Apr 07
Top 6 commercial music making software suites
Cubase: available in various Pro, Prosumer and Lite versions (Cubasis VST 3.0, Cubase SE 3). One of the first software suites available and still the standard in todays producing environments.
Logic: initially developed by a small German company, the now Apple owned Cubase-rival was originally a more pattern based sequencer. Today Logic is available as Logic Studio and Logic Express while the underlying audio engine also propells Apple's GarageBand.
Cakewalk Sonar: as with most recording software, CS is available in different versions: Cakewalk SONAR Producer Edition, Cakewalk SONAR Studio Edition, SONAR Home Studio XL, SONAR Home Studio. Although some things are a bit odd at first - coming from Cubase myself, this elegant software is currently my personal choice.
Pro Tools: The only DAW solution that interweaves software and outboard hardware equipment. Due to Digidesign being a subsidiary of Avid, the software has a huge folowing among professionals in film and music. Available as a lighter version, Digidesign's Music Production Toolkit (Pro Tools LE) and as Pro Tools Free, kind of an appetizer.
Ableton Live: Ableton live has become a cult applet, as many artists used its loop based nature to use it in live environments. The stylish interface does the rest. Ableton Live is available as Ableton Live and Ableton Suite, and as a lite version Ableton Live 6 LE.
FL Studio (FruityLoops): once shareware, the system has developed into a full sequencer/audio editor with an intuitive feel and a nice GUI. Available as Frootyloops Edition FL Studio 7 - Producer Edition and FL Studio 7 XXL.
Be sure to check out Wikipedia's comparison of multitrack recording software.