Cutting-Edge Audio Display & Animation in Final Cut Pro A Comprehensive Tutorial for Professional Editors for 2024

Cutting-Edge Audio Display & Animation in Final Cut Pro A Comprehensive Tutorial for Professional Editors for 2024

Kate Lv12

“Cutting-Edge Audio Display & Animation in Final Cut Pro: A Comprehensive Tutorial for Professional Editors”

The amplitude and duration of an audio waveform vary with the duration and volume of the underlying sound. Finding specific edit locations when editing footage or keyframing effects is made simpler by these characteristics. Audio waveforms in Final Cut Pro alter based on the volume of a clip or any applied effects. When the volume is high, the waveform is larger; when the volume is low, it is smaller. But when using FCP to edit video, people frequently experience issues with audio waveform disappearing. Or you do want to add some dynamic effects for audio waves? Continue reading!

Part 1. How to show Audio Waveform on clips in FCP?

When working with audio waveforms on the timeline, you can zoom in or out, or change the appearance of the clip to make the waveform taller or shorter.

There are numerous methods to examine and interact with the audio and video contained within clips in Final Cut Pro. You can:

  • Expand a clip to see and modify audio elements at the channel level
  • Expand a clip to view separate audio and video
  • Separate audio from video clip to work with audio and video as separate, independent clips
  • Change the appearance of the clipped background to display reference waveforms that make it easier to view audio waveforms when the volume is reduced

The reference curve shows the maximum visual resolution possible for the current sound curve. By accounting for changes in volume, the reference waveforms allow you to see the details of the sound more clearly.

  1. Choose Final Cut Pro > Preferences, then click Edit.
  2. Check the “Show reference waveforms” box.

When the actual curve changes shape (for example, when it shrinks because the clip’s volume level is low), its full reference curve is still visible for easy reference when editing.

audio waveform

Tips: You can click the shortcut “Control+Option+1” to adjust the clip appearance setting to display clips on the timeline with large audio waveforms only.

Part 2. How to add audio waveform animation in FCP? (2 ways)

1. Use Pixel Film Studios Audio Visualizer

With FCPX Audio Visualizer Volume 2 from Pixel Film Studios, users now have the ability to see up to 48 audio frequencies with full control over their left and right audio output, all within Final Cut Pro. Users have full control over smoothness, base scale, radius, angular offset, camera position, and animation, all with a single click of the mouse, all in Final Cut Pro X.

FCPX Audio Visualizer Volume 2 has been professionally designed to work seamlessly inside Final Cut Pro X. As a title effect, FCPX Audio Visualizer Volume 2 can be dragged onto media and previewed in real-time. With the published parameters found in the FCPX inspector, users have the ability to make further adjustments with just a few clicks of the mouse.

With the FCPX Audio Visualizer Volume 2 preset pack, users have the ability to compose multiple presets and create their own visualizer every time. Users can choose from template layouts ranging from circles, lines, rectangles, and individual shapes to even an animatable drag zone. Then, within Final Cut Pro, users have total control over spread, color, location, rotation, angle, angle offset, and much more.

2. Use audio waveform animation templates

It could be more convenient to select a few relevant templates directly than using other plugins. You get a full set of 21 templates, including titles, fonts, media streaming logos, sound effects, and colors, with this set of Waveform Audio Visualization by Motion Array themes. You only need to pick the style you prefer, add your music, and post it with ease on your social media sites. This template is best suited for audiobooks, podcasts, and music videos. Of course, you must subscribe to the platform to download it.

Part 3. The best alternative to add audio waveform animation to video?

Create Audio WaveformVideo in Filmora Audio Visualizer

To add audio waveform animation to video, there is a wide variety of applications. However, Filmora video editor is one of the greatest programs we suggest because you can alter any sound effects on this platform with only one touch. With audio keyframing and an integrated equalization, Filmora can produce unusual sound effects that enhance the audio recording.

Under “Effects” tab, you can find 25 types of audio animation in Audio Visualizer.

audio visualizer

Or you can directly open “Elements > Recommended”, and type “audio visualizer” or “music pack” to choose preset waveform animation elements.

Click the Play button in the Preview window and when you feel good about the results, click Export to download the video and your library and successfully share it on various social media platforms.

play button

Conclusion

Social media content creators, musicians, and VJs can produce stunning videos with any of the music visualizers we’ve listed in this article. As a professional video editing software, although Final Cut Pro can provide powerful editing features, the operation is more cumbersome and not easy to get started. So, I will recommend using Wondershare Filmora for the best experience.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

2. Use audio waveform animation templates

It could be more convenient to select a few relevant templates directly than using other plugins. You get a full set of 21 templates, including titles, fonts, media streaming logos, sound effects, and colors, with this set of Waveform Audio Visualization by Motion Array themes. You only need to pick the style you prefer, add your music, and post it with ease on your social media sites. This template is best suited for audiobooks, podcasts, and music videos. Of course, you must subscribe to the platform to download it.

Part 3. The best alternative to add audio waveform animation to video?

Create Audio WaveformVideo in Filmora Audio Visualizer

To add audio waveform animation to video, there is a wide variety of applications. However, Filmora video editor is one of the greatest programs we suggest because you can alter any sound effects on this platform with only one touch. With audio keyframing and an integrated equalization, Filmora can produce unusual sound effects that enhance the audio recording.

Under “Effects” tab, you can find 25 types of audio animation in Audio Visualizer.

audio visualizer

Or you can directly open “Elements > Recommended”, and type “audio visualizer” or “music pack” to choose preset waveform animation elements.

Click the Play button in the Preview window and when you feel good about the results, click Export to download the video and your library and successfully share it on various social media platforms.

play button

Conclusion

Social media content creators, musicians, and VJs can produce stunning videos with any of the music visualizers we’ve listed in this article. As a professional video editing software, although Final Cut Pro can provide powerful editing features, the operation is more cumbersome and not easy to get started. So, I will recommend using Wondershare Filmora for the best experience.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

“The Reaper Experience: Features, Applications, and Step-by-Step Tutorial Guides”

DAW stands for Digital Audio Workstation. It is where you can record, edit, mix or even master your music. You always need good DAW software to help you with the job to produce music or live recording musicians.

A good DAW software must have a multi-track audio recording , virtual instruments, MIDI sequencer, excellent mixing capabilities, and plug-in processor hosting. The software is found for all major operating systems such as Linux , Windows, and Mac. If you want to learn more about DAW, then stay with us. The article will discuss in detail REAPER Recording Software.

In this article

01 What Is REAPER Recording Software?

02 How to Download and Install REAPER Software?

03 Tutorial for Using REAPER Recording Software

Part 1. What Is REAPER Recording Software?

Recording software like REAPER records computer audio is used to produce music, edit it, transform, and customize your music. With REAPER Recording Software , you can record multi-layer audio and MIDI in various formats. REAPER has the easiest interface that allows you to drag and drop to import, split, move and do many other tasks.

reaper recording software interface

This is just one feature of REAPER that sounds very interesting. In this section, we will talk about more of its features.

1. Record and Edit

You can easily record the audio and (MIDI) Musical Instrumental Digital Interface with REAPER recording software. It lets you edit and customize everything. You can record and edit things limitlessly. When it comes to recording, it’s not at all difficult for REAPER software to record various instruments or vocals.

2. Mixing

Initially, the mixer might seem inflexible, but in reality, REAPER has a lot to offer you. It has great automated capabilities for instrument and effect parameters. It doesn’t matter if you are working because you can still bounce or freeze tracks while working.

The mixer is very flexible. With REAPERs mixer, you just have to drag and drop your recordings so that you can create tracks, and also, you can customize the arrangements by moving the portions.

3. Interface

While looking at the interface, you might question yourself about how to use its interface. Some people love to learn about new things, such as the REAPER Recording Software. Whereas, some people seem least interested because the half-empty interface is not intuitive to them.

Whereas, the best thing about its interface is that you can customize it. REAPER allows you to add different wallpapers and layouts to your software interface.

4. Strong Stability

REAPER Recording Software has very strong stability. This is one of its strongest features as compared to other competitors. The RAM is rarely affected by the load time and the used resources. Moreover, the software offers a wide range of languages. You can select your desired language to run the software.

Part 2. How to Download and Install REAPER Software?

REAPER is a Digital Audio Workstation. The perfect platform where you can manipulate and transform your audio. With REAPER Record Computer audio, you can work efficiently in a resource-friendly studio with saving your time. Stay tuned if you plan to learn more about its pricing and requirements.

download and install reaper

Pricing of REAPER Software

A reaper is a brilliant software. It has a 60-day trial period. REAPER costs $60 in total to register. It has complete MIDI sequencing. You can also get a discounted license if REAPER is the best private option for you or has commercial usage. You can set the equal license key on every computer for someone with multiple computers.

System Requirements

The recording software has uncountable features. REAPER software facilitates its users at every level by giving the best audio manipulating platform. The best thing about REAPER Recording Software is its compatibility with different operating systems. Let us add more to your knowledge on this.

