Digital Audio Work Station (DAW)

Digital Work Station (DAW) Introduction 

The DAW is an electronic device or computer software application for recording, editing and producing audio files such as songs, music piece, human speech  or even sound effects.  DAW can come either just in a CD or can be purchased online and download onto your laptop or computer, or you can can buy a proper equipment usually looks like a piano or some kind of keyboard with never ending keys. These are usually used for production and recording music, radio, television, and so much more, although one if he wants to can use it for his personal hobby. 

The image below is an example of Desk Audio Work Station, which in our case we will not be discussing about this since the title is about the Digital use, The image below is of a professional use so obviously it doesn't mean that do have a desk audio work station you need something like this, these are used by the most professional artists in the world.

Nowadays there are digital software to have everything similar to what these keyboards all do, there are people who still make small desk but they do not need to have any large tables to have these keyboards placed on since the software gives you the access to everything, which the benefit of the software is that one you won't be needing to worry about cable and wire system and therefore everything will be neat,  and since its an application on your computer or laptop you can take it whenever you want.


This video below is a commercial of a Digital audio software application which can be bought from Image line FL Studio, which gives you the access to do everything on your computer.  Enjoy :)

Digital Audio Work Station

The advantages of using DAW are; 

The Capability to handle longer sound files,  Hard Dsk recoridng is limited only by the size of the hard disk itself, commonly one minute of stereo recording at 44.1kHz occupies 10.5 MB of hard disk memory or 5MB/track minute. 

Random Access Editing: One can access the audio software anytime anywhere. 

Nondestructive Editing:  this allows audio segments to be places in any order, manipulated in any fashion without changing the original recorded sound fine in anyway. 

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Types of Digital Audio Workstation Software;

Magix Acid: $99.95 (PRO Version)

This was launched in 1998, its automatic audio time stretching and pitch shifting marked Acid out as revolutionary.

Tracktion Software Corporation Tracktion: $60 (PC/MAC)

This was developed by UK deisgner Julian Storer.

Apple Logic Pro $150/$200 (MAC)

This is one of the Mac professional studio software, The one Which will be using in our class or one similar to this one using a Mac software



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SoundonSound describes the DAW and its evolution, which can be found on this site, these are print screen from the site itself  http://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/evolving-daws

There are many free DAW software's on the internet which can be downloaded for free, such as

1. Mu.Lab 
2. Tracktion 4
3. Audacity 
4. Pre Sonus Studion one 3 Prime
5. Arduor 
6. Soundtrap 
7. Rosegarden 
8. LMMS and much more. 

This is the one which we will be using in our class, the Pro Tools 11, which is a mac software.

The Video below is a more depth detail about the DAW software and what one can do, such as mixing, merging music, editing, recording and so much more.