Choosing the right DAW software for your studio is a very important step. I'm not saying it's life-or-death or a make-or-break proposition. But having the right software means the difference between being able to establish a workflow that allows your creativity to flourish or spending an inordinate amount of time getting your ideas across via a user interface that just doesn't operate the way you want it to. Beyond the user interface, look for the strengths of the program to line up with what you want to do.

Sample Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Commit to a DAW:

Q: Am I big into loop-based composition?
A: Then a program that deals with Acid and REX files well, has loop creation features, and can time-stretch/-compress audio well is a must have!

Q: Am I big on processing?
A: Look for a wide range of available plug-ins - both that ship with the application and optional third-party plug-ins.

Q: Do I work with a lot of soft synths?
A: Check that the format of the virtual instrument plug-ins you want to use is supported, and that there is plenty of MIDI power available.

Q: Am I interested in mastering?
A: Make sure that the right processing is provided or available as plug-ins.

Q: Do I need to record a lot of tracks at once?
A: Look for compatibility with various multi-I/O interfaces and a clear user interface that resembles the way a studio works.

Q: Am I a trained musician who needs to see and use musical notation?
A: Some DAWs have it, some don't - be sure to check first.

The list goes on...it's a good idea to compile your list of must-have features as well as a wish list of things you'd like to have, then start matching up the various DAW software packages against what you want. Talk to other users, explore the information on this site, and then be sure to contact your Sweetwater Sales Engineer for complete information and some real insight into how the various DAWs work, and what each excels at.

Keep in mind that you can also combine some packages together via ReWire or by running them on dedicated computers and patching them into each other. This can often give you the best of both worlds. It's not uncommon, for example, to ReWire Ableton Live (which excels at looping) to a more "traditional" DAW for tracking and composition.

In the end, the good news is that you can't go too far wrong. All the DAW packages out there sport tremendous power and a seemingly endless array of features. Choose the one that feels comfortable, and get busy cranking out musical masterpieces!

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