Tracktion is a fully-featured audio and MIDI sequencing system for Windows, with an intuitive and clutter-free user interface that's easy to learn and a pleasure to use.

Tracktion's flexible audio architecture lets you explore complex permutations of digital audio clips, midi sequences, VST plug-ins, soft synths and digital effects, just by dragging-and-dropping them around the single editing/playback screen.

Each track in a Tracktion edit can record and play back any combination of audio or MIDI clips, passing it through built-in effect filters and plug-in filters (and soft synths). All the editing is done on one screen, without the need for dozens of floating windows and pop-up panels. The info panel at the bottom of the screen contains information about the selected audio clip or plug-in filter.

Tracktion costs £50/$80.

Some of the main playback and editing features include:

• No limits on the number of tracks or effects - anything your PC can't handle in real-time can still be played back using the unique track-freezing functionality.
• Unlimited undo/redo history, and ability to revert to 'checkpoints' in edits.
• Built-in effects include reverb, 4-band EQ, delay, chorus, phaser, compressor, low-pass filter, and pitch-shifter.
• Full midi sequencer allowing looped or time-step midi recording, with quantisation, piano-roll editing and full control over midi events, program changes and controllers.
• Freely mix audio sample rates within the same edit, or even the same track; audio clips can be played at different speeds or time-stretched with no fuss.
• Record from audio devices by simply pointing them at the track of your choice and hitting the record button.
• Support for DirectSound and ASIO audio devices. Can record or play back to multiple devices simultaneously (even at different sample rates). Latencies below 5ms are possible (hardware permitting).
• Integrated CD ripper for pulling audio directly into an edit.