Windows

REAPER software is available for Windows 7, 8, 10, XP, and Vista. The version of REAPER for Windows is 6.42. This is for Windows 64-bit whereas, a download package is also available for Windows 32-bit.

macOS

For macOS 64-bit, REAPER has a 6.42 version. This version is compatible with macOS 10.5 – 10.14. Whereas, for macOS 10.15+, the available version of REAPER is 6.42 with a 15MB file size.

Linux

REAPER Recording Software is also compatible with Linux x86_64. The REAPER version is 6.42 with an 11 MB file size. This version can also work on AMD64 64-bit.

Downloading and Installing REAPER

Now that REAPER Record Computer Audio has impressed you a lot. You must be thinking about how to download it. If this is on your mind, then we got you. Allow us to share its steps that will guide you to download the software easily.

Step 1: To install REAPER software, first of all, visit its official website. Then locate and head over to its download section.

Step 2: Click on ‘Download REAPER from the download section.’ For Windows users, they can download the Windows installation package. At the same time, Linux and macOS users can select their installation packages.

Step 3: Lastly, after you have downloaded your systems compatible installation package, you simply have to run it and then install it according to your respective operating system.

Part 3. Tutorial for Using REAPER Recording Software

After its attractive features and detailed downloading procedure, it is finally the time to talk about its works. This section of the article will explain to you more about REAPER Recording Software as we are now going to present a tutorial on how to use the software.

Understand the Layout

Understanding and knowing the layout of your software before you start working on it is essential. The crucial components of REAPER software include the Timeline, Arrangement Window, Track Panel, Toolbar, and lastly, Transport.

reaper layout understanding

The Arrangement window holds all the added items. The items are played from left to right order, similar to their timeline arrangement. You can also zoom in and out. Then comes the transport toolbar, which holds the functions to stop, rewind, play, fast forward, adjust the timeline speed, etc. The toolbar holds all the toggle buttons. You can also customize your toolbar.

New Track Creation

For creating a new track on REAPER, go to the Track menu and hit Insert New Track. A track is like another layer to your audio. Multiple layers and tracks make your work complex yet interesting as you can play all the different tracks at the same time. By double-clicking in the Track Control Panel, you can set a name for the added track.

track control panel

Audio Hardware Settings for Audio Recording

It is best suggested always to check your audio hardware settings before you start to record, edit or mix with REAPER Recording Software. Your primary focus should be on the recording device’s devices should be set as Input Device, whereas the listening device should be set as the Output Device.

For this, you have to select Preferences from the Options menu. A window will appear in front of you, the REAPER Preference window. You have to select the correct Input and Output devices from the dropdown menu from this window.

customize audio settings

Arm your Track

Arming your track is very important. For this, head over to the Track Control Panel, and next to your track name, hit the red circle. If you have various tracks, you should solo this track and mute the other tracks.

As soon as the track is armed, a Gain Meter will activate on the side. From this, you can check if you have properly set the microphone or not. This could be tested by tapping on the microphone.

arm your track

Record

After all, the hardware settings are done, and your track is armed, it’s time to start the recording. For that, just tap on the Record button in the Transport toolbar. A yellow line in the timeline will indicate the end of the recording.

initiate audio recording

To end the recording, tap on the Stop button from the Transport Toolbar. Lastly, REAPER Recording Software will ask you to save the file. In case you don’t want it, you can also delete it.

Create and Manipulate Clips

Things like manipulation get a lot easier if you split the clips in REAPER. From the items menu, you have to select the option of Split Item on Cursor. This divides your clip into two clips on each side of the cursor. You can also remove the clips by going to the Items Menu. From there, you just have to hit the Remove Item option, or else, simply press the Delete key on your keyboard.

split your recorded audio

Removing clips will create a gap in the arrangement window that can be filled by dragging forward the remaining clip.

Volume Adjustments – Normalize

By double-clicking on the item or by selecting ‘Item Properties’ from a right-click, you can normalize the item. A new window will appear as Media Item Properties, from where you have to locate the Volume Settings and then select the option of Normalize.

If your item is already loud, then nothing will happen, but if it is not, then the slider will change from 0.00 dB showing an increase in the volume. Lastly, hit the ‘Apply’ or ‘OK’ button to imply the changes.

Fade in/out

With the Media Properties, you can also adjust a Fade in and a Fade out. For this, you simply have to set an end time for the Fade in, whereas a start time is entered for Fade out. Hit the ‘Ok’ or ‘Apply’ button to apply the changes.

From the Arrangement window, fades can be adjusted. For adjusting the fades, hover with your mouse over the red line. You will see a newly shaped cursor. Just drag on the timeline to play and adjust the Fade with this new cursor.

apply fade in and fade out

Automate Changes

With REAPER, you can also automate changes in track parameters. We will guide about automation from Track Envelopes. From Track Control Panel, hit the Trim option. A new Envelopes window will open at this point from where you have to check the Volume box.

A new Volume Track will open up. Here, you have to set new Envelope points. That could be done by holding the shift key, right-clicking on the point, and then selecting Create New Point. A green circle will indicate the new point.

By dragging the Envelope point, you can also adjust the volume. Dragging it towards the top will increase the volume, whereas dragging it towards the bottom will eventually decrease.

audio automate changes

Finalize the Audio – Render

After all the above steps have been completed to set the order and adjust your desired volume, the last step comes to render your project file. For that, move to the File menu and select the ‘Render’ option. A window will be opened as ‘Render to File.’ Now, from the dropdown menu, select your desired Output Format.

Lastly, hit the Render 1 File button, and then REAPER will export your project. You can immediately listen to it by selecting the ‘Launch File’ option.

render your audio file

Concluding Thoughts

This article is everything you need to learn about REAPER Recording Software. The article that started from an introduction on DAW took you on a roller coaster ride. Everything about REAPER software has been shared.

We hope that this article helps you in all possible ways. The attractive features impress you, and its pricing and system specifications increase your knowledge. Along with that, the shared tutorial will guide you thoroughly on how to use it.

02 How to Download and Install REAPER Software?

03 Tutorial for Using REAPER Recording Software

Part 1. What Is REAPER Recording Software?

Recording software like REAPER records computer audio is used to produce music, edit it, transform, and customize your music. With REAPER Recording Software , you can record multi-layer audio and MIDI in various formats. REAPER has the easiest interface that allows you to drag and drop to import, split, move and do many other tasks.

reaper recording software interface

This is just one feature of REAPER that sounds very interesting. In this section, we will talk about more of its features.

1. Record and Edit

You can easily record the audio and (MIDI) Musical Instrumental Digital Interface with REAPER recording software. It lets you edit and customize everything. You can record and edit things limitlessly. When it comes to recording, it’s not at all difficult for REAPER software to record various instruments or vocals.

2. Mixing

Initially, the mixer might seem inflexible, but in reality, REAPER has a lot to offer you. It has great automated capabilities for instrument and effect parameters. It doesn’t matter if you are working because you can still bounce or freeze tracks while working.

The mixer is very flexible. With REAPERs mixer, you just have to drag and drop your recordings so that you can create tracks, and also, you can customize the arrangements by moving the portions.

3. Interface

While looking at the interface, you might question yourself about how to use its interface. Some people love to learn about new things, such as the REAPER Recording Software. Whereas, some people seem least interested because the half-empty interface is not intuitive to them.

Whereas, the best thing about its interface is that you can customize it. REAPER allows you to add different wallpapers and layouts to your software interface.

4. Strong Stability

REAPER Recording Software has very strong stability. This is one of its strongest features as compared to other competitors. The RAM is rarely affected by the load time and the used resources. Moreover, the software offers a wide range of languages. You can select your desired language to run the software.

Part 2. How to Download and Install REAPER Software?

REAPER is a Digital Audio Workstation. The perfect platform where you can manipulate and transform your audio. With REAPER Record Computer audio, you can work efficiently in a resource-friendly studio with saving your time. Stay tuned if you plan to learn more about its pricing and requirements.

download and install reaper

Pricing of REAPER Software

A reaper is a brilliant software. It has a 60-day trial period. REAPER costs $60 in total to register. It has complete MIDI sequencing. You can also get a discounted license if REAPER is the best private option for you or has commercial usage. You can set the equal license key on every computer for someone with multiple computers.

System Requirements

The recording software has uncountable features. REAPER software facilitates its users at every level by giving the best audio manipulating platform. The best thing about REAPER Recording Software is its compatibility with different operating systems. Let us add more to your knowledge on this.

Windows

REAPER software is available for Windows 7, 8, 10, XP, and Vista. The version of REAPER for Windows is 6.42. This is for Windows 64-bit whereas, a download package is also available for Windows 32-bit.

macOS

For macOS 64-bit, REAPER has a 6.42 version. This version is compatible with macOS 10.5 – 10.14. Whereas, for macOS 10.15+, the available version of REAPER is 6.42 with a 15MB file size.

Linux

REAPER Recording Software is also compatible with Linux x86_64. The REAPER version is 6.42 with an 11 MB file size. This version can also work on AMD64 64-bit.

Downloading and Installing REAPER

Now that REAPER Record Computer Audio has impressed you a lot. You must be thinking about how to download it. If this is on your mind, then we got you. Allow us to share its steps that will guide you to download the software easily.

