Best DAW Shootout: Logic Pro, Digital Performer, Pro Tools, Cubase Pro, Ableton Live, & Reaper

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What's the best DAW for composing music? Let's compare the top 6 DAW's on the market to see which best suits your budget & workflow.

#daw #musicsoftware #musiccomposer

🏁 Skip ahead:
1:51 Logic Pro X
3:39 Digital Performer
6:31 Pro Tools
8:12 Cubase Pro
9:17 Ableton Live
11:58 Reaper
14:15 Honorable Mentions

*2022 Update: I now regularly use Cubase for just about everything! If you're a PC user, I can't recommend Cubase enough! If you're on Mac, strongly consider Logic or Cubase :)

Комментарии

One of the most honest takes on these DAWS I've heard - with real, career-based feedback. I was considering my next try out to be Ableton but after watching this I'm gonna go with Cubase.

darkmoon_dawg

The most important thing you said, "Find one DAW and master that". I have used many DAWs and the one I ended up using was Studio One. For me, it fits my workflow really well. Once you master one DAW it is much easier to understand what it does and does not do. I don't do a lot of midi and I have been told Studio One is not strong in midi. Ok. Not a problem for me. The best DAW is the one that fits your workflow.

hotjamsm

Team Reaper!! :) I love them 'em all, though. Except Pro Tools. We don't talk about Pro Tools.

composercode

Steinberg has a flagship DAW Nuendo didn’t see it
Reaper is a monster of a DAW and it comes with lots of default plugin
FL studio is more than just a beat making it can do everything
I’m a Cubase and now Reaper user and I love it
Overall all DAW are very good today it doesn’t matter is how creative you are

You got some good info great video

dernuniverse

I was an early adopter of a DAW in the 90s with Ensoniq Paris (long discontinued now). It came with a huge PC card full of DSP chips to help out the host PC (they were not really powerful enough in those days). I also had the extension rack with 16 extra inputs/outputs for a total of 20 in/out (20bit IIRC), and the external controller. IIRC you could record & mix up to 128 tracks.
Coming from analog, I thought it was truly awesome (and relatively quite affordable). Non-destructive editing, easy recalls, almost endless tracks etc. Things we all take for granted now, but back then it truly was a revelation. Sometimes I still miss how super quick and intuitive it was to make crossfades in the GUI of that long dead DAW. I only had to use the mixing desk for recording anymore.
The stock plugins it came with pretty much sucked in general though, and when they started supporting VST plugins, Ensoniq Paris was basically already dead. I rarely used any plugins at the time though, unless I ran out of outboard gear and needed "something" more.
IIRC it also didn't really support MIDI, so I had sync'ed an old Atari ST with Cubase to it for when needed (probably using SMPTE using the old box I still had from the analog days).
/old fogey reminiscing

jaydy

Hi @Steven Melin Cubase has become hands down my absolute favorite DAW. It is so powerful and versatile! Cheers!

desmondweston

Excellent video!
Very informative.
I love DAW's.
When i got out of hardware recording and into software recording, it was so intimidating.
But after about a year i was able to run a DAW with no problems.
Switching from hardware to software was the most musically life changing thing i ever did.
CUBASE is my go to DAW, but i find them all to be wonderful things.

patrickarend

You can't just skip over FL Studio like that and say "oh, that program is just aimed at beat making". It's just as capable as the other DAWs if not more! It's a shame because people are just going to assume it's useless for regular music making if they go by your statement.
I'd say the best thing about FL is that it's very intuitive even for beginners, as well as the ability to have whatever workflow you want. Don't like working with patterns? Then just use the arrange window. Enjoy the live functionality of Ableton? FL has a performance mode too. And last but not least, the best freaking piano roll on the market. :)

Nayah

I'm a windows user. And I have tried demo some of the existing daw. I fell in love with the reaper, the most responsive daw I've ever tried. The GUI is non-irritating to the eyes and can be customized.

heryanmau

Nice video! I've learn them all! I've used PT for 20 years and now it seems the right time to finally ditch it after studying Reaper for a week. I use Logic, S1, Live sometimes and have used Mixbus, Bitwig and Reason. All Daws have their strengths and flaws, you really have to put the time in learning it and then decide what's best for you. Or just stick to the one that works for you and go make some music.

eaccin

Finally, someone who says that there is no best-ever-DAW, what count is your creativity & your knowledge to use it. They all have Pros & Cons. Go with what feels natural to you.

SkyMaloba

I would add Reason 12. The community has become quite immersive, as has the tools to create. It's ability to exist in other DAWs as a rack is quite excellent.

alexsonic-image

One of the greatest pro of REAPER among other DAWs is its CPU low usage and fast loading. Those who have an outdated PC or MAC, I highly recomend it. And it is super affordable. I think it is the most underrated DAW due to its GUI and low price. But it does the work you need and almost never crushes even if you overload it with plugins.

RyanCreep

Been using DAWs for a long time and I love Live's horizontal sequencer. I use it 100% of the time over session view.

gengee

Excellent review! Went from Cubase to Digital Performer. why; three words; streamers and punches!

danielstartek

I didn't find Reaper's midi editing hard at all. The GUI has been updated in 6 and it customizable with themes you can download. I've heard of lots of people ditching Pro Tools and moving to Reaper. Plus the support community has been outstanding.

paulysguitarjournal

DP is really good for music making. I would use it for film scoring, song producing, etc. Pro Tools is more for sound design and stuff.

PufftasticJames

So far I've tried Live, FL Studio and Cubase and Cubase is the most intuitive to me both in terms of setup with hardware etc. and just making tracks as a beginner.

largelysubatomic

As a former DJ / Recording Artist I`ve started producing in 1997 with Cubase VST 3.5 on an old Power Mac 8600.. later as a 3 Person Producer Team we have used Logic Audio until 2006 .. since i left the Music Industry i am producing just for fun and to stay creative .. Now i am on Studio One 5 / Presonus Sphere and its really great ... gives me a much more better workflow than any other DAW and it sounds great ..

DJCanoma

I bought Logic in 2014 and it still works. It updates frequently and free. I like that. I'm going to add the xtouch universal controller and later on switch to M1 Imac

markchristophersignal