Reaper is designed to be a cheaper and more lightweight DAW that can support most plugins without any issues.
There is a ton of DAWs out there, and their uses vary from user to user. This wide variety of choices often leaves starters confused as to which software they should use.
We made a further comparison to see which one really stands out in the market. We compared their price, size, compatibility, processor needed, and minimum RAM required and tabled the results down below:
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DAW
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Logic Pro X
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Ableton Live 10
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Cubase
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FL Studio 20
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Reaper
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|
Price
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$199
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$99 for Live intro $449 for Live Standard $749 for Live Suite
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€99,99 Cubase Elements 10.5 €331,99 Cubase Artist 10.5 €581,99 Cubase Pro 10.5
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$99 for Fruity edition and $199 for Producer Edition
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$60 Discounted Licence $225 Commercial Licence
|
|
Compatibility
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MacOS 10.8.4 and later only
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Windows 7/8/10 (64 bit only) MacOS 10.7 and later
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Windows 7/8/10 (32 and 64 bit) macOS (32 and 64 bit)
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Windows 7/8/10 (32 and 64 bit) macOS 10.13 only
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Windows 7/8/10 (32 and 64 bit) macOS (32 and 64 bit)
|
|
Processor
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Intel® Core™2 Duo processor. Intel® Core™ i5 processor or faster recommended
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Windows: 64-bit Intel® (Intel® Core™ i5 processor or faster recommended) or AMD multi-core processor MacOS: Intel® Core™2 Duo processor. Intel® Core™ i5 processor or faster recommended
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Intel Core i series or AMD Ryzen multi-core for both windows and macOS Intel I5 or faster is recommended
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2 GHz Intel Pentium 4 / AMD Athlon 64 (or later) compatible CPU with full SSE2 support
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2 GHz Intel Pentium 4 / AMD Athlon 64 (or later) compatible CPU with full SSE2 support
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|
Minimum RAM
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4GB
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4GB
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4GB
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4GB
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2GB
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The main topic of discussion in this article, however, is the CPU usage by each DAW. We want to determine which DAW best optimizes the use of CPU resources. So, we tested out most of the common DAWs and compiled a list of the top 5 most CPU efficient DAWs, and compared them with each other. The table above clearly supports our evaluation, and the claim in choosing Reaper as the most CPU efficient is true. In terms of market performance, Reaper is the cheapest and most lightweight DAW out there.
Related Readings:
How To Produce Music On An Old PC Effectively? (PC & DAW Tips)
What Is a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW)? How Does It Work?
Top 10 DAW Software 2022 For DnB, House, EDM, Rock, Metal, Hip-Hop
FL Studio vs. Ableton vs. Logic vs. Cubase vs. Pro Tools Which is Best ?
Ableton 10 Live – Beginner’s Illustrated Guide
How To Make Music Without Using A DAW?
What PC, RAM & CPU Do I Need For Music Production In 2022?
Top 5 Most CPU Efficient DAWs
1. Reaper
Source: reaper.fm
Reaper is specifically designed to be a cheaper and more lightweight DAW that is able to support most plugins without any issues. As an FL Studio user, I have been personally testing this DAW over the course of a week using heavyweight VST like Omnisphere, Serum, Waves, and Izotope and I’ve got to say that I was impressed.
It has managed to live up to its reputation with seamless startup and loading times. Reaper also has an incredibly efficient GUI with minimum bloat and unnecessary tabs that make it CPU-friendly and user-friendly.
Reaper comes with a few CPU saving features like:
- Performance Meter: Reaper’s performance meter offers the most cohesive performance analysis. This enables the user to see exactly which tracks are using how much power.
- Reaper’s Render: this is a very smart way of quickly rendering selected tracks to stem tracks and muting original. Muting the original track frees up a huge amount of CPU memory
However, testing Reaper in bigger projects with a huge ton of plugins, you start to see its flaws. Crashing and stuttering became more often and loading times slowed down significantly. Overall, I would personally recommend this DAW for any startup user and any user that is working on smaller projects.
