Top 6 Digital Audio Workstations for Electronic Music Producers in 2024
by The Press Desk
Ableton Live 12 Suite
Currently on its 11th version, Ableton Live made a name for itself among electronic music producers due to its live performance capabilities that allows users to launch audio or MIDI clips in real time and without ever losing sync. Featuring dozens tools for sound shaping, intuitive sample editing, a hefty instrument library and straightforward integration with hardware controllers such as the Push 2 and Launchpads, Live is the top DAW for those looking for a solution that works perfectly for both studio and stage.
Apple Logic Pro 11
Apple's Logic Pro X (or simply LPX) comes with a massive collection of instruments, plug-ins, loops and presets that will hardly need anything else to go with, and since version 10.5 it includes a clip launcher that should be perfect for live performances and jamming. The Logic Remote feature is another great plus, integrating iOS devices (iPhone/iPad) to give users the ability to use multi-touch gestures to play with virtual instruments, control the mixer and use plug-ins - not to mention that it's a handy remote control for recording alone far from the computer. LPX also comes with onboard support for ARA2 apps such as Melodyne and it includes all you need to produce for immersive formats such as Dolby Atmos.
Bitwig Studio 5
Often considered as the alternative to Ableton Live due its similar non-linear workflow, Bitwig stands on its own and certainly has a set of tricks up the sleeve. The big highlight here is definitely the robust modulation system, which features a number of tools that allows for literally any DAW or plug-in parameter to be modulated in nearly endless ways with LFOs, triggers, macros and much more. It also allows users to literally build their own instruments and effects from scratch - it feels like the perfect marriage between a modular synthesizer and a DAW!
Image Line FL Studio All Plugins Edition
Right on its overview webpage Image Line boldly claims that FL Studio is the "fastest way from your brain to your speakers", and we definitely agree with that! FL Studio ‘All Plugins Edition’ includes all features and native plugins available by the company at the time of purchase with lifetime free updates. The software also has the ‘touch controllers’ function, a designated graphic interface for use with pad and keyboard types of MIDI controllers with quick access to note labels, velocity control and more.
Reason Studios Reason 13
A staple for many composers for nearly two decades with its trademark hardware rack-style interface, Reason continues to deliver a very attractive package. Version 12 comes with a number instruments, effects and utilities such as sequencers, arpeggiators and modulators, and it also features a huge sound bank with over 29000 patches and samples, making it a great choice for any computer-centric setup. It can also be used as a plugin on any AAX, AU or VST3 compatible host, so you can take advantage of its powerful rack basically anywhere.
Steinberg Cubase Pro 14
Cubase Pro 12 brings some pretty cool features for composing with a DAW. The Audio to MIDI function is capable of detecting a song’s chords with simple dragging and dropping a stem into a track with that has the function enabled. Users can also access a menu of alternative chords for certain parts of the song by using Chord Track together with its proprietary Chord Assistant and even Jam along with a MIDI controller by enabling Chord Pads. It also features ARA 2 for integrating external editors such as Melodyne, which rounds up nicely its feature set for music makers.
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