro

It is very stable

Maybe not on certain systems, but when used in an normal system its very stable. See More
Specs
Controller Support:Yes
Compatibility:Mac, Windows
Max number of tracks:unlimited (8 in lite)(16 in Intro)
Processing type:64-bit
See All Specs
HideSee All Experiences
265 55

Cakewalk by Bandlab

All
42
Experiences
Pros
24
Cons
17
Specs
CommunicativeLeibOlmai
Alejandro Hernández Payo
Top Pro

ProChannel

It has an integrated Channel Strip on every track/bus with excellent and easy to use Audio FX: EQ, Comp, Reverbs, Saturation, Console Emulators etc.In addition to saving presets of the entire ProChannel chain (all modules), you can also save and load presets of individual modules. The per module preset controls are located on the left side of each module header bar. See More
AmbitiousPhilomelus
Alejandro Hernández Payo
Top Con

Windows only

Cakewalk by BandLab is currently available exclusively for 64 bit versions of Windows 7, 8, and 10. There are no current plans for availability on other operating systems. See More
Monika
Paolo
HappyGwynApNudd
Top Pro

SONAR Platinum without the 3rd parties like Melodyne, etc.

It is basically SONAR for free after they shut down. See More
Monika
ArtisticParicia
Top Con

Uses middleware for installation

It's a con for those who don't like having to use a program to install and update another program. The Bandlab's installer doesn't even have the courtesy to stop and ask you where you want the middleware installed. See More
Alejandro Hernández Payo
Alex
InterestingFurrina
Top Pro

Best plugins

There are a variety of tools available, including the fantastic reverb plugin from Overloud, Breverb2. See More
DedicatedNilus
Monika
alext
Top Con

Non-free software

Does not respect your freedom. Does not provide source code.also if it were really free, there wouldn't be any need for the Bandlab Assistant and signing up, and having to reauthorize every 6 months or drop into 'Demo' mode (get that? Demo mode in a FREE product :lol: :clap:), you would just download, install, done . . . there is a price to pay. See More
Smithy
Top Pro

32/64 bits plugin

The program itself is only 64 bits but it runs 32 and 64 bits plugin. If you still have a great plugin that never got to 64 bits this comes in handy. See More
Alejandro Hernández Payo
Top Con

Unfinished features

Cakewalk has some buggy and unfinished features, probably due to marketing decisions and the changes of ownerships: Staff view, Matrix View, Audiosnap etc. See More
Alex
Smithy
Top Pro

Unlimited tracks

No track and busses limitation. See More
Monika
Smithy
Top Con

Crashes too often

For a complete and free package it is amazing what Bandlab is offering here. But crashes on startup or audio engine failures happen too often. See More
Alejandro Hernández Payo
Top Pro

Basic set of instruments

Cakewalk comes with a basic set of VST instruments: A general MIDI synth, drums, e-piano, bass and a string section. See More
ArtisticParicia
Top Con

Doesn't always ask for or respect your drive assignment choices during installation

If you are squished for space on your boot drive, don't install this. It automatically sets up the Bandlab Assistant on C without giving you the opportunity to put it elsewhere. If you choose to use certain Cakewalkfeatures like the Drum replacer, it just starts installing all the drum samples onto drive C regardless of the fact that you've already set up a Cakewalk Content directory on D. See More
Alex
Alejandro Hernández Payo
Top Pro

Intuitive workflow

Cakewalk comes with friendly defaults and it has a similar workflow to analog studio gear. See More
Monika
PhilosophicalXantico
Top Con

Incompatible hardware

If you like to work with external hardware, this software is not compatible with most software: when inserting an external effect on a track or bus, the DAW will crash and send you an error message. This is because Cakewalk has not fixed in years the problem with external insertions, which puts it behind the competition. See More
HumblePramzimas
Alejandro Hernández Payo
Top Pro

ARA 2 integration

This feature makes working with Celemony Melodyne and other ARA compatible plug-ins a breeze. See More
DelightfulFurrina
Top Con

Stability and unfinished features

Stability and tools are unfinished. As an example, AudioSnap simply does not work as it should when editing transients in the audio and staff view it does not work correctly. See More
Monika
HelpfulCeuthonymus
Top Pro

Much improved stability of late, especially recent releases such as 2019.07

See More
FriendlyFuxi
Top Con

Obsolete VST

Unfortunately Cakewalk has a kind of philosophy of recycling old plugins under the DX and DXi code such as the sonitus fx and the newly added Classic Creative Suite audio effects (which were included in old versions of previously known SONAR) in its new update, which requires to new users or beginners to look for free or paid plugins, since these plugins are once again surpassed by the best vst in the market in addition to that they often sometimes block the software and disappear strangely, which is sad since most Of the DAW's on the market, both paid and free, include their own factory plugins so that the user does not have to spend any penny on third-party plugins. See More
HumblePramzimas
Top Pro

Updated frequently

See More
Monika
PhilosophicalXantico
Top Con

No future

Cakewalk by Bandlab does not have a promising future since the company that acquired it does not even market it. For example, Cakewalk's social media platforms are practically dead, the user base seems small and, in general, it seems past for high. The Bandlab pages are live, but without even minimal mentions of Cakewalk on your website or social media, it will one day die quietly. See More
HumblePramzimas
Top Pro