2. FL Studio 20
My personal favorite DAW that I have been using for years now. FL Studio comes with a huge number of built-in plugins and effects which makes the need for 3rd party plugins unnecessary.FL Studio itself automatically optimizes 3rd party plugins used for better performance.
Overall, FL studio is a fantastic option for a seamless, optimal CPU consumption DAW. A stand-out feature that makes FL Studio especially powerful is the “Smart Disable” feature. This ensures that if a plugin is not used, it is automatically switched off to save memory and allow the processor to run lighter.
In addition to that, FL Studio has a built-in latency monitor that detects which plugin is going to need how much CPU.
FL Studio also runs on relatively low specs like 4GB RAM and Intel Pentium processor, makings it available for a wide range of devices. FL Studio’s disadvantages include no support for macOS 32-bit, and its GUI mainly uses more CPU when compared to other DAWs mentioned.
Stand-out features that make FL Studio especially powerful include:
- Smart Disable: This ensures that if a plugin is not being used, then it is automatically switched off to save memory and allows the processor to run lighter.
- Quality Sampler: This will help you to bounce your audio fast and make your project light on the CPU
3. Steinberg Cubase
The support for VST3 (unlike many other DAWs) means that Cubase is able to automatically suspend unused plugins which saves a lot of CPU.
Unfortunately, this software does not lack many flaws. Cubase uses a pretty bad GUI which tends to overuse CPU from time to time and has a ton of bugs that causes the program to crash sometimes.
Cubase gives the user a few techniques that can be used to optimize CPU resource allocation. These include:
- Freezing instruments: allow the user to export MIDI tracks into an audio file that is saved and be used for playback instead of the instrument itself.
- Export Audio mixdown: self-explanatory. Allows the user to mixdown and export all audio files.
- Render in Place: MIDI tracks are rendered and placed in the exact same location in the grid for the user to use it instead of the MIDI tracks which use more power.
- Direct Offline Processing: this is used to save power by rendering a new audio file in the background and allowing playback from the saved file.
4. Ableton Live 10
Ableton is one of the most stable and CPU-friendly DAWs out there. This is because of its highly effective built-in plugins which really encourages its user to stick with them and not look for 3rd party plugins.
That being said though, Ableton still performs incredibly well on 3rd party plugins. We personally tested it on Waves, Fabfilter, and Izotope plugins and have seen significantly better performance when compared to Logic Pro X. Anyway, if you are looking for Free VST Compressor Plugins, check this post. The main disadvantage of Ableton Live 10 is that it only works on 64-bit systems and requires at least a dual-core processor.
Features that reduce CPU usage include:
- Disable unused inputs and outputs: Ableton users can disable the mono input pair of the same stereo input or vice versa to reduce excessive CPU usage
- Disabling warping in Simpler
- Freeze tracks: this feature creates an audio file of the original track to be used instead, thus saving more power since fewer effects are going to be used
5. Logic Pro X
Available exclusively to Mac OS users, Logic Pro X is a go-to software for Apple users. This is because it is specifically optimized to work efficiently in all apple computers and since it is designed exclusively for that, you will be guaranteed a smooth performance.
Logic Pro X requires only 4 GB of RAM and will work on integrated graphics as well. Comparing it to its predecessor Logic Pro 9 based on personal usage and based on the Evan Multicore Benchmark test which uses a combination of bundled Logic plug-ins and samples, Logic Pro X performs significantly better.
However, its main disadvantage comes from its advantage itself and that is, it runs only on Mac devices. This means that the start-up cost is pretty high (since Macbooks are known to be expensive) and the lowest benchmark for testing is high as well (since most Macbooks come with decent CPUs).
Certain features that allow a user to save more CPU power include:
- Turn off animations: Logic Pro X is amongst a few DAWs that has an option to turn off GUI animation to reduce CPU usage.
