2014 has been a strong year for Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs). If you are on the lookout for a DAW, be sure to check our how to choose article. Below you can find other options than we currently list.
Big leaps were made as Tracktion got back in the market, Bitwig Studio being released and Cakewalk was acquired by guitar-giant Gibson and Cubase got a surprisingly large software update.
FL Studio, Live Logic and Pro-tools had their newest versions released in the market this year. A lot has happened in the market and it’s always a good idea to keep an eye on who’s innovating in the field – here are 5 DAWs to Consider in 2015:
- MuTools MuLab: This DAW is probably the most underrated of them all. You may not have even heard of it, but all of its users are very enthusiastic about it. The interface of this DAW is simple and straightforward. This will be good for the basics such as editing, mixing, recording and using plug-ins. Those who have higher expertise will also get a hold of impressive modular sound system ready for exploration.Its version 6 was released early in 2014 bringing in new vibe, a fresh look and excellent new features. Reviews sounded good so far but it is really better if you can try the software yourself so as you can see if the features really fit you well. In that case, the free version is available to help you anytime.
- Sony Creative Software Acid – This is not a showy type of DAW and the interface seems old-fashioned but Acid was still as ground-breaking as it was on 1998 because of its automatic audio time stretching and pitch-shifting key features.
Its version 7 can now handle MIDI and video, too. It isn’t as flashy as other DAWs but it’s still high-speed, user-friendly and the performance is as excellent as ever. Earlier this year, the cheaper Acid Music Studio 10 was released, being the budget friendly version of this DAW. It may be cheaper in price but it still has almost the same features that ACID has. - Apple GarageBand – This is very user-friendly that there is no other DAW in the market that could cater the needs of beginners in music production. It’s built in all new Mac units and downloadable for free by all OS X mavericks users through the Apple store. Sequencing audio loops is made-easy for beginners. This comes along with a variety of software tools, a good range of virtual guitar amps and stompboxes with multitrack recording feature.
Its latest version has some similarities with Logic Pro X in terms of design and features. Smart controls have a very user friendly interface and you can even make use of the Logic Remote iPad to manipulate the software. Automatic production of beats is also made easy through Drummer. - Magix Samplitude Pro-X – Magix is known for their beginner-friendly Music Studio and Music Maker but they also have a DAW. It’s a complete music production suite which has gone very far from being a simple audio editor. Presently, their editing system is object-based with modern and highly-developed features such as Melodyne-style Elastic Audio.
The Independence sampler workstation is already built in. The software has been added with a 64-bit support, surround sound mixing, and a docking system which allows the customization of the interface and spectral editing. This will be a good DAW to begin with and have similar software to upgrade to when the expertise increase. - Ableton Live – This DAW has been launched in 1999 and has not lost its popularity ever since even if many competitors were launched after. Well, you don’t just stay on top of the market for no reason. What music producers came back over and over again to this established DAW name is its smooth MIDI sequencing software and hardware. Its sound package includes 23 libraries which basically about 50G of sounds enabling you to create music that has never been heard before. Its glitches are also very, very few compared to other DAWs making it the most competitive DAW for live performers.