Step 1: To install REAPER software, first of all, visit its official website. Then locate and head over to its download section.

Step 2: Click on ‘Download REAPER from the download section.’ For Windows users, they can download the Windows installation package. At the same time, Linux and macOS users can select their installation packages.

Step 3: Lastly, after you have downloaded your systems compatible installation package, you simply have to run it and then install it according to your respective operating system.

Part 3. Tutorial for Using REAPER Recording Software

After its attractive features and detailed downloading procedure, it is finally the time to talk about its works. This section of the article will explain to you more about REAPER Recording Software as we are now going to present a tutorial on how to use the software.

Understand the Layout

Understanding and knowing the layout of your software before you start working on it is essential. The crucial components of REAPER software include the Timeline, Arrangement Window, Track Panel, Toolbar, and lastly, Transport.

reaper layout understanding

The Arrangement window holds all the added items. The items are played from left to right order, similar to their timeline arrangement. You can also zoom in and out. Then comes the transport toolbar, which holds the functions to stop, rewind, play, fast forward, adjust the timeline speed, etc. The toolbar holds all the toggle buttons. You can also customize your toolbar.

New Track Creation

For creating a new track on REAPER, go to the Track menu and hit Insert New Track. A track is like another layer to your audio. Multiple layers and tracks make your work complex yet interesting as you can play all the different tracks at the same time. By double-clicking in the Track Control Panel, you can set a name for the added track.

track control panel

Audio Hardware Settings for Audio Recording

It is best suggested always to check your audio hardware settings before you start to record, edit or mix with REAPER Recording Software. Your primary focus should be on the recording device’s devices should be set as Input Device, whereas the listening device should be set as the Output Device.

For this, you have to select Preferences from the Options menu. A window will appear in front of you, the REAPER Preference window. You have to select the correct Input and Output devices from the dropdown menu from this window.

customize audio settings

Arm your Track

Arming your track is very important. For this, head over to the Track Control Panel, and next to your track name, hit the red circle. If you have various tracks, you should solo this track and mute the other tracks.

As soon as the track is armed, a Gain Meter will activate on the side. From this, you can check if you have properly set the microphone or not. This could be tested by tapping on the microphone.

arm your track

Record

After all, the hardware settings are done, and your track is armed, it’s time to start the recording. For that, just tap on the Record button in the Transport toolbar. A yellow line in the timeline will indicate the end of the recording.

initiate audio recording

To end the recording, tap on the Stop button from the Transport Toolbar. Lastly, REAPER Recording Software will ask you to save the file. In case you don’t want it, you can also delete it.

Create and Manipulate Clips

Things like manipulation get a lot easier if you split the clips in REAPER. From the items menu, you have to select the option of Split Item on Cursor. This divides your clip into two clips on each side of the cursor. You can also remove the clips by going to the Items Menu. From there, you just have to hit the Remove Item option, or else, simply press the Delete key on your keyboard.

split your recorded audio

Removing clips will create a gap in the arrangement window that can be filled by dragging forward the remaining clip.

Volume Adjustments – Normalize

By double-clicking on the item or by selecting ‘Item Properties’ from a right-click, you can normalize the item. A new window will appear as Media Item Properties, from where you have to locate the Volume Settings and then select the option of Normalize.

If your item is already loud, then nothing will happen, but if it is not, then the slider will change from 0.00 dB showing an increase in the volume. Lastly, hit the ‘Apply’ or ‘OK’ button to imply the changes.

Fade in/out

With the Media Properties, you can also adjust a Fade in and a Fade out. For this, you simply have to set an end time for the Fade in, whereas a start time is entered for Fade out. Hit the ‘Ok’ or ‘Apply’ button to apply the changes.

From the Arrangement window, fades can be adjusted. For adjusting the fades, hover with your mouse over the red line. You will see a newly shaped cursor. Just drag on the timeline to play and adjust the Fade with this new cursor.

apply fade in and fade out

Automate Changes

With REAPER, you can also automate changes in track parameters. We will guide about automation from Track Envelopes. From Track Control Panel, hit the Trim option. A new Envelopes window will open at this point from where you have to check the Volume box.

A new Volume Track will open up. Here, you have to set new Envelope points. That could be done by holding the shift key, right-clicking on the point, and then selecting Create New Point. A green circle will indicate the new point.

By dragging the Envelope point, you can also adjust the volume. Dragging it towards the top will increase the volume, whereas dragging it towards the bottom will eventually decrease.

audio automate changes

Finalize the Audio – Render

After all the above steps have been completed to set the order and adjust your desired volume, the last step comes to render your project file. For that, move to the File menu and select the ‘Render’ option. A window will be opened as ‘Render to File.’ Now, from the dropdown menu, select your desired Output Format.

Lastly, hit the Render 1 File button, and then REAPER will export your project. You can immediately listen to it by selecting the ‘Launch File’ option.

render your audio file

Concluding Thoughts

This article is everything you need to learn about REAPER Recording Software. The article that started from an introduction on DAW took you on a roller coaster ride. Everything about REAPER software has been shared.

We hope that this article helps you in all possible ways. The attractive features impress you, and its pricing and system specifications increase your knowledge. Along with that, the shared tutorial will guide you thoroughly on how to use it.

02 How to Download and Install REAPER Software?

03 Tutorial for Using REAPER Recording Software

Part 1. What Is REAPER Recording Software?

Recording software like REAPER records computer audio is used to produce music, edit it, transform, and customize your music. With REAPER Recording Software , you can record multi-layer audio and MIDI in various formats. REAPER has the easiest interface that allows you to drag and drop to import, split, move and do many other tasks.

reaper recording software interface

This is just one feature of REAPER that sounds very interesting. In this section, we will talk about more of its features.

1. Record and Edit

You can easily record the audio and (MIDI) Musical Instrumental Digital Interface with REAPER recording software. It lets you edit and customize everything. You can record and edit things limitlessly. When it comes to recording, it’s not at all difficult for REAPER software to record various instruments or vocals.

2. Mixing

Initially, the mixer might seem inflexible, but in reality, REAPER has a lot to offer you. It has great automated capabilities for instrument and effect parameters. It doesn’t matter if you are working because you can still bounce or freeze tracks while working.

The mixer is very flexible. With REAPERs mixer, you just have to drag and drop your recordings so that you can create tracks, and also, you can customize the arrangements by moving the portions.

3. Interface

While looking at the interface, you might question yourself about how to use its interface. Some people love to learn about new things, such as the REAPER Recording Software. Whereas, some people seem least interested because the half-empty interface is not intuitive to them.

Whereas, the best thing about its interface is that you can customize it. REAPER allows you to add different wallpapers and layouts to your software interface.

4. Strong Stability

REAPER Recording Software has very strong stability. This is one of its strongest features as compared to other competitors. The RAM is rarely affected by the load time and the used resources. Moreover, the software offers a wide range of languages. You can select your desired language to run the software.

Part 2. How to Download and Install REAPER Software?

REAPER is a Digital Audio Workstation. The perfect platform where you can manipulate and transform your audio. With REAPER Record Computer audio, you can work efficiently in a resource-friendly studio with saving your time. Stay tuned if you plan to learn more about its pricing and requirements.

download and install reaper

Pricing of REAPER Software

A reaper is a brilliant software. It has a 60-day trial period. REAPER costs $60 in total to register. It has complete MIDI sequencing. You can also get a discounted license if REAPER is the best private option for you or has commercial usage. You can set the equal license key on every computer for someone with multiple computers.

System Requirements

The recording software has uncountable features. REAPER software facilitates its users at every level by giving the best audio manipulating platform. The best thing about REAPER Recording Software is its compatibility with different operating systems. Let us add more to your knowledge on this.

Windows

REAPER software is available for Windows 7, 8, 10, XP, and Vista. The version of REAPER for Windows is 6.42. This is for Windows 64-bit whereas, a download package is also available for Windows 32-bit.

macOS

For macOS 64-bit, REAPER has a 6.42 version. This version is compatible with macOS 10.5 – 10.14. Whereas, for macOS 10.15+, the available version of REAPER is 6.42 with a 15MB file size.

Linux

REAPER Recording Software is also compatible with Linux x86_64. The REAPER version is 6.42 with an 11 MB file size. This version can also work on AMD64 64-bit.

Downloading and Installing REAPER

Now that REAPER Record Computer Audio has impressed you a lot. You must be thinking about how to download it. If this is on your mind, then we got you. Allow us to share its steps that will guide you to download the software easily.

Step 1: To install REAPER software, first of all, visit its official website. Then locate and head over to its download section.

Step 2: Click on ‘Download REAPER from the download section.’ For Windows users, they can download the Windows installation package. At the same time, Linux and macOS users can select their installation packages.

Step 3: Lastly, after you have downloaded your systems compatible installation package, you simply have to run it and then install it according to your respective operating system.

Part 3. Tutorial for Using REAPER Recording Software

After its attractive features and detailed downloading procedure, it is finally the time to talk about its works. This section of the article will explain to you more about REAPER Recording Software as we are now going to present a tutorial on how to use the software.