- Switch off sample-accurate automation: using this feature reduces CPU usages in projects that do not use automation.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the choice of DAW is totally subjective and based on personal preference. For example, some people may choose to choose FL Studio for its user-friendly GUI. Others may find Ableton to be their choice for its powerful built-in plugins. However, this does not undermine the importance of other DAWs and that is the beauty behind it all.
Every DAW has its pros and cons and every con has a workaround if you get familiar with the software. I personally find myself using up to 3 DAWs, each to do a specific task for example; I use FL Studio to make beats, Ableton to record vocals, and Cubase to mix and master, it’s only a matter of preference. In terms of CPU usage, I have experienced the best performance from Reaper but that does not necessarily mean that Reaper is the best DAW. It all depends on the user. If you need more detailed information about what would be the best DAW for you, check this list.
Readings that you may like:
DAW Related:
Best DAWs For Musicians Available (With FREE DAWs)
What’s The Most CPU Efficient DAW? – 5 DAWs Compared
How To Make Music Without Using A DAW?
Pro Tools Guide: How To Use AutoTune & Pitch Correction?
Ableton Review: Is It Worth The Money? (Cons & Pros)
Logic Pro X Review: Is It Worth It? (Cons & Pros)
How To Use Auto-tune & Pitch Correction In Cubase?
How To Fix Ableton Crackling, Crashing & Freezing? Step By Step
Plugin Related:
What Are Audio Plugins? Different Types of Plugins Explained
What Are The Best Tools To Develop VST Plugins & How Are They Made?
Cost of Developing Audio VST Plugin: Several Factors (With Table)
VST, VST, AU and AAX – What’s The Difference? Plugin Formats Explained
Complete Guide To Noise Gate – What It Is, What It Does & How To Use It?
How To Clip My Drums? Here Is How & Audio Teasers (Before/After)
Complete Guide To Limiter: How To Use It (+ Best Plugins & Analog Limiters)
Mixing With Reverb: How To Add Life To Your Mixes
Linear Phase vs Minimum Phase EQ – Full Guide
Difference Between LUFS, RMS & True Peak Loudness Meters
How And When To Use Algorithmic And Convolution Reverb In Your Mix?
Difference Between Active EQ, Passive EQ and Dynamic EQ
Headphones & Studio Monitors:
Do headphones get worse with age?
Monitors vs Studio Headphones For Mixing & Mastering
Top 10 Room Calibration & Headphones/Speakers Correction Plugins
Are Noise-Canceling Headphones Good For Music Production?
Can Headphones Break in Cold Weather?
Why do headphones & cables get sticky?
Can Wearing Headphones Cause Hair Loss?
How Do I know If My Studio Monitor Is Blown?
Side Effects Of Sleeping With Your Headphones On
Do You Need Music Amplifier For Studio Monitors or Studio Headphones?
Do Headphones or Earphones Damage Your Brain?
Can Headphones or Earphones cause Deafness or Toothache?
FarField, MidField & NearField Monitors – Their Uses, Pros & Cons
MIDI & Synths:
Should I Buy A MIDI Keyboard Or Synth? (Are Synths Worth It Anymore?)
Why Is Audio Gear So Expensive? (Especially Synths)
Top 12 Synth Brands – Analog, Digital & Modular Synth Manufacturers
11 Tips How To Choose MIDI Keyboard
Should I Buy MIDI Controller Or Keyboard? Cons, Pros & Tips
Guitar/Amp Focused:
Can I Put Nylon Strings on a Steel-string Guitar?
Do Electric Guitars Sound Good Unplugged?
Buying Your First Guitar: 2 Things To Know
Are Tube Amps Worth It? (Tube vs Solid-State Amps)
How Often Does A Guitar Need a Setup?
Can I Play Classical Guitar On A Steel-String Guitar?
