Best free DAW

[ZeePok]

 
You really should not dismiss Mulab! I think the free version is very well suited for your class!

Yes, it's 'only' four tracks (but you can bounce) and its has plenty of built-in instruments and effects, including the extremely versatile Mux modular environment.

Think about it ...

EDIT: Link added
 

 

[KingClarkie]

 
You really should not dismiss Mulab! I think the free version is very well suited for your class!

Yes, it's 'only' four tracks (but you can bounce) and its has plenty of built-in instruments and effects, including the extremely versatile Mux modular environment.

Think about it ...
 

Podium Free, Studio One Prime and Tracktion 4 all offer unlimited tracks. Podium and Tracktion offer unlimited VST instances. Why on Earth would you consider something so hopelessly crippled as MuLab Free?

[skipscada]

I have an interesting list and links here.
It's a great starting point for a more accurate search.

Tracktion 4 looks suspiciously like Cubase to me

[ZeePok]

 
You really should not dismiss Mulab! I think the free version is very well suited for your class!

Yes, it's 'only' four tracks (but you can bounce) and its has plenty of built-in instruments and effects, including the extremely versatile Mux modular environment.

Think about it ...
 

Podium Free, Studio One Prime and Tracktion 4 all offer unlimited tracks. Podium and Tracktion offer unlimited VST instances. Why on Earth would you consider something so hopelessly crippled as MuLab Free?

 
Because the OP said he was after a lot of good built-in instruments & effects. For that you can't do better than Mulab Free.

(Besides, that 'limitation' is so soft it's almost neclectable. Just a soft hiss)

So I'd say Mulab Free is his best choice especially for teaching purposes.
 

[bibz1st]

I have an interesting list and links here.
It's a great starting point for a more accurate search.

Tracktion 4 looks suspiciously like Cubase to me

Take another look....

Capture.JPG

[trimph1]

I have an interesting list and links here.
It's a great starting point for a more accurate search.

Tracktion 4 looks suspiciously like Cubase to me

Take another look....

Capture.JPG

Why did you not put this in your previous comment?

[bibz1st]

How do you mean ?
Ive only made 2 comments, the first didnt need it and the second one has it

[KingClarkie]

Because the OP said he was after a lot of good built-in instruments & effects. For that you can't do better than Mulab Free.

But with 4 tracks you're not going to be able to do much with them.

(Besides, that 'limitation' is so soft it's almost neclectable. Just a soft hiss) 

Yes, who doesn't love a bit of random white noise in their songs.

[ZeePok]

 
The purpose was not pro-level production, but for teaching a (short) course
 

[Kumi_27]

When You want to make something from samples and loops, 4 tracks are imho too little. Percussion sounds will eat this limitation at once.

CM has in every issue a pack of quality CM Plugins. Combine this with Podium Free or Tracktion 4 and You're set.

[fluffy_little_something]

I am following this thread because I am looking for a basic DAW, not because I want a free one. But it seems to me that every DAW is getting more and more complex, with zillions of features I never need, while all that added stuff only introduced bugs.
So basically I am looking for an outdated DAW, which used to work very well and reliably, though, when it was current years ago.

[trimph1]

When You want to make something from samples and loops, 4 tracks are imho too little. Percussion sounds will eat this limitation at once.

CM has in every issue a pack of quality CM Plugins. Combine this with Podium Free or Tracktion 4 and You're set.

Good suggestion right there. I think Audacity is still available as well

[jeffh]

I am following this thread because I am looking for a basic DAW, not because I want a free one. But it seems to me that every DAW is getting more and more complex, with zillions of features I never need, while all that added stuff only introduced bugs.

Supply and demand. DAW makers are supplying what DAW users demand, which is that every one implements every workflow and feature that every other DAW implements. What was the first thing we all did after we switched to our 2nd DAW? We asked the developer to make it more like our first DAW. By the time you have 20 users, every other DAW is represented in your feature requests

(but seriously, your only choice is to continuously switch to newer, less mature DAWs, due to aforementioned market forces)

[Zexila]

I am following this thread because I am looking for a basic DAW, not because I want a free one. But it seems to me that every DAW is getting more and more complex, with zillions of features I never need, while all that added stuff only introduced bugs.
So basically I am looking for an outdated DAW, which used to work very well and reliably, though, when it was current years ago.

Maybe energyXT?

http://www.energy-xt.com/

Maybe if you are lucky enough Emagic Logic 5 pop out on ebay, maybe some older Cubase too.

[braj]

I don't know how many students you have or how much time you have to act as technical support, I still recommend Studio One free version simply because it would teach all the basic stuff of a DAW without being a total PITA. I would say Tracktion would work, but then you need to set them all up with plugins, with multiple installs on multiple machines. If I had 10 kids to teach I would want the technical part of it to be as simple as possible. I think S1 does that, I don't know about the Mac version's stability though, but all I had heard involved plugin compatibility, so I think it would be solid when just using the stock ones.