Understand the Layout

Understanding and knowing the layout of your software before you start working on it is essential. The crucial components of REAPER software include the Timeline, Arrangement Window, Track Panel, Toolbar, and lastly, Transport.

reaper layout understanding

The Arrangement window holds all the added items. The items are played from left to right order, similar to their timeline arrangement. You can also zoom in and out. Then comes the transport toolbar, which holds the functions to stop, rewind, play, fast forward, adjust the timeline speed, etc. The toolbar holds all the toggle buttons. You can also customize your toolbar.

New Track Creation

For creating a new track on REAPER, go to the Track menu and hit Insert New Track. A track is like another layer to your audio. Multiple layers and tracks make your work complex yet interesting as you can play all the different tracks at the same time. By double-clicking in the Track Control Panel, you can set a name for the added track.

track control panel

Audio Hardware Settings for Audio Recording

It is best suggested always to check your audio hardware settings before you start to record, edit or mix with REAPER Recording Software. Your primary focus should be on the recording device’s devices should be set as Input Device, whereas the listening device should be set as the Output Device.

For this, you have to select Preferences from the Options menu. A window will appear in front of you, the REAPER Preference window. You have to select the correct Input and Output devices from the dropdown menu from this window.

customize audio settings

Arm your Track

Arming your track is very important. For this, head over to the Track Control Panel, and next to your track name, hit the red circle. If you have various tracks, you should solo this track and mute the other tracks.

As soon as the track is armed, a Gain Meter will activate on the side. From this, you can check if you have properly set the microphone or not. This could be tested by tapping on the microphone.

arm your track

Record

After all, the hardware settings are done, and your track is armed, it’s time to start the recording. For that, just tap on the Record button in the Transport toolbar. A yellow line in the timeline will indicate the end of the recording.

initiate audio recording

To end the recording, tap on the Stop button from the Transport Toolbar. Lastly, REAPER Recording Software will ask you to save the file. In case you don’t want it, you can also delete it.

Create and Manipulate Clips

Things like manipulation get a lot easier if you split the clips in REAPER. From the items menu, you have to select the option of Split Item on Cursor. This divides your clip into two clips on each side of the cursor. You can also remove the clips by going to the Items Menu. From there, you just have to hit the Remove Item option, or else, simply press the Delete key on your keyboard.

split your recorded audio

Removing clips will create a gap in the arrangement window that can be filled by dragging forward the remaining clip.

Volume Adjustments – Normalize

By double-clicking on the item or by selecting ‘Item Properties’ from a right-click, you can normalize the item. A new window will appear as Media Item Properties, from where you have to locate the Volume Settings and then select the option of Normalize.

If your item is already loud, then nothing will happen, but if it is not, then the slider will change from 0.00 dB showing an increase in the volume. Lastly, hit the ‘Apply’ or ‘OK’ button to imply the changes.

Fade in/out

With the Media Properties, you can also adjust a Fade in and a Fade out. For this, you simply have to set an end time for the Fade in, whereas a start time is entered for Fade out. Hit the ‘Ok’ or ‘Apply’ button to apply the changes.

From the Arrangement window, fades can be adjusted. For adjusting the fades, hover with your mouse over the red line. You will see a newly shaped cursor. Just drag on the timeline to play and adjust the Fade with this new cursor.

apply fade in and fade out

Automate Changes

With REAPER, you can also automate changes in track parameters. We will guide about automation from Track Envelopes. From Track Control Panel, hit the Trim option. A new Envelopes window will open at this point from where you have to check the Volume box.

A new Volume Track will open up. Here, you have to set new Envelope points. That could be done by holding the shift key, right-clicking on the point, and then selecting Create New Point. A green circle will indicate the new point.

By dragging the Envelope point, you can also adjust the volume. Dragging it towards the top will increase the volume, whereas dragging it towards the bottom will eventually decrease.

audio automate changes

Finalize the Audio – Render

After all the above steps have been completed to set the order and adjust your desired volume, the last step comes to render your project file. For that, move to the File menu and select the ‘Render’ option. A window will be opened as ‘Render to File.’ Now, from the dropdown menu, select your desired Output Format.

Lastly, hit the Render 1 File button, and then REAPER will export your project. You can immediately listen to it by selecting the ‘Launch File’ option.

render your audio file

Concluding Thoughts

This article is everything you need to learn about REAPER Recording Software. The article that started from an introduction on DAW took you on a roller coaster ride. Everything about REAPER software has been shared.

We hope that this article helps you in all possible ways. The attractive features impress you, and its pricing and system specifications increase your knowledge. Along with that, the shared tutorial will guide you thoroughly on how to use it.

02 How to Download and Install REAPER Software?

03 Tutorial for Using REAPER Recording Software

Part 1. What Is REAPER Recording Software?

Recording software like REAPER records computer audio is used to produce music, edit it, transform, and customize your music. With REAPER Recording Software , you can record multi-layer audio and MIDI in various formats. REAPER has the easiest interface that allows you to drag and drop to import, split, move and do many other tasks.

reaper recording software interface

This is just one feature of REAPER that sounds very interesting. In this section, we will talk about more of its features.

1. Record and Edit

You can easily record the audio and (MIDI) Musical Instrumental Digital Interface with REAPER recording software. It lets you edit and customize everything. You can record and edit things limitlessly. When it comes to recording, it’s not at all difficult for REAPER software to record various instruments or vocals.

2. Mixing

Initially, the mixer might seem inflexible, but in reality, REAPER has a lot to offer you. It has great automated capabilities for instrument and effect parameters. It doesn’t matter if you are working because you can still bounce or freeze tracks while working.

The mixer is very flexible. With REAPERs mixer, you just have to drag and drop your recordings so that you can create tracks, and also, you can customize the arrangements by moving the portions.

3. Interface

While looking at the interface, you might question yourself about how to use its interface. Some people love to learn about new things, such as the REAPER Recording Software. Whereas, some people seem least interested because the half-empty interface is not intuitive to them.

Whereas, the best thing about its interface is that you can customize it. REAPER allows you to add different wallpapers and layouts to your software interface.

4. Strong Stability

REAPER Recording Software has very strong stability. This is one of its strongest features as compared to other competitors. The RAM is rarely affected by the load time and the used resources. Moreover, the software offers a wide range of languages. You can select your desired language to run the software.

Part 2. How to Download and Install REAPER Software?

REAPER is a Digital Audio Workstation. The perfect platform where you can manipulate and transform your audio. With REAPER Record Computer audio, you can work efficiently in a resource-friendly studio with saving your time. Stay tuned if you plan to learn more about its pricing and requirements.

download and install reaper

Pricing of REAPER Software

A reaper is a brilliant software. It has a 60-day trial period. REAPER costs $60 in total to register. It has complete MIDI sequencing. You can also get a discounted license if REAPER is the best private option for you or has commercial usage. You can set the equal license key on every computer for someone with multiple computers.

System Requirements

The recording software has uncountable features. REAPER software facilitates its users at every level by giving the best audio manipulating platform. The best thing about REAPER Recording Software is its compatibility with different operating systems. Let us add more to your knowledge on this.

Windows

REAPER software is available for Windows 7, 8, 10, XP, and Vista. The version of REAPER for Windows is 6.42. This is for Windows 64-bit whereas, a download package is also available for Windows 32-bit.

macOS

For macOS 64-bit, REAPER has a 6.42 version. This version is compatible with macOS 10.5 – 10.14. Whereas, for macOS 10.15+, the available version of REAPER is 6.42 with a 15MB file size.

Linux

REAPER Recording Software is also compatible with Linux x86_64. The REAPER version is 6.42 with an 11 MB file size. This version can also work on AMD64 64-bit.

Downloading and Installing REAPER

Now that REAPER Record Computer Audio has impressed you a lot. You must be thinking about how to download it. If this is on your mind, then we got you. Allow us to share its steps that will guide you to download the software easily.

Step 1: To install REAPER software, first of all, visit its official website. Then locate and head over to its download section.

Step 2: Click on ‘Download REAPER from the download section.’ For Windows users, they can download the Windows installation package. At the same time, Linux and macOS users can select their installation packages.

Step 3: Lastly, after you have downloaded your systems compatible installation package, you simply have to run it and then install it according to your respective operating system.

Part 3. Tutorial for Using REAPER Recording Software

After its attractive features and detailed downloading procedure, it is finally the time to talk about its works. This section of the article will explain to you more about REAPER Recording Software as we are now going to present a tutorial on how to use the software.

Understand the Layout

Understanding and knowing the layout of your software before you start working on it is essential. The crucial components of REAPER software include the Timeline, Arrangement Window, Track Panel, Toolbar, and lastly, Transport.

reaper layout understanding

The Arrangement window holds all the added items. The items are played from left to right order, similar to their timeline arrangement. You can also zoom in and out. Then comes the transport toolbar, which holds the functions to stop, rewind, play, fast forward, adjust the timeline speed, etc. The toolbar holds all the toggle buttons. You can also customize your toolbar.

