Recording Studio Software For Mac

  • Cakewalk develops computer software for recording and making music. Our products include award-winning digital audio workstations for PC, fully-integrated music making software and recording hardware, and innovative soft-synth virtual instruments for PC and Mac.
  • Our video recording software for Mac is so simple that anyone can use it, even if you’re a complete beginner with a little free time on your hands. Movavi’s advanced screen recorder for Mac is compatible with OS X 10.7 or higher as well as any MacBook model, including Air and Pro.
  • Though “freemium” software often lacks the advanced functionality of renowned programs like Pro Tools, it still provides options for recording audio, adding effects, and cutting waveforms.
  • In addition, this audio recording software for Mac can recognize and identify tracks as it records, and automatically tag the files with the relevant artist, track title, album tags as it goes. These downloads are fully searchable by artist, title or album, creating your entire music library simply and quickly.

This premium software can be used as a recording studio on your PC to create beats, arpeggios, and sequences with the step sequencer. Songs can be started easily using the factory patterns and custom made ones can be created.

All the power you need in production. All the creativity you want in music.

A massive collection of effects and instruments.

Instant access to a deep selection of plug-ins and sounds to fuel your creativity.

Learn more about plug-ins and sounds

High-end reverb lets you add space and depth to tracks by simulating a wide range of real and unnatural acoustic spaces.

Authentic re-creations of three of the most sought-after analog hardware EQs.

Bring punch and presence to your bass, drums, synths, and guitar with this powerful multi-effect plug-in.

Add rhythmic movement to any track by arranging filters, effects, and independent step sequencers to control treatments over time.

The power of Patches.

The Sound Library includes a massive selection of Patches, which allow you to quickly load complex multichannel sounds. And Smart Controls simplify the process of tweaking and editing to get the right sound.

Jump-start your sound with loops.

Build songs quickly by choosing from over 7000 included royalty-free Apple Loops that are tagged with keywords and automatically conform to the tempo and key of your project. You can even use untagged loops from other sources and they will automatically play at your project tempo.

Keep your tracks in time.

Smart Tempo makes it easy to mix and match music and beats without worrying about the original tempo. Record freely without a click track. Easily combine and edit MIDI and audio tracks — from vinyl samples to live instruments to multitrack audio stems — with constant or variable tempo.

Flex Time.
Spend less time on timing.

Quickly manipulate the timing and tempo of your recording with Flex Time. Easily move the individual beats within a waveform to correct drum, vocal, guitar, or any other kind of track without slicing and moving regions.

Flex Pitch.
Perfect the pitch.

Edit the level and pitch of individual notes quickly and easily with Flex Pitch. Roll over any note and all parameters are available for tweaking.

Take hold of your music.

Logic Remote wirelessly connects your iOS device to your Mac and adds the power of Multi-Touch control to your performances and mixes. Play any software instrument in Logic Pro X from your iPad or iPhone and easily shape your sound as you go. Run your session from wherever you’re most comfortable — whether that’s next to your computer or across the room.

Multi-Touch mixing.

Control your mix from anywhere in the room with Multi-Touch faders to find the best sound.

Pair and play.

Use a variety of onscreen instruments, such as keyboards, guitars, and drum pads, to play any software instrument in Logic Pro X from your iPad.

Don’t just add a drum track. Add a bandmate.

Using Drummer is like hiring a session drummer or collaborating with a highly skilled beat programmer. Create organic-sounding acoustic drum tracks or electronic beats with the intelligent technology of Drummer. Choose from dozens of drummers who each play in a different musical genre, and direct their performances using simple controls.

Build your own acoustic or electronic kit.

Customize your sound with Drum Kit Designer for acoustic kits and Drum Machine Designer for electronic drum tracks. Drummers bring their own setups, but you can swap out individual drums and shape the sound to match what you’re imagining.

A complete studio for your Mac.

Logic Pro X turns your Mac into a professional recording studio able to handle even the most demanding projects. Capture your compositions and performances — from tracking a live band to a solo software-instrument session — and flow them into your songs.

The ultimate way to record.

Seamless punch recording. Automatic take management. Support for pristine 24-bit/192kHz audio. Logic Pro X makes it all easy to do — and undo. You can create projects with up to 1000 stereo or surround audio tracks and up to 1000 software instrument tracks, and run hundreds of plug-ins. It’s all you need to complete any project.

Get the most out of MIDI.

Logic Pro X goes beyond the average sequencer with an advanced set of options that let you record, edit, and manipulate MIDI performances. Transform a loose performance into one that locks tight into the groove using region-based parameters for note velocity, timing, and dynamics. Or tighten up your MIDI performances while preserving musical details like flams or chord rolls with Smart Quantize.

Industry-leading tools.

As your song develops, Logic Pro X helps organize all your ideas and select the best ones. Group related tracks, audition alternate versions, and consolidate multiple tracks. Lightning-fast click-and-drag comping helps you build your best performance from multiple takes.

Track Alternatives

Create alternate versions of a track or multiple grouped tracks, and switch between them at any time to audition different options. Create, store, and select from different edits and arrangements of track regions to make it easier to experiment with various creative ideas.

