How Many Daw Users Worldwide

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Image-Line FL Studio. Similar to Logic, certain producers absolutely swear by FL Studio.I always held the opinion that FL felt a bit 'toyish' compared to other DAWs, but after spending some time with the program (mostly hoping to learn why so many of my audio students use it as their DAW of choice) I can understand why it has so many enthusiastic users. A digital audio workstation (DAW) is an electronic device or application software used for recording, editing and producing audio files.DAWs come in a wide variety of configurations from a single software program on a laptop, to an integrated stand-alone unit, all the way to a highly complex configuration of numerous components controlled by a central computer.

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Music production has come along way in the past decade. With beat makers, sample creators and producers of all types becoming more established around the globe every day. In this article, we review, for your pleasure, 11 of the very best DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations) available in 2020 and size up their pros and cons.

What Is A DAW?

DAW stands for Digital Audio Workstation and is a software program that music producers use to record, edit, mix and master audio into a finished song.

If you're wondering whether to choose between Ableton or Logic, PreSonus, AVID Pro Tools or Image Line's FL Studio for your home studio; as well as some of the other top DAWS of today then look no further for some top-notch sound advice.

Well, let's get this set of reviews started!

1. Logic Pro X – $199.99

Developed in the early '90s by German software company C-Lab, Logic Pro was previously known as Notator Logic. Since then it's grown to become one of the most widely known industry standard DAW's on the market now developed by Apple.

With so many Logic variations, it's worth doing some research into what's right for your workflow.

Pros

– High-quality recordings
One of the advantages of Logic is that it has some of the best free VST plugins available of any DAW. It already contains everything you need to get a semi high-quality master recording without necessarily needing to purchase any third party plugins elsewhere.
A quick and easy way I started out mastering projects on logic was by making sure all the channels were in the ballpark of -18db and that the master output had around -6db of headroom to work with.

All the stock plugins I needed are listed below with a rough guide on how to set them.
+ Single-band EQ – Scoop out anything minus 30db
+ Compressor – Use the Platinum Analog Tape preset and start tweaking the threshold until you start eliminating around 3db of gain.
+ Multiprocessor – Use the 'Punchy Drums' preset and tweak to taste depending on the song.
+ Adaptive Limiter – Set the out ceiling to 0.1db and start turning up the gain until you start getting around 0.5db of reduction.

– Great for songwriting ideas

With an easy to grasp user interface on the surface and wide range of presets and tools available for songwriting, Logic Pro X is a favourite for turning an idea in your head into a finished song.

Cons

– Exclusive to Apple Mac

Logic is exclusive to Mac only so collaborating can be tricky unless you bounce the stems and have your other producer load them into their DAW.

With Apple's price range this can be a roadblock for aspiring producers on a budget or for anyone using different operating systems.

2. AVID Pro Tools $4.99 / $2499

Considered the marmite of DAW's, Pro Tools is one of those love it or hate it products. Although it remains some of the most industry-standard software for the very highest quality music production.

Available for both Windows and Mac, Pro Tools is developed by AVID Technology. It can be used as standalone software or be used alongside digital or analogue converters.

Pros

– Provides ultra-low latency
Altering projects for latency is often one of the most time-consuming things that can completely derail the whole process. What's good about Pro Tools is the ultra-low latency that allows for the smooth running of streamlined workflows.
– Powerful mixer & mixing options
Pro Tools mixer is so powerful it can fully eradicate the need for an analogue mixer. Or at least be a more than viable option while you're saving for a high end mixing console.

Pro tools are also amazing at processing audio with immaculate precision so the sound will always be high quality.
– Simplicity
Fundamentally Pro Tools is actually pretty simple. Most of the work tends to take place in the mix and edit windows. This eliminates the need to switch between multiple windows for simple tasks.

Cons

– Expensive to purchase, requires 'All or Nothing' attitude for ownership

You can't buy pro tools on its own. You'll need an AVID approved interface which also doubles up as an anti-piracy key. This can make things hard if you're on a tight budget or are set on using specific audio interfaces that aren't AVID approved.
– Can create high CPU usage
Although simple to use (provided you've learned the software and the extent of how in-depth it goes) it's very high on CPU usage.

If you're set on using pro tools for audio production, mixing or recording it's worth using a separate computer purely for this purpose.

3. Ableton Live 10 – $99 / $799

Ableton live was originally launched as a relatively simple loop arrangement tool. It quickly expanded to become a fully functioning digital audio workstation and VST host.

