Cakewalk by BandLab

Almost all functions can be used for free from the beginning, and VST plug-ins can be used to supplement missing functions in a simple procedure.
And it's convenient to have a score view
it is really amazing.

ほぼすべての機能をはじめから無料で使えるし，VSTプラグインで足りない機能を補うときも簡単な手順でできる
しかも譜面ビューがついていて便利
本当に素晴らしい！.

Been using this for years (from Gibson days). Excellent software. Comes with some good synths and effects plugins. Takes some learning but worth it, full of useful tricks. Support is good too.

I've been using Cakewalk since Music Creator 6 (early 2000s?) and when BandLab took over a few years ago I was skeptical at first. The downloadable DAW is great and a huge advancement from Music Creator. It is a complete DAW unlike the online BandLab, and VST'S and VSTI'S candy be added easily. Updates and improvements keep coming and their new forum is full of information for those that need extra help or who are willing to assist others.

Since 6.0 I'm having problem with the export of Reaper, as the .wav file export doesn't seem to work properly, whyever, and I did not find the mistake. So I had been looking for an alternative and had chosen Waveform and Cakewalk for my shortlist. I did not feel very comfortable with Waveform, as a lot of things worked quite different than in Reaper, I also found the basic structure less convincing, but Cakewalk I really liked from the beginning. Good structure, easy access to the - for me - necessary features - and an - in my opinion - simple, very logical structure and a good quality of the results.

Did not use it very long up to now, but I'm very pleased, even more as this nice DAW is freeware.

I have used this for many years as a Sonar Platanum user, it has only improved since bandlab took over :D
Huge learning curve, but with all the top requirements of a DAW that has to be expected. Many pioneering faetures over the years and innovations showing the money obviously goes into the Dev rather than promotion and is sadly reflected by the musical world as not the front runner it really should be.