Cakewalk

Cakewalk by BandLab is another DAW that beatmakers should not overlook. Its conventional sequencing workflow becomes particularly advantageous when recording vocals or tangible instruments via a microphone. Since the late 1980s, Cakewalk has been a fixture in the music production software industry, releasing its first version in 1987. This longevity naturally results in a sophisticated, feature-rich music creation tool.

It shares most of its features with industry-standard tools such as Cubase, Logic Pro, and Pro Tools. The free version of Cakewalk, now under the auspices of BandLab, offers everything you need to record, mix, and master your music. As a beat maker, Cakewalk lets you produce beats, record vocals, and even master your tracks for online sharing and distribution. Cakewalk by BandLab is currently not compatible with Mac.

Unfortunately, Cakewalk will soon be discontinued on Windows, too.