It's primarily used for live performances and remixing songs, although it has full capability of being used to record music as well as other uses. A true digital performer.

Ableton also comes with many different options tailored to different skill levels. There's Ableton Live 10 Lite, as well as intro, Ableton Live 10 standard and Suite.

Pros

– Sonic flexibility is fantastic
The variety Ableton has to offer when it comes to samples, instruments and effects are extremely extensive. It's been described by many as feeling like an instrument itself with the mindset it puts you in and the way it inspires creativity.

The way the software handles audio wrapping is super impressive with little to no latency and a natural sound.

Cons

– Some outdated features
As other digital audio workstations have evolved and bought out updates and new features, Ableton Live is a bit behind the curve.

Talking of curves, it took them longer than it should have to bring out curved automation. This is a feature that other DAW's were quick to include as a necessity. Especially as it was widely requested by many of Albeton's dedicated community of users.

4. REAPER 5 – $60 / $225

We previously spoke about this DAW in our beginner's guide to Reaper and advanced guide to Reaper.

Unlike most DAWs, Reaper comes with an impressive free 60-day trial to get to grips with the software and see if it suits you.

Two months is a pretty generous trial period compared to most free trials available in many industries.

Pros

– Powerful multitrack functionality
If you're looking to record audio for long live sessions using multitrack functionality smoothly without any hiccups then Reaper is more than a viable option.

This is, in fact, one of the key selling points of the software and in a lot of cases the main reason people use Reaper either exclusively or on the side of other daws such as Pro Tools or Logic.
– Great for fast music production workflow

– Good choice for electronic music producers such as EDM, R&B and Hop Hip.
Reaper has a lot of cool features to help speed up your workflow and make projects easier to manage.

Some of these features include Reaper's subfolder functionality that allows for the grouping of many instruments and mics.

For example, you could have top and bottom rack mics in a 'rack tom' folder nested inside a 'toms' folder which would sit in a 'drums' folder. The options are endless!

Cons

– Can be prone to crashing
– Not ideal for audio professional looking for fully advanced tools

5. Steinberg Cubase 10 – $99 / $560

Although Cubase lacks a lot of features widely used on production for other styles of music this can, in fact, make workflows for certain styles easier.

It makes sense Steinberg always had a clear target market in mind for the daw since it initially started out as a MIDI controller only workstation as opposed to other daws such as pro tools that started out being audio-only and expanded to include MIDI functionality over time.

Pros

– Good choice for electronic music producers such as EDM, R&B and Hop Hip.

Cons

– Lacks basic functionalities of most Daw software
Surprisingly, although the software has a dedicated fanbase of users who've been using it for years, it does lack a lot of features that can streamline your workflow.

Such as multitrack elastic audio editing or the ability to see sends or inserts across the mixer at the same time.

How Many Daw Users Worldwide Edition

These little things can add up so if you require tools for a fast workflow, it may be worth weighing up other options.

– Can be seen as outdated and clunky compared to other programs

Compared to other DAWs on the market, Cubase has a reputation for feeling old and laggy.

Even with high-performing systems using a lot of ram and fast processors, exporting or completing projects with a lot going on can be a timely task.

6. FL Studio 20 (Fruity Loops) by Image Line €89 – €812.70

Available for both Windows & Mac, FL Studio (Previously known as Fruity Loops until 2003) is a unique digital audio workstation based on a pattern-based sequencer.

FL has risen to extreme popularity in the hip-hop & rap scene over the past 5 years.

Pros

– A very good option for beginners
Due to FL Studio's ease of use and ability to create musical arrangements and beats without needing to program drums or other instruments.

It can be a great option for beginners who are starting out with digital audio production on a computer for the first time.
– Easy to use and get started
I believe part of the reason for FL Studio's massive growth in the past 5 years has partly been due to the huge popularity of Hip Hop & Rap music in the entertainment industry. Nokia n95 pc suite software mac free download.

As well as the Gen Z and Millennial demographics and their demand for getting more done faster and easier.

This is something FL Studio boasts and is a strong advantage it has over other digital audio workstations.

Cons

– Can suck high levels of CPU usage
Although simple to use, FL Studio is known to be rather CPU heavy and crash more regularly than other digital audio workstations on the market.

