Best DAWs for guitarists: guitar-friendly music-making software

Man plays an acoustic guitar in his studio
(Image credit: Getty/shironosov)

Whether you're looking to record YouTube pedal demos, original music or live shows, you're going to need one of the best DAWs for guitar players. Once upon a time DAWs (also known as digital audio workstations) were expensive and required a lot of specialist knowledge to use, but now they're accessible, ergonomic, and affordable, and there are options available for everything from your mobile phone to your laptop. Although some hardware is required, like an audio interface, studio-quality recording has never been easier for the average guitarist.

However, just because home recording is within reach doesn't mean the range of choices is any less daunting. There are DAWs available for every budget, including free options, and applications for both Mac and PC. In this best DAWs guide we'll go over several options to find which is the best one for you, and which ones make guitar recording a breeze.

You can trust Guitar World Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing guitar products so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

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