This guide provides comprehensive impartial advice to anyone considering music or audio production on a digital audio workstation (DAW). If you are a newcomer to DAWs you will find essential information and advice to help you make the right purchase decisions and setup you system effectively. Even experienced users will learn something useful, and those who already know it all .. well, you can just feel thoroughly pleased with yourselves!

You will find every important subject and technology discussed, and by the time you’ve finished reading you will be equipped to make the best decisions for your needs.

Contents

01 What exactly is a DAW?
03 DAW applications
03 Avid ProTools
04 Ableton Live
04 Garageband
04 Propellerhead’s Reason
05 Logic Pro
05 MOTU Digital Performer
05 PreSonus Studio One
06 SaDiE
06 Steinberg Cubase
07 Steinberg Nuendo
07 Cakewalk Sonar
07 Extensibility
08 Should I be using a DAW?

11 Choosing a Platform
11 Windows PC
11 Windows Mac
12 OSX Mac
13 Android
13 Apple iOS
14 Choosing a DAW application
14 Minimum system requirements
15 Installing OS and DAW updates
15 64-bit mode
17 Plug-ins
17 Native
18 DSP plug-ins
18 CV / gate systems
19 Installing a DAW and plug-ins
19 Optimising an operating system
21 License organisation & dongles
22 Screen monitors
23 i/o hardware
23 1. Motherboard built-in
23 2. PCIe cards
23 3. Interface / bus connected stand alone hardware
24 Aggregate devices

25 Digital interconnection
25 Hardware / software hybrid devices
27 Understanding latency
29 Loudspeaker monitors & monitor controllers
30 Using headphones
31 Input controllers
31 USB & MIDI connection
31 Controller keyboards
32 Tablet controller apps
32 Other controllers
33 Setting DAW defaults
33 Sample rate
33 Word-length/Bit-depth
33 Digital sync and Word clock
33 Audio file formats
34 i/o buffer settings
34 Record levels
34 i/o routing
34 Pinging external hardware

35 Latency compensation
35 Software monitoring
35 Setting up controllers
36 Keyboard shortcuts
36 Screen-sets
37 Furniture & ergonomics
37 1. Workstation orientation
37 2. Loudspeaker monitor position
37 3. Screen positioning
38 4. Posture
38 5. Mixing controllers
38 6. Monitor control
38 7. Outboard
39 Backing up
39 Backing up projects
39 Backing up a system
39 Backing up sample and sound patch libraries
40 Using your DAW for other activities
41 Suggested starter system
42 Final thoughts