Software list

DAWs

There are a number of digital audio workstations available for every budget. This course uses Audacity which is free and open-source software available for Windows, macOS and Linux. Audacity does not have a version that works with iOS or Android and for the purpose of this course, we will not be looking at the iOS platform, however there is a course unit dedicated to recording with Android.

Audacity’s main drawback is that it is has limitations applying to which plugins it can use. Specifically it cannot run 64bit VSTs which makes use of certain modern professional plugins difficult. Some iZotope RX Elements plugins do still work although iZotope are phasing out 32bit support.

To use VST plugins it you may need to use an alternative DAW, however Audacity is an excellent choice for making the initial recordings, so it remains our platform of choice for teaching.

• Audacity

Win10/macOS

• Avid ProTools - DAW oriented to manipulating audio (rather than MIDI)
• Steinburg Nuendo - DAW oriented to manipulating audio (rather than MIDI)
• Steinburg Cubase LE - low cost DAW with built in wave editor
• Ableton Live Lite - low cost DAW with many built-in effects

Multi-platform

• Cockos Reaper (low cost version available)
• Tracktion Waveform Free

VST plugins

See this page for information on VST plugins

• VST plugins