Lesson 2 - Selecting a Multi-Tracker, or 'DAW'

The DAW, (Digital Audio Workstation) is basically a piece of software that allows you to compose and arrange audio, a kind of virtual studio on your PC. Modern DAW's are incredibly flexible, and often come with a host of built in effects and editing tools. The most popular DAW's for Windows are Cubase, Ableton Live, Reason and Pro-Tools. These all cost money, but there are free versions out there such as Audacity. Each DAW has its' own merits and drawbacks, and the prices are varied. For Macs, Logic is the DAW of choice.

For the purposes of this blog I will mainly be using a combination of Ableton and Reason, a combination that proves popular with many dance music producers. However, if you choose a different DAW, all of the techniques discussed here will still be applicable, you might just have to click a different icon or go about things a slightly different way. Here's my rundown on the basic features of these DAW's.

Cubase: One of the oldest and most established DAW's, this is now on version 4. Cubase is made by Steinberg, who have been at the cutting edge of computer music since the 1980's. Its' main features are audio editing and arrangement, MIDI capabilities (MIDI is a language that allows instrument and computers to interact, as well as providing graphical editors for writing and arranging music) and a host of built in effects and software instruments, including synths and drum machines. Cubase is an all in one DAW, meaning that it can be used in all stages of making a track, composition, editing, arranging and mixing can all be done in Cubase without the need for any extra software.

Ableton Live: A relative newcomer to the market, Ableton is aimed more at Dance music production than other styles of music. Again, it comes with audio/MIDI editing capabilities and a host of built in instruments and effects. One of Ableton's main strengths is that audio that is imported is automatically tempo detected and adjusted to the tempo that you are working at. This is fantastically usefull for anyone that plans to use samples, or mash-up existing songs. Ableton also comes with a unique 'Live' window, that allows you to layout a bunch of clips and then 'launch' them individually or together. A little confusing to explain that one, but suffice to say it is great for live performance and on the fly remixes, and remains the feature that separates Ableton from other DAWs.

Pro-Tools: Another grand old beast, this is aimed more squarely at producing more traditional styles of music such as rock and blues, and more closely matches the environment of a traditional studio. Not commonly used for Dance music, this one is best avoided unless you are planning to produce a variety of styles and need to record lots of live instruments. Also very pricey owing to the fact that dedicated hardware is needed to run it.

Audacity: A great free option that has all of the tools needed to produce music, audio editing, MIDI capabilities and bundled FX and instruments. Although it lacks the features of the paid for DAW's, it is definately worth considering for the casual or beginner user.

Logic: The only Mac exclusive on this list, this has all the features of the other DAW's (excepting Ableton's 'Live' window) as well as in depth tools for creating MIDI instruments and FX. As a windows user there's very little else I can say about this one, but if you use a Mac, it's definitely one to check out.

Reason: Not strictly a DAW in the truest sense, this is a collection of instruments and FX that run in one program, with a window to layout and arrange these tracks. It supports MIDI input and can be run standalone or in 'ReWire' mode. ReWire mode basically means that the program can run alongside other DAW's enabling you to record Reason's instruments through other programmes. The biggest drawback of Reason is that is does not support audio importing or recording, which basically means that you have to have another piece of software if you want to include samples or 'real' instruments.