← Music Production · Start here · about 15 min
What is a DAW?
Ableton Live and Logic Pro: how they're alike and where things live.
A studio on your computer
DAW stands for Digital Audio Workstation. It is the program you use to record, make, and mix music.
Ableton Live and Logic Pro are two popular DAWs. They look different, but the ideas are the same. Learn the ideas once and you can use any DAW.
The big pieces
Every DAW has these building blocks. Here is where to find each one.
| Idea | What it is | In Ableton Live | In Logic Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project | Your song file | A Live Set | A project |
| Track | One lane for one sound | Audio or MIDI track | Audio or software instrument track |
| Timeline | Where you build the song | Arrangement View | Tracks area |
| Loop launcher | Try ideas without a timeline | Session View | Live Loops grid |
| Mixer | Volume, pan, and effects | The mixer section in either view | The Mixer (press X) |
| Note editor | Edit MIDI notes | The clip's MIDI note editor | The Piano Roll |
The path of a song
Start an idea
Make a drum loop, a chord progression, or record a melody.
Build it
Add tracks for bass, chords, and a lead. Repeat and change loops.
Arrange it
Lay the parts out as an intro, verse, chorus, and ending.
Mix it
Balance the volumes, pan the sounds, and shape each sound with effects.
Export it
Bounce the song to a file others can hear.