New Track Creation

For creating a new track on REAPER, go to the Track menu and hit Insert New Track. A track is like another layer to your audio. Multiple layers and tracks make your work complex yet interesting as you can play all the different tracks at the same time. By double-clicking in the Track Control Panel, you can set a name for the added track.

track control panel

Audio Hardware Settings for Audio Recording

It is best suggested always to check your audio hardware settings before you start to record, edit or mix with REAPER Recording Software. Your primary focus should be on the recording device’s devices should be set as Input Device, whereas the listening device should be set as the Output Device.

For this, you have to select Preferences from the Options menu. A window will appear in front of you, the REAPER Preference window. You have to select the correct Input and Output devices from the dropdown menu from this window.

customize audio settings

Arm your Track

Arming your track is very important. For this, head over to the Track Control Panel, and next to your track name, hit the red circle. If you have various tracks, you should solo this track and mute the other tracks.

As soon as the track is armed, a Gain Meter will activate on the side. From this, you can check if you have properly set the microphone or not. This could be tested by tapping on the microphone.

arm your track

Record

After all, the hardware settings are done, and your track is armed, it’s time to start the recording. For that, just tap on the Record button in the Transport toolbar. A yellow line in the timeline will indicate the end of the recording.

initiate audio recording

To end the recording, tap on the Stop button from the Transport Toolbar. Lastly, REAPER Recording Software will ask you to save the file. In case you don’t want it, you can also delete it.

Create and Manipulate Clips

Things like manipulation get a lot easier if you split the clips in REAPER. From the items menu, you have to select the option of Split Item on Cursor. This divides your clip into two clips on each side of the cursor. You can also remove the clips by going to the Items Menu. From there, you just have to hit the Remove Item option, or else, simply press the Delete key on your keyboard.

split your recorded audio

Removing clips will create a gap in the arrangement window that can be filled by dragging forward the remaining clip.

Volume Adjustments – Normalize

By double-clicking on the item or by selecting ‘Item Properties’ from a right-click, you can normalize the item. A new window will appear as Media Item Properties, from where you have to locate the Volume Settings and then select the option of Normalize.

If your item is already loud, then nothing will happen, but if it is not, then the slider will change from 0.00 dB showing an increase in the volume. Lastly, hit the ‘Apply’ or ‘OK’ button to imply the changes.

Fade in/out

With the Media Properties, you can also adjust a Fade in and a Fade out. For this, you simply have to set an end time for the Fade in, whereas a start time is entered for Fade out. Hit the ‘Ok’ or ‘Apply’ button to apply the changes.

From the Arrangement window, fades can be adjusted. For adjusting the fades, hover with your mouse over the red line. You will see a newly shaped cursor. Just drag on the timeline to play and adjust the Fade with this new cursor.

apply fade in and fade out

Automate Changes

With REAPER, you can also automate changes in track parameters. We will guide about automation from Track Envelopes. From Track Control Panel, hit the Trim option. A new Envelopes window will open at this point from where you have to check the Volume box.

A new Volume Track will open up. Here, you have to set new Envelope points. That could be done by holding the shift key, right-clicking on the point, and then selecting Create New Point. A green circle will indicate the new point.

By dragging the Envelope point, you can also adjust the volume. Dragging it towards the top will increase the volume, whereas dragging it towards the bottom will eventually decrease.

audio automate changes

Finalize the Audio – Render

After all the above steps have been completed to set the order and adjust your desired volume, the last step comes to render your project file. For that, move to the File menu and select the ‘Render’ option. A window will be opened as ‘Render to File.’ Now, from the dropdown menu, select your desired Output Format.

Lastly, hit the Render 1 File button, and then REAPER will export your project. You can immediately listen to it by selecting the ‘Launch File’ option.

render your audio file

Concluding Thoughts

This article is everything you need to learn about REAPER Recording Software. The article that started from an introduction on DAW took you on a roller coaster ride. Everything about REAPER software has been shared.

We hope that this article helps you in all possible ways. The attractive features impress you, and its pricing and system specifications increase your knowledge. Along with that, the shared tutorial will guide you thoroughly on how to use it.

8 Best DAW Software for Mac [Fully Review]

Top 8 Best DAW Software for Mac in 2024 (Fully Review)

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

What are the things to consider while you choose the best DAW for MAC? The best Digital Audio Workstation is the one that offers the easiest ways to create music. Get the demos for all the software that you planned to check out, think wisely how you wish to work, and analyze the elements of the best DAW software for MAC, which you consider to be good enough for your project.

You can use the best music production software for MAC throughout the music creation process. From recording to editing , mixing, arranging, and mastering, you may test the software for a smooth workflow. But the software isn’t possible for your use if you find yourself continually struggling with the best DAW for MAC or you need to consult the manual time and again. So, look back and check the other available best DAW software for MAC. Ensure that the potential DAW is compatible with your system. If you are not sure about the best ones, here are eight best music production software for MAC.

8 Best DAW Software for MAC

1. Apple Logic Pro

Price: $199.99

It is the most advanced version of Logic. Whether you wish to mix, edit, write songs or make beats, Apple Logic Pro is one of the best DAW software for MAC. It has a modern interface to get quick results and deliver more power whenever needed. With a wide range of effects, instruments, samples, and loops collection, Logic Pro provides a comprehensive toolkit for creating amazing-musical sounds.

System Requirement: 6GB of disk space for a minimum installation or up to 63GB of disk space for the full Sound Library installation. 4GB of RAM. OpenCL-capable graphics card or Intel HD Graphics 3000 or later. 256MB of VRAM.

Pros

  • Track Alternatives let you create and switch between different playlists of regions and edits on a track.
  • More than 10,000 Apple Loops in a wide range of genres

Cons

  • Need third-party Audio Units-compatible plug-ins to expand your instrument and effects library.
  • Buy the app to use it on your phone.

Apple Logic Pro

2. FL Studio

Price: The basic version is priced at $99, while the advanced FL Studio goes for $899.

FL Studio can be used for both MAC and Windows. It is one of the best DAW software for MAC. If you are a beginner starting your journey in music-making, you may consider FL Studio.

System Requirement: MacOS:10.13.6 or later, 4GB free disk space, 4GB of RAM or higher recommended. It is not compatible with ARM Processors. The more powerful your CPU, the more instruments and FX you can run. From arranging composing mastering, mixing and more, the FL Studio is a complete package for you for creating professional quality music. You can play it LIVE and record notes on FL studio.

Pros

  • It comes with great bundled plugins.
  • It is one of the bases for pattern-based composition.

Cons

  • No option for score editing.
  • You need to pop out windows and plugins to edit audio

FL Studio

3. GarageBand

Price: GarageBand for Mac and iOS are free for all OS X Mavericks and iOS 7 users. Additional instruments and sounds, costs a one-time in-app-purchase Price of $4.99 each.

Garageband comes with a user-friendly interface. It is a great music production software available for beginners. You get the opportunity to create music with the built-in percussion, synths, and keyboard. Visualize your creation before editing down to the note and decibel with music loops, music lessons, etc. Create amazing music with Garageband. Map the chords to better understand the music theory or use the interactive plug-in controls to create music.

System Requirement: A Mac whose processor is a 600MHz G3 or faster and for using the Software Instruments, you need to have a G4 or later chip. Mac OS X 10.3 or then is ideal. Screen with at least 1024-x-768–pixel resolution and 2GB hard-drive space.

Pros

  • GarageBand ’09 has a straightforward interface to navigate
  • Tracks are easily able to be copied, deleted, looped, split, dragged and inserted into different tracks

Cons

  • GarageBand ‘09 is only available when iLife ‘09 is purchased and can only be used on a Mac
  • Life ‘09 can be brought from Apple for $79.00

GarageBand

4. Audacity

Price: Free software

Audacity might not look as attractive as the other best DAW for MAC, but it is a powerful audio workstation with a dedicated large fanbase. It is a perfect software for recording and editing audio. Whether you want to find the ideal sample or create a brand-new multitrack recording, Audacity can help you with all. It includes a range of effects and plugins such as reverb, equalizers, echo, chorus, distortion, and more.

System Requirement: OS X 10.6 and later is used. Audacity runs best with at least 1 GB RAM and a 1 GHz processor (2 GB RAM/2 GHz on OS X 10.7 and later). For lengthy multi-track projects, a minimum of 2 GB RAM and 2 GHz processor (4 GB RAM on OS X 10.7 and later) is required.

Pros

  • You can record live audio through a mixer, microphone, or digitize recordings from other sources
  • Tracks and selections can be fully manipulated using the keyboard

Cons

  • You can only have up to 16 tracks of audio at a time
  • Audacity also doesn’t support MIDI recording

Audacity

5. Ableton Live

Price: The download version of Ableton Live 10 costs $99 for Live Intro, $449 for Live Standard, and $749 for Live Suite.

This best music production software for MAC is great for both live performances and studio work. It has dual views, which makes it possible to work in the studio and, at the same time, have live performances. Its session view works perfectly with grid-based hardware controllers. It has great design and user interface, with clean and sleek graphics.

System Requirements: OS X 10.11.6 or later is needed. Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor (Intel® Core™ i5 processor or faster recommended) with 4 GB RAM (8 GB or more recommended), and 64-bit only.