If you're considering buying FL Studio you should be sure to back everything up. Red giant vfx suite 1 0 38. Although this generally goes for any type of computer-based work!
– Limited options if you are looking for advanced audio manipulation

FL is great for simplicity if that's what you want, but if you require advanced tools for in-depth audio manipulation and want to fully dive into your mix you may be stuck for options.

A lot of FL users rely on finding great samples and colouring them using a certain plugins.

This tends to be the extent of the workflow for many FL beat makers which is great if that's what you want, but not so great if you want more creative sonic control.

7. Sound Forge Audio Studio by MAGIX £49.99 / £499 or monthly subscription option

Aimed primarily at the professional and semi-professional markets, Sound Forge is used a lot for audio editing, mastering and high-quality processing rather than a traditional DAW.

Although basic on a surface level and easy to use, Sound Forge is often used to achieve high-quality masters and audio standards regulated by radio stations and TV servicing providers.

The software is aimed more at audio editing rather than audio production.

Pros

– A great option for fast audio editing and mastering workflows

Due to SoundForge's simple user-friendly interface and high processing capabilities, it's great for getting the job done.

It has a cool zoom feature that allows for the fast zooming in and out of the visual representation of audio. This is great as it makes things just that little bit easier for high precision editing.

Cons

– There is a lack of an active community and customer service, making it hard to get support when needed

As opposed to other digital audio workstations, SoundForge is rather rare in comparison. It also doesn't have as much of an active user community there for making it hard to get answers on message boards and forums.

8. Renoise 3.2 – $75

This DAW, like FL Studio, comes with a Unique Twist. It uses a 'Tracker' feature for writing, composing, producing and editing. The music runs top to bottom in a grid known by its community as a pattern.

Patterns and their arrangements make up the song as opposed to working solely with visual regions and channel faders based off of traditional mixing consoles.

Pros

– Great system compatibility
Renoise is available on Mac, Windows and Linux. Making it more accessible than other digital audio workstations like Logic that are IOS exclusive.

Cons

– Slightly behind the curve with its features
Renoise is definitely a viable option for the hobbyist recorder and producer. However, it doesn't quite live up to the same standards as Pro Tools, Logic Pro or FL Studio.

The stock plugin quality is sub-par and it isn't really built for multitrack recording.

Audio recording isn't one of Renoise's strong points. The interface also looks more like a coding script due to the software being highly technical. This could definitely be off-putting to the average artist or producer.

9. Reason 11 by Reason Studios – £69 / £499

Developed by Reason Recording Studios are known previously as Propellerhead Software.

Reason is a great option for synth crazy producers! They also have their own plugins, so you can bring all of your favourite Reason sounds with you into another DAW.

They have a huge array of open-source devices and digital synthesizers. Plus the DAW itself has endless possibilities of sound design and waveform manipulation.

With the high-quality visuals, countless possibilities and stunning audio quality the extra VST's are well worth paying for.

Pros

– Developed by passionate music lovers with a thriving community

With Reason, you know you're in safe hands when it comes to digitally replicating analogue synthesizers and getting true high-quality audio.

You get a beautifully replaced visual presentation of advanced synthesizers where you can manipulate, tweak and route audio to your heart's content.

The audio quality is completely true to what you're seeing on your screen. To the extent that it almost has an analogue feel to it.

You can rest assured you're in for a treat when it comes to sound design and is a must-have for any synth head or producer that likes creating sounds from scratch.
– Ultimate all-round flexibility
You can either use Reason as a complete digital audio workstation for your audio production or use the virtual instruments with another DAW.

How Many Daw Users Worldwide Address

If you enjoy the endless sound design possibilities on offer but have a fuller understanding and preference of another DAW like Pro Tools or Logic.

This is a highly user-friendly option for those who want the creative inspiration and tools but don't want to have to learn a whole new software.

Cons

– Can be difficult to arrange the mixer and streamline your workflow

Sure there's a lot of workarounds but when used as a DAW the ability to speed things up on the mixer would be useful.

Music production requires a lot of mental attention and anything that takes your attention away from your workflow is going to wear you down and make the process harder.

These little things can add up when completing a project and studies show attention spans are remarkably shorter now.

With the wake of GEN Z and Millennials flocking to try their hand at audio production now, the music industry is more accessible, the DAW functionality should be improved with the growing demand of wanting fast solutions and instant gratification.

