Is this for the US only? Cakewalk's site lists X3 at €95 for me, which is about $130.excessional wrote:Sonar X3 you can pick up for about $50 at the moment.
Cheap or Free DAW
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- KVRist
- 134 posts since 20 Sep, 2014
JRRshop currently has it on sale at $59 but you also get a 15% discount applied on checkout, so that's basically $50.
I think anyone can buy it at that price...
I think anyone can buy it at that price...
Sonar Platinum, Ignite and Ableton Live 9 DAWS
AIR Hybrid 3, Synthmaster, Z3ta+2, Addictive Drums 2, True Piano Amber, Rapture, Dim Pro, BFD Eco, AAS Strum, Addictive Keys, Synth 1 VSTs
Nektar LX61, Korg MicroKey and Akai Pro LPD8 Pad
AIR Hybrid 3, Synthmaster, Z3ta+2, Addictive Drums 2, True Piano Amber, Rapture, Dim Pro, BFD Eco, AAS Strum, Addictive Keys, Synth 1 VSTs
Nektar LX61, Korg MicroKey and Akai Pro LPD8 Pad
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- KVRAF
- 1645 posts since 12 Dec, 2012 from Switzerland
Probably already mentioned: Reaper
You can get it for 60$ if you're a private (non professional = under 20k of earning per year) user.
You can get it for 60$ if you're a private (non professional = under 20k of earning per year) user.
stardustmedia - high end analog music services - murat-
- KVRist
- 134 posts since 20 Sep, 2014
Reaper is great value at $60.
However it doesn't come with any virtual instruments/samples.
You can of course get a vast array of free and demo VSTs and samples if you hunt around (the Addictive Keys Grand Piano Demo is still my 'go to' piano sound after all) and a lot of the instruments thrown in with base level DAWs by the other manufacturers aren't that great, but I do think Sonar chucking in Session Drummer 3 in its base version swings me to recommending it. You won't pick up drum kits or a drum design studio VST as good as that for free. Really you need to go up to BFD or Addictive Drums to get anything much better (although I did manage to pick up the great BFD Eco for $25 on a sale last month - sounds superb although you are limited to the kits it come with).
I think if you really want a budget DAW then I think it's between Sonar X3 and Reaper for general use.
Both have demos (X3 is limited to a month's use and Reaper asks you to pay or uninstall after a month) - so why not try them out and see what you think.
If you want to make purely electronic music (esp. if you are going mainly sample-based) and are happy not being able to record any audio at all into your DAW then you could also consider the basic FL Studio 11 at $99.
However it doesn't come with any virtual instruments/samples.
You can of course get a vast array of free and demo VSTs and samples if you hunt around (the Addictive Keys Grand Piano Demo is still my 'go to' piano sound after all) and a lot of the instruments thrown in with base level DAWs by the other manufacturers aren't that great, but I do think Sonar chucking in Session Drummer 3 in its base version swings me to recommending it. You won't pick up drum kits or a drum design studio VST as good as that for free. Really you need to go up to BFD or Addictive Drums to get anything much better (although I did manage to pick up the great BFD Eco for $25 on a sale last month - sounds superb although you are limited to the kits it come with).
I think if you really want a budget DAW then I think it's between Sonar X3 and Reaper for general use.
Both have demos (X3 is limited to a month's use and Reaper asks you to pay or uninstall after a month) - so why not try them out and see what you think.
If you want to make purely electronic music (esp. if you are going mainly sample-based) and are happy not being able to record any audio at all into your DAW then you could also consider the basic FL Studio 11 at $99.
Sonar Platinum, Ignite and Ableton Live 9 DAWS
AIR Hybrid 3, Synthmaster, Z3ta+2, Addictive Drums 2, True Piano Amber, Rapture, Dim Pro, BFD Eco, AAS Strum, Addictive Keys, Synth 1 VSTs
Nektar LX61, Korg MicroKey and Akai Pro LPD8 Pad
AIR Hybrid 3, Synthmaster, Z3ta+2, Addictive Drums 2, True Piano Amber, Rapture, Dim Pro, BFD Eco, AAS Strum, Addictive Keys, Synth 1 VSTs
Nektar LX61, Korg MicroKey and Akai Pro LPD8 Pad
