One question that gets asked quite often when producers are getting started is, “What is the best DAW?” There are so many different programs out there that it can be difficult to find the right one. As a music producer for over 5 years, I’ve seen many come and go, but there are a few that still stand out to this day. Ultimately, choosing a DAW is completely preference and there is no “best” DAW, but you can narrow it down to a few right off the bat.
The first program that I’d like to talk about is FL Studio or Fruity Loops. The producer edition of FL Studio will currently run you about $200, but there are a few different versions that run more or less. There is also a demo version of the software out that I strongly suggest you try before making a decision on any DAW. One thing that people like about FL Studio is just the simplicity and its ease of use. No, learning FL Studio isn’t easy, but it’s easier than learning some other pieces of software out there. When FL upgraded editions from 9 to 10, things changed drastically. Both of these additions are quite different in the features that they have, but ultimately accomplish the same thing. Overall, FL Studio is a great DAW to start on and continue with if it suits your style.
Ableton Live 8 is another great piece of software for producing. It’s a little bit more complex than a FL Studio, but still relatively easy to learn. Ableton Live 8 is great for producers and DJ’s because of its live performance capabilities. The workflow is very nice because of its sessions and standard track views. I’m currently producing in this program because it really suits the type of music that I make, but you can use it for just about anything. Ableton live 8 will run you about $500, but there is also a demo version to check out on their website before you buy anything.
Cubase is the last DAW I would like to discuss. It’s the very first program that I started producing in. Cubase is probably the most difficult to learn right at first because the user interface looks like the launch control for NASA. That being said, I wouldn’t recommend starting out in this program. I didn’t really do my research before I started in this program and it took a very long time to figure it out. Although Cubase is a very difficult program to learn, it’s extremely rewarding because of what you can do with it. It’s an extremely powerful program and a producer’s best friend once you actually master it. Even though I’m using Ableton Live mainly, I still use Cubase for quite a bit of production. Cubase has several different versions, but the main producer’s version will run you about $450.
I hope I haven’t confused anyone about choosing the right DAW. The best thing to do is to just experiment around with the ones you’re interested in and then decide which one best suits your style. I have seen some great music come out of some very low-end programs before, so you definitely don’t have to have an extremely expensive DAW to do the task.
