Get the award-winning DAW now. Following the acquisition of certain assets and the complete set of intellectual property of Cakewalk Inc. From Gibson Brands on 2/23/18, BandLab Technologies announced the relaunch of SONAR as Cakewalk by BandLab - available free-to. MPC Beats is the free beat making software DAW with Drum Programming, Sampling and Audio Recording built on the legendary MPC music production hardware.
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If you are passionate about creating music or just starting your music creation journey, then you probably need a good audio editing software or digital audio workstation (DAW) to showcase your talent. To accomplish this, you may have to purchase some very expensive professional studio DAWs available on the market. Don’t fret, even if you’re short on money, you can still make some awesome tunes by grabbing the best free audio editing software or audio editor for recording and mixing music similar to expensive professional studio DAW without spending any money.
So, what is the best audio editing software for beginners? Well, there is a wide array of DAWs available out there that market themselves as the best free DAW software, or claim to be the best audio editing software for beginners. How do you know which ones are good and which ones should be exempted?
Knowing your forecast, we have compiled a list of the best audio editing software for beginners on platforms like yours (Windows / Mac / Linux). So, are you ready to find the best free audio editing software for beginners, which will be nurtured by music lovers? Down below is our roundup: –
Note You can download them all because they are free!
The Best Free Audio Editing Software for Beginners
1. Audacity (Windows, Mac and Linux) [Best DAW for Voiceover Recording]
We begin our list of the best free audio editing software with Audacity. For those of you who are not aware, Audacity is an open-source program that covers all the basic audio editing/recording needs.
Despite its features and lack of basic interface design, Audacity is widely popular. You can create multi-track recordings, add effects ranging from removing noise, stretching time, correcting pitch, changing keys, and even making some basic dubstep loops with a little twist.
However, Audacity has some drawbacks such as the lack of built-in VSTs, compatibility issues with most third-party VSTs, and its destructive editing style with one-time effects that are permanent, making it a very good DAW.
2. Tracktion 6 (Windows/Mac/Linux) [Overall Best DAW for beginners]
This DAW was released as a free audio editing software specifically for Behringer customers in 2016 but is now absolutely free for all. With a fast audio editing and mix workflow, Tracktion 6 should keep most audiophiles’ ears satisfied. Besides, it is compatible with most VST plugins (Virtual Instruments) and boasts a very fine and streamlined user interface.
What makes it one of the best free audio editing software? Tracktion 6 is available for Mac, Windows, and Linux for free and users can take advantage of features such as Warp Time Audio Editing, Z-Plane’s Elastic Pro Time Stretch Algorithm, and its Nifty Time Correction Tool Kit.
Tracktion 6 has more highlight features under its belt that make it one of the best audio editing software for beginners, namely: an enhanced plugin management system, tape-style start/stop effects, dedicated sub-mix and automation tracks, And a strong audio Compilation tool.
3. GarageBand (Mac) [Best affordable audio editing software for Mac]
GarageBand comes pre-installed in Mac systems with a sound library replete with a dazzling array of VST and AU(Audio Unit) plugins, presets for guitar and voice, as well as a full-fledged selection of session drummer loops and percussion samples. It provides multi-track recording and plenty of preset loops for various instruments ranging from keyboards to guitars as well.
It consistently ranks high among various best audio editing software for beginners. All thanks to its sleek and intuitive user interface and great touch bar features for Mac. However, GarageBand lacks the incredible depth of the Apple Logic Pro X that usually suits professionals. But the good news for beginners is that Garageband is still a great DAW to play around with and craft tunes, plus it’s absolutely free!
4. OcenAudio (Windows, Mac and Linux) [Best DAW with the cleanest UI]
OcenAudio is faster and lighter than Audacity. It comes bundled with a barrage of effects including reverb, compression and EQ, which can all be implemented and tweaked in real-time.
It also provides VST support for third-party plugins and contains loads of useful tools such as spectrograms for more users. It is also blessed with the cleanest UI in the game which is an attractive one for first-time users. Though, one major drawback of this audio editing software is that it doesn’t allow multi-track sessions and supports single stereo/mono files.
Therefore, you cannot record and mix multiple instruments in your home studio. But if you are looking at stereo music files, or mono audio files for voice recording, then OcenAudio is your best free audio editing software.
5. PreSonus Studio One 3 Prime (Windows and Mac) [Best DAW for PC]
Launched by PreSonus, Studio One 3 Prime is another great music making software. It has all the tools a beginner would need to start producing great music. For a free version, it boasts surprisingly unlimited audio and MIDI tracks, as well as unlimited sound FX.
