Music Production: Which is the best DAW to get started?
- Tom Dawson
- Mar 31
- 9 min read
Updated: Apr 11
In 2025, music production is becoming more and more accessible to people looking to dip their toes into the world of audible creativity. But with so many Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) available now, which is best to get started? You can read on below for an in-depth look at each one, or I've put a TL;DR at the bottom if you're looking for quick answers.
Personally, I have almost exclusively used Logic Pro (9 & X), but from working with other producers, studying music production at university, as well as simply giving different DAWs a go, it's clear to see that Logic has it's downfalls. But ultimately, it comes down to what you're predominently looking to use it for. Lets take a look at what's on the market, starting with the DAW I know best.
Price: £199.99 (One Time Purchase)
Pros:
Great for music composition - Logic has an extensive library of included sounds, instruments and loops which makes it super easy to get intial ideas down. And if you prefer to write music directly onto a score as opposed to MIDI, Logic has this capability.
Advanced editing features - The 'Flex' feature allows you to really get into the nitty gritty of audio reshaping in terms of pitch correction/shifting & timing.
Integration with Hardware - Optimised for Mac OS, it's already set up to receive a whole manner of hardware as either MIDI inputs or Audio directly. My current set up includes the M-Audio Code61 keyboard & Korg Minilogue XD.
Syncing Capabilities - You can import video into the DAW and compose to it - perfect if you're a sync or foley artist.
Cons:
Mac-Only - Unfortunately Logic is only available on Mac, so if the cost of the DAW alone was enough to put you off, then I'm not sure it's for you. Although there are cheaper versions to a Macbook or iMac, such as the Mac Mini, you're still looking at around £600 for the most basic of models.
Overwhelming for beginners - Having used Logic for over a decade, I'm pretty proficient in its interface now, but I remember it being super overwhelming when I first opened it in college. But with perserverance and practice, it's easy to get to know the basics pretty quickly.
Not as suitable for Live Performance - whilst Logic alone is great for composition, it does lack the element of being able to use it for live performance in the same way as Ableton can. Although there is an extension called 'MainStage' which works with it for live performances, most notably used by Marc Rebillet.
Logic was built with professionals in mind. Its clean, streamlined interface makes it easy to navigate with some practice, but definitely has its downsides in terms of user accessibility and live capabilities. It's one-time purchase price takes the sting out of it a little though, in a world of subscription services this is a huge upside, but if you've got the money and are looking for a robust DAW, Logic could be for you.
Price: Free with all capable Apple products
Pros:
Completely Free - Think of it as Logic's little brother. It looks up to him, but has a lot of work to do to match up. Whilst it's free, the cost incurred comes from the Apple product itself, however it does work on iPhone & iPad.
Beginner friendly - Very easy to navigate around with clear labelling on everything.
Great for basic song writing and music production - Perfect for producing on the move or if inspiration strikes and you're away from your usual tools. It has some of the same loops and instruments as Logic too, as well as recording capabilities for instruments and vocals.
Cons:
Very Basic - And I mean, basic. Whilst you're able to get ideas down, it lacks most advanced features that you'd get with other DAWs. There isn't much in the way of advanced mixing capabilities.
Limited Integrated Plug-ins & No third-party plug-ins - GarageBand doesn't support any third-party plug-ins such as Serum, Vital or Waves. And only has a limited number of audio and MIDI effects that can be used.
Limited MIDI tools - No automation, no score editing & limited piano roll manipulation make this the biggest con of the lot.
GarageBand is easily the standout for me in terms of a gateway DAW. It has everything you need to get rough ideas down, but does lack a huge amount of capabilities that come with a full DAW. That's not to say it can't be used to make releasable projects. 'Pride' by Kendrick Lamar was produced using it, as well as being used on 'Folie à Deux' by Fall Out Boy in 2007/08, and even pop sensation Rihanna used the 'Vintage Funk Kit 03' on her smash hit 'Umbrella'.
Price: Artist Edition: £89 (Yearly Subscription)
Studio Edition: £259 (Yearly Subscription)
Ultimate Edition: £519 (Yearly Subscription)
Pros:
Industry Standard - The Big Daddy of music production. Widely used in professional studios all over the world to create chart topping hits of all genres.
Advanced editing & mixing tools - This comes with the territory of being the industry leader. Everything in this DAW is top spec.
Hardware & Software integration - Completely seamless integration with almost all hardware and software. From 80 channel mixing desks to a little guitar pedal, this thing can hack it.
Cons:
Price - This beast is spenny. Whilst the entry price isn't too bad, the yearly subscription side of things makes it much less accessible to your average producer.
Limited MIDI capabilities - Whilst it smashes all DAWs out the park in terms of recording, it severely lacks in the MIDI department when compared to others like Logic & Ableton.
Advanced Interface - The learning curve for using Pro Tools is Mount Everest-esque steep. It's built to be used in a full studio with big mixing desks, so you can imagine what it's like when you're just trying to get a sound out of it when starting out.
Whilst it's the industry leader, ultimately it's for professionals looking to record that tricky second album after the first one charted high. I was lucky enough to be able to use it somewhat when I was in university, but even as someone who knew their way around a DAW, it was like giving a space rocket to a monkey. I was hopeless, so hopeless infact that I just bounced out the audio from every session and imported them back into Logic to work on it. One to avoid if you're a beginner, or maybe even if you're at the intermediate level.
Price: Fruity Edition: £89
Producer Edition: £199
Signature Bundle: £279
All Plugins Edition: £469
Pros:
User friendly - Of all the DAWs on this list, I'd have to put FL as top in terms of its interface. The piano roll is set up to be really easy to lay down ideas, and everything else is drag and drop. So once you figure out where everything is, away you go.