How often guitar necks need reset?
Can You Play Two Guitars Through One Amp?
Can a 6 String Bass Be Tuned Like A Guitar?
Can I leave My Guitar Tuned Down a Step? Yes, But Is It Safe?
Should I Learn 4, 5 Or 6 String Bass Guitar & Why?
How To Know If your Guitar Amp Is Broken?
How To Fix Distorted Bass Guitar Sound?
Do Fender Guitars Appreciate In Value?
Should You Put Stickers On A Bass Guitar?
How Acoustic And Electric Guitars Are Made?
Is Electric Guitar Too Loud for an Apartment?
Does a Preamp Improve Sound Quality?
If I Learn Acoustic Guitar Can I Play Electric Guitar?
How Many Hours A Day Should You Practice Bass Guitar?
Do I need an AMP/DAC To Run Bookshelf Speakers?
How to Record Electric Guitar Into Logic Pro X?
Do headphones get worse with age?
Recommended Gear:
Top 12 NearField Studio Monitors On Any Budget
Top 10 Midfield Studio Monitors For Home Recording
Best Biggest Studio Monitors (FarField Monitors)
Top 10 Guitar Pickups for Low Tunings
Top 10 Analog Compressors For Mixing & Mastering (On Any Budget)
Top 12 USB Audio Interfaces Under 150$, 200$, 300$ 400$ (Any Budget)
Top 12 Hardware Equalizers (Analog EQs For Mixing & Mastering)
Top 6 Analog Hardware Limiters
Top 6 Solid State Bass Amps (On Any Budget)
Top 6 Ribbon Mics On Any Budget (For Vocals, Drums & Guitars)
Top 6 Cheap Dynamic Mics For Vocals Under 50$, 100$, 200$ & 300$
Top 6 Chorus Guitar Pedals (On Any Budget)
6 Best 61-Key MIDI Keyboards (On Any Budget)
9 Best 49-Key MIDI Keyboards Under 100$ & 200$
Top 5 Best 25 Key MIDI Keyboards (On Any Budget)
Top 12 Acoustic Drums (Best Kits/Sets On Any Budget)
Plugin Roundups:
Genre Focused:
Top 10 EDM Plugins (And 10 Best FREE Plugins For EDM)
Top 10 Plugins For TRAP Beats (And 5 Best FREE Trap Plugins)
20 Best Plugins For Rock Musicians (+ 6 FREE Plugins)
Top 14 Trance Plugins (Uplifting, Tech, Progressive, Vocal, Dream, Hard)
Top 10 GOA & PsyTrance Plugins (Best Psychedelic Trance Tools)
Top 7 Plugins For Dubstep (With 10 Best FREE Effects & Synths)
Top 20 Synthwave Plugins (+ 11 Best FREE Plugins)
Top 15 Plugins For Techno, House, Electro, Tech House, UK Garage
Top 6 Plugins For Latin Music (And 4 FREE Tools)
Top 12 Plugins For Hip-Hop (+ Best Kontakt Libraries)
Top 7 Plugins For Game & Film Scoring (+ 6 Best Kontakt Libraries)
Top 10 R&B And Pop Music Plugins & KONTAKT Libraries
30 Best Free Plugins For DnB, EDM, IDM & Experimental Music
EQ Plugins
Top 12 Free EQ Plugins For Precise Mixing & Mastering
Top 9 Mid/Side EQ Plugins For Mixing & Mastering (+ 2 Free Tools)
Top 7 Graphic EQ Plugins (With 3 Best Free EQs)
Top 7 EQ Plugins For Mastering In | And Best FREE Mastering EQs
Top 6 Passive EQ Plugins (Klevgrand, SPL, UAD, Waves, IK Multimedia)
Top 11 Plugins For Making Metal (Best Guitars, Drums & Effects)
Metering:
Top 5 Audio Metering Plugins (LUFS, RMS, LRA, True Peak)