10. Harrison Mixbus 4 – $79 / $299

Mixbus boasts that it's the first full-featured DAW with true analogue style mixing compared to other workstations on the market. Capable of recording, mixing, editing and mastering, the price is a bargain given its interesting history.

In the '80s Harrison Consoles created digitally controlled analogue mixing technology premier film audio mixing facilities worldwide. In the wake of the digital evolution, they converted their 'analogue' processor but left the control surface unchanged.

This was a transition that was unique to the company with huge demand from the film mixing industry which gave them an advantage. They created new techniques and proprietary technology that is now available to the general public.

Pros

– Super high-quality sound

Harrison Studios are a real-world analogue mixing company first and DAW developer second. There's a reason many film mixing studio's started using their technology in the '80s as the industry standard.

They have a version of their DAW with the workflow explicitly based on their most notable mixing console the 32C.

Cons

– There is a lack of zoom functionality

One of the only downsides of this software seems to be the lack of a zoom functionality for viewing things like EQ and compression.

This isn't much of an issue for some but could be an issue for others with impaired sight or those who want to apply minimal amounts of gain reduction or make high precision tweaks when changing variables.

11. Bitwig Studio 3 – €299 / €329

Another highly accessible DAW available on Mac, Linux and Windows is the Bitwig Studio.

Used primarily as an instrument or tool for live performances, it can also be used as a fully functional digital audio workstation for recording, editing and mixing.

It has a super-fast workflow and comes with an amazing 80+ virtual instruments and effects.

Pros

– Very fast workflow and easy to use and get started
With other DAWs like Logic and Pro Tools, you have to dive beneath the surface to figure out how stuff works and change what tools you're using.

Bitwig Studio has super-fast functionality for switching between tools and applying automation, fades and dragging in samples from the browser window. The visual representation is easy to understand and makes everything easier to grasp.

Cons

– We feel its slightly overpriced for what it has to offer
Although simple to use, it's simple for a reason. It's another great piece of software for hobbyist producers but lacks massively for professional audio production, it has far less to offer than industry-standard DAW's like Logic Pro which is available for half the price.

Our Conclusion

Although different digital audio workstations all have their pros and cons it all comes down to what the user wants and their requirements.

There's not really any good or bad option with what DAW you choose to go with, it ultimately depends on your needs and how you like to work.

Remember that with any DAW you'll need an audio interface that connects to your computer and has inputs for your mics and/or direct inputs for instruments like bass or guitar.
Now you've chosen the best DAW and produced some great music, you'll want to make sure to have your masters, demos, instrumentals and stems backed up remotely. The best way to this is to store your files in the cloud.

Where do you go next with your music?

Using this service, you can create folders and subfolders so that you can have your whole catalogue on the system. With artists, projects, masters and tracked out sessions ready to send to remixers or to music supervisors looking for their next track to sync.

If you want to get your music in the media, be sure to head over to the sync portal. Make sure all the song info is registered so you can get paid.

Music Gateway also has a feature that makes it easier for sending demo submissions directly to music supervisors, as well as labels, management companies and radio stations.

I hope you enjoyed this article! If you get a chance, please share with your wider industry friends or anyone that would like to read, thanks!

The Team @Music Gateway.

Awhile back I posted a list of the best free DAWs currently available for recording and producing music that anyone can install on a PC or Mac computer.

This week I've put together a list of the most popular paid digital audio workstations that people use even with just a basic home or laptop setup to record, edit and produce music, among other things.

DAW software is the cornerstone of making music, so choosing one is a big deal.

There are a bunch of different brands, each with its own unique set of strengths and weaknesses. There is no 'best' DAW. It depends on what features and workflow works best for you. A lot of people like using two different DAWs.

Personally I like using Ableton Live Lite 9 for coming up with song ideas. It's great for rough drafts. The unique session view makes everything super quick and easy to setup and get things laid down without being confined to a linear timeline.

Then once I have the song mostly figured out and arranged, I switch over to Pro Tools 12 for the final draft since it's better suited for things like mixing and audio editing.

Either way it's best to try out a few different DAWs first to see what works best for you.

Best DAWs List

If you're looking for a new DAW or are just starting out, here's a list of the most popular Digital Audio Workstations that are currently available, with a YouTube video to give an idea of how each works.

And don't forget the best free DAWs list if you want to get started right now for the cost of your time only.

