Let’s say you’re an aspiring podcaster or an author looking to self-record an audiobook, and you already have a microphone and you have your space to record. The next question you will be asking yourself is: “Ok, how exactly do I record myself?” In your enthusiasm over the prospect of embarking on a new audio endeavor, you take to Google to find an answer to that very question.
After a preliminary search, your excitement evaporates before you as you are faced with result after result of myriads of software names all professing to be the best, easiest, most flexible audio recording environment.
In our accessibly digital age, there is no shortage of digital audio workstations, or “DAWs,” on the market. Many have flashy websites, sleek interfaces, and clever marketing in their attempts to convince you of their superiority over the competition. Professional, premium priced DAWs also typically come with a hefty price tag, ranging from the ever-beloved Ableton Live at $749 to industry-standard titan Avid Pro Tools, ranging from $29.99 to $79.99 per month.
As someone looking to record spoken word, you have a clearly defined set of goals you want your DAW to be able to handle. I’m here to help you wade through the murky waters that is audio software to recommend four DAWs to use for your audiobook or podcast recording.
The first and most important point I want to stress regarding which DAW is best for your needs is: there is no right or wrong answer.
DAWs today are extremely powerful, and while each DAW has certain features or tools that others may lack, all DAWs work the same basic way and will accomplish the same things.
What’s more, as someone looking for merely something with which to record voice, you will be needing much less in the way of a software program’s capabilities than, say, someone recording music or compositing a film sound design.
The following are a few of the most popular free or cheap digital audio workstations:
Audacity
Audacity has long been a favorite of the budget recordist. A free, open source software, Audacity is available for both Windows and Mac systems, and features multitrack editing and tools comparable to that of any other major DAW.
What Audacity lacks in aesthetic appeal (think early 2000’s software aesthetics) it makes up for in the fact that it’s free and can do most any and everything other DAWs can do.
If you’re looking for the simplest and cheapest no-frills option, Audacity is the way to go.
Garageband
Apple has long established its brand around creatives, and their DAW Garageband—included with every Mac—is testament to that. Boasting many of the same features as its premium big brother Logic, Garageband boasts Apple’s signature sleek user interface and design.
The biggest drawback is that Garageband is not available for other operating systems like Windows. However, if you own a Mac, there is really no reason in my opinion that you should be using anything else than Garageband to record your voice.
Pro Tools First
Avid Pro Tools has long been the industry standard within music, broadcast, and postproduction. While it’s true that Pro Tools receives its fair share of criticisms, there’s no denying the DAW’s capabilities and reputation for professionalism.
While the Pro Tools standard and advanced versions come with a not-so-insignificant price tag, they’ve introduced a free, limited version called Pro Tools First for those with less need for all the bells and whistles of the full version.
While Pro Tools First is extremely limited, for the relatively minimal requirements of recording audiobooks and podcasts, it may be worth checking out. Pro Tools First is limited to 16 mono tracks, which may be more than enough for your project.
As it’s free, and as audiobook and podcast recording is much less demanding relative to music and postproduction work, Pro Tools First may be well worth your time as your DAW of choice.
Reaper
Reaper deserves a special spot on this list. Available for both Mac and PC, Reaper boasts an insanely low price point of $60. As a DAW with all the major features you’ll find in other DAWs and a sleek, beautiful user interface, Reaper can easily justify a much higher price point.
What’s more, the 60-day trial version of Reaper does not exactly expire after that 60 days period. You’ll get a popup message stating you must pay to continue to use, which you can technically ignore and continue to use indefinitely, with the added inconvenience of waiting five seconds every time you open the application.
This renders Reaper technically free to use indefinitely. However, like previously stated, for what Reaper offers, $60 is absolutely a steal. If after 60, 70, 100, or 1000 days you find Reaper to be of use to you, I would highly encourage supporting the small, dedicated team behind the program by buying the software.
Conclusion
There are a number of similar free or cheap DAWs on the market; my goal here was to identify three major ones fit for recording voice that I have experience using. Other factors include the fact that because these three DAWs are so popular, there are endless resources available for those looking to learn them. A simple YouTube search for any one of these programs yields hundreds of search results, which makes it easier to learn as a beginner.
While the waters of the audio software market are muddy, I hope to have offered a useful perspective for the aspiring home recordist.