Your Questions About Open Source DAWs Answered:
Open source DAWs can be a great option for people who love to get “under the hood” of their software. But with so many free open-source DAW options available online, it raises the question – which is best?
Are open-source DAWs good for beginners, and if so, which ones are the best?
In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about the best open source DAW software.
Contents
Are Open Source DAWs Worth Downloading?
Open-source DAWs are worth downloading. They have lots of advantages, they’re usually free, highly customizable, and can be run on Linux systems, such as Raspberry Pi computers. However, they are mainly for people who know how to code. If you don’t understand tech well, start off with something more simple.
Open-source DAWs let you do a lot of things that software packages like Ableton and Logic just can’t. From customizability to being able to look and work “under the hood” of your DAW, open-source software has a lot of advantages.
For instance, using a Raspberry Pi, you could integrate an open-source DAW with your mixing desk and have it working as a kind of digital mixer/DAW for workflow. This is of course very advanced, and you need a deep understanding of software, code and tech to perform this.
If you’re starting out we’d avoid open-source DAWs and go for something like Garageband or Tracktion Waveform. They’re both free and will offer everything you need to get started with production.
A lot of the best open-source DAWs are very well packaged and are quite beginner-friendly, so they’re a great option for both beginners and professionals!
Which Are The Best Open Source DAWs for Beginners?
MusE is the best open-source DAW out there for beginners. It may be intimidating at first, but it offers a lot more than most free DAWs and will take you further as you grow as a musician. However, if you’re not technical don’t get an Open Source DAW. Garageband or Tracktion Waveform if you’re on Windows.
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That being said, as a beginner, you’re better off starting with something simple and intuitive such as Garageband.
An open-source architecture offers a lot of customizability and basically lets you create your own perfect DAW environment. We’ve seen MusE used in studios in many different ways. It can be built into the mixing console for a really quick and versatile recording tool, as well as a demo machine.
Setting up MusE the way you want, will require quite a lot of knowledge about coding and software, so if what you’re looking for is something free and simple to start learning on, open-source might not be the way to go.
Even the more intuitive digital audio workstations can be intimidating to musicians that have never worked with digital music. So in general, starting with software like Garageband or Audacity can give you the necessary basic knowledge, to be able to then use more advanced audio software.
What Is The Best Open Source DAW?
Here’s the complete list of free, open-source DAWs:
| DAW Name | Suitable for | Key Features | Platform Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| MusE | Beginners to Professionals | – Full VST support – LADSPA effects – Unlimited tracks | Linux |
| Ardour | Mixing and Mastering Pros | – Advanced automation, panning, routing – Hundreds of plugins<br>- Video compatibility | Linux, macOS, Windows |
| Tracktion Waveform Free | General Music Production | – Unlimited tracks (audio & MIDI) – Professional-grade processing – Supports 3rd party VST plugins | Linux, macOS, Windows |
| LMMS | MIDI-focused Producers | – 16 built-in synthesizers – Supports 64-bit and 32-bit plugins< – Ideal for MIDI work | Linux, Windows, macOS |
1. MusE
MusE Sequencer is a top-tier open-source DAW available exclusively for Linux systems, offering comprehensive MIDI and audio multi-track capabilities, VST support, LADSPA effects, and extensive customization options, making it a standout choice among open-source DAWs.
- Factory synths and built-in synth architecture
- LADSPA FX support
- Unlimited stereo or mono tracks with automation
- GPL 2 Licensed
- Easy to run on older systems
- Linux Only
Originally written by Werner Schweer, the MusE sequencer is one of the best open-source DAWs available today. The MusE Sequencer is a fully-fledged multi-track digital audio workstation for use with both MIDI and Audio.
MusE is exclusively available on Linux systems, under a GPL2 license and even includes some factory synths. MusE is very light and easy on your computer, but still features everything you would want from a DAW.
You get full VST support, LADSPA effects, tons of customization, unlimited midi and audio tracks with real-time clocking and more. When it comes to open-source digital audio workstations, MusE is one of the best out there. with tons of customizability, expansion and power.
2. Ardour
Ardour is an open source, collaborative effort of a worldwide team including: musicians, programmers, and professional recording engineers.
- Ardour is open-source software, which means it's freely available and can be customized or extended by the community. This makes it accessible to users regardless of their budget.
- Ardour is compatible with various operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux, allowing users to choose the platform that suits them best.
- Despite being open source, Ardour offers a range of professional-grade features like multi-track recording, non-destructive editing, and support for MIDI and virtual instruments.
- Ardour provides comprehensive routing and bussing options, allowing users to create complex signal paths and setups for audio and MIDI.
- Ardour supports VST plugins, enabling users to expand their sonic possibilities by integrating third-party virtual instruments and effects.
- Being open source, Ardour benefits from an active and engaged user community. This community contributes to its development, offers support, and provides a wealth of resources.
- As with any DAW, Ardour has a learning curve, especially for beginners or users transitioning from other software. Mastering its features and interface may take time.
- Some users might find Ardour's interface a bit complex or overwhelming, particularly when compared to more streamlined DAWs.
- Unlike some commercial DAWs, Ardour might have limited pre-built sound libraries or virtual instruments, requiring users to acquire them separately.
- While Ardour has a dedicated community, it might have less commercial support and official documentation compared to some commercial DAWs.
- The initial setup process for Ardour might be slightly more involved compared to some other DAWs due to its open-source nature.