Pros

  • Inspirational clip-based live and composition workflow
  • Suite version contains tons of instruments and sample material to work with

Cons

  • No track comping
  • No notation view and pitch correction tool

Ableton Live

6. Studio One

Price: Studio One can be downloaded completely free. All the Registered Studio One 3 users can update to version 3.0. 2 free from presonus.com

In a very short time, Studio One has gained immense popularity and is counted as one of the best DAW for MAC. This piece of software is a complete DAW and is a good one for the professionals. It enhances your composing work and comes with different features made to ease the composting process, like automatic MIDI chord shifting or printing out scores, etc.

System Requirement: Studio One is a cross‑platform DAW, and to run it, minimum Mac G4 1.25GHz or Intel Core Solo 1.5GHz processor, 1GB RAM, OS 10.4. 11, 10.5. 2 or higher.

Pros

  • Studio One’s built-in parametric EQ is flexible and sounds good
  • Drag and drop instruments from the Browse pane onto new tracks to start composing immediately

Cons

  • The installation process is frustrating
  • No support for 3rd party plugins and limited features

Studio One

7. Reason

Price: Reason Studios Reason 11 you can (download) at $ 399.

The instruments, synths, effects, and sounds tools on Reason are inviting, easy to use, and with a sound to die for. Create, compose, mix, and finish your music with Reason as it comes with a huge selection of synths, instruments, and effects to any DAW.

System Requirement: Intel MAC with multi-core processor and 4 GB RAM (8 GB or more recommended for large ReFills or Rack Extensions). 4 GB free system disk space required, plus 8 GB for free content.

Pros

  • Many analog-based virtual instruments
  • Live to sample

Cons

  • Complicated user interface
  • Rewire can be time-consuming and not as smooth

Reason

8. Cubase

Price: There are three versions- Cubase Pro, Cubase Artist, and Cubase Elements. It is priced at $658.99.

Cubase is a well-known DAW for MAC with the most advanced MIDI editing tools. From simple quantization to swing function, in Cubase you can perform advanced severe MIDI editings such as adaptive/rhythm quantization, velocity compression, note expressions, and much more.

System Requirement: Supported operating systems - Mac OS X 10.5.5 and 10.6, PowerPC G5 (Intel Core Duo CPU recommended), 1024 MB RAM, Display resolution 1280 x 800 recommended, CoreAudio compatible audio hardware, DVD-ROM drive with dual-layer support, 4 GB of free HD space, and 2 GHz CPU (dual-core CPU recommended).

Pros

  • Intuitive MIDI engine & advanced editing features and world-class stock plugins
  • Extremely stable & rarely crashes

Cons

  • Steep learning curve
  • Expensive

Cubase

Conclusion

With these above mentioned best DAW for MAC, hope your choice for purchasing the best software becomes easy and straightforward. Never choose the music production software by looking at your preferred producers. Get the demo for the best DAWs and select that suits your project.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

Download Filmora9 Mac Version

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

What are the things to consider while you choose the best DAW for MAC? The best Digital Audio Workstation is the one that offers the easiest ways to create music. Get the demos for all the software that you planned to check out, think wisely how you wish to work, and analyze the elements of the best DAW software for MAC, which you consider to be good enough for your project.

You can use the best music production software for MAC throughout the music creation process. From recording to editing , mixing, arranging, and mastering, you may test the software for a smooth workflow. But the software isn’t possible for your use if you find yourself continually struggling with the best DAW for MAC or you need to consult the manual time and again. So, look back and check the other available best DAW software for MAC. Ensure that the potential DAW is compatible with your system. If you are not sure about the best ones, here are eight best music production software for MAC.

8 Best DAW Software for MAC

1. Apple Logic Pro

Price: $199.99

It is the most advanced version of Logic. Whether you wish to mix, edit, write songs or make beats, Apple Logic Pro is one of the best DAW software for MAC. It has a modern interface to get quick results and deliver more power whenever needed. With a wide range of effects, instruments, samples, and loops collection, Logic Pro provides a comprehensive toolkit for creating amazing-musical sounds.

System Requirement: 6GB of disk space for a minimum installation or up to 63GB of disk space for the full Sound Library installation. 4GB of RAM. OpenCL-capable graphics card or Intel HD Graphics 3000 or later. 256MB of VRAM.

Pros

  • Track Alternatives let you create and switch between different playlists of regions and edits on a track.
  • More than 10,000 Apple Loops in a wide range of genres

Cons

  • Need third-party Audio Units-compatible plug-ins to expand your instrument and effects library.
  • Buy the app to use it on your phone.

Apple Logic Pro

2. FL Studio

Price: The basic version is priced at $99, while the advanced FL Studio goes for $899.

FL Studio can be used for both MAC and Windows. It is one of the best DAW software for MAC. If you are a beginner starting your journey in music-making, you may consider FL Studio.

System Requirement: MacOS:10.13.6 or later, 4GB free disk space, 4GB of RAM or higher recommended. It is not compatible with ARM Processors. The more powerful your CPU, the more instruments and FX you can run. From arranging composing mastering, mixing and more, the FL Studio is a complete package for you for creating professional quality music. You can play it LIVE and record notes on FL studio.

Pros

  • It comes with great bundled plugins.
  • It is one of the bases for pattern-based composition.

Cons

  • No option for score editing.
  • You need to pop out windows and plugins to edit audio

FL Studio

3. GarageBand

Price: GarageBand for Mac and iOS are free for all OS X Mavericks and iOS 7 users. Additional instruments and sounds, costs a one-time in-app-purchase Price of $4.99 each.

Garageband comes with a user-friendly interface. It is a great music production software available for beginners. You get the opportunity to create music with the built-in percussion, synths, and keyboard. Visualize your creation before editing down to the note and decibel with music loops, music lessons, etc. Create amazing music with Garageband. Map the chords to better understand the music theory or use the interactive plug-in controls to create music.

System Requirement: A Mac whose processor is a 600MHz G3 or faster and for using the Software Instruments, you need to have a G4 or later chip. Mac OS X 10.3 or then is ideal. Screen with at least 1024-x-768–pixel resolution and 2GB hard-drive space.

Pros

  • GarageBand ’09 has a straightforward interface to navigate
  • Tracks are easily able to be copied, deleted, looped, split, dragged and inserted into different tracks

Cons

  • GarageBand ‘09 is only available when iLife ‘09 is purchased and can only be used on a Mac
  • Life ‘09 can be brought from Apple for $79.00

GarageBand

4. Audacity

Price: Free software

Audacity might not look as attractive as the other best DAW for MAC, but it is a powerful audio workstation with a dedicated large fanbase. It is a perfect software for recording and editing audio. Whether you want to find the ideal sample or create a brand-new multitrack recording, Audacity can help you with all. It includes a range of effects and plugins such as reverb, equalizers, echo, chorus, distortion, and more.

System Requirement: OS X 10.6 and later is used. Audacity runs best with at least 1 GB RAM and a 1 GHz processor (2 GB RAM/2 GHz on OS X 10.7 and later). For lengthy multi-track projects, a minimum of 2 GB RAM and 2 GHz processor (4 GB RAM on OS X 10.7 and later) is required.

Pros

  • You can record live audio through a mixer, microphone, or digitize recordings from other sources
  • Tracks and selections can be fully manipulated using the keyboard

Cons

  • You can only have up to 16 tracks of audio at a time
  • Audacity also doesn’t support MIDI recording

Audacity

5. Ableton Live

Price: The download version of Ableton Live 10 costs $99 for Live Intro, $449 for Live Standard, and $749 for Live Suite.

This best music production software for MAC is great for both live performances and studio work. It has dual views, which makes it possible to work in the studio and, at the same time, have live performances. Its session view works perfectly with grid-based hardware controllers. It has great design and user interface, with clean and sleek graphics.

System Requirements: OS X 10.11.6 or later is needed. Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor (Intel® Core™ i5 processor or faster recommended) with 4 GB RAM (8 GB or more recommended), and 64-bit only.

Pros

  • Inspirational clip-based live and composition workflow
  • Suite version contains tons of instruments and sample material to work with

Cons

  • No track comping
  • No notation view and pitch correction tool

Ableton Live

6. Studio One

Price: Studio One can be downloaded completely free. All the Registered Studio One 3 users can update to version 3.0. 2 free from presonus.com

In a very short time, Studio One has gained immense popularity and is counted as one of the best DAW for MAC. This piece of software is a complete DAW and is a good one for the professionals. It enhances your composing work and comes with different features made to ease the composting process, like automatic MIDI chord shifting or printing out scores, etc.

System Requirement: Studio One is a cross‑platform DAW, and to run it, minimum Mac G4 1.25GHz or Intel Core Solo 1.5GHz processor, 1GB RAM, OS 10.4. 11, 10.5. 2 or higher.

Pros

  • Studio One’s built-in parametric EQ is flexible and sounds good
  • Drag and drop instruments from the Browse pane onto new tracks to start composing immediately

Cons

  • The installation process is frustrating
  • No support for 3rd party plugins and limited features

Studio One

7. Reason

Price: Reason Studios Reason 11 you can (download) at $ 399.

