9 Best DAWs for Beginners in 2021

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Thinking about taking your first steps into a brave new world of digital audio workstations (DAWs) and music creation software? Whether you’re making the transition from a knobs-and-sliders Portastudio setup or taking the plunge into multitrack recording for the first time, this Sweetwater feature will be your guide through the eight major, beginner-friendly software platforms available today.

Why Go DAW?

Standalone recording environments definitely have their charms. Many of us at Sweetwater fondly remember our pioneer days of multitrack recording through cassette 4-tracks and Realistic-brand mixers. But, these days, software-based recording is definitely where it’s at — not only in terms of editing convenience and track counts but also in terms of quality, flexibility, compatibility, and file exchange with other collaborators and mixing/mastering engineers. Today’s DAWs and software platforms pair digital audio fidelity with the workflow and sound of analog recording setups: console-based mixing environments, tape- and hardware-based effects emulation, and virtualizations of impossible-to-find synths, drum machines, and drum kits. Dollar for dollar, DAWs promise way more flexibility than standalone setups and are generously equipped to take your music in bold, new directions.

While there are dozens of options out there today, here are our best recommendations for anyone who’s diving in for the first time.

Our Favorite Recording Software for Beginners

For the Band & Songwriter

Avid Pro Tools | First, Standard, and Ultimate — Mac/PC

Your intro to the most popular DAW on Earth

What better entrée into the world of DAWs than a completely free version of the most popular recording software on Earth? For more than 20 years, the name “Pro Tools” has been synonymous with the word “DAW.” Pro Tools | First gives you 16 tracks of audio-layering freedom and a generous host of effects plug-ins, instruments, and loops to fast-track your production results. For the solo instrumentalist and singer/songwriter, 16 tracks are more than enough to create radio-friendly productions and immersive soundscapes.

Once you gain command over all that Pro Tools | First can do for your creation process, the transition to Pro Tools | Standard is totally seamless. Pro Tools’ monthly and annual subscription options step you up to 128 audio tracks (32 simultaneous), 1,024 MIDI tracks, 80 effects plug-ins, and video support. Best of all, your PT | First projects are fully supported, so if you just need additional tracks or functionality for a particular project, you’re just a Sweetwater call or online upgrade away.

One feature that cooperative creatives love is Pro Tools’ Cloud Collaboration feature, which connects users to players, engineers, and songwriters all over the world. Say you need a tasty solo for a lead break or a live drummer to put the final sheen on a song, or you want to track a session and then connect with someone who can mix and master it: Pro Tools does all the legwork for you.

Did we mention the plug-ins? Pro Tools has shaped the industry with its great-sounding and visually appealing effects and instrument plug-ins. We’re pleased to report that the plug-ins in the latest version of Pro Tools | Ultimate are better than ever. We’re talking licensed content from Purple Audio, Fairchild, Pultec, and Moog along with some brilliantly sampled pedal effects and amp models via the Eleven MK II software. It’s just another example of Pro Tools users finding limitless ways to shape their sound entirely in the box.

And, of course, you can’t mention Pro Tools without talking about its powerful editing features. Elastic Time. Splitting and joining. Comping. Creating pitch-perfect takes is so simple within Pro Tools that it’s little wonder why users all over the world have made the jump and found their home in this ecosystem.

Pro Tools subscriptions and purchases include a year of support, so you’re fully covered in the event of an upgrade coming along between now and next year.

PreSonus Studio One 5 Artist — Mac/PC

A strong contender for top audio/MIDI production tool

When it comes to DAWs, workflow is everything. Thanks to its high-contrast, multicolored interface and intuitive layout, many users have found their production home in Studio One from PreSonus. Studio One 5 Artist is a full-featured audio and MIDI production suite with support for traditional multitrack audio (bands, podcasting, voice-over) as well as virtual instruments to accommodate modern metal and EDM production.

Studio One 5 Artist also excels as a song arrangement tool, making it so you never have to leave your workflow to add a little drama and flair to your chord progressions. The Chord Track feature works with not just MIDI data but raw audio as well, which really saves time when it comes to sketching out progressions or experimenting with different keys for your singer. The Chord Selector tool suggests chord patterns and ideas automatically — even advanced and extended chords — so you’ll never have to monkey around with a troublesome bridge or turnaround again. Best of all? No music theory required!

