Best DAWs for classical musicians in 2022

Software

Best DAWs for classical musicians in 2022

By Madeleine AmosFebruary 10, 202210 mins read

Which DAW works best for producing classical music? Read our quick guide to help you find the right audio workstation for your orchestral music compositions.

With a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW), you have a classical music recording studio on your computer. Each music software programme is unique, though at first glance they all seem to offer generally the same thing.

Some DAWs are more popular than others in the classical music world, whether for TV, film or video game scoring or orchestral composition.

Which DAW you choose depends of course on your individual requirements and personal preferences – are you a beginner, or will you be able to handle a steeper learning curve? Do you need to produce professional orchestral scores, or are you just getting started and looking to have a play around first?

Many classical music composers prefer to compose via notation, then transfer to a DAW for MIDI editing and mixing. There are lots of notation programs like Sibelius out there, a bit like word processors but for writing music.

For orchestral scores you need a powerful DAW that can handle multi-channel editing. There’s lots of options. Below are some examples of the most popular DAWs used by classical musicians, to get you started on your quest.

Logic Pro X

If you’re just getting started and you use a Mac, give Apple’s affordable Logic Pro X a try.

It’s accessible, with the feel of a souped-up GarageBand.
It’s not too pricey at $199.
Film composers like Daniel Pemberton have used Logic.
Soundsets within Logic include orchestra libraries with strings, brass and so on, great for getting started, so you don’t waste time chasing the perfect sound libraries.
Supports spatial audio processing, features a step sequencer with live recording mode, and new Producer Packs with Apple Loops from the likes of Mark Ronson and Tom Misch.
It supports up to 1,000 external MIDI tracks, ideal if you’re composing for a full orchestra.
More geared towards making popular music than classical and film score composers.

Digital Performer

Built with film composers in mind, Digital Performer works for both Mac and PC. It’s not cheap, however, and takes a while to master especially if you’re used to another DAW.

Fully customisable in layouts, editing preferences and more.
Great search function that’s responsive, quick and efficient. If you want to compose quickly, just type in a few letters.
Articulation Maps feature lets you create expressive, realistic performances, using orchestral sound libraries.
Keeps the elements you’re working with constantly in front of you constantly for easy reference and access.
Great for film scoring – divide videos into scenes in a single session.
Danny Elfman uses DP for his film scores.

Pro Tools

A very popular if expensive DAW, Pro Tools by Avid is used in studios worldwide, meaning that collaborating and file sharing is seamless.

If you’re used to band recording and are now interested in classical composition, Pro Tools might be a natural fit.
Great for live recording, quick for audio editing work.
Default sample instruments and plugins aren’t the best, but you get 60 virtual instruments (and thousands of sounds).
Intuitive video and film synching for film composition.
Clean interface for fast workflow.
MIDI recording and editing functions have improved, although composers working majorly with MIDI might still prefer a different DAW.

Cubase

Cubase Pro is a powerful professional DAW by Steinberg with a steep learning curve, much-used by composers.

Once you’ve got to grips with the basics, MIDI and audio track editing is easy.
Hans Zimmer uses Cubase.
Quick, time saving workflow with searches to locate tracks quickly.
Lots of great default plugins along with sample instruments. Less free orchestral add-ins.
Score Editor makes editing notes easy, with in depth features and attractive fonts.

There are plenty of other DAW options to create professional orchestral scores, such as Ableton Live, FL Studio and Reaper. Generally speaking, the most popular seem to be Logic Pro X and Cubase Pro.

It’s important that you don’t let the choice of DAWs and endless online advice distract you from the composing itself. Researching DAWs only gets you so far – there’s really nothing for it but to get stuck in and try things out!

All kinds of tracks can be released on Spotify and other streaming services, including classical music. With RouteNote you can help upload your release quickly and easily, keeping full control over your music without hidden fees.

Check out our Free or Premium distribution and learn more here.