The instruments, synths, effects, and sounds tools on Reason are inviting, easy to use, and with a sound to die for. Create, compose, mix, and finish your music with Reason as it comes with a huge selection of synths, instruments, and effects to any DAW.

System Requirement: Intel MAC with multi-core processor and 4 GB RAM (8 GB or more recommended for large ReFills or Rack Extensions). 4 GB free system disk space required, plus 8 GB for free content.

Pros

  • Many analog-based virtual instruments
  • Live to sample

Cons

  • Complicated user interface
  • Rewire can be time-consuming and not as smooth

Reason

8. Cubase

Price: There are three versions- Cubase Pro, Cubase Artist, and Cubase Elements. It is priced at $658.99.

Cubase is a well-known DAW for MAC with the most advanced MIDI editing tools. From simple quantization to swing function, in Cubase you can perform advanced severe MIDI editings such as adaptive/rhythm quantization, velocity compression, note expressions, and much more.

System Requirement: Supported operating systems - Mac OS X 10.5.5 and 10.6, PowerPC G5 (Intel Core Duo CPU recommended), 1024 MB RAM, Display resolution 1280 x 800 recommended, CoreAudio compatible audio hardware, DVD-ROM drive with dual-layer support, 4 GB of free HD space, and 2 GHz CPU (dual-core CPU recommended).

Pros

  • Intuitive MIDI engine & advanced editing features and world-class stock plugins
  • Extremely stable & rarely crashes

Cons

  • Steep learning curve
  • Expensive

Cubase

Conclusion

With these above mentioned best DAW for MAC, hope your choice for purchasing the best software becomes easy and straightforward. Never choose the music production software by looking at your preferred producers. Get the demo for the best DAWs and select that suits your project.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

Download Filmora9 Mac Version

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

What are the things to consider while you choose the best DAW for MAC? The best Digital Audio Workstation is the one that offers the easiest ways to create music. Get the demos for all the software that you planned to check out, think wisely how you wish to work, and analyze the elements of the best DAW software for MAC, which you consider to be good enough for your project.

You can use the best music production software for MAC throughout the music creation process. From recording to editing , mixing, arranging, and mastering, you may test the software for a smooth workflow. But the software isn’t possible for your use if you find yourself continually struggling with the best DAW for MAC or you need to consult the manual time and again. So, look back and check the other available best DAW software for MAC. Ensure that the potential DAW is compatible with your system. If you are not sure about the best ones, here are eight best music production software for MAC.

8 Best DAW Software for MAC

1. Apple Logic Pro

Price: $199.99

It is the most advanced version of Logic. Whether you wish to mix, edit, write songs or make beats, Apple Logic Pro is one of the best DAW software for MAC. It has a modern interface to get quick results and deliver more power whenever needed. With a wide range of effects, instruments, samples, and loops collection, Logic Pro provides a comprehensive toolkit for creating amazing-musical sounds.

System Requirement: 6GB of disk space for a minimum installation or up to 63GB of disk space for the full Sound Library installation. 4GB of RAM. OpenCL-capable graphics card or Intel HD Graphics 3000 or later. 256MB of VRAM.

Pros

  • Track Alternatives let you create and switch between different playlists of regions and edits on a track.
  • More than 10,000 Apple Loops in a wide range of genres

Cons

  • Need third-party Audio Units-compatible plug-ins to expand your instrument and effects library.
  • Buy the app to use it on your phone.

Apple Logic Pro

2. FL Studio

Price: The basic version is priced at $99, while the advanced FL Studio goes for $899.

FL Studio can be used for both MAC and Windows. It is one of the best DAW software for MAC. If you are a beginner starting your journey in music-making, you may consider FL Studio.

System Requirement: MacOS:10.13.6 or later, 4GB free disk space, 4GB of RAM or higher recommended. It is not compatible with ARM Processors. The more powerful your CPU, the more instruments and FX you can run. From arranging composing mastering, mixing and more, the FL Studio is a complete package for you for creating professional quality music. You can play it LIVE and record notes on FL studio.

Pros

  • It comes with great bundled plugins.
  • It is one of the bases for pattern-based composition.

Cons

  • No option for score editing.
  • You need to pop out windows and plugins to edit audio

FL Studio

3. GarageBand

Price: GarageBand for Mac and iOS are free for all OS X Mavericks and iOS 7 users. Additional instruments and sounds, costs a one-time in-app-purchase Price of $4.99 each.

Garageband comes with a user-friendly interface. It is a great music production software available for beginners. You get the opportunity to create music with the built-in percussion, synths, and keyboard. Visualize your creation before editing down to the note and decibel with music loops, music lessons, etc. Create amazing music with Garageband. Map the chords to better understand the music theory or use the interactive plug-in controls to create music.

System Requirement: A Mac whose processor is a 600MHz G3 or faster and for using the Software Instruments, you need to have a G4 or later chip. Mac OS X 10.3 or then is ideal. Screen with at least 1024-x-768–pixel resolution and 2GB hard-drive space.

Pros

  • GarageBand ’09 has a straightforward interface to navigate
  • Tracks are easily able to be copied, deleted, looped, split, dragged and inserted into different tracks

Cons

  • GarageBand ‘09 is only available when iLife ‘09 is purchased and can only be used on a Mac
  • Life ‘09 can be brought from Apple for $79.00

GarageBand

4. Audacity

Price: Free software

Audacity might not look as attractive as the other best DAW for MAC, but it is a powerful audio workstation with a dedicated large fanbase. It is a perfect software for recording and editing audio. Whether you want to find the ideal sample or create a brand-new multitrack recording, Audacity can help you with all. It includes a range of effects and plugins such as reverb, equalizers, echo, chorus, distortion, and more.

System Requirement: OS X 10.6 and later is used. Audacity runs best with at least 1 GB RAM and a 1 GHz processor (2 GB RAM/2 GHz on OS X 10.7 and later). For lengthy multi-track projects, a minimum of 2 GB RAM and 2 GHz processor (4 GB RAM on OS X 10.7 and later) is required.

Pros

  • You can record live audio through a mixer, microphone, or digitize recordings from other sources
  • Tracks and selections can be fully manipulated using the keyboard

Cons

  • You can only have up to 16 tracks of audio at a time
  • Audacity also doesn’t support MIDI recording

Audacity

5. Ableton Live

Price: The download version of Ableton Live 10 costs $99 for Live Intro, $449 for Live Standard, and $749 for Live Suite.

This best music production software for MAC is great for both live performances and studio work. It has dual views, which makes it possible to work in the studio and, at the same time, have live performances. Its session view works perfectly with grid-based hardware controllers. It has great design and user interface, with clean and sleek graphics.

System Requirements: OS X 10.11.6 or later is needed. Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor (Intel® Core™ i5 processor or faster recommended) with 4 GB RAM (8 GB or more recommended), and 64-bit only.

Pros

  • Inspirational clip-based live and composition workflow
  • Suite version contains tons of instruments and sample material to work with

Cons

  • No track comping
  • No notation view and pitch correction tool

Ableton Live

6. Studio One

Price: Studio One can be downloaded completely free. All the Registered Studio One 3 users can update to version 3.0. 2 free from presonus.com

In a very short time, Studio One has gained immense popularity and is counted as one of the best DAW for MAC. This piece of software is a complete DAW and is a good one for the professionals. It enhances your composing work and comes with different features made to ease the composting process, like automatic MIDI chord shifting or printing out scores, etc.

System Requirement: Studio One is a cross‑platform DAW, and to run it, minimum Mac G4 1.25GHz or Intel Core Solo 1.5GHz processor, 1GB RAM, OS 10.4. 11, 10.5. 2 or higher.

Pros

  • Studio One’s built-in parametric EQ is flexible and sounds good
  • Drag and drop instruments from the Browse pane onto new tracks to start composing immediately

Cons

  • The installation process is frustrating
  • No support for 3rd party plugins and limited features

Studio One

7. Reason

Price: Reason Studios Reason 11 you can (download) at $ 399.

The instruments, synths, effects, and sounds tools on Reason are inviting, easy to use, and with a sound to die for. Create, compose, mix, and finish your music with Reason as it comes with a huge selection of synths, instruments, and effects to any DAW.

System Requirement: Intel MAC with multi-core processor and 4 GB RAM (8 GB or more recommended for large ReFills or Rack Extensions). 4 GB free system disk space required, plus 8 GB for free content.

Pros

  • Many analog-based virtual instruments
  • Live to sample

Cons

  • Complicated user interface
  • Rewire can be time-consuming and not as smooth

Reason

8. Cubase

Price: There are three versions- Cubase Pro, Cubase Artist, and Cubase Elements. It is priced at $658.99.

Cubase is a well-known DAW for MAC with the most advanced MIDI editing tools. From simple quantization to swing function, in Cubase you can perform advanced severe MIDI editings such as adaptive/rhythm quantization, velocity compression, note expressions, and much more.

System Requirement: Supported operating systems - Mac OS X 10.5.5 and 10.6, PowerPC G5 (Intel Core Duo CPU recommended), 1024 MB RAM, Display resolution 1280 x 800 recommended, CoreAudio compatible audio hardware, DVD-ROM drive with dual-layer support, 4 GB of free HD space, and 2 GHz CPU (dual-core CPU recommended).