Lifetime free updates - Once you make your payment, everything that follows is free. As opposed to Logic & Ableton where you have to purchase the new release (e.g. upgrading from Logic 9 to X) everytime one becomes available.
Great for beat/loop making - FL is set up specifially for electronic music, it was the foundational software for entire genres such as Dubstep, which makes it perfect for beat making. The piano roll is set up in blocks of 16 or 32, so with a few quick clicks you can have your idea on paper... or screen.
Cons:
Limited audio editing features - Just not as versitile when it comes to audio editing as Logic or Ableton. Thats not to say it can't be used for audio, but a lot of your editing has to be done with third party plug-ins rather than stock software.
Easy to get cluttered - When getting into a flow, unless you consciously close plug-in windows as you go, they can quickly overwhelm your screen and you can lose your place. Obviously a bigger screen would help, but we're talking about getting started here, aren't we...
Windows Leaning - Whilst FL Studio is available on Mac, it was developed for Windows originally, so is much better optimised for them, which does make it a little more cost effective in a way, as you're not having to shell out for an Apple product.
I like FL Studio, don't get me wrong, I've used it to make little grime beats, and I've worked with and know people who swear by it for making house music, but if you're getting started and you've got £200 to spend on your DAW, I'd go with Logic X without hesitation. Simply for the addition of the audio editing features that you get for the same price. But if you're just looking to make some beats and experiment, then this could be the one for you with a really nice entry level price.
Price: Intro: £69
Standard: £259
Suite: £539
Pros:
Great for Live Performance - The session view within the DAW makes it unique for live performance. Artists have used it within bands, live synth performance and even within DJ sets, it's super versatile.
Built for Electronic Music - Ableton has some really powerful stock plug-ins. It's bass module, Operator, has been praised across the the industry for its adaptability. And the chain interface for each track is so much better to navigate than other DAWs.
Flexible Editing Features - This goes for both MIDI & Audio. The automation editor in Ableton is the bets on the market in my opinion. Logic's is okay, but it's a little faffy when you're getting into the finer details. Plus the non-destructive warping of audio when changing the tempo is ideal for remixes and/or sampling.
Cons:
Steep Leaning Curve - Like with any DAW, the user interface can be abit overwhelming at first, but diving in and having a play is the best way to learn. Although I have always found it weird that each track/instrument is on the right of the screen, rather than the left. If anyone knows why they've done this, please let me know.
Limited Track Count - Whilst that 'Intro' price looks sweet, the real kicker is that they limit the amount of sounds and tracks allowed in each project with this version to 16, which is a step-up from when I first tried it, it used to be only 8!
Limited Mixing Features - Let's not get ahead of ourselves, you can still fully mix-down a track to a great, release-worthy standard. But compared to other DAWs, it simply isn't as comprehensive for the mixing process.
I purposefully left Ableton until the bottom of the list, mainly to get you to read the rest of the article, but also because a lot of people are quick to clap-back at anyone who speaks against it. I don't hate it by any stretch of the imagination, if anything, I actually prefer the stock Ableton plug-ins to Logic's. But for me, the standard price and user interface really let it down when compared to Logic & other DAWS. It actually really annoys me that they've put all the tracks on the right of the screen, because if it wasn't for that, I'd probably make the switch. The audio recording capabilities also leave something to be desired. But that entry price point does make it ideal for someone looking to wet the whistle, even if it does limit the tracks and sounds. 16 tracks is more than enough to put some beats together!
Other DAWS
Now, there's a few here that I'm going to fire off quickly which I'm not as familiar with. They're not as widely used anymore but are still just as good for the task at hand.
£20pm on subscription or £499 one-off payment (£149 to upgrade when new versions relased). It's a rack-based DAW, meaning you have to 'wire' everything in yourself. It's really powerful, but unless you know your way around hardware and patch bays, it's a lot to comprehend as a beginner. Take a look below.
£17pm on subscription, or £170 for a version you can keep. You do get discounts on upgrading though if you pay the full-whack. It's developed by PreSonus who created Splice, which is fully integrated into the DAW. I've never used this one, but looking at it, it seems like it's marketed towards beat-making predominently. Having Splice integrated has the potential to really streamline your workflow too, if you're a user. Not a bad price either, but the subscription aspect would put me off a bit.
£83 - £481 depending on which version you buy. I was first introduced to making music with Cubase, but back then they were only on Cubase 4 (I think?), I don't remember much about using it, but I remeber it blowing my mind and I've been hooked ever since. So I owe Cubase a lot to be fair. Looking at the new interface, it reminds me a lot of Logic though, and with endorsements from artists like Zedd, Noisia & Purple Disco Machine, I think you could still consider it an industry staple.
Around £50 for a standard license, or around £175 for a commercial license. I haven't ever used this DAW, nor did i know that it existed until I began researching for this article. But overall it's actually the cheapest of the lot. The audio editing features look really tight, and they have their own 3D panning plug-in which has peaked my interest.
The industry is constantly changing when it comes to the way artists are creating music. Weather it be in terms of new VSTs (Virtual Studio Technology) like Serum 2, or people pushing the boundaries of whats possible within a DAW, like the guys at HITnMIX who've just brought out a VR/AI assisted DAW - RIP X BackStage - for the Apple Vision Pro. Just bonkers.
But ultimately, it boils down to what you're going to use it for as to which you choose to buy. So here's my TL;DR breakdown;
Logic X - Best for Music Composition Overall
Ableton - Best for Live Performance & Electronic Music
FL Studio - Best for Beat-Making
Pro Tools - Best Left for the Professionals
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