You don’t require to be a professional to start composing your music. Thanks to music production software for your Mac or PC, it’s nevermore been easier. They offer a reasonable way for you to get your creative juices flowing—no studio needed.
Paid professional software is available, but with companies like Apple offering top-quality production software for free, amateurs don’t need to invest huge sums just to get started. Here’s a run-through of six of the most reliable free music production software for beginners to try.
1. Apple GarageBand for Mac
There’s a purpose why, wherever you go, you’ll always see Apple GarageBand for Mac advised as one of the best, if not the best, free software for music creation. It is thanks to powerful, professional features covered up in an easy-to-use interface.
For beginners, there might be a bit of a learning curve with GarageBand, but the effort is worth it. Total beginners can catch advantage of the built in-tutorial system, among video tutorials, to learn a new instrument to use with GarageBand.
You can use your instruments with GarageBand. You can create your music using the virtual tools and effects of the music production software, where up to 255 separate audio tracks can be mixed.
GarageBand can be used to edit other types of audio files, too. That involves podcasts, where support for multiple microphones could prove useful.
It’s rapid, robust, and best of all, GarageBand is free and pre-installed on each Mac computer, ready for you to us. GarageBand is also available as an app in the App Store for iPhone and iPad owners.
As an Apple product, GarageBand is only available on macOS and iOS. Windows and Linux users will need to look at one of the alternatives below.
2.Audacity
Music creators looking for an option to GarageBand should take a look at Audacity. Rigidly speaking, Audacity is more an audio editing tool than a full digital audio workstation, like some of the different options on our list. You just have to work a little differently to get the most out of it.
Audacity allows you to splice up and process any recorded audio in all major audio formats. First and foremost, it’s an audio editor, but you can expand it with effects and plugins. You can even create your own plugins for others to use, thanks to the standard VST format.
It’s the simplicity that will appeal to anyone looking to build their music without years of experience or training. Beginners will love the interface, as it doesn’t overload you with options. You can record straight into the song production software, taking advantage of the powerful editing tools to compose music to your taste.
Audacity is cross-platform so that you can switch between Windows, macOS, and Linux installations with ease. As it’s open-source (meaning anyone can help develop it), it’s free to download.
3. Cakewalk by BandLab
Cakewalk SONAR was one of the pioneer digital music creation software available, but development stopped in 2017 when the original company shut down. Gratitude to the Singapore-based BandLab, the newly-renamed Cakewalk is back in active development and is open for everyone to download for free on Windows.
Cakewalk is an all-rounder, with songwriting tools, audio editing, sound effects, and a professional-standard mixing engine for crisp, clear audio. Beginners may find the GUI a little challenging, but it can easily be customized, with custom themes and layouts to suit your needs, and a “basic” pre-set design for new users to try.
Like GarageBand, Cakewalk holds the ability to use virtual instruments if you don’t have your own. It also allows you to open up video files and edit the audio track, making it an excellent option to create and write your own music videos.
With the capacity to publish straight to YouTube, Soundcloud, and Facebook, you don’t need to do anything extra to release your music. You can craft your music in Cakewalk without needing to touch any other software from start to finish.
4. LMMS
A tagline that says “let’s make music” is a strong statement of intent from LMMS. Originally named the Linux MultiMedia Studio, LMMS is now a cross-platform music producer that you can use on Linux, Mac computers, and Windows. Like Audacity, LMMS is free and open-source.
It has many of the features you’d expect from professional music production software. You can mix, arrange, and edit multiple tracks at a time, supporting industry-standard VST audio plugins to extend the number of available effects and virtual instruments.
Unlike some of its rivals, LMMS has a simple GUI for beginners to get to holds with, with several custom themes accessible. One stand-out feature is the LMMS community, where you can yield your project files with other users, or customize others for your own needs.
LMMS probably not be as polished as Apple GarageBand or Cakewalk, but it’s still a more than adequate option for new music creators.
5.SoundBridge
If you’ve decided other audio editing software and found them too difficult to use, give SoundBridge a try. It’s been created with simplicity in mind, with an interface that doesn’t overload with sliders, menus, or unnecessary features.
SoundBridge includes support for touchscreen devices and VST audio plugins, a customizable drum machine, and a robust set of audio editing tools to slice, cut, and mix multiple tracks. SoundBridge also comes with a free collection of sound samples you can integrate into your music.
There’s also an associate program with paid and free courses to try, a blog with several how-to guides, and a set of video tutorials to further enhance your music production skills.
SoundBridge is free for download on Windows and Mac but, before you download, we have a single word of warning. You’ll notice a misleading donation notification when you sign up to download. Despite the wording, you don’t need to donate to use SoundBridge on your PC.
6. Mixx
From GarageBand to SoundBridge, each of the music production software covered in this list can be used, regardless of your own music genre. Mixx breaks that mold, focusing entirely on creating tracks for DJs.
Mixx’s feature list is packed full of the features you’d expect from professional mixing software for DJs, except for the price—it’s free and open-source.
You can load up to 64 different sample decks to mix up your tracks, add custom audio effects, and import your music database, thanks to iTunes integration. Mixx’s interface is customizable, with custom skins and layouts to suit your individual needs.
Mixx comes with support for primary hardware controllers and multiple input and output sources. It also includes the ability to stream your music over the internet, thanks to Shoutcast support. If you want to step back for a coffee cup, you can switch to Mixx’s “Auto DJ” mode, thanks to a set playlist and automatic crossfading.
Mixx is under regular, active development and is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux users to download.