Pros

  • Intuitive MIDI engine & advanced editing features and world-class stock plugins
  • Extremely stable & rarely crashes

Cons

  • Steep learning curve
  • Expensive

Cubase

Conclusion

With these above mentioned best DAW for MAC, hope your choice for purchasing the best software becomes easy and straightforward. Never choose the music production software by looking at your preferred producers. Get the demo for the best DAWs and select that suits your project.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

Download Filmora9 Mac Version

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

What are the things to consider while you choose the best DAW for MAC? The best Digital Audio Workstation is the one that offers the easiest ways to create music. Get the demos for all the software that you planned to check out, think wisely how you wish to work, and analyze the elements of the best DAW software for MAC, which you consider to be good enough for your project.

You can use the best music production software for MAC throughout the music creation process. From recording to editing , mixing, arranging, and mastering, you may test the software for a smooth workflow. But the software isn’t possible for your use if you find yourself continually struggling with the best DAW for MAC or you need to consult the manual time and again. So, look back and check the other available best DAW software for MAC. Ensure that the potential DAW is compatible with your system. If you are not sure about the best ones, here are eight best music production software for MAC.

8 Best DAW Software for MAC

1. Apple Logic Pro

Price: $199.99

It is the most advanced version of Logic. Whether you wish to mix, edit, write songs or make beats, Apple Logic Pro is one of the best DAW software for MAC. It has a modern interface to get quick results and deliver more power whenever needed. With a wide range of effects, instruments, samples, and loops collection, Logic Pro provides a comprehensive toolkit for creating amazing-musical sounds.

System Requirement: 6GB of disk space for a minimum installation or up to 63GB of disk space for the full Sound Library installation. 4GB of RAM. OpenCL-capable graphics card or Intel HD Graphics 3000 or later. 256MB of VRAM.

Pros

  • Track Alternatives let you create and switch between different playlists of regions and edits on a track.
  • More than 10,000 Apple Loops in a wide range of genres

Cons

  • Need third-party Audio Units-compatible plug-ins to expand your instrument and effects library.
  • Buy the app to use it on your phone.

Apple Logic Pro

2. FL Studio

Price: The basic version is priced at $99, while the advanced FL Studio goes for $899.

FL Studio can be used for both MAC and Windows. It is one of the best DAW software for MAC. If you are a beginner starting your journey in music-making, you may consider FL Studio.

System Requirement: MacOS:10.13.6 or later, 4GB free disk space, 4GB of RAM or higher recommended. It is not compatible with ARM Processors. The more powerful your CPU, the more instruments and FX you can run. From arranging composing mastering, mixing and more, the FL Studio is a complete package for you for creating professional quality music. You can play it LIVE and record notes on FL studio.

Pros

  • It comes with great bundled plugins.
  • It is one of the bases for pattern-based composition.

Cons

  • No option for score editing.
  • You need to pop out windows and plugins to edit audio

FL Studio

3. GarageBand

Price: GarageBand for Mac and iOS are free for all OS X Mavericks and iOS 7 users. Additional instruments and sounds, costs a one-time in-app-purchase Price of $4.99 each.

Garageband comes with a user-friendly interface. It is a great music production software available for beginners. You get the opportunity to create music with the built-in percussion, synths, and keyboard. Visualize your creation before editing down to the note and decibel with music loops, music lessons, etc. Create amazing music with Garageband. Map the chords to better understand the music theory or use the interactive plug-in controls to create music.

System Requirement: A Mac whose processor is a 600MHz G3 or faster and for using the Software Instruments, you need to have a G4 or later chip. Mac OS X 10.3 or then is ideal. Screen with at least 1024-x-768–pixel resolution and 2GB hard-drive space.

Pros

  • GarageBand ’09 has a straightforward interface to navigate
  • Tracks are easily able to be copied, deleted, looped, split, dragged and inserted into different tracks

Cons

  • GarageBand ‘09 is only available when iLife ‘09 is purchased and can only be used on a Mac
  • Life ‘09 can be brought from Apple for $79.00

GarageBand

4. Audacity

Price: Free software

Audacity might not look as attractive as the other best DAW for MAC, but it is a powerful audio workstation with a dedicated large fanbase. It is a perfect software for recording and editing audio. Whether you want to find the ideal sample or create a brand-new multitrack recording, Audacity can help you with all. It includes a range of effects and plugins such as reverb, equalizers, echo, chorus, distortion, and more.

System Requirement: OS X 10.6 and later is used. Audacity runs best with at least 1 GB RAM and a 1 GHz processor (2 GB RAM/2 GHz on OS X 10.7 and later). For lengthy multi-track projects, a minimum of 2 GB RAM and 2 GHz processor (4 GB RAM on OS X 10.7 and later) is required.

Pros

  • You can record live audio through a mixer, microphone, or digitize recordings from other sources
  • Tracks and selections can be fully manipulated using the keyboard

Cons

  • You can only have up to 16 tracks of audio at a time
  • Audacity also doesn’t support MIDI recording

Audacity

5. Ableton Live

Price: The download version of Ableton Live 10 costs $99 for Live Intro, $449 for Live Standard, and $749 for Live Suite.

This best music production software for MAC is great for both live performances and studio work. It has dual views, which makes it possible to work in the studio and, at the same time, have live performances. Its session view works perfectly with grid-based hardware controllers. It has great design and user interface, with clean and sleek graphics.

System Requirements: OS X 10.11.6 or later is needed. Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor (Intel® Core™ i5 processor or faster recommended) with 4 GB RAM (8 GB or more recommended), and 64-bit only.

Pros

  • Inspirational clip-based live and composition workflow
  • Suite version contains tons of instruments and sample material to work with

Cons

  • No track comping
  • No notation view and pitch correction tool

Ableton Live

6. Studio One

Price: Studio One can be downloaded completely free. All the Registered Studio One 3 users can update to version 3.0. 2 free from presonus.com

In a very short time, Studio One has gained immense popularity and is counted as one of the best DAW for MAC. This piece of software is a complete DAW and is a good one for the professionals. It enhances your composing work and comes with different features made to ease the composting process, like automatic MIDI chord shifting or printing out scores, etc.

System Requirement: Studio One is a cross‑platform DAW, and to run it, minimum Mac G4 1.25GHz or Intel Core Solo 1.5GHz processor, 1GB RAM, OS 10.4. 11, 10.5. 2 or higher.

Pros

  • Studio One’s built-in parametric EQ is flexible and sounds good
  • Drag and drop instruments from the Browse pane onto new tracks to start composing immediately

Cons

  • The installation process is frustrating
  • No support for 3rd party plugins and limited features

Studio One

7. Reason

Price: Reason Studios Reason 11 you can (download) at $ 399.

The instruments, synths, effects, and sounds tools on Reason are inviting, easy to use, and with a sound to die for. Create, compose, mix, and finish your music with Reason as it comes with a huge selection of synths, instruments, and effects to any DAW.

System Requirement: Intel MAC with multi-core processor and 4 GB RAM (8 GB or more recommended for large ReFills or Rack Extensions). 4 GB free system disk space required, plus 8 GB for free content.

Pros

  • Many analog-based virtual instruments
  • Live to sample

Cons

  • Complicated user interface
  • Rewire can be time-consuming and not as smooth

Reason

8. Cubase

Price: There are three versions- Cubase Pro, Cubase Artist, and Cubase Elements. It is priced at $658.99.

Cubase is a well-known DAW for MAC with the most advanced MIDI editing tools. From simple quantization to swing function, in Cubase you can perform advanced severe MIDI editings such as adaptive/rhythm quantization, velocity compression, note expressions, and much more.

System Requirement: Supported operating systems - Mac OS X 10.5.5 and 10.6, PowerPC G5 (Intel Core Duo CPU recommended), 1024 MB RAM, Display resolution 1280 x 800 recommended, CoreAudio compatible audio hardware, DVD-ROM drive with dual-layer support, 4 GB of free HD space, and 2 GHz CPU (dual-core CPU recommended).

Pros

  • Intuitive MIDI engine & advanced editing features and world-class stock plugins
  • Extremely stable & rarely crashes

Cons

  • Steep learning curve
  • Expensive

Cubase

Conclusion

With these above mentioned best DAW for MAC, hope your choice for purchasing the best software becomes easy and straightforward. Never choose the music production software by looking at your preferred producers. Get the demo for the best DAWs and select that suits your project.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

Download Filmora9 Mac Version

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Also read:

  • Title: Cutting-Edge Audio Display & Animation in Final Cut Pro A Comprehensive Tutorial for Professional Editors for 2024
  • Author: Kate
  • Created at : 2024-06-09 19:57:53
  • Updated at : 2024-06-10 19:57:53
  • Link: https://audio-editing.techidaily.com/cutting-edge-audio-display-and-animation-in-final-cut-pro-a-comprehensive-tutorial-for-professional-editors-for-2024/
  • License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
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Cutting-Edge Audio Display & Animation in Final Cut Pro A Comprehensive Tutorial for Professional Editors for 2024