Article: free music production software

[bpblog]

Being that I started producing music on a computer around ten years ago (using MuLab Free and some free plugins like the ones from Kjaerhus Audio), I decided to write an article that would help beginner musicians get started. I wanted to make a list with all the best free music production tools in one place.

Here it is: https://bedroomproducersblog.com/2019/1 ... -software/

Now, yes, the list could be longer than a Top 10, but if you're just starting out it's better not to have too many options. So there's a couple of free DAWs, a single free audio editor (Audacity), a synthesizer (Surge), an EQ (TDR Nova), and so on. I also made sure that all listed software works on both Windows ans macOS.

I'm planning to keep updating this article regularly and I'm open to suggestions.

Thanks for reading and commenting.

[JerGoertz]

This is the kind of thing I would have loved back when I was starting out.

Thanks for writing & sharing this article

[bpblog]

Thank you! That's good to hear.

[dellboy]

Being that I started producing music on a computer around ten years ago (using MuLab Free and some free plugins like the ones from Kjaerhus Audio), I decided to write an article that would help beginner musicians get started. I wanted to make a list with all the best free music production tools in one place.

Here it is: https://bedroomproducersblog.com/2019/1 ... -software/

Now, yes, the list could be longer than a Top 10, but if you're just starting out it's better not to have too many options. So there's a couple of free DAWs, a single free audio editor (Audacity), a synthesizer (Surge), an EQ (TDR Nova), and so on. I also made sure that all listed software works on both Windows ans macOS.

I'm planning to keep updating this article regularly and I'm open to suggestions.

Thanks for reading and commenting.

Who says that what you have selected is "best" ?

For instance, you suggest that an old DAW, Traction T7 is "best", and yet it is unsupported and will never be updated.

Strangely, Cakewalk Bandlab Sonar which is still very much supported and is in every way a better DAW hardly gets a mention.

So "best" in what sense ?

[Tj Shredder]

Cross-platform as he stated already... And T7 is an (slightly) older version of a fully equipped commercial software set free by the developers...
Best is always a matter of taste as well, but that should be know to anybody crawling the net...

[bpblog]

For instance, you suggest that an old DAW, Traction T7 is "best", and yet it is unsupported and will never be updated.

Strangely, Cakewalk Bandlab Sonar which is still very much supported and is in every way a better DAW hardly gets a mention.

So "best" in what sense ?

I made sure that all the main suggestions on the list are cross-platform (Windows and macOS compatibility at least, with Linux support where available). You're right, Cakewalk by Bandlab may be a better DAW than Tracktion 7 all, but it's no good for macOS users (and there are many beginner producers using their Macbooks when starting out).

So, I listed cross-platform software as the main picks and mentioned alternatives for producers who want to test multiple apps. For example, Cakewalk by Bandlab and Ardour are mentioned as T7 DAW alternatives.

[Paree]

Being that I started producing music on a computer around ten years ago (using MuLab Free and some free plugins like the ones from Kjaerhus Audio), I decided to write an article that would help beginner musicians get started. I wanted to make a list with all the best free music production tools in one place.

Here it is: https://bedroomproducersblog.com/2019/1 ... -software/

Now, yes, the list could be longer than a Top 10, but if you're just starting out it's better not to have too many options. So there's a couple of free DAWs, a single free audio editor (Audacity), a synthesizer (Surge), an EQ (TDR Nova), and so on. I also made sure that all listed software works on both Windows ans macOS.

I'm planning to keep updating this article regularly and I'm open to suggestions.

Thanks for reading and commenting.

Who says that what you have selected is "best" ?

For instance, you suggest that an old DAW, Traction T7 is "best", and yet it is unsupported and will never be updated.

Strangely, Cakewalk Bandlab Sonar which is still very much supported and is in every way a better DAW hardly gets a mention.

So "best" in what sense ?

For me, Tracktion is way more clutter free, plugins, mid clips are drag and drop, slightly less stable but works on linux as well, so i don't need to be worried about what platform im in.

For your claims of it being unsupported, the forum here is pretty welcoming to the queries and issues about T7 and Tracktion people are really nice as far as my limited interaction with them online is concerned.

The first free version of Tracktion was T4 and it recieved yearly updates till T7.
Also, their facebook comment suggests that it'll get replaced by a newer DAW next year.

[dellboy]

For me, Tracktion is way more clutter free, plugins, mid clips are drag and drop, slightly less stable but works on linux as well, so i don't need to be worried about what platform im in.

For your claims of it being unsupported, the forum here is pretty welcoming to the queries and issues about T7 and Tracktion people are really nice as far as my limited interaction with them online is concerned.

The first free version of Tracktion was T4 and it recieved yearly updates till T7.
Also, their facebook comment suggests that it'll get replaced by a newer DAW next year.

I am not knocking T7, I have used Tracktion since T1 and I have a Waveform 10 license.

I tried T7 on Puppy Linux just yesterday and it crashes.

[Paree]

For me, Tracktion is way more clutter free, plugins, mid clips are drag and drop, slightly less stable but works on linux as well, so i don't need to be worried about what platform im in.

For your claims of it being unsupported, the forum here is pretty welcoming to the queries and issues about T7 and Tracktion people are really nice as far as my limited interaction with them online is concerned.

