Top 6 Digital Audio Workstations for Recording and Mixing in 2024
by The Press Desk
Steinberg Cubase Pro 14
Whether you’re creating, producing or mixing Cubase 12 Pro has you covered. Create perfect MIDI melodies with VariAudio Scale Assistant, a set of tools for pitch editing where users can dial in their desired scale in order to never miss a note. Audio to MIDI chords helps you remember your arrangement by detecting chord progressions in audio tracks. Make use of Cubase’s scalable dedicated full-screen mode MixConsole view where you can quickly access all your channel elements with ‘one click’ direct routing, track notepad, drag-and-drop support and even optimized mouse-free operation with keyboard access for the visually impaired.
PreSonus Studio One
Studio One 6 Professional offers smart templates with quick-start essential workflows for recording, mixing and mastering right out of the box so whether you're making a beat, mixing a project or just getting started each dedicated smart template will assist you differently while enhancing your workflow. The DAW’s drag-and-drop capabilities makes tasks such as copying FX chains, extracting chords and replacing sounds a real breeze. Recently added video editing essentials allows users to work on multiple reels of feature film or an entire YouTube video in one simple session with multiple export formats and no need for a third-party software.
Avid Pro Tools Studio
If you’d like to harness the processing power of an industry standard without overspending your budget, Pro Tools Studio subscription plan might be what you’ve been looking for. Filled with more than enough 512 audio tracks, 120+ plugins across instruments and effects, 1 video track and some audio post tools this is Avid’s most popular choice among producers and engineers. Just like its full-featured counterpart, Pro Tools Ultimate, the Studio version of Pro Tools subscription plan includes third-party software and services such as Celemony’s Melodyne 5 Essential and SoundFlow Cloud Avid Edition as well as Avid’s Complete Plugin Bundle with all of Pro Tools’ state-of-the-art production softwares.
Apple Logic Pro 11
As an alternative choice to Pro Tools with an affordable perpetual licensing format comes Apple’s Logic Pro for Mac users. The DAW is filled with plugins from renowned developers that will help you from tracking to post production. Logic has pioneered time-manipulation functionalities, cutting-edge music and sound for picture tools and is also one of the first DAWs with seemingly Dolby Atmos compatibility so if you’re a Mac user this is practically a no-brainer choice. Also if you’re into Apple’s mobile devices such as iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch you may want to check on all of Logic’s integration with these devices, turn your iPad into a remote control and even use your iPhone’s gyroscope to control virtual instrument’s parameters in real time.
Cockos Reaper 7
Reaper can easily be considered the most powerful DAW at its price range. Available for MacOS, Windows and Linux, Cockos’ software has become a go-to DAW not only when you need a light-weight software for recording and/or some quick editing but it also gets the job done as a complete workstation for mixing and post production. With generous license pricing this open source project born software can virtually do anything in audio production with limitless audio and MIDI tracks, video and surround sound support, all-format third-party plugin compatibility, extensive media format export and capable of full customization Reaper keeps an high-paced updating rate in order to keep up with all of the industry’s innovations.
Harrison Consoles Mixbus32c 9
Recently acquired by Solid State Logic, the Nashville-based pro audio console and music production software company Harrison has been on the market since 1975 and is a well known console brand for music recording and mixing. Currently on its 9th edition, their Digital Audio Workstation, the MixBus32c brings an exact emulation of the company’s legendary analog console of the same name used on records by Michael Jackson, Led Zeppelin, Supertramp and many others. The graphic interface reproduces the ones used in the original unit so you can almost feel the analogue vibe while looking at a proper channel strip inside your computer. The software also includes plenty of high-quality plugins in order to get you started.
For more on each of these DAWs and more, please visit our DAW Talk section: https://gearspace.com/board/daw-talk/
