The Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) is software running on a PC or MAC, that allows a user to create, edit, store and playback music as real digitized audio, much like a multitrack tape recorder, or as a sequence of MIDI commands for a synth instrument. It allows editing on multiple tracks, like a multitrack audio tape deck, with great precison and accuracy. Music can be created in this way, so an artist can have complete control of their work. Many effects and samples are available as plug-ins for DAW software.
Wiki - Digital Audio Workstation.If you are not a musician, (I am not), if you can't play on a keyboard, hope is not lost. There are a wide selection of MIDI files that are available for download (some free) that will allow DAW software on a PC or laptop to play MIDI music files, live. This will allow you to play music on a MIDI synth device, without having to input a tune on a keyboard. There are MIDI editors available, like DAW, that allow you to edit MIDI files directly.
Bit MIDI - Free MIDI files
There is a greater list of music software on Wikipedia, many of which are NOT free, and must be licensed for use.
There is a world of free software to explore, not only for digital audio work, but sound synthesis, DJ software, and other fields. There is a Wiki webpage that lists free and notable and open source software for use by sound engineers, musicians, and those involved in sound recording and reproduction.
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