Another timesaving feature in Studio One 5 Artist is its ARA (Audio Random Access) 2.0 integration. With this protocol, third-party plug-in developers and DAW hosts can share tempo, pitch, and other data with one other, allowing for nondestructive editing even from traditionally destructive editors (e.g., pitch correction). The list of third-party plug-in manufacturers supporting ARA continues to grow today with options from Melodyne, Softube, and Synchro Arts.

Sampling is another area in which Studio One 5 Artist is an obvious choice over other DAWs. The included Sample One tool samples audio from anywhere within your session, as well as traditional import/export, allowing you to loop vocals, chop beats, and warp audio to your heart’s content.

The entry-level Artist edition of Studio One nets you unlimited audio and MIDI tracks, full 64-bit floating-point audio resolution, a whole suite of loops and effects plug-ins, onboard amp modeling, and even integrated vocal and instrument pitch correction via Melodyne Essential (trial offer). And, with the help of version 5’s Clip Gain envelopes and trackless Aux Channels, Studio One Artist has really come into its own as a full-fledged production suite.

Steinberg Cubase Elements 11 — Mac/PC

A melting pot of analog workflow and MIDI capability

The lightweight yet feature-laden Elements 11 is built on the same architecture as the award-winning Cubase Pro 11 — one of the industry’s most popular audio-production powerhouses. Users who are flocking to their first DAW from an analog production environment will feel immediately comfortable in Elements 11’s console-based workflow. The resizable MixConsole window fills your entire screen with the workflow and sonic essence of a real-deal analog desk, giving you 64-bit floating-point audio and sample rates up to 192kHz for unimaginable sonic clarity and source fidelity. Elements 11 comes stock with 40+ audio/VI plug-ins and 5GB of hi-def sounds and loops to stoke your creativity.

A crowd-pleaser in Elements 11 is the Cubase Channel Strip. This 500-style plug-in rack and its flavorful range of effects modules is fully integrated into every channel within your session, combining the top-down feel of an analog gear rack with digital editing convenience and clarity. This keeps options nice and streamlined for audio editing; much like an analog console, there’s no worry about what plug-ins to use or how to route them. With Channel Strip, modules can be dragged in any order to unlock subtle to extreme shades of sonic sculpting.

Another helpful session tool is Cubase’s Groove Agent SE 5, which crafts beats for your session on demand with hypersampled acoustic drum kits and some seriously vibey drum machines. So, whether you’re adding earthshaking acoustic drums to a skeletal song arrangement or reaching back for old-school street beats, Elements 11 has the tools you need right inside.

As with Studio One above, Cubase Elements 11 also gives you several songwriting and arrangement tools — the real-time Chord Pads chord player and the intelligent Chord Assistant chord analyzer — to help your song ideas reach their full potential.

New additions to Cubase Elements 11 include native MP4 video rendering (hallelujah!) and what Steinberg calls MIDI Retrospective Recording, which effectively tracks your MIDI inputs for easy recall even when the tape’s not rolling. This means no more lost solos or chord inversions when you’re fishing for inspiration. Even our Pro Tools users admit it’s a pretty enviable feature.

One other feature we love in Elements 11 is the Sampler Track sample editor, which can be powered by any audio in your current session or via the onboard Caleidoscope sample library, which has hundreds of samples and presets baked right in.

Universal Audio LUNA Creator Plug-in Bundle

Universal Audio LUNA — Mac

Transform your Apollo interface into a complete production system

Universal Audio’s Apollo series of audio interfaces has changed the game by combining their acclaimed UAD DSP with top-shelf analog circuitry and class-leading digital conversion. And, with Universal Audio LUNA DAW software — free for all Apollo users on Mac computers — everything you love about your Apollo interface becomes completely integrated into an analog-style production environment. From capturing those first moments of inspiration and experimentation with different musical arrangements to your final mixdown and even mastering, LUNA delivers an exceptional production experience.

While LUNA is the first DAW endeavor from Universal Audio, it’s clear that LUNA has been designed to combine serious production power with ease of use. With support for AAF (Advanced Authoring Format) session files, LUNA is ready for you to import sessions from Avid Pro Tools, Adobe Audition, and other popular DAWs. Speaking of other DAWs, LUNA uses key commands familiar to any Pro Tools user, making it easier than ever for experienced engineers to get started with LUNA.

