Waveform Free is a feature-packed free DAW. It is the free version of Tracktion Corporation’s flagship digital audio workstation software called Waveform Pro. Available across all major platforms, offering full VST plugin support and ReWire compatibility, it is a capable digital audio workstation. 100% Free Online DAW. Develop your songs from inspiration to finished projects with our best-in-class Mix Editor. Pull from thousands of available beats and loops in our extensive library or connect an interface and record live audio.
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.
DAW Software Free There are many DAWs, and most of them cost a lot of money. If you are just starting, you don’t have to pay for DAW software since there are some free alternatives that you can download just by creating an account and signing up on the software’s website. A DAW or Digital Audio Workstation is an application software or an electronic device that can be used to record, edit and produce audio files. They come handy for the recording and production of audio across various formats like speech, songs, television, soundtracks, and many more. Platform: Windows. Podium Free is a fully functional freeware edition of Podium. It is identical to the commercial Podium version except for a few limitations. Podium is a modern digital audio workstation (DAW) for Windows. It supports recording and editing of audio and MIDI and hosts VST instrument.
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
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:
- Works with touch screen
- 64-bit & 32-bit VST support (bridging)
- Computer keyboard to MIDI
- High-quality stock plugins
Included Software:
- 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.
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.
Honorable Mentions
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.
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.
Fact Sheet No.1
The Feminization of Poverty
The majority of the 1.5 billion people living on 1 dollar a day or less are women. In addition, the gap between women and men caught in the cycle of poverty has continued to widen in the past decade, a phenomenon commonly referred to as 'the feminization of poverty'. Worldwide, women earn on average slightly more than 50 per cent of what men earn.
Women living in poverty are often denied access to critical resources such as credit, land and inheritance. Their labour goes unrewarded and unrecognized. Their health care and nutritional needs are not given priority, they lack sufficient access to education and support services, and their participation in decision-making at home and in the community are minimal. Caught in the cycle of poverty, women lack access to resources and services to change their situation.
The Platform for Action adopted by the Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing in 1995, identified the eradication of the persistent and increasing burden of poverty on women as one of the 12 critical areas of concern requiring special attention and action by the international community, governments and civil society.
The United Nations Commission on the Status of Women discussed the issue of women and poverty at its fortieth session in 1996, and proposed further action to be taken by UN member states and the international community, including the mainstreaming of a gender perspective in all poverty eradication policies and programmes. Among the agreed conclusions of the session were measures aimed at policies to ensure that all women have adequate economic and social protection during unemployment, ill health, maternity, child-bearing, widowhood, disability and old age; and that women, men and society share responsibilities for child and other dependant care.
Women are the World's Poor
An important achievement of the Beijing Conference has been the recognition by governments that there is a gender dimension to poverty. This has resulted in efforts to refocus poverty eradication policies to address specifically the needs of women, particularly in rural areas. It has also led to the introduction of a wider definition of poverty, one that not only takes into account minimum basic needs but also includes the denial of opportunities and choices.
The overwhelming majority of countries reporting on their implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action have referred to many initiatives in this area. A few examples are:
- In Uganda, there is now an understanding that only by incorporating a gender perspective in all aspects of the National Poverty Eradication Action Plan can the goal to eradicate mass poverty by the year 2017 be achieved.
- Cameroon, Madagascar and Niger have identified women as a specific target group in their national poverty eradication programmes.
- Senegal has conducted gender training for senior decision-makers to mainstream a gender perspective into sectoral development planning.
- In 1998, the Palestinian Ministry of Social Affairs devoted resources to special projects for the development of entrepreneurial skills among women.
- Denmark's development assistance policy calls for the inclusion of a gender perspective in all programmes.
- Singapore has implemented the Small Families Improvement Scheme, the purpose of which is to help low-income families to get access to education and housing.
Women and Globalization
The negative impact of the globalization of the world economy is borne disproportionately by women. As the economy becomes increasingly linked to global markets, it often leads to a reduction in public spending and social programmes, pushing the costs on to the family, where it is most often the women who shoulder the added burden.
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- China has reported that due to its comprehensive approach to poverty eradication among women, the number of its citizens living in poverty has dropped from 65 million in 1995 to 42 million in 1998. Sixty per cent of those freed from poverty have been women.
- Zambia, like most African countries, is trying to cushion the negative impact of structural adjustment programmes on women. It is implementing a Social Action Programme that will provide payment for women's education and health services.
- The PROGRESEA programme, introduced in Mexico in 1997, offers assistance to poor women in the areas of employment, education, health and nutrition.
- The introduction of a minimum wage in the United Kingdom and the United States has benefited 1.3 million and 5.7 million women, respectively.
- In Georgia, an analysis of the impact of macroeconomic investments and taxation policies on women helped formulate policies to minimize the negative impact of economic transformations on women.
- In Germany, a pilot project called 'Assistance for single homeless mothers' integrated women into society and provided them with employment.
Key to Change
Empowering women is a critical factor in freeing the millions of people who are caught in the cycle of poverty and hunger. By providing women with access to economic and educational opportunities, as well as the autonomy needed to take advantage of such opportunities, an important obstacle to poverty eradication would be overcome.
The provision of credit, especially micro-credit, has become a very popular and successful strategy for poverty eradication. According to the United Nations Development Programme's Poverty Report 1998, at present some 10 million women around the world are reached by systems of small loans. Among the examples, since the Beijing Conference, are:
- In 1997, the United States granted more than 10,000 loans, totalling 67 billion dollars, to women business-owners.
- In Belize, the Small Farmers and Business Bank provided 29 per cent of its funds to women.
- Japan gave interest-free loans to 27,000 rural women.
- Since 1994, 96 per cent of Palestinian women who participated in agricultural projects benefited from the implementation of loan programmes.
- In Trinidad and Tobago, the Small Business Development Company has distributed 65 per cent of its loans to women.
- In Sudan, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has provided seed money for the establishment of commercial enterprises to raise the standard of living of low-income women.
- In Viet Nam, a project supported by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has reached more than 60,000 poor women in 198 communes of 28 provinces, providing them with small loans and basic knowledge about income generation activities.
The Beijing Platform for Action also called on countries to 'undertake legislative and administrative reforms to give women full and equal access to economic resources, including the right to inheritance and to ownership of land'. However, progress in this area has been slow. Only a small number of countries — including Bolivia, Malaysia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe — have changed their laws to make it possible for women to inherit land.
Female-headed Households
In both developed and developing countries, there has been an increase in the number of female-headed households. Female-headed households that do not have access to remittances from male earners are generally assumed to be poorer than male-headed households. Female-headed households are more vulnerable to increased unemployment and reductions in social and welfare spending. Actions to counter this include:
- In the 1988 Budget Law, Italy allocated 250 million lire to guarantee a basic income for poor families, most of which were headed by women.
- Iran and Japan have allocated funds to programmes that integrate rural female-headed households into productive employment.
- Singapore has implemented the Small Families Improvement Scheme designed to help low-income families, particularly those headed by women, gain access to education and housing.
- Greece has instituted allowances benefiting female-headed households.
This fact sheet is based on 'Review and Appraisal of the Implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action: Report of the Secretary-General' (E/CN.6/2000/PC/2).
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Published by the United Nations Department of Public Information
DPI/2035/A—May 2000