Best Music Production Software for Beginners [2024 List]

FL Studio – Best for newbies

FL Studio, formerly known as Fruity Loops is a very popular digital audio workstation and for a good reason: it’s the most used, trusted, and plug-in-friendly music software.

This complex music production software brings everything you need to compose, arrange, record, edit, mix, and master quality music — all in one place.

FL Studio comes in three editions: Signature, Producer, and Fruity. All three editions share a series of common features, but Signature and Producer bring additional features and effects, allowing you to create true masterpieces.

Deciding which version to buy comes down to your needs. The tool also features a selection wizard that can help you decide which FL Studio version to buy.

FL Studio is used by international artists, such as Avicii, Afrojack, DeadMaus, Martin Garrix, and many more. This tool has everything you need to create hits.

If you’re looking for a software music production for beginners, FL Studio Fruity Edition is a pretty good choice. It is made to be user-friendly so even the newbies could get satisfaction out of each music-creating experience.

Although it may seem intimidating at the beginning, you’ll quickly get the hang of it thanks to its user-friendly interface and the tutorials that Imagine-Line posted on YouTube.

It comes with a trial/demo version, but if you have some serious intentions about your future in the music industry – you will have to pay the price for more features and support from the developers’ team.

Before you hit the download button, make sure that your PC meets the requirements to properly run this tool.

FL Studio system requirements:

• 32 or 64 Bit versions of Windows 10/8.1/7
• 4Gb or more RAM recommended
• 4Gb free disk space.

ACID Pro – Wide range of instrumentals

ACID Pro is a veteran when it comes to music production software, and the first version of this software was released 20 years ago.

The new version offers a new and sleek user interface as well as a powerful 64-bit engine. In addition, there’s support for 24-bit, 192kHz multitrack recording.

Thanks to the support for 64-bit architecture, you can utilize the full power of your PC while creating projects.

Speaking of projects, the application has 16 available instruments and 13 effects available to choose from.

Of course, ACID Pro comes with 9GB of ACID loops that you can use to create all sorts of music.

You can easily modify the pitch, length, and other settings of each loop in order to achieve the perfect results.

In addition to loops, there are various plug-ins available that allow you to create professional music projects.

The application also has Beatmapper and Chopper tools available allowing you to remix your music with ease. It supports Inline Editing allowing you to easily alter the MIDI data using the piano roll and drum grid.

ACID Pro also has Groove Mapping and Groove Cloning that allow you to change the feel of your loops or MIDI files with just a single click. Of course, you can also create your own custom grooves from scratch and apply them to loops, files, or tracks.

It’s also worth mentioning that this tool has ReWire support, so it can work with other ReWire applications such as Sonar, Reason, Cubase, Live, or Pro Tools.

Lastly, the application has a CD burning feature, but you can also save your projects in various audio formats including MP3, WMA, WMV, AAC, FLAC, and more.

Overall, ACID Pro is a great music production software, and with 16 different available instruments, and 9GB of ACID loops, you’ll be able to release your creativity to the fullest.

Regarding the pricing, ACID Pro comes with a yearly or three-month subscription, which makes it perfect for both long-term and shorter projects alike.

Ableton Live Music Software – Unique warping features

Ableton Live is a powerful music creation software that helps you put your ideas into practice. This tool has everything you need to create hypnotizing tracks.

Live features advanced MIDI recording capabilities, allowing you to work with hardware or software synthesizers, samplers, and drum machines.

The audio recording feature allows you to capture every from the real world.

Live also features a musical sketchpad that you can use to mix and match musical ideas without the rigidity a timeline. Feel free to improvise and play with sounds.

When you’re satisfied with the result, use Live’s Arrangement View to arrange the notes and build up your song. You can edit every detail by moving blocks of music or time around.

Ableton Live offers a unique warping feature that lets you change the tempo and timing, in real-time, without stopping the music. Should you ever run out of ideas, you can use the tool’s collection of sounds.

There are over 3000 sounds that you can choose from, including acoustic instruments, multi-sampled acoustic drum kits, and more.

Interested in downloading Ableton Live? Before you hit the download button, make sure that your PC meets the requirements seriously.

Ableton Live system requirements:

• Windows 7, 8, 10
• Multicore processor
• 4 GB RAM
• Required disk space for basic installation: 3GB free disk space.
• Required disk space if all included sounds are installed: 6 GB free disk space.

Ableton Live comes in three variants: Intro, Standard, and Suite.

⇒ Get Ableton Live

Cubase Music Production Software – Crystal-clear sound quality

Steinberg is a synonym for quality. When you hear that a digital audio workstation is powered by Steinberg, you know that must be a very high-quality tool.

The company proudly says that its Cubase music production software is the best digital audio workstation ever.

The tool offers crystal-clear sound quality and many advanced features that will satisfy even the most demanding musicians.

Cubase is a complete tool, covering all the stages of the creative process from composing, recording, to editing and mixing.

The software doesn’t come with rigid limitations, allowing you to put creativity first and follow your own workflow.

The Cubase software comes in three different versions, perfectly suitable for your experience and needs.

Whether you are a beginner or a music veteran, whether you’ve got only a hundred dollars or several hundred dollars to spend on your music production software, you’ll find a tool that’ll meet all your needs, budget, level of experience, or choice of music.

Cubase software versions:

• Cubase Elements literally turns your computer into a fully equipped music production system. You can record, edit and mix audio and MIDI tracks and let your creative genius surface.
• Cubase Artist offers additional editing and sequencing tools that musicians often use.
• Cubase Pro is the perfect tool for music veterans, producers and experienced musicians. Cubase Pro offers outstanding audio quality and a bevy of highly advanced audio and MIDI tools.