Also, Studio One 3 Prime is loaded with drag-and-drop functionality, which gives it a super smooth feel with a bunch of nifty features thrown in for a good measure to enhance your mix/track.
6. MixPad (Windows and Mac) [Best Free DAW for PC]
A coherent multi-track recording and mixing software, MixPad streamlines the audio recording process by mixing the power of professional recording and mixing through a single platform. It creates an eclectic mix for less-experienced budding music enthusiasts and is considered a step in the list of best audio editing software for beginners.
The minimal download file size allows users to create music within minutes. The other features such as multi-track recording, a multitude of free effects, and a full sound library, making it a compact DAW for beginners. Also, you can save your audio tracks in any audio format from MP3, WAV to FLACC, which is always very useful.
7. Soundtrap (Windows, Mac and Linux) [Best online DAW for in-browser editing]
Probably one of only a few unique entrants on our list, SoundTrap is an in-browser online DAW that is quite easy to use. It is accessible to everyone from beginners to professionals.
Users can immediately start making music online using their web platform. What else is there in the soundtrack that injects it into the best audio editing software for the initial list? The soundtrack also boasts a collaborative ability for you and your bandmates to share and work on projects so that producing music from far away places becomes a reality. However, being an in-browser DAW, the soundtrack lacks some features and processing power.
8. Zynewave Podium (Windows) [Best free DAW for MIDI recording]
Podium is great freeware software by Zynewave. It is a complete audio and MIDI recording program with multi-track support (although one input/output can be used at a time), bundled plugins, and VST support.
However, the freeware version of the podium comes with some restrictions such as a 64-bit mixer engine option, multiprocessing, and more. But, it is still a strong contender among the best DAWs on the market which is full of editing options for its intuitive interface design.
9. Ohm Studio (Windows and Mac) [Best DAW for collaborations with friends]
A unique feature of the majestic DAW is that it truly stands on our list of the best free audio editing software for beginners – Ohm Studio is a collaborative audio editing program in which you can invite others to your project or other projects in real time.
This is extremely beneficial if your band members are on the distant ground and provide a great platform for any member to give in to their inputs at any time. Beyond collaboration, Ohm still offers a great package of beautiful DAWs with lots of tools and effects in a smooth workflow.
10. AudioTool (Windows, Mac and Linux) [Best DAW for beginners using Linux]
Here is another powerful in-browser online DAW that made it to our list of the best audio editing software for beginners. It has thousands of samples for working with virtual instruments (VSTs) and effects and this effect can be created manually to make your sounds sound like 80s disco music producers. In addition, Audiotool allows you to store all your projects on the cloud for easy access anytime, anywhere.
Bonus additions on our list of the Best Free Audio Editing Software
11. Wavosaur (Windows)
Perhaps a term derived from “dinosaur”, Wavosaur is indeed ancient, but it still works if you’re searching for the best audio editing software for beginners. Funny enough, the Wavosaur resembles a DAW that may be the missing link in development between tape cutting and modern DAW. With a download file size of only 1.3MB, it is like an on-the-go audio editing tool.
The latest version of the Wavosaur was launched back in 2013 and it still retains its charm. The USP of Wavosaur lies in providing a very basic user interface, loads of great analysis tools, and ease of volume automation. It also supports VST but doesn’t come preinstalled with any.
12. Pyramix (Windows and Mac) [Best DAW for creating music videos’ scores]
Unlike its reputation as one of the best audio editing software for beginners, Pyramix is actually a digital audio workstation frequently used by professional audio engineers in recording studios and audio-related industries around the world for music production, post-production in TV, film, and CD mastering.
Pyramix’s USP lies in providing flexible advanced equipment as well as amazingly accurate accuracy. For those seeking a DAW in which they can work to create video and audio as well as music videos, Pyramix is easily your go-to editor.
In addition, Pyramix has many small features that make it shine compared to the other best free audio editing software on our lists such as importing audio to fully adjust the audio and dual-screen optimization. On the downside, beginners could find Pyramix a bit confusing because there is a steep learning curve to getting used to it.
And…that’s a wrap! Did you like our latest round-up of the best free audio editing software for beginners in 2020? Did we miss out on any great options that you know of? Sound off in below the comment box.
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The best free DAWs to make music with, in 2020. In this list, you'll see the top 5 free digital audio workstations for Windows, Mac, and Linux, along with two honorable mentions at the end.
If you're a music producer, sound designer, or into the audio industry, you’re bound to find at least one that can keep up with you.
The best thing about free music production software is that it lets you try out something new and learn the basics without investing a ton of money into something you may not really enjoy.
Don’t take that the wrong way either, Pro’s use free DAWs too.
