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If you make music on a computer, be that a PC or a Mac, your DAW - or Digital Audio Workstation, to give it its full name - is the most important tool in your creative arsenal. Put simply, the best DAW for you is the one that makes it easiest for you to make music, and inspires you to keep creating.

This could save you some serious money in the long term. Finally, we have to mention Ableton Live opens in new tab , undoubtedly the big digital audio workstation success story of the past two decades. It's hard to overstate the impact that Live has had on the music software marketplace. When the first version was released in it threw out the traditional design rulebook and established itself not just as a recording program for composers, but also as a performance instrument in itself.

Since then, it's exploded in popularity and influenced the development of countless other desktop and mobile apps. The long-awaited Live 11 takes things to the next level, adding much-requested features such as an elegant comping system and support for MPE.

There are new devices, too, along with updates for existing ones. It retains its place at the cutting edge of DAW technology. Read the Ableton Live 11 Suite review. The headline feature in version 20 was a native bit Mac version, meaning that FL Studio can now be used on macOS as well as PC without the need for a clunky workaround. Pleasingly, licenses are shared between both Mac and PC versions. Image-Line offers lifetime free upgrades to FL Studio users, meaning that all existing users of the software now automatically own upgrades to version 20 on both platforms.

And the updates just keep on coming: version Read the FL Studio 20 review. Version Central to this overhaul is the addition of Ableton-style Live Loops, which enable you to jam with ideas before recording them to the main timeline.

There's also a new step sequencer, completely overhauled samplers and new tools for electronic beatmakers. Even though Apple is largely following trends here rather than setting them, this is the modernising step up that many Logic users have been waiting for. Read the Apple Logic Pro X Along the way, the company also invented virtual studio technology, developed a class-leading audio editor WaveLab and survived the dark days of software piracy.

Despite increased competition, Cubase is still up there at the head of the DAW pack. The latest version, Cubase 11, is a solid update that expands its offering on a number of key fronts. For new purchasers, the many excellent plugins, extensive sound library and massive functionality make it worth the asking price, and it's worth noting that the more affordable Artist and Elements editions come with decent feature sets, too.

An oldie but a goodie, then. Read the Steinberg Cubase 11 review. Studio One has been gaining ground for several years, and it's now a DAW of real power and maturity, not merely matching its rivals in most respects but going beyond them in a few areas.

Version 5 sees the software really come of age, with a fully developed score editor and Clip Gain Envelopes that that deliver surgical region-based volume automation.

In fact, whether you're an existing user or new to music production - or even an old hand who's dissatisfied with their current DAW of choice - it's one of the best DAWs around. With its responsive, modernist interface, smooth workflow and innovative-but-relevant feature set, Studio One 5 truly represents the state of the art in virtual studio design. This is one of the most customisable and affordable DAWs around. What's more, it's wonderfully responsive, with everything from scrolling and zooming to fader moves and item editing feeling quick and fluid.

Factor in some budget for the soundware of your choice and Reaper makes for a top-class music production environment. Find out more: Cockos Reaper 6 opens in new tab. Reason has undergone some big changes over the past couple of years. Of course, you can still use Reason as your main DAW, but with the stock instruments and effects now available to use anywhere you like, and a new MIDI Out device for controlling your external gear, this is the most attractive that the software has looked in years.

Reason 12 sweetens the deal still further, with a more powerful and flexible Combinator, hi-res graphics and a new sampler. Read the Reason Studios Reason 12 review. Has it really been seven years since the launch of the first version of Bitwig Studio? It has indeed, though that still makes it a relative infant in DAW terms. That said, version 4, is most notable for the introduction of a pretty fundamental feature: comping.

This is handled in a typically elegant, 'Bitwiggy' way, though, and if you're looking for new 'creative' functionality, consider Operators, which add a new and very powerful dimension to how and when MIDI or audio events are triggered. Read the Bitwig Studio 4 review. Non-musicians can simply sequence the supplied audio loops, but a decent collection of software instruments comes supplied, too, as does multitrack recording functionality and a good selection of virtual guitar amps and stompboxes.

Drummer is great for automatically generating beats, Smart Controls make for more pleasant editing of sounds, and you can even use the Logic Remote iPad app to control the software. Through its eight major updates, Mixcraft has evolved from a basic starter app to a genuinely impressive DAW, taking on features normally associated with costlier alternatives. Mixcraft 9 has a sleeker interface with detachable panels, as well as new automation features, vocoder tracks, new effects and instruments and the option to convert audio to MIDI with a single click.

It might not be the flashiest DAW on the market, but if you invest in Mixcraft you'll be getting a well-supported production solution that comes at a great price, and newcomers will find it very approachable. Read the Acoustica Mixcraft 9 Pro Studio review. The software has never had quite the same impact in the home recording market, but knowledge of it certainly puts you at an advantage if you want to work in the industry.

You can now update tracks and timeline sections during playback, so you can experiment with effects, presets, loop points, etc, without ever stopping the music. As such, your creativity can flourish uninterrupted. There's also Avid Cloud Collaboration, for cloud-based project storage, while the Avid Marketplace, which is designed to connect you with others in the audio community. Whether all of this will be enough to significantly grow the Pro Tools user base remains to be seen, but existing fans are unlikely to look anywhere else.

Find more more: Avid Pro Tools opens in new tab. Better still, it's now made the software available for free. The third-party content that was bundled with the paid-for version has been removed, but the DAW's key features, such as the Skylight user interface, flexible ProChannel modules and bit mix engine, are all here. So, if you're a PC user on the lookout for a new DAW, you've got literally nothing to lose by trying this one.

Find out more: Cakewalk by BandLab opens in new tab. A DAW can be used throughout the music production process: for recording, editing, arranging, mixing and even mastering. If you can, try working through this process - demo versions of many DAWs are available - so that you can test the workflow. It goes without saying that, before you buy, you should also make sure that your prospective DAW is compatible with your computer, any other hardware that you might have, and any plugins that you consider essential to your workflow.

Find out more about how we test music gear and services at MusicRadar. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. More Best new free music software Best electronic drum kits Top 40 synth sounds.

Ableton Live. Versions: Intro, Standard, Suite. System requirements Mac : macOS Reasons to avoid - Latest update doesn't feel as essential as the last few versions. Image-Line FL Studio. A unique DAW that's kickstarted many electronic music producers' careers. System requirements PC : Windows 8. Reasons to avoid - GUI can feel a little cluttered. Apple Logic Pro. Versions: Standard. Reasons to avoid - Mac only. Steinberg Cubase. Versions: Elements, Artist, Pro. Reasons to avoid - 'Traditional' design.

PreSonus Studio One. Versions: Prime free , Artist, Professional. Reasons to avoid - Relentlessly busy interface can be overwhelming. Cockos Reaper 6. System requirements Mac : bit: OS X Reasons to avoid - Doesn't come with loads of plugins. Reason Studios Reason. Additionally, program may use up to 20 GB scratch disk space. Reasons to avoid - Hardware-esque design won't be for everybody.

Bitwig Studio. Versions: track, Standard. System requirements Linux : Ubuntu Reasons to avoid - Ableton Live still casts a shadow Apple GarageBand. Specifications Launch price: Free. System requirements: macOS Reasons to avoid - No PC version. Acoustica Mixcraft. Versions: Recording Studio, Pro Studio.