- While Ardour supports various audio interfaces and hardware, users might encounter challenges with specific third-party hardware integrations due to differences in driver support.
Aimed at mixing and mastering professionals, Ardour is one of the best free DAWs you can get right now. With no limitations, and tons of tools for recording, editing and mixing, Ardour has everything you need to start recording and mixing right away.
In addition to the advanced automation, panning and routing sections, Ardour also comes with hundreds of plugins you can download for any of your production needs. You can even use Ardour to work with Video, which is why a lot of soundtracking professionals really love Ardour.
The open-source nature of this daw also means there’s quite a lot of customizability available, to make Ardour fit perfectly within your workflow. You can download Ardour as either a ready-to-run program or just the source code.
3. Tracktion Waveform Free
The world’s best, fully featured, completely unlimited free DAW for all music creators.
- Waveform Free is likely to be a cost-effective option, making it accessible to beginners, hobbyists, and those on a tight budget.
- Despite being a free version, Waveform Free might offer a wide range of features found in more advanced DAWs, enabling you to create music with various tools.
- Tracktion has a reputation for user-friendly interfaces, making it suitable for those who are new to music production or DAWs.
- Waveform Free might provide the ability to work with a generous number of audio and MIDI tracks, allowing for more complex projects.
- The software could come with a selection of stock plugins for effects and virtual instruments, helping you get started without the need for additional plugins.
- As a free version, Waveform Free might lack certain advanced features, virtual instruments, and plugins that the paid versions offer.
- Certain advanced features available in the paid versions might be locked or unavailable in the free version of Waveform.
- While DAWs like Waveform Free aim to be lightweight, they still have system requirements that your computer needs to meet for optimal performance.
Perfect for modern music production, Tracktion Waveform Free is one of the best alternatives to popular, paid DAWs. Waveform free is essentially just last year’s version of Waveform Pro (Tracktion’s paid DAW), which comes with a lot of professional features. With every new version of Waveform Pro, an older version of the software becomes Free.
With Waveform free, you get unlimited tracks, including audio & MIDI, professional-grade processing, EQ and mixing effects. It also has an effects rack where you can chain up plug-ins, and create complex connections between all the audio processors. On top of this, you can use 3rd party plugins inside Tracktion Free.
You also get some virtual instruments & VST plugins, including a sampler, an FM synthesizer and more.
Waveform does a lot of cool stuff including, step sequencing, vocal comping, MIDI learning, track freezing time and pitch warping + it can sync to video. It also fully supports 3rd party VST plugin software, and virtual instruments, + will run on Windows, MacOS and Linux.
If you want to customize Tracktion Waveform to fit your workflow better, you can download the Tracktion Engine, which is an open-source codebase that you can use to create anything you like using the Tracktion DAW engine.
Tracktion Waveform Free is in our opinion the best FREE alternative to Ableton Live, offering tons of options to start making music!
4. LMMS
LMMS is a free and open-source DAW originally designed for Linux but now available on Windows and macOS, featuring 16 built-in synthesizers optimized for MIDI work, though lacking audio recording capabilities, making it a suitable choice for open-source enthusiasts and portable setups like Raspberry Pi.
- Unlimited Audio and MIDI Tracks
- Baked-in tutorials and “What's This” function
- Highly Customizable
- 16 built-in virtual instruments
- Cross-Platform workflow
- Lack of VST support for macOS
- Can't record audio
- Tiresome automation and sidechaining
LMMS was originally made for Linux systems, and then later on routed to be available for both Windows and macOS. While LMMS is not the best DAW by any measurement, in fact, you can’t even record audio with it, it’s still a good option for open-source nerds.
With 16 built-in synthesizers, including an awesome TR-303 emulation, LMMS is built for working with MIDI.
You get support for both 64-bit and 32-bit plugins, using the built-in VST bridge software. It needs to be mentioned though, that VST support isn’t available for macOS users at this time.
While the lack of audio recording possibilities is definitely going to be a drawback to most producers, overall, LMMS can get you some pretty workable results.
And when you consider that it’s light enough to be put on a Raspberry Pi, you have quite an awesome option for an on-the-go digital audio workstation.
Summary
To recap, here’s the complete list of the 4 best Open Source DAWs:
Open-source DAWs offer a lot of customizability and personalization, that big DAW software packages just can’t give you. Even if you aren’t a software nerd, just the thought of a free digital audio workstation should get you excited. Hopefully, you’ve been able to find the open-source DAW that fits your needs the best!
Toms is a music producer & DJ, born and raised in Post Soviet Latvia. Currently based in Brighton, Toms has had over 6 years of experience with all things production and in that time, he’s done a tonne of cool stuff! He’s played multiple festivals, had experience in the field with mixing & mastering and even become a freelance journalist in the music industry.
Toms currently creates music under the alias Sovereign. Producing music that’s intimate and subtle, while full of edge and energy, the young producer combines the artistic sounds of Trip Hop artists like Massive Attack, with the energy and youthfulness of producers like Flume, Jamie XX and Yaeji. You can check his stuff on Soundcloud.
I was looking for **open source** DAWs that may be portable to Android, and came across this post. Sadly the article is not accurate – Tracktion Waveform Free is NOT open source. It is just a freeware. Having freely available source code is a requirement to claim a project as open source. Since it is not open source, I cannot even try to build and run it on Android. Whether a project is really open source or not is such an important factor to not disrespect.