LUNA delivers everything you’d expect from a modern DAW but with fully integrated support for your DSP-powered UAD plug-ins and no discernible latency. Accelerated Realtime Monitoring offers an analog-style tracking workflow, allowing you to monitor sessions with your Apollo’s onboard DSP acceleration. During mixdown, you’ll be able to tap into emulated summing circuitry from the Neve 80 series console, imbuing your projects with the rich sonic character of that classic Neve sound. And LUNA comes with the Oxide multitrack tape-emulation extension, allowing you to get the warmth and “glue” of hitting tape hard — you’ll never want to track drums without it once you hear it.

The DSP power of your Apollo isn’t limited to processing plug-ins — LUNA also includes a trio of DSP-powered virtual instruments. The Moog Minimoog plug-in, developed along with Moog Music, generates all the fatness of the 1971 original. The Shape plug-in covers a huge range of vintage keys, drums and percussion, guitars and bass, orchestral instruments, and real-time synthesis with sound sources from Spitfire Audio, Orange Tree Samples, Loops de la Crème, and others. And with the Ravel piano instrument — a model of the Steinway Model B grand piano at Ocean Way Studios — your Apollo’s DSP is leveraged to create one of the best-sounding, most realistic virtual piano models ever created.

So, Universal Audio LUNA DAW software fully integrates your Apollo DSP acceleration into your production process, gives you an analog-like workflow complete with the vibrant sound of tape saturation and wonderful Neve summing, and it’s completely free for Mac-based Apollo users — that’s a winning combination for any Mac-based Apollo user.

Cockos Reaper 6 — Mac/PC

Advanced audio editing for the beginning user

When it comes to customization, Reaper is about as robust as they come. Offering an unlimited range from custom track and lane visuals to cherry-picked mixer views and beyond — all homegrown and generously supplied by other Reaper users — it supplies a custom layout for any type of workflow you find yourself engrossed in: audio, video, MIDI, sound for film, and more.

What beginning users love about Reaper is its 60-day, full-function free trial. That’s plenty of time to dive in and test out the workflow, plug-ins, and layout options before taking the plunge. Included with a license are the generous ReaPlugs and JSFX suites, which consist of everything from multiband compressors and look-ahead limiters to some pretty advanced utility plug-ins including latency compensation and DC-offset removal.

With great power comes a steep learning curve. While it’s easy enough to jump in and record and mix multitrack audio, more exhaustive editing and menu diving will certainly require some time spent with the manual. Kenny Gioia posts tons of great tutorials and how-tos on his Reaper Mania YouTube channel. If you’re just getting started, then it’s worth investing an hour or so in his Watch These First video playlist.

All told, for the price, Reaper offers a ton of potential for beginning producers and home recordists. While it may not be as intuitive to dive into as some of the other top DAW options, Reaper gives you the tools you need to capture your creativity.

Apple GarageBand — Mac/iOS

The DAW you may already own

This completely free recording software is optimized to make the most of the iPad’s and Mac’s native hardware, and it’s available to every Mac and iOS user. GarageBand’s streamlined interface and integrated instruments are perfect for the user who isn’t super savvy about DAWs and recording but wants to dive headfirst into music production. Even novice songwriters will have no trouble dreaming up arrangements within GarageBand’s single multipaned window.

Not only is it easy to use, but also, with the seamless transition between your iOS device and your Mac computer, you can work on your GarageBand projects anywhere. And thanks to a huge collection of Apple Loops, a built-in virtual drummer, and tons of sounds to play with, all you need to get started with GarageBand is some inspiration. Beyond music production, Apple GarageBand offers some great lessons for piano and guitar — sure to help you progress with your instrument of choice.

Getting started with DAW software can be intimidating, and it’s clear that Apple put a lot of thought into making GarageBand as accessible as possible for new users. It’s a free download for any Mac or iOS user — that’s about as accessible as it gets! While it’s aimed at beginners, GarageBand offers suitable tools to cover everything from sketching out ideas to mastering your final mix. If you’ve been wanting to get into music production with your Mac, iPhone, or iPad, then there’s no reason not to load up GarageBand and see what you can create.