Top 6 Spectrum Analyzer Plugins – Spectral Analysis Tools
Top 6 Oscilloscope Plugins To See The Waveforms
Top 5 Key Detection Plugins & Software (+ Best FREE App)
Kontakt Libraries
20 Best Kontakt Libraries For All Categories (Synths, Drums, Vocals)
Top 7 Drum Libraries For KONTAKT (And 4 Freebies)
Top 7 Trap Music Kontakt Libraries (And Best Lo-Fi Kontakt Library)
Top 7 Metal & Rock Kontakt Libraries (Best Guitars & Drums)
Top 10 Guitar Libraries For Kontakt (Acoustic, Electric, Bass & Freebies)
Top 7 Trailer Scoring Plugins & Kontakt Libraries
20 Best Free KONTAKT Libraries For Various Instruments
Top 9 Piano Kontakt Sample Libraries (And 5 Best Free Pianos)
Top 10 Percussion KONTAKT Libraries (And 3 Freebies)
Top 7 Kontakt Libraries For Horror & Thriller Scoring (No VSTs)
Audio Restoration, Calibration & Utility:
Top 6 Noise Reduction Plugins (And 3 Best Free Tools)
6 Best Audio Restoration Plugins & Software
Top 7 Phase Alignment Plugins To Fix Your Bass & Drums
Top 10 Room Calibration & Headphones/Speakers Correction Plugins
Instrument Plugins:
Top 6 Vocoder Plugins (Effects & Synths + FREE Vocoder)
11 Best Rhodes VST Plugins (AND 5 Free Rhodes Plugins)
Top 12 Randomizer Plugins Including FREE Plugins
Top 6 Kick Drum Plugins (Best Kick Designer Tools)
Top 12 Woodwind Plugins (And KONTAKT Libraries)
Top 10 Double Bass Plugins (Best Upright Basses)
Top 5 Strings VST Plugins (AND 4 Best Free Instruments)
Top 6 Sampler Plugins (And 3 Best FREE Plugins)
Top 6 Classical Guitar Plugins & Kontakt Libraries (And FREE Guitars)
Top 12 Sub Plugins (Best 808 & Bass Tools For Massive Low End)
Top 10 Plugins On PluginBoutique (And 7 Best Free Plugins)
Top 11 Plugins On Plugin Alliance
Top 7 Acoustic Guitar Plugins (And 4 Best Kontakt Libraries)
9 Best Bass Guitar Plugins (And 2 Best Freebies)
Top 6 Electric Guitar Plugins (Best PAID & FREE Picks)
Top 10 Arpeggiator VST Plugins (Best Synths, MIDI Effects & Tools)
Top 10 Modular Synth Plugins (And 3 Best FREE Plugins)
Top 6 Choir Plugins & Sample Libraries (And 3 Best Free Plugins)
11 Best Percussion & Drum VST Plugins (And FREE Plugins)
Top 8 Piano Plugins (Best Sounding Pianos & 5 FREE Piano Plugins)
Top 6 Organ Plugins Ever Made (And 3 Best Free Organs)
Top 14 VST Plugins For Beginners (And 9 FREE Plugins)
Top 9 Drum Machine Plugins (And Groovebox Plugins)
4 Best Banjo Plugins (Best Banjo Instruments)
The 5 Best Ukulele Plugins & Kontakt Libraries
Top 13 Synth Plugins (And 5 Best FREE Synths Plugins)
Top 13 Sequencer Plugins (Synth, MIDI & Step Sequencers)
The 10 Best Multi-Effect Plugins (And 3 Best Free Plugins)
Top 12 Plugin Bundles For Musicians (Synths, Mixing & Mastering)
Processing & Sound Design:
8 Best Lo-Fi Plugins (PAID & FREE)
Top 11 Plugins For Mixing Vocals (For Home Studio)
Top 12 Saturation Plugins (Best Mixing & Mastering Tools)
