When you’re first starting out…
It’s fair to say that not many guys will commit to the expense of a pro DAW….
Without first “getting their feet wet” with thefree stuff…
To see if home recording is something they’ll actually enjoy.
If that’s where you’re at now…
For today’s post, I’ll help you find exactly what you need…
By reviewing the Top FREE Recording Software Options of 2015…to learn the pros and cons each one has to offer.
Let’s begin…
The 3 Best Options…
After much research, I concluded that there are only 3 good options for free recording software:
- An Online Recording Site
- A Free Downloadable DAW
- A Free DAW w/ purchase of an audio interface
And the truth is…NONE of them are 100% free.
Because while the software itself may be free…to use it, you still have to spendsome money elsewhere. If not now, eventually.
So the new question I began asking was:
Which solution offers the best features for the lowestOVERALL price?
And here’s what I discovered:
Option 1: Online Recording Sites
At first glance, the idea of recording music online seems promising…
- All files get stored in the cloud.
- Social sharing is built-in.
- You don’t need to bother with licenses or downloads.
But it also has downsides:
- Unreliable Internet – All internet connections drop out occasionally, which could easily rob you of good takes.
- Questionable Content Rights – Even if current “Terms and Conditions” give ownership to the creator, as Facebook and other big sites have shown, those rules are always subject to change.
- Freemium Business Models – Many top sites bait you with a free signup…but ultimately charge monthly fees for full use of the product. And over time, those fees add up to more than the cost of a professional DAW.
While it does have its advantages, online recording clearly isn’t good enough to payfor. So avoid sites that charge you anything.
Of the truly free sites though, here are the two I recommend:
And while they may not be the best option for Windows and Mac users…
For Chromebook users…because the Chrome OS works solely as an internet browser, and does not use apps…
Online recording is not only the best option…it’s the only option.
Up next…
Option 2: Free Downloadable DAW’s
While they’re slightly harder to learn, at first…
Downloadable DAW apps avoid ALL the major problems associated with online recording…
While offering far more in functionality.
And in my opinion, the extra time invested in learning them is well-worth it.
The top 3 options I recommend are:
- Audacity – the most popular 100% free open-source DAW software on the planet for many years now.
- Garageband – the super-cheap, (though not technically free) DAW for Mac OSX, which many folks say is easier to learn than Audacity.
- Presonus Studio One Free – the first totally-free DAW based on professional software.
Of the 3, Presonus Studio One Free is my top pick. Because once you outgrow your free DAW (and you will)…
It’s far easier to upgrade to a paid version of the same DAW, rather than start over on an entirely new platform.
Since Studio One comes in 3 paid versions:
…it’s super easy to upgrade from the FREE version if and when you ever need to.
And finally, for the best option of all…
Option 3: Free DAW w/ Purchase of Audio Interface
Earlier I mentioned how no recording software is ever truly free.
And that’s mostly because…
You still need an audio interface to get sound in and out of the computer.
So here’s a thought:
Since you need one anyway, why not buy one that includes a free DAW far superior to any of the earlier ones we covered?
While not many companies offer this deal, the two that do are among the best: Avidand Presonus.
Avid includes Pro Tools Express with the following interfaces:
Presonus includes Studio One Artist with the following interfaces:
- PreSonus AudioBox USB – (price/reviews)
- Presonus AudioBox 22VSL – (price/reviews)
- Presonus Audiobox 44VSL – (price/reviews)
Because the both hardware and software is built by one company, you’re ALWAYS guaranteed full-compatibility and tech-support…which you DON’T get when you buy them separately.
That’s why I believe the “DAW/interface combo” is the absolute-best-option for anyone starting out with home recording.
Further Resources
To wrap up this post, here are a few useful articles to help you find the other tools you’ll eventually need to start your studio:
1. Cheap Studio Mics
To record sound into your audio interface, you obviously need a mic.
And even though some pro microphones can be insanely expensive, there are plenty of cheap options as well.
In this post, I show you several of the best…
2. USB Mics
If you chose DAW option 1 or 2, because you can’t afford an interface right now…
USB mics offer a cheap and simple shortcut to record sound directly into your computer, because they eliminate the need for ALL other hardware, includingaudio interfaces, mic preamps, and headphone amps.
Here are the top models I recommend:
3. Monitoring
Now that you can get sound IN to the computer, next you’ll need a way to get itOUT.
The tools you need are: studio monitors and headphones.
And in these next two articles, I reveal some good cheap options for both:
4. Accessories
And finally, here are the two essential accessories you’ll need to complete your setup…
After that, you’re all set to start making music.
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