Takes and Quick Swipe Comping

Click and drag to choose the best sections of each take to create a seamless comp, complete with transition-smoothing crossfades. Save multiple comps and switch among them to pick the one you like best.

Track Stacks

Consolidate multiple related tracks into a single track. Use a Summing Stack as a quick way to create submixes. Or create layered and split instruments.

Recording Studio Software For Mac

Project Alternatives

Create as many alternate versions of a project as you’d like, each with its own name and settings but sharing the same assets — efficiently saving storage space. Load any version to make changes without compromising your original.

Track Groups and VCA Faders

Manage large mixes with Track Groups and VCA faders. Assign any selection of channels to a track group, then control the levels or other parameters of all tracks in the group from any single channel in the group.

Automation

Easily capture changes to any channel strip or plug-in parameter. Just enable automation, press Play, and make your changes.

Even more pro features in the mix.

Logic Pro X is packed with incredible tools and resources to enhance your creativity and workflow as you sharpen your craft — even if you’re a seasoned pro.

Graduate from GarageBand.

Hip Hop Recording Studio Software

Logic Remote for iOS. Take hold of your music.

MainStage 3

Sound as great onstage as you do in the studio.

Music Memos

Capture your song ideas. Whenever inspiration strikes.

Education Bundle

Five amazing apps. One powerful collection.

In this article, I will discuss the best music recording software and best music production software for your DAW home recording studio in 2018.

Since 1990, I've worked with every one of these recording software programs to some extent and have solid advice to offer on each one.

I limited this review to only 5 programs because this article is titled 'the best' music recording software. A program like Reaper can record and produce music very well, but you wouldn't open up a recording studio with a $60 program as your main DAW software!

FYI - ALL of these programs are pretty difficult (time consuming) to learn. It might take you two hours just to figure out how to play ONE NOTE on a music keyboard!

But with practice and a few free YouTube instructional videos, you could become very proficient in a few months. Just be patient and learn step-by-step. Don't get discouraged. Realize that even the best sound engineers and producers in the world had to start somewhere and learn from scratch.

1. PRO TOOLS

PROS:
The top recording software and still industry standard at the highest level. This means if you needed to change studios, you could easily hand the whole project session over to them and they would be able to work with it.

The hardware accelerated version is the most stable of all the software choices for Pro Tools and on this page. You can throw a lot of tracks and plugins at this software and the powerful hardware makes sure it won't blow up as easily as other programs. But this stability and power comes at a price... $$$

FYI - DAW software does occasionally freeze, blue screen, etc. on export or when pushed to the track and plugin limit. This is probably why Pro Tools is still the industry standard. You can't keep going blue screen when the client is paying $1,000 an hour!

CONS:
Very expensive for the entire hookup. Even some of the exact same plugins cost more, just because they're 'Pro Tools' compatible.

CONCLUSION:
Since this is mainly a 'recording' software article, Pro Tools has to be #1. The fact that so many studios use it as their main DAW software is too great a factor to ignore. Not to mention the rock solid stability. You get what you pay for...

2. CUBASE NUENDO OR CUBASE

PROS:
Very user-friendly with tons of options that help you create a great workflow.

Record, mix, master, compose it does it all very well!

CONS:
Regular Cubase is a little less stable than Cubase Nuedo with a few less feature, but a very good choice.

Nowhere near as stable as Pro Tools.

CONCLUSION:
Cubase is my personal DAW software of choice. It has more options and is just as smooth as Pro Tool on the recording, mixing, and mastering end. But destroys them when it comes to music production. It's by far the best 'all-around' DAW software.

3. LOGIC

PROS:
It's the #1 choice of Apple computer users, and it's also compatible with Garageband.

A lot of big music producers use it. Lots of features to quickly create songs.

Great Midi control of external instruments.

CONS:
I've never seen Logic on a PC and believe it's Apple computer only.

When mixing, the workflow is good, but not as good as Cubase.

CONCLUSION:
Logic is an amazing software. It's the Mac's version of Cubase!

4. ABLETON LIVE

PROS:
The very best software for looping, stretching and sequencing music. Allows you to quickly create music on the fly.

It's a great program for someone who doesn't need all the technical options, and just wants to pump out song compositions fast.

Free Audio Recording Studio Software For Mac

CONS:
When it comes to mixing, it doesn't have the 'must have' options that some of the other programs do. Options that make the mixing engineer's life easier.

I've heard many complain about lesser sound quality coming from the Ableton engine, though I have not confirmed this.

CONCLUSION:
Ableton Live is a great music production software. There are better choices out there for recording, mixing, and mastering.

5. SONAR

PROS:
It's stable. It's cheap. The pro version is only $199.

CONS:
The mixing board layout is crap, as you can see above. It's the opposite of easy workflow!

Everyone has moved on to bigger and better DAW software.

CONCLUSION:
Sonar is the upgraded 'renamed' version of Cakewalk from back in the 90's! I never really liked Calkwalk, and when other programs came out that were better, like Cubase, I stopped using Sonar.

Recording Studio Software For Mac Download

John Rogers