best computer software for music production

Apple’s tagline for GarageBand is, “A recording studio on your Mac,” and that actually seems to be the case. Mac users can easily make use of the free GarageBand download and use this music production app. Avid says support for MacOS Catalina is “coming soon” and that it does support Sierra, High Sierra, and Mojave. ProTools First is available for Windows 10 and MacOS devices, but it is worth noting that it’s not currently compatible with MacOS Catalina.

It does not have many of the premium features that the paid versions of Pro Tools have, including Dolby Atmos Music mixing or loop record track comping. The free version of Pro Tools also includes nondestructive editing, elastic audio, retrospective MIDI recording, and a MIDI editor.

Pro Tools First comes with features such as four maximum inputs, 16 MIDI tracks, 16 instrument tracks, and a maximum supported sample rate of 32-bit, 96 kHz. There is a free version (albeit limited in features) that Avid offers. If you’re a beginner or just a musician on a budget, you may wonder if Avid Pro Tools is even an option for you.

This premium music editing and creation software can come with a hefty price. Avid Pro Tools First (Windows 10 and MacOS)Įxperienced creators and musicians already know that Avid Pro Tools leads the industry in music production software. Whether you’re a Windows or MacOS user, a musician, or an aspiring DJ, you’re sure to find a software option that fits your music creation needs on our list of the best free music-making software. In this guide, we’ll take a look at five of those options.

Best computer software for music production