Interested in downloading Cubase? Before you hit the download button, make sure that your PC meets the requirements to properly run this tool.

Cubase music production software system requirements:

• 64-Bit Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10
• 64-bit Intel or AMD multi-core processor (Intel i5 or faster recommended)
• 4 GB RAM (8 GB or more recommended)
• 18 GB free HD space
• Graphics card with DirectX 10 and WDDM 1.1 support.

⇒ Get Cubase Music Production

Propellerhead Reason – Dynamic features

Propellerhead Reason is a complete digital audio workstation that allows you to create, compose, edit, mix and finish your music.

The UI is very intuitive and easy to use, all you need to do is click and drag the sounds and instruments you want to the rack and just play.

The rack is the center of the tool and it’s a dynamic feature. You build your rack as you create your song, adding the instruments, plugins, sounds, and effects.

Propellerhead Reason is a very versatile music creation tool. If you need to add more creative options, Reason allows you to add more VST plugins, as well as Rack Extensions.

The tool is not at all intrusive, allowing you to focus on your music first.

The recording is very easy, and you can later perfect your takes when you are done with the software’s powerful editing tools.

System requirements:

• Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10
• Intel or AMD processor with dual cores
• 4 GB RAM (8 GB or more recommended for large ReFills or Rack Extensions)
• 4 GB free hard disk space on the system drive (program may use up to 20 GB scratch disk space)
• Audio Interface with ASIO driver

You can download Propellerhead Reason for a 30-day free trial or buy the software.

⇒ Get Propellerhead Reason

Darkwave Studio

Darkwave Studio is a freeware that gives users a virtually modular audio studio that supports both VST and ASIO. The program supports 64-bit Windows platforms from XP to 10.

Note that Darkwave Studio also comes with adware, so check the third-party program offers in the installer.

The first thing most users will probably note about Darkwave is its elegant tabbed UI design.

Darkwave has a streamlined UI with a lot of the options and settings in separate windows and context menus.

The software incorporates up to eight separate modules that include a pattern editor, HD recorder, sequence editor, MIDI input, and percussion synthesizer.

With the pattern editor, you can select and edit digital music patterns.

The sequence editor enables users to mix the track patterns together. The HD recorder tab includes recording options for streaming audio.

The program also includes 19 built-in plug-ins with which to add virtual effects to the tracks, and you can add plenty more VST/VSTi plug-ins to the software.

⇒ Get Darkwave Studio

PreSonus Studio One – Unlimited audio tracks

Studio One Prime is the freeware version of the Presonus Studio One software, complemented by the Artist and Professional version which retails at $450. Studio One Prime is a stripped-down version of those packages that you can add to your software library with a my.presonus.com account.

The software is compatible with more recent Windows platforms, and you’ll also need at least 4GB RAM and 30GB of storage for it.

Although the freeware version lacks quite a few of the options and native audio effects offered in Studio One Artist and Professional, it still has the same intuitive drag-and-drop UI with which to create new tracks and add effects.

Studio One Prime includes unlimited audio tracks, FX, and virtual instruments.

You can also add nine native audio effects to music tracks. Latency compensation, easy side-chain routing, and the control link MIDI-mapping system are a few of the mixing and control tools retained in the freeware version.

In addition, One Prime has multitrack MIDI and multitrack track transform (for track freezing) editing tools.

So, even though it’s a stripped-down Studio One version, it still has most of the essential tools to create recordings.

⇒ Get Studio One Prime

Hydrogen – Special audio effect

Hydrogen is open-source music production software that’s more specifically a digital drum machine that imitates drums. The program is compatible with Windows, Linux, and macOS.

Note that the Windows version is still in beta, so it might have a few bugs.

Hydrogen has a pre-installed GMkit that includes Snare, Jazz, Ride Jazz, Ride Rock, Stick, Snare Jazz, Closed HH (high hat), Pedal HH, and Cowbell drum kits. among others.

The software’s pattern sequencer has an unlimited number of patterns and enables users to chain patterns together within a music track.

Users can select and arrange various drum audio effects over a file and even overlap them.

Hydrogen’s Mixer is another of its handy tools with which you can tune drum volume and also apply some extra special effects.

The latest version of the software enables users to export and import song patterns into tracks, and it also includes a Director Window with a metronome and a Sample Editor with cut and loop options.

So, if you need to cook up some drumming beats, Hydrogen will provide the required tools and options.

⇒ Get Hydrogen

LMMS – Cross-platform tool

LMMS, otherwise known as the Linux Multimedia Studio, is a comprehensive, open-source music production application that comes with five editors and a variety of synthesizers to further refine your audio tracks.

This is cross-platform software you can run with Windows, Linux (Ubuntu, Mint, and Debian) or macOS.

As mentioned, LMMS has five editors that consist of a Song Editor for composing melodies, a Beat+Bassline Editor to consolidate instrument tracks with, Piano Roll, Automation Editor, and an FX Editor with which you can mix FX channels.

Users can import both MIDI files and Hydrogen project files with the Song Editor.

LMMS boasts a wide variety of instrument synthesizers, among which are a Roland monophonic bass, oscillator, wavetable, NES, organic, and mallet synthesizers.

The program also supports VST and LADSPA plug-ins with which you can mix a multitude of extra effects into the music track.

As such, LMMS certainly packs in plenty of music production tools.

⇒ Get LMMS

Those are 11 audio production tools for Windows that have most of the tools you’ll need for music production.

The tools listed above are appropriate for beginners, intermediate, advanced music lovers, as well as professional musicians. We also have a guide for the best MP3 to sheet music software, so make sure you check it out.

If you already used the software listed in this article, you can tell us more about your experience in the comments below.

If you’d like us to add other tools to the list, let us know in the comments.