Ableton Live

Ableton gets categorized as a DAW for electronic music because that's what it's best suited for but it can be used for any kind of music. It's very good for MIDI devices and controllers because everything just works and MIDI mapping is very quick and easy. There's also the Ableton Push, a dedicated controller designed specifically to integrate with Ableton Live.

There are four different versions of Ableton Live 9. There's a free Lite version that comes with certain MIDI controllers and audio interfaces (like the Focusrite Scarletts). There's an Intro version for $99 that's the same as the Lite version except it has 16 tracks instead of 8. The Standard version of Ableton Live 9 costs $449 and the Suite version that adds more instruments and a larger library of sounds sells for $749.

Bitwig Studio

Bitwig is a newer DAW with an emphasis on customizing workflow and advanced MIDI features. It is similar to Ableton Live in that it has a clip launcher view that lets you work with music without the usual linear timeline structure. It works with PC, Mac, and Linux computers.

The full version of Bitwig Studio sells for $299 dollars/euros. There's also an EDU version for $269 (at least that's what it says on the Bitwig website; Amazon currently has it for $239).

Cubase

Cubase is a popular DAW developed by Steinberg, a German music software and hardware company. Cubase is known for being a good all-around DAW with a number of quality included effects and instruments.

There are three different versions of Cubase software with varying levels of features. It starts with the Elements version for $99, then there's an Artist version for $299, and the Cubase Pro version sells for $549, with discounts for educational versions. Color iq test.

FL Studio

FL Studio is one of the more popular DAWs and is a good inexpensive option but it only works with Windows computers. This is one DAW that is future proof because buying into FL Studio also gets you free updates to all future versions.

How Many Daw Users Worldwide 2016

FL Studio is available in three different versions. The entry-level Fruity version starts at $99, the Producer version is $199, and the Signature version is $299, although all are currently a bit cheaper than that for the boxed versions at Amazon. There's also an All Plugins Bundle for $737.

Logic Pro

Logic Pro X is Apple's music software so it's Mac only. Version 10 7 mac os. It comes with a large library of sounds and a number of plugins and effects.

The cool thing about Logic Pro X is it's surprisingly inexpensive considering the source. There's only one version and it sells for $199.

Mixcraft

Mixcraft 7 comes with a number of instruments and effects plugins, plus over 7500 included sounds, video editing support, and unlimited tracks. It works with Windows only.

Mixcraft is one of the more affordable DAWs. It starts at $89 for the entry-level version and the Mixraft Pro Studio version is $165.

MuLab

MuLab isn't nearly as well-known as some of the other DAWs on this list but the people who use it really like it. It supports Windows and Mac.

The full version of MuLab 7 sells for only 69 euros (about $78 USD). There's also a free version that you can download to try out, but it only allows 4 tracks so it's not very useful.

Pro Tools

Pro Tools is probably the single most used digital audio workstations on the planet. It offers a number of advanced features and is especially good for recording and mixing.

Avid has a bunch of confusing pricing plans for Pro Tools that I'm not even going to attempt to explain. The bottom line is you should try the free version first to see how you like it, then buy the full version with a perpetual license instead of one of the subscription plans that sounds cheap now but is inevitably going to end up costing a lot more in the long run.

Reaper

Reaper is one of the more popular DAWs because of its highly-customizable nature and the fact that it's the least expensive option on this list. It's loaded with a ton of features and is known for being very stable.

The great thing about Reaper is it's a wallet-friendly $60. Yeah, there's not a zero missing. A full DAW for $60 with the same level of features as stuff that costs 10 times that much. Plus it has a 60-day trial period to demo the full software.

Reason

Propellerhead recently released Reason 9, the latest version of Reason. It comes with a number of high-quality instruments and effects, plus a large library of included sounds. It works with Mac and Windows.

The full version of Reason 9 sells for $399 and the entry-level starter package, Reason 9 essentials, sells for $69. They offer a free 30-day trial.

SONAR

SONAR is another popular DAW with users that's not as well-known as some of these other options. It comes with a number of instruments and effects, plus VST3 and touch support, unlike a lot of other DAWs.

There are several different pricing plans for SONAR. Basically the entry-level version starts at $99, there's a mid-level package for $199, and the higher-end Sonar Platinum version sells for $499.

Studio One

Another popular DAW that has been getting a lot of users onboard is Presonus Studio One 3. It has a fast workflow and a ton of handy features, with a bunch of high-quality instruments and effects included.

The entry-level version starts at $99 and the full version of Studio One 3 Professional sells for $359.