The first free version of Tracktion was T4 and it recieved yearly updates till T7.
Also, their facebook comment suggests that it'll get replaced by a newer DAW next year.

I am not knocking T7, I have used Tracktion since T1 and I have a Waveform 10 license.

I tried T7 on Puppy Linux just yesterday and it crashes.

Its rock solid on Linux Mint 19. Maybe it wasn't tested for puppy linux because it has a very small user base even inside linux. Have you tried it with Ubuntu/Debian/Mint?

[BBFG#]

I have Sonar Platinum; Tracktion 7 and Ardour.
After many failed attempts of installing/running Bandlab and contacting support multiple times without a single reply, I've essentially given up on it -and also stopped using Sonar as well because of that. And while most of my time is using Cubase now, I do venture into Tracktion and Ardour regularly.

Between the two, I prefer Ardour.

I also find Surge to be uninspiring.

(I run on Windows and Linux Ubuntu Studio.)

[dirtysnow]

IMO talking about 'best' is misguided. For instance, stock T7 is not suitable for anything except recording and mixing tasks as there are no sampler presets and there is no synth. As soon as you're talking about needing external plugins I don't think you're talking about beginners anymore. Moreover, how many individual users care about cross platform? Safe to say not the majority. Does it stack up against Cakewalk on windows? Not really.

So for whom is T7 actually the best option? Users who are not beginners or who will be recording/mixing exclusively who also need to collaborate those on another OS who surely also understand while Reaper can be used free, it is not technically free?

I say this not to drag T7 or to say it is not useful or that its workflow is not the 'best' for some user or users, but rather to point out that people have different requirements and there is no best. IMO it makes more sense to talk about the strengths and weaknesses of each of the free options rather than try to rank them. Ranking is clickbaity and does not account for what matters most: the users.

[bpblog]

I also find Surge to be uninspiring.

Interesting! Have you tried the new versions (now that it's open-source and improved)? Would you suggest any other plugin as the best free synth?

IMO talking about 'best' is misguided.
...
Moreover, how many individual users care about cross-platform?

I agree that "best" may not be the best word to use in this case. Maybe a headline like "good free software for music production" or something along those lines would be a better fit. But either way, I use the term "best" loosely. The point was to create a list of free software for beginner music producers. So, this is, in my opinion, the best free music production software for beginners.

As for cross-platform compatibility, I mean, it's not important per se. But I wanted the Top 10 items to be cross-platform so that anyone who reads the list could take those programs for a spin, regardless of their OS. And, as already mentioned, platform-specific alternatives are also mentioned in the article.

[BBFG#]

"Beginners" often start from hand-me down computers. If Apple, they have Garage Band, which is enough for what it does.
If PC, then it partly depends on the specs.
Which is often why booting it with Linux is even considered.

IMO, those are the real cross platforms you ought to base things on for "beginners". Apple will always be a system primarily unto itself. Especially for beginners.

One thing I keep reading across the net about Ardour/Mixbus users are how many use it alongside another DAW.
Often for mastering.
So, good for the beginner, good for the advanced.

Surge is a fine plugin, it just happens to leave me flat. As does Dexed.
I have four free programs that are all true cross platform on my system. My favorite of them is Zebralette. Which is simple enough for beginners.

[Paree]

IMO talking about 'best' is misguided. For instance, stock T7 is not suitable for anything except recording and mixing tasks as there are no sampler presets and there is no synth. As soon as you're talking about needing external plugins I don't think you're talking about beginners anymore. Moreover, how many individual users care about cross platform? Safe to say not the majority. Does it stack up against Cakewalk on windows? Not really.

So for whom is T7 actually the best option? Users who are not beginners or who will be recording/mixing exclusively who also need to collaborate those on another OS who surely also understand while Reaper can be used free, it is not technically free?

I say this not to drag T7 or to say it is not useful or that its workflow is not the 'best' for some user or users, but rather to point out that people have different requirements and there is no best. IMO it makes more sense to talk about the strengths and weaknesses of each of the free options rather than try to rank them. Ranking is clickbaity and does not account for what matters most: the users.

Cakewalk doesn’t come with any synths either, it has studio instruments which is limited to certain genres where most people prefer recording if they have equipment.

Also, there is nothing difficult in loading vst. I was 15 when i started and i was using 100+ vsts. Kids these days can hack websites or build neural networks so loading vsts isn’t complicated at all, not to mention that you cannot do much without vsts for free, except if you use lmms in which you cannot record.

[BertKoor]

Don't narrow down reading audience to win/mac, excellent!

"Beginners" often start from hand-me down computers. If Apple, they have Garage Band, which is enough for what it does.
If PC, then it partly depends on the specs.
Which is often why booting it with Linux is even considered.

Funny that... I always was a windows guy. Tried a few daws and could get basics down fairly easily. Never ever considered linux btw, never heard that sentiment here also in 15 years, so that surely is a false claim.
Got a mac for work some years ago. Started up garage band, but am baffled how to even start a real project. Can dabble with some plugins / presets (I think) but I still need to get help (read manual or pray to youtube gods) to get any further. Which I still have not done.

So yes, mac people want to know what can be done as well besides what apple ships. I really like the platform agnostic approach.
And they need to understand a DAW is not complete, or can be extended with plugins.