Top 6 Pitch Shifter Plugins (And 3 Best FREE Pitch Shifters)
Top 6 Chorus VST Plugins For Musicians (And 3 FREE Plugins)
Top 6 Limiter Plugins For Precise Mastering & Mixing
The 8 Best Filter Plugins For Precise Cuts & Boosts (+ 5 Free Filters)
6 Best Autotune Plugins To Improve & Enhance Your Vocals
Top 10 Transient Shaper Plugins (VST, AU, AAX)
Top 7 Enhancer Plugins (For Bass, Drums, Vocals & Harmonics)
Top 6 Flanger Plugins (And 5 Best FREE Flanger Emulators)
Top 7 Phaser Plugins (And 3 Best FREE Phasers)
Top 10 Plugins For Mixing Drums (And 3 Best Free Plugins)
Top 7 Bitcrusher Plugins (And 4 Best FREE Bitcrushers + 3 Bonuses)
Top 6 Plugins For Voice-Over & Dialogue Cleaning (Post Production)
Top 10 Stereo Imaging Plugins (Best Old & Modern Picks)
Top 5 Multiband Limiter Plugins
Top 7 De-Esser Plugins For Better Vocals (And 4 FREE Plugins)
Top 7 Clipper Plugins (Best Limiter Alternatives)
Top 6 Chord Generator Plugins That Inspire Melodies (+ FREE Tools)
7 Best Exciter Plugins For Mixing & Mastering
Top 7 Channel Strip Plugins (And 2 Best Free Plugins)
Top 11 Distortion Plugins (And 4 Top Free Plugins)
Top 5 Comb Filter & Resonator Plugins | Melda, Kilohearts, Tritik
The 7 Best Vibrato VST Plugins | Audec, Audiority, Melda
The 7 Best Tremolo Plugins | Eventide, Melda, SoundToys, Kuassa…
The 7 Best Harmonizer Plugins | Eventide, Melda, Aegean Music
7 Best Sidechain Plugins (VST, AU, AAX) | Xfer, Cableguys..
Top 10 Noise Gate Plugins (And 6 FREE Free Gate Tools)
The 6 Best Ring Modulator VST Plugins | KiloHearts, Melda
7 Best Autopan VST Plugins | CableGuys, Melda, Waves, Soundtoys
The 6 Best Frequency Shifter VST Plugins
Top 11 Granulizer Plugins For Future Sound Design
29 Best Sound Design VST Plugins
Compressor Plugins
Top 11 Free Compressor Plugins (VCA, Vari-Mu, FET, Digital)
Top 7 Multiband Compressor Plugins (And 4 FREE Plugins)
Top 5 Diode-Bridge Compressor Plugins
Top 6 Mastering Chain Plugins: Complete VST Solutions
The 7 Best VCA Compressor Plugins (VST, AU, AAX)
Top 11 Mastering Compressor Plugins (And 2 FREE Plugins)
Top 10 Opto Compressor Plugins For Transparent Sound
The 7 Best Vari-Mu Compressor Plugins (And 2 Best FREE Tools)
Reverb & Delay Plugins:
Top 12 Reverb Plugins (And 5 FREE Reverb Plugins)
The 6 Best Spring Reverb VST Plugins | AudioThing, GSi, u-he, Eventide
Top 12 Delay Plugins For Music Production In (VST, AU, AAX)
Top 10 FREE Delay Plugins (VST, AU, AAX)
The 10 Best Convolution Reverb Plugins
Amps & Preamps:
Top 10 Guitar Amp Plugins (And 5 Best FREE Simulators)
Top 10 Bass Amp Plugins (And 5 Best Free Simulators)
Top 9 Preamp Plugins (For Vocals, Guitars & More!) + Free Preamps
Started as a rapper and songwriter back in 2015 then quickly and gradually developed his skills to become a beatmaker, music producer, sound designer and an audio engineer.