Recommend dirt simple DAW

I wasn't sure where to put this so my apologies if its in the wrong place.

I got a message from my older brother today. He's noodling with his acoustic guitar again and has decided he'd finally like to have some sort of simple/small music creation solution. He was actually asking me what kind of keyboard and drum machine to buy plus what kind of recorder to use it all with. And to be fair, that's the gear I was using the last time he messed about with creating some music in my bedroom when we were kids, but it goes to show where his knowledge base is at.

I called him and we discussed his goals a bit. Not surprisingly we quickly figured out that what he wants is an in-the-box solution. Simple audio interface, a cheap controller keyboard and some kind of very simple DAW with not more than a handful of basic plugins. The key here is it has to be easy to figure out and use.
 
I think something like garage band would be perfect but he's not a mac guy. So what's out there that's simple and intuitive ala garage band but runs on win10?

-Magix Music Maker
-Ignite by Air Music
-StageLight

Are the easiest ones I’ve seen to use and learn on for someone who doesn’t care about all the studio skills and daw settings/routing etc.
Ignite is probably the most easy to use and learn, very fun for demo work and idea positioning. The other two aren’t that far behind, but do a little more, so more options to learn.
check them out. Good luck

acid music studio super simple. dated, but simple

Ableton Live Lite 9 that comes free with most audio interfaces and keyboards.  https://www.ableton.com/en/products/live-lite
 
Tracktion T6 DAW is now free.  https://www.tracktion.com/products/t6-daw
 
Pro Tools First is free.  http://www.avid.com/pro-tools-first
 
Mixbus v4 is on sale for $29 https://sites.fastspring.com/harrisonconsoles/instant/mixbus4?coupon=MBBF
 
AIR Ignite is cheap $39 and simple to get going. It's a bit limited for advanced use, but easy to get started with.  https://www.pluginboutique.com/products/1589
 
Mixcraft 9 Recording Studio is $89 https://www.acoustica.com.ixcraft/buy-mixcraft.php
 
Cubase Elements 9.5, not dirt simple, but only $99.  https://www.steinberg.net/en/products/cubase/cubase_elements.html

Lots of the above suggestions are great! A thing or two to think about regarding Mixcraft - Sonar owners can get the full Pro Studio for $99, only $10 more than Recording Studio.

https://www.acoustica.com...xcraft-pro-studio.html

And, if he wants to do any singing on the songs he creates, he'll eventually want Melodyne Essential. Which comes included with Mixcraft.  

My usual take on this sort of thing is to start somebody off on something free or REALLY cheap, in case they don't stick with it. But there are some time windows closing on great deals right now.

Also, if you go for the Focusrite Solo, as Martin suggested, BH has a promo going where you also get a free license for Addictive Drums and one ADPak as a 'rebate'. Probably best for general-use one is the Fairfax 1 or Fairfax 2. IMHO.

Also, the Solo comes with a lot of other plugs which don't suck, including a license for any one of his choice of XLN's Addictive Keys.

www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1251661-REG/focusrite_scarlett_solo_2nd_gen_scarlett_solo_usb_audio.html

If he gets past these, the GAS will probably have bloomed by then, and it'll be an entirely different set of suggestions. 



 

For someone just starting out Mixcraft 8 is hard to beat ...
 
Acoustica has a lot of videos on learning the program . The forum is nice place in general & the members are very helpful .
The program itself comes with everything a person would need as far as instruments and plugs go .
Some of the 3 rd party loop content is decent and they cover a large territory of genre's of music .. 
The company offers a very generous upgrade pricing when a new version of Mixcraft comes out .
You can also create and edit videos w multiple media objects in the time line ... 
 
I certainly enjoyed Garage Band when I started using it a number of years back ...
IMHO , Mixcraft 8 is the closest a person can get to the simplicity and features of The Garage Band workflow on a Win 10 computer ...
 
Oh BTW , Mixcraft can do a lot more than what Garage Band can do lets leave that for another time
 
all the best ,
 
Kenny
 

Studio One Artist does not allow you to use vst's or vsti's so if you want to use more FX and instruments than what comes with it you have to buy another DAW.

If I (still noob, not going to be a "pro", I mean in music...) have to select the first DAW, I would start with Traktion 6. It is not "traditional" DAW, but it is easy to understand (it was designed with that in mind) and free.
The only problem is that it has no software instruments and there is no simple to use free "all rounder" VSTi.
So it make sense to select an audio interface / keyboard which comes with some synth (like SampleTank with IK).
Some lite version of a DAW is also normally in such packages (sometimes more then one), but they are packed for free not without a reason...
 
If he wants to dive into real DAW world, he can download Reaper. Not simple to understand and looks a big ugly at first, but demo version can be legally used for 2 month and it is full functional, "full power", "traditional" style DAW.
 
Yet third direction is Ableton Light, which comes with most interfaces. I can not say it is easy to understand and use, but it represent yet another "kind" of DAWs.

Dirt simple huh ? the OP's brother / guy plays an acoustic guitar  Right ? 
That Air app may be OK for electronic and EDM type of stuff ....
Who knows maybe an acoustic guitar player can make the crossover & bring home The Grammy using that ..
Yes ? No ? I seriously doubt it 
 
Shheessh from the sounds of a few suggestions around here the guy may be better off using a Zoom handheld on a mic stand and editing his performances  using a proper Light weight DAW 
 
Just so you know I'm not full of $hit , my one take guitar performance of this song was recorded on my Zoom Q3 and edited in SONAR ...
https://soundcloud.com/guitarist-kenny-wilson/gentle-gypsy-lullaby
 
all the best,
 
Kenny
 

GregRband
Ignite by AIR does audio instruments and recording very well and easy for people who don’t want to learn how a more traditional daw works.... As you can see in the feature video linked in my last post, Ignite very easily exports stems and wav files out to a traditional daw when and if that is ever desired.
Here it is in example:
https://youtu.be/KIbfTitj7NE

Yes, Mixcraft Pro 8 is great, I own it too, not debating that, but I’m assuming dirt easy means....... really really super easy. Lol
My sis is a singer, not a computer person at all. Doesn’t care to learn daw and studio techniques in software. If she wanted her own software to record ideas on.... I think Ignite would be the only thing that may not be too techy to learn, very visual based, and fun. All the rest of the daws are more for the rest of us imo.

 
Ohh man Kenny do yourself a favor take a deep breath ....now exhale ...breath in again count to 10 exhale ...OK ...
 
Please don't misread what I am about to say my friend , this may have no bearing on the OP's brothers needs or your sisters needs
 
I watched the video , I kept an open mind and I'm even willing to bite my tongue to keep some of the Peace around here
Yet, I'm sorry to have to say this , that video