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Which recording software should you choose?

Since the revolution of the home studio, where everybody can use their bedroom as the base of their music production, audio recording software has been on the rise.

In the beginning, there weren't any computers, just huge mixing desks and a lot of really expensive tape machines. Now, with programs like Logic and Pro-tools for instance, the options of recording and being heard are limitless.

If you are serious about recording and mixing music you should consider all the options and all the audio recording software available before you spend your hard earned money on whatever program you think you might need.

Below are some options to consider, ranging from high-end home studio packages like the Pro-Tools LE to freeware recording software such as Ardour and Audacity.

A note before I begin. Whatever audio forum you look at there will always be a fight about which audio recording software is the best. I haven't tried every DAW on the market so I can't give you a definite un-biased opinion on all of them.

But you can!

If you navigated Pro-Tools first, then everything else is awkward and annoying to navigate. If you started with Logic, then all the other software will be un-intuitive and difficult. Such is the nature of these programs that sometimes the first program you handle will be the program you stick to.

High end standard

Pro-tools is viewed as the standard when it comes to audio recording software. Most all studios employ Pro-Tools as their software of choice, using their Pro-Tools HD system. For home recording Digidesign has a smaller package called the Pro-Tools LE.

The difference between LE and HD, except for the thousands of dollars in cost is that the LE system is dependent on your CPU power and doesn't come with a dedicated DSP interface like the HD system. It also has a limit of 48 simultaneous tracks, but if you are just using it in your bedroom studio, that might be a limitation that you can deal with.

Here is a short introduction to Pro-Tools and the difference between LE and HD

If you are set on getting a Pro-Tools system in your home studio, be aware that you have to get a dedicated interface from Digidesign as well, like the M Box 2 or Digi 003 Rack. Digidesign also has the so called Pro Tools M-Powered that works with all the interfaces from M-Audio, which is a good choice if you don't like the M-box, or the Digi003 is too much for you.

Pro-Tools is a good choice if you are doing a lot of work with audio, as the general consensus is that there are other programs out there that work better with MIDI than Pro-Tools. But as it is regarded as a standard in the professional audio industry you can always be sure that you can take your sessions to a professional studio for that final touch.

Here's a short video on music creation using Pro-Tools

For the Mac user and multitasker

Logic Pro is my program of choice. I haven't been a Logic user for long, having been a Pro-Tools teacher at one time but I can say(and I might get criticized for this) that I like Logic way more than Pro-Tools. Sure, I needed a little time to learn how to navigate because it might not be as intuitive as Pro-Tools at first glance, but after watching a Logic Pro video course one evening I was ready to roll.

Here's a video helping you get up and running with Logic in minutes

You don't need a dedicated interface like an M-Box to run Logic as your audio recording software. You should be able to plug in any sound card you wish. The amount of programmable presets, software synths and samples that come with the application make it a breeze for singer/songwriters or home recording enthusiasts to record their demos or make professional mixes of their band's recording.

For Mac users familiar with Garage Band, and have used it for their song demos, Logic Pro is the next step, taking their music production to a whole new level. Also, it being an Apple product, it only works on Mac computers, which for some of you out there might be an annoyance.

If you are familiar with Logic Pro but want to amplify your knowledge with some tips and tutorials, check out the AudioTuts's Logic tutorials for some great resources to your music production.

For the DJ

Ableton Live seems to be taking over the DJ world. It has a highly intuitive interface and is modeled for live situations, incorporating so called audio clips that you can playback in time with other clips you have running at the same time.

You can use it as a normal audio recording software and midi sequencing app if you wish but the advantage of Ableton Live is it's unique clip arrangement.

For a crash course on Live, see the video below that explains the basics of the program.

Dj's are not the only people that use Live. I've seen people record indie rock records using Live as well as singer/songwriters using the program as a standalone sampler/recorder in their live set, essentially enhancing their one-man setup.

Icelandic music master Mugison, before getting a rock band to support his live shows used a laptop and Live exclusively to enhance his one stage persona, sampling, recording and harmonizing his guitar/voice setup.

For FREE!

For the not-so-serious about professional audio recording software there are quite a few free options.

Audacity

Audacity is a great starter program for interested audio enthusiasts or singer/songwriters who want to demo their songs.

Here's an intro to audio editing with Audacity

Ardour

Ardour is an open-source audio recording and music mixing package. It offers unlimited audio tracks and buses(of course limited to your CPU), non-destructive audio editng and is essentially a pretty decent audio recording software that allows you to record, mix and edit your music to your heart's delight.

The Ardour community of programmers and audio enthusiasts are working to make Ardour a great recording software works off of donations. So whenever you download their software, be sure to make a small contribution to their funds so they can continue bug testing and improving on their platform.

The SAE Institute was funding the Ardour project for some time. Sadly, they dropped their funding a while ago, but not before they had their own version of Ardour for SAE students. The SAE podcasts on YouTube have quite a few tutorials on how to work with Ardour.

Here's a video teaching you how to start a new session.

For more Ardour tutorials, check out the SAE tutorials

Cubase & Nuendo

Cubase and Nuendo from Steinberg are great audio software bundles. They are a great alternative if you don't like the monopoly of Digidesign's Pro-Tools and aren't a huge Mac fan. Cubase is the little brother of the bigger Nuendo program, and although they seem exactly alike to the average user, there are subtle differences between them.

Like it says on Steinberg's website:

Technologically advanced yet extraordinarily intuitive and fully customizable, Nuendo 4 offers streamlined, precision tools that save time and boost creativity for audio professionals in today’s media, recording and film industries. Nuendo 4 provides scaleable, cross-platform systems that integrate easily and fully with premiere components by industry-leading plug-in and hardware manufacturers.

Here's a cool video about some tips and tricks you can do in Cubase:

So if you want to run your Windows system, don't want to juggle with a program that is aimed at DJ's and don't like having to buy a dedicated hardware like the M Box, Nuendo or Cubase can be a perfect fit for your situation.

Reason & Record

Reason was for a long time the best all-in-one MIDI software sequencer. Not a dedicated audio recording software, as you couldn't record audio. But you had everything you needed to make electronic music - all the synths, the drum-loops and effects you could ever want.

Then they took it one step further.

You see, you were only able to use Reason if you didn't want to record audio. You could only use MIDI notes, either drawn in or played on your dedicated keyboard controller. But no more, because they have recently come out with Record. Record bridges the gap and allows you to record audio.

A program for every occasion.

Whichever audio reocording software you want, there are definitely options available out there for every one of you.

If you are just starting out, you might want to consider the free music mixing software like Ardour or Audacity before you embark on something more expensive. But if you are serious about your music production, investing in a full fledged audio production power-house like Pro-Tools, Nuendo or Logic is definitely worth the money spent.