Each DAW mention in this post will include the following:
- The Sequencer, Piano Roll, and Mixer.
- Key features of the DAW.
- What kinds of virtual instruments, audio effects, and samples are included (if any).
- Minimum Computer requirements.
And don't worry, none of these are free trials or restricted. They are all 100% Free, no strings attached.
In case you don't know what a DAW is, it's short for Digital Audio Workstation.
Essentially, it's a host for plugins you download such as virtual instruments and audio effects, not to mention all the audio recording, editing, and arranging you will do.
1. LMMS
The first one in this top 5 is LMMS. This is a great choice, regardless of the operating system you use. With its availability on Windows, Mac, and Linux, it really makes music production accessible to anyone with a computer. it doesn't use much CPU either but, it is a very basic Digital Audio Workstation.
Oh, and it's even open-source, meaning it has been developed by a bunch of people - which could include you too if you wanted to contribute. There's even Computer Keyboard to MIDI, which means you can play virtual instruments with your computer keyboard as if it was a piano.
Key Features:
- Light on CPU
- 64 & 32-bit VST Support (Bridging)
- Computer Keyboard to MIDI
- No Audio Recording
Included Software:
- Virtual Instruments? Yes
- Audio Effects? Yes
- Samples? Yes
Minimum Requirements:
- OS: Windows 7, MacOS X Lion, Linux
- CPU: 1.5 GHz
- RAM: 1 GB
- Space: 100 MB
The Sequencer (or song arrangement window), isn't too bad in LMMS but it is very basic and doesn't offer a lot of freedom, but it still gets the job done and makes it easy to manage your samples and patterns.
It also comes with a step-sequencer, known as the beat-and-bassline editor in LMMS. This is a cool way to compartmentalize your arrangement and remove clutter as this also lets you put MIDI patterns into it.
This is what the piano roll (or MIDI editor) looks like in LMMS. It's pretty clean and easy to use, and has a great feature that lets you write any chord.. based on any scale.. with one click.
As for the mixer, it does have the same simplicity but it does come with the basics. And even though it looks dead-simple, it does include the ability to make a send track (or mix bus) just like every other DAW on this list.
The one drawback I found to kind of suck for this DAW is that you can't record audio. But, you can always use Audacity to record that and then import the audio files into LMMS.
2. SoundBridge
At number two we have SoundBridge. This DAW started as Lumit when it was crowdfunded but it has had quite the evolution since then. This one is available on Windows and Mac as both 32 and 64-bit.
Just make sure to download your plugins in the same bit version as the DAW for them to work. So for example, if you downloaded the 32-bit version of SoundBridge, you'll need to download 32-bit plugins.
Key Features:
- Works with touch screen
- No Plugin Bridging
- Hotkey oriented workflow
Included Software:
- Virtual Instruments? No
- Audio Effects? Yes
Minimum Requirements:
- OS: Windows 7 or MacOS X El Capitan 10.11
- CPU: 2 GHz
- RAM: 4 GB (PC), 8 GB (Mac)
- Space: 3 GB
The center of this DAW is its sequencer and is definitely better than the one in LMMS. You get much more control over the tracks and each individual pattern. It's also directly linked to a panel that displays whatever you have selected, making it very easy to adjust an audio file or pattern.
For audio patterns, this includes extremely easy pitch, time, and volume controls to name most of them, but there are a lot for MIDI patterns too.
To write notes in those patterns, the piano roll in SoundBridge is good and lets you change the length of a MIDI note while you draw it instead of after in LMMS. But, LMMS does have some features over this one, as I mentioned with the one-click-chords.
Last is the mixer, and it does have a bit more features than the one in LMMS but they both have their pros and cons. I prefer this one though. And it even comes with a mini-view of the mixer that can be viewed while the sequencer is open.
The only downside is that it bugs you for a donation every time you open the DAW.
3. Ohm Studio
Next up we have Ohm Studio. As far as I know, it has something NO OTHER DAW HAS - Real-time Collaboration.
This means you can work on the same project at the same time with more than one person.. from anywhere in the world. You can also see what anyone is doing in the projects you choose to collab on, real-time.
There's even a general and project-based chat room in the DAW so you can talk to anyone currently using Ohm Studio or only those you are collaborating with.
Key Features:
- Real-time collaboration
- Can only export to .ogg (.wav in paid versions)
- Only 32-bit plugins
- Can only save on the cloud
Included Software:
- Virtual Instruments? No
- Audio Effects? Yes
Minimum Requirements:
- OS: Windows XP or MacOS 10.5.8
- CPU: Pentium 4 or Athlon 64
- RAM: 2 GB
- Space: 1 GB
The Sequencer has a bunch of flexibility though, letting you quickly zoom in and out of a pattern or the entire playlist, adjust volume fade points, loop, and resize in both directions. I do think this has a better sequencer than the last two DAWs, but the next one.. it has an impressive set of features.
