Digital Audio Workstation (DAW), What Does it Mean?
Digital Audio Workstation, what are its purpose and use? From the beginning of the emergence of microchips and other computer technologies, people have realized the potential that can be developed by these inventions. In the world of music itself, the emergence of all things digital has progressed very far, although the average concept that has developed is to digitize analog things, it has helped many musicians in many processes. One example of technological developments in the music world is the emergence of Digital Audio Workstations or what we usually call DAW.
What is Digital Audio Workstation (DAW)?
DAW or Digital Audio Workstation is software designed to accommodate users for recording, mixing, mastering, and/or changing the sound that has been recorded (editing).
Since its inception in the mid-1970s, DAW has undergone many developments. The current DAW is arguably the result of an amazing technological development, because today’s DAW products are not only able to replace all existing equipment in a recording studio, but are also able to make the process of producing music easier from time to time.
Who can use this Software?
Learning to use a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) is actually not that difficult, because using this software is something that everyone can learn. It’s good, in learning this software to choose one of the many DAW software in circulation and start consistently studying the software until we finally understand the concepts that exist in the software because almost all existing DAWs currently work with the concept which is almost similar.
After we start to understand the basics of how a DAW works, then we can start trying various things that the software can do, from recording, editing, mixing, to mastering. If we have started looking for information about the world of audio engineering, we will find many people who are involved in this field without having a formal educational background in the field of audio engineering or music.
Requirements for DAW
Like software in general, DAW also requires a “decent” computer/laptop so that the DAW we use can operate properly. Here are some points that must be considered from a PC that you will use.
CPU (processor) and RAM Memory
One of the important devices that you should pay attention to when using this software is the CPU and RAM of your PC/laptop. Because this software can be said to be quite “heavy”, it’s a good idea to upgrade your CPU and RAM specs. Generally, a DAW software works pretty well on a PC/laptop with a minimum spec: Quad-core (CPU) and 8GB RAM Memory.
Input Devices
Apart from a decent PC/laptop, the additional tool you need to use a DAW is an audio interface. For those of you who want to know about the audio interface, you can refer to the previous article.
What Kind of DAW is Suitable for Beginners?
This is actually a pretty difficult question to answer, as there are some who think it’s best to use a “Professional DAW” from the start, but there are also those who think the opposite.
In my personal opinion, if you are just starting out with all things DAW-related, start with “Free DAW” that you can get on the internet. As I described above, basically almost all DAWs work with almost the same concept.
And here’s the list…..
Here I will mention some DAWs that you can use, both professional Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) and Free DAW:
1. Steinberg Cubase
This is one of the easiest DAW software for you to get. This Steinberg product has been known in the music production world for decades, starting from the Cubase 5 series to its newest series, Cubase Pro 9. Besides Cubase, Steinberg’s DAW products that you can easily get are the Nuendo series.
2. Pro Tools
You could say Pro Tools is a DAW software that you will often find in recording studios in this country. In terms of a user-friendly interface and a way of working, which is like an analog device that is “digitized”, this software is often referred to as a DAW standard for professional music production.
3. Cakewalk Sonar
Another type of DAW that you can get is SONAR. This Cakewalk product is indeed a little more difficult to use when compared to the previous two DAWs. However, these SONAR products are often equipped with features not found in other DAWs.
4. Audacity (FREE DAW)
One of the Free DAW that you can use is Audacity. With a simple and minimalist appearance, you can more easily recognize the use of DAWs with this software. However, this software is arguably one of the most powerful DAW software, which you can get for FREE.
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5. Garage Band
Yup, Garage Band is a DAW software. For Apple users, you must be familiar with this software because it is directly built-in in into Apple products, and fortunately you can get to know the basic concepts of using DAWs with this software before you move on to Professional DAWs such as ProTools or Logic Pro X.
6. Pyramix 11
Maybe not as popular as Audacity, but Pyramix 11 is a DAW Professional that you can get for free. So for those of you who do have a minimal budget but want to have a Professional DAW, Pyramix 11 can be your choice.
Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) is arguably one of the best things to happen in the music industry. It is because of this software that the processes of producing work such as recording, mixing, and mastering becomes much easier. Some of the DAWs above are among the ones that you can easily get out there. And on a side note, almost all professional studios use DAW Professional. But for those of you who just want to experiment with DAWs, there’s nothing wrong with starting with a free one.