For the Electronic Musician

Image Line FL Studio 20 Fruity Edition — Mac/PC

The perfect introduction to loop-based music creation

“Fruity Loops,” now FL Studio, has come a long way since its inception. Today, it’s a powerful loop-based songwriting and creation tool. Workflow is streamlined and intuitive even for novice users. Build a drum beat. Lay down a chord progression. Create a melody. Before you know it, you’ve got a complete song in the can. Its 11 onboard synths and nine drum machines put you in the driver’s seat of the music that steers your soul. You’ll also find VST and AU support to accommodate your virtual instrument and effects libraries as you branch out.

FL Studio 20 is a great way to get accustomed with such baseline DAW concepts as hardware controller integration, piano roll, quantization, arrangement, time signatures, and more. There are plenty of tools tailored specifically to the EDM and loop-creation environment, including a Paint tool for quick loop duplication and a Stamp tool for adding and implementing predetermined chord shapes.

Don’t let FL Studio 20’s simplicity scare you away. If you’re into loop-based music creation, this one platform holds your hand from concept to completion. There are powerful channel effects to punch up parts with compression, EQ, saturation, and reverb along with a floating mixer window to create dynamic arrangements with panning, rises and falls, and focal points. There’s even an onboard mastering limiter to get those final tracks extra hot and spicy.

Touchscreen user? FL Studio 20 also boasts advanced multi-touch support for hands-on creation and mixing control.

Ableton Live 11 Intro — Mac/PC

The digital music performance standard

For years, Ableton Live has been the performer’s standard for latency-free live backing tracks and virtual instrumentation. The Intro version of Live 11 brings this same power to a streamlined interface that’s quick to dive into and create audio with, all at an entry-level price.

Live 11 Intro‘s traditional linear (Session View) and nonlinear (Arrangement View) approach to music creation makes it engaging for all artists, those with DAW experience and those without, to dive in and start building beats and songs. A slew of pre-recorded sounds (1,500), instruments (4), and effects plug-ins (29) comes standard for quick beat and song creation. There’s even support for standard VST and AU audio formats to accommodate your existing instrument and effects library.

Another feature that sets Live 11 apart is its Help View, a highly interactive, integrated help mode overlay. Far from a simple PDF manual (although one is accessible via this mode), Help View gives you tips and tutorials for everything from track setup to quantization. For this reason alone, Live 11 Intro is the perfect platform for the beginning music maker.

Reason Studios Reason 11 Intro — Mac/PC/iOS

Virtual rack with infinite patchability

Any player who’s comfortable with the synth/Eurorack paradigm of patching gear will take to Reason 11 Intro like a duck to water. This feature-laden workstation offers a unique virtual rack view and some gorgeous hardware-based graphical interfaces for each of its included synths, drum samplers, and effects units — along with a rear view that lets you interface modules in whatever way you see fit. You can even control voltages to create some pretty sophisticated results — a true audionaut’s holiday. The possibilities are endless with Reason 11 Intro.

Reason 11 Intro keeps the creativity flowing by convincing your brain you’re working in an analog environment. All the while, modern DAW conveniences — third-party VST support to host all your favorite instruments and effects, native pitch editing, and loop-based or linear track creation — make Reason a compelling hybrid for the artist who wants analog workflow and digital comforts. And now, with the introduction of Reason 11 Intro, Reason Studios has given users a ton more reasons to dive in — most notably in Reason’s massive, multi-gigabyte included sound library and the new Reason Rack plug-in. This latter addition lets you access Reason’s powerful, playful sound-sculpting rack as a third-party plug in the DAW of your choice.

Looking to make music on the go? Reason’s companion app, the free Reason Compact, is a powerful audio sketchpad with song templates and some sought-after synth and drum engines baked right in. It’s perfect for bottling those song ideas when the inspiration strikes, for those 15 minutes of downtime between meetings, or while on the train.

Still Don’t Know Where to Start? Give Us a Call!

Need some help choosing the best DAW for your needs and budget? Still unclear what a DAW is? No problem! No one in the industry knows more about recording technology than Sweetwater. Heck, our company was born out of the back of a VW van hauling our founder’s mobile recording rig. Give your Sales Engineer a call at (800) 222-4700 or shoot us an email. We’ll get you on the right track.

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