And with it comes an interesting piano roll to say the least. Being located in each MIDI pattern, inside the sequencer itself, makes it one of a kind. Quite unusual but it's actually not bad at all.
As for the mixer, it is pretty straight forward and the guides help you understand what you can and cannot do. It comes with your typical features but it can also be switched over to a more analog kind of view. It even changes focus depending on what track you select in the playlist.
The two things I did notice that are a bit of a drawback are the fact that you can only export to OGG format with the free version and you need to be connected to the internet to use the DAW. OGG isn't that bad anyway but you can export to WAVE if you pay 39 Euros.
4. Waveform Free
If you've used Tracktion T7 before, this may look familiar. That's because Waveform Free is the latest version of it - just with a new name. What Tracktion as a company does is every time they publish a new version of their paid DAW, Waveform, they will typically release an older version of it for free.
Now this DAW does have the ability to use your computer keyboard as a MIDI controller but it's kind of a hassle and awkward to use. But hey, at least it's there if you need it.
Key Features:
- Workflow similar to Pro Tools
- *Computer keyboard to MIDI*
- No Plugin Bridging
- Integrated Mixer
Included Software:
- Virtual Instruments? Yes
- Audio Effects? Yes
Minimum Requirements:
- OS: Windows 7, MacOS 10.9, Linux
- CPU: 2 GHz
- RAM: 4 GB
- Space: 500 MB
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The sequencer in Waveform is kind of confusing at first. But once you get the hang of it, the workflow isn't all that different and it actually has a lot of unique features. You can anchor the MIDI and move the pattern around it, or vice-versa. And, it's super easy to bounce to audio, all you have to do is click this option and drag it.
Waveform's piano roll is really good. You can adjust the velocity of each note when you are drawing it by dragging up and down, and the width going right and left. You can even make chords with whatever notes you have selected.
As for mixing your audio, you can either use the integrated mixer to the right of the sequencer or a dedicated mixer window by going up to the top right and bringing it into view.
The mixer is quite standard but when it comes to making send tracks (aka a mix bus) they are called sub-mixes and have to be created in the sequencer but can then be routed in the mixer or the sequencer.
5. Cakewalk
I had to save the best for last and that's Cakewalk by Bandlab. This DAW was once called Sonar when it previously cost money but it was acquired and made free-to-use!
From my experience, this has got to be the best (free) Digital Audio Workstation out there. And yes, it does have Computer Keyboard to MIDI but it's through a window that needs to be selected.
The downside is that Cakewalk is only available for 64-bit Windows - with 32-bit plugin support - so some of the previous options I talked about may be your only choice. If you can use this DAW though, I would highly recommend it.
Key Features:
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- Works with touch screen
- 64-bit & 32-bit VST support (bridging)
- Computer keyboard to MIDI
- High-quality stock plugins
Included Software:
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- Virtual Instruments? Yes
- Audio Effects? Yes
Minimum Requirements:
- OS: Windows 7 (64-bit)
- CPU: Multi-core Intel or AMD CPU
- RAM: 4 GB
- Space: 3 GB
In my opinion, this DAW has the best piano roll. There are a lot of features packed into it and it's easy to use. You definitely won't feel limited using this MIDI editor. And if you are a more traditional composer, it has a great notation editor that you can use to write sheet music.
As for the sequencer, I don't know if I can say it's the best on the list but don't get me wrong, it is good. Everything is where you need it and there are a lot of features, including a video display to edit the audio with the visuals.
There's a lot you can do with the mixer in Cakewalk and it has the most features out of all the DAWs in this video.
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There is an integrated EQ window for quick changes and it's linked to a main EQ that's built into the 'pro channel' on every track, including a compressor, the EQ I mentioned, Tube saturation, and a console emulator. Oh, and the EQ opens up into an even bigger EQ to make it easier.
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Honorable Mentions
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Now, I would have mentioned Garageband but if you have a Mac, you probably either heard about it or have it already. But, I do think it would have made the list otherwise. So be sure to check it out if you use a Mac - especially if you are interested in using Logic Pro in the future.
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Ardour is also a close-to-free option you may like. It does require a donation of $1 or more to get the pre-build but you can also get the source code and compile it yourself for free.
I hope this free software helps you make some great music, sound effects, or other audio-related projects. And as always, thanks for reading.