DP has a very steep learning curve but is well worth the time investment. MIDI editing and Automation functions are organized.Īdvanced functions are difficult to find.Įditing audio is frustrating and batch track actions are limited.ĭigital Performer by MOTU is another industry-leading DAW, packed with extremely deep features for improving your workflow speed. This has saved me countless times when improvising on a keyboard. Logic has a unique Capture Recording function that can capture any recent performance if you forget to hit the record button. Logic has fully-customizable key commands. Logic is by far the most budget-friendly DAW for Mac users due to its inclusion of a massive sample instrument and plugin library (most notably the EXS24 sampler, Drummer, synth engines, orchestral instruments, rock instruments, and ethnic instruments). Upon first open, I suggest ticking the Advanced checkbox within the Preferences menu to view the expanded version of the DAW, revealing numerous useful hidden functions.

Its menus have sub-menus and those sub-menus have menus. Logic is easy to access, but difficult to master. It has the appearance of Garage Band Pro, but don’t let that fool you. Logic Pro X by Apple is the one Mac-only DAW on this list. Thanks for your support! Read the full Affiliate Disclaimer. is a for-profit business and includes products and links to products on this site that will earn me an affiliate commission for any purchases you make. For simplicity of comparison, I’ve limited each DAW to 3 pros and cons: Here are the top DAWs in the industry and why you should consider adding them to your arsenal. Each DAW does this differently and caters to a specific type of composition. Some DAWs include default sample instruments, notation software integration, and film scoring capabilities. Every DAW includes default plugins for mixing, such as reverb, compressors, and equalizers (EQ). There is a great amount of overlap across DAWs (they all basically do the same thing), but the nuances of each are useful when writing for particular media and styles.Įvery DAW can record audio, notate Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI), organize music data, and export in multiple audio formats.

Each DAW has a unique purpose, intention, and functionality. I’m still surprised by how often I receive this question from composers – as if one Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) rules them all and is built for all purposes.

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