Advanced comping workflow with Audio and MIDI Take Lanes and Automation Lanes

Easily create a final comp of all your recorded takes with simple drag and select gestures using the smart tool. See More
Monika
PhilosophicalXantico
Top Con

Old code

Cakewalk is based on old code, that is why you see errors randomly. Since more than a decade ago no function has been improved - they were more concerned in the past with buzzwords and packaging third party software than in improving their own tools. The result is that it is now a decade behind developing competitors. There are better DAWs on the market that outperform Cakewalk. Free doesn't mean having the latest and greatest in technology - Cakewalk has never had it, there are important components of that DAW that haven't been touched for almost two decades, and they will likely never get the upgrade they need. See More
EncouragingMictecacihuatl
Top Pro

Compatible with touchscreens

See More
TrustingTungAk
Top Con

Frequent crashes

Cakewalk has constant errors such as engine crashing when working with songs with more than 100 tracks, it loses saved settings, BSOD, it randomly stops recognizing your midi controller and disconnects, do not try to disconnect it, the software goes crazy, your tracks are exchanged for other vst or midi clips known bug years ago. See More
Monika
VivaciousAtaiUlaan
Top Pro

Laptop-friendly interface

Good for people with a small-screened laptop. See More
AmbitiousPhilomelus
Top Con

No real support for synth hardware

SO3 cannot control your synth. You cannot see/control or access patches, their names, or SysEx. It seems that everything is centered around use of virtual instruments, and not hardware synth. See More
UnbiasedUenuku
Top Pro

Arranger Track

The Arranger track is an arrangement tool that provides several workflow benefits .For example, instantly swap the positions of the first and second chorus for all tracks, or copy the first verse in order to double its duration.Experiment with different song structures in a non-destructive and non-linear manner. You can Create arbitrary song sections anywhere on the project timeline and then stitch them together for seamless playback, sections provide an additional way to make time-based project selections and edits. You can also create an unlimited number of arrangements per project, which can all be exported simultaneously. See More
MightyMetis
Alex
SpontaneousKhumban
Top Con

Does not offer sampling instrument

Cakewalk does not have a sampling instrument for multisample playback and import. Third-party plug-ins exist but they often crash the DAW it is strange that cakewalk does not have a sampler for the modern musician See More
WittyElatha
Top Pro

Highly customizable user interface

The Cakewalk By Bandlab DAW comes with a new and improved user interface with an additional focus on being customizable. See More
Alex
SophisticatedKakka
Top Con

Too laggy

It doesn't matter if you have a decent enough PC or solid and robust cakewalk is too laggy when one navigates between the mixing console the PRV. It is not optimized for windows 10 See More
AmiableCinteotl
WittyElatha
Top Pro

Edit MIDI Automation on Instrument Tracks

See More
MightyMetis
Top Con

Does not have a Drum sampler

In the same way, Cakewalk does not have a drum sampler for playing and creating beats from jazz musicians to EDM producers. See More
PerfectTatenen
WittyElatha
Top Pro

Export to Standard MIDI File

See More
ResponsiblePsyche
Top Con

Unusable Pro-Channel

Unusable third party Pro-Channel modules such as Softube (Mix Bundle) and Overloud (BREVERB and REMATRIX) will not work properly when trying to open a project with them will cause Cakewalk to crash on the desktop. See More
AmiableCinteotl
WittyElatha
Top Pro

In-app updater

You can now download and install future updates directly from Cakewalk instead of using BandLab Assistant. See More
ThoughtfulOsiris
Top Pro

VST3 Support

See More
AwareTheispas
Top Pro

In-app activation

You can now activate Cakewalk directly from within the app, without requiring BandLab Assistant. Cakewalk must be activate once every 6 months. See More
DeterminedSaccimi
Top Pro

Articulation Maps

Cakewalk by Bandlab recently added Articulation Maps If you work with sample libraries and virtual instruments, articulation maps are sure to improve your MIDI and articulation / keyswitch workflow Articulation maps provide a much easier way to change articulation, without having to manually edit events MIDI on the track. See More
DecorousTheia
Top Pro

Step Sequencer

The Step Sequencer makes it easy to compose patterns using a grid, where each cell (step) represents a note. You create patterns by clicking the cells in the grid to turn notes on or off, or by using step recording. See More
VivaciousDziewona
Top Pro

Mix Recall

Mix Recall allows you to save and recall multiple mixes for the same project, without having to save multiple copies of the project file. A mix can be saved as a Mix Scene within the project, and each project can store multiple Mix Scenes. A Mix Scene contains all track, bus, hardware output, ProChannel and plug-in static and automation mix settings. See More
PatientAidos
Top Pro

Cakewalk Theme Editor

Cakewalk Theme Editor allows you to easily customize the look of Cakewalk by editing existing UI themes or creating your own UI themes. You can change colors directly and you can even customize images when used in combination with an external image editor such as Adobe Photoshop. See More
Specs
Compatibility:Only Windows
Max number of tracks:Unlimited
Included plugins:Yes
Plugin Compatibility:VST, VST2, VST3, VSTi,DX,DXi
See All Specs
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146 47

Soundation

All