Join the conversation

9 replies

Brandon Hughey says:

June 21, 2021 at 8:40 pm

Personally I enjoy Cubase. I found the learning curve to be a lot easier than any of the other DAW’s. The only drawback is the price if you’re starting out. I had to save up in order to get my first copy of Cubase. So what I did until I had the money is purchase a subscription through AVID for Pro Tools. This helped me learn and add my plug-ins without the restrictions of the free options both DAW’s offer. I was working full time during this time period as an educator so if you do not have steady income, by all means use the free options. This will help you learn the basics of the program and some key functions when you finally decide to upgrade. What really stood out to me using Cubase is the layout and the look. I’m a visual person so colors, size, and font all stick out to me. For me Cubase is visually pleasing and I can work longer periods without distractions or being fatigued by what’s being displayed on the screen.

Reply
1. Jacca-RouteNote says:
  
  June 22, 2021 at 11:46 am
  
  Thanks so much for sharing your experiences Brandon, very insightful!
  
  Reply
M Nieuwenhuizen says:

September 17, 2021 at 4:34 pm

What about Sonar (free) or Samplitude (basic version cheap, full version affordable). Sonar has a very good midi editor while Samplitude is great at live multitrack recordings (that is what classical music is all about of course)

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Charles Martin says:

January 6, 2022 at 10:05 am

Hello Brandon

Have you used Cubase Dorico and if so what are your thoughts.?
Also which version of Cubase are you using? Seems that every 6 months to a year Steinberg bring out a newer version
and I wonder how long support for previous versions will last.

Reply
1. Brandon Hughey says:
  
  January 12, 2022 at 6:02 am
  
  Yes, I have used Dorico. I actually like it better than Sibelius. Sibelius was the first notation software I was introduced to but switching to Dorico for me seemed like an easier transition because of the compatibility of the Steinberg products. As of right now I’m using Cubase 11 before I was using the previous 10.5 version. I waited a while to upgrade because I enjoyed using 10.5 and I could do everything I need to do. I believe you can still use an older version and create some Awesome material and not be affected by the yearly upgrade. What sold me on the upgrade was the new inclusion of the LoFi Pack and Spectral Layers.
  
  Reply
Phil Gerbino says:

April 30, 2023 at 6:29 pm

I’m looking for a DAW that has a specific function. I would like to be able to compose with midi using a grid that can adjust for nested polyrhythms. A nested polyrhythm is one polyrhythm living inside of another polyrhythm. For example, let’s say I’m in 4/4 time and I choose an 11 tuplet. Then I decide on an 11 tuplet over a specific amount of beats, say 3. 11 tuplet over 3 beats. The grid will then be changed and now the first 3 beats of the 4/4 bar have been restructured. Then I decide that right in the middle of the 11 tuplet I want to have a quintuplet that begins on the third note of the 11 tuplet. To do this, I’d have to give a second instruction which would give me a second-level tuplet. Then after I’ve entered my quintuplet on the third beat of the 11 tuplet, I decide to have a septuplet that begins on the second beat of the quintuplet inside of the 11 tuplet. This would give me a third-level tuplet. The grid will be changed accordingly.
Thanks,
Phil

Reply
1. Connor Edney says:
  
  May 2, 2023 at 11:28 am
  
  Hey, Phil. I would recommend getting in touch with the customer service teams of DAW developers and asking them directly. DAWs that are designed for advanced audio & film audio post-production such as Pro Tools by Avid Technology & Apple’s Logic Pro are great places to start, though I’d also recommend getting in touch with Steinberg about Cubase and MOTU about Digital Performer. Reaching out to Ableton may not be a bad shout either!
  
  Reply
Chris Chamberlain says:

June 29, 2023 at 4:20 pm

I am using a very old PC and old version of Sibelius to arrange, score and record a range of styles of song for small choirs and I need someone to help me change most of my equipment at home so it is fit for purpose. Does anyone have any recommendations? I live in Norfolk.

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1. Connor Edney says:
  
  June 30, 2023 at 10:24 am
  
  Hey, Chris! Regarding your computer, I’d recommend getting a laptop with an i5 (or equivalent) processor and 8GB of RAM at the very least, but a computer with an i7 processor and 16GB of RAM is more desirable for handling bigger projects. Are you recording any live vocals or are your choirs MIDI generated? Do you have a MIDI keyboard?
  
  DAW-wise, Logic Pro is definitely the best for your style of music production. Would you be open to getting an Macbook?
  
  Reply

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