Choosing a Good DAW

How to choose the best DAW

Digital Audio Workstations (DAW’s) are software based music-recording platforms that enable recording, editing, and playback of audio and MIDI music files.  DAW’s may include built-in mixing, software instruments and effects processors.  In the old studios these functions were usually handled by stand-alone hardware devices.   Traditional and electronic instruments used to be recorded by analog or digital tape recorders before mixing and completing the recording with a hardware mixing console and hardware effects processors.

Software DAW’s

See also: Music sequencer

Computer-based DAW’s include four basic components: a computer, a sound card (or audio interface), digital audio editor software, and an input device for entering and editing musical note data. This could be a mouse or MIDI controller (keyboard), or even a mixing fader board for controlling track volumes.

The computer hosts the sound card, the best DAW software and provides processing power for audio editing.  Sound cards or external audio interfaces typically convert analog audio to digital form and also process the digital audio during playback.

The best DAW software controls the hardware and provides a user interface allowing recording, editing, and playback. Many DAWs have extensive MIDI recording, editing, and playback features, and sometimes even video-related capability.

Typical DAW functionality

Since most musicians and recording engineers are already acquainted with tape recorder and mixer technology, the best DAW software technology is usually modeled on this type of multitrack tape recorder technology.  The best DAWs usually include controls for record, rewind, play, audio and mixing levels, and have a waveform display and editor.  Some DAW’s also have the ability to support effects plug-ins for sound processing.  Since DAW’s are portable and have in large replaced older recording systems, it is not uncommon for recording engineers to maintain all their studio technology on portable laptops and to even travel with their full studio systems.

The most significant feature that distinguishes DAW’s from older analog systems is their editing capability.  Undo features allow mistakes or bad takes to simply be reverted back to a previous version with a simple mouse click  Cut, copy, and paste are also available for editing the completed recordings waveforms.

Automation and MIDI technology are commonly used for transferring and editing music files and sequencing arrangements.  Some of the better DAW programs will assist with composition by offering special algorithms which can generate patterns, loops, sequences.

Issues to consider when selecting a DAW

It will be easier to narrow down your choices once you better understand what you’re looking for.  When choosing a DAW you need to ask yourself some questions:

• Do you own or prefer to use a PC or a Mac?
• Will you need maximum features from the start?
• Will your projects include commercial recording studios?
• Do your music idioms include Classical, Jazz, Rock, Country, Bluegrass, or dance-oriented music?
• Do you play with a live band?
• Do you need printed music scores?
• Will you need to expand later?
• What are your music production goals?   Pro-Tools may be the best DAW if you want to work in a studio; however, if you are mostly interested in creating music at home, then finding a DAW that conforms to your budget and works on your existing computer might be a better option.
• How do you learn?  A major full-featured DAW package may be the way to go if you learn best by challenging yourself, but the learning curve may be steep.  Some people learn easier with the “beginner’s” DAW packages, and many entry level DAW’s have all the features you would need.
• How much are you ready to invest?  Many high end DAW’s can run several hundreds of dollars to purchase.  Once obtained, some level of commitment will be necessary to secure and adequate return on your investment.  Read some reviews and do your research before making an informed decision.

Modern software DAWs provide awesome capabilities for hundreds to thousands of dollars less money than older recording studio systems.

A list of software DAWs, Sequencers, Hosts, etc.

A basic explanation of a DAW system

Please visit my reviews page if you are in the market for some DAW technology.

Or, if you feel like shopping right now you can use the following link to see some of the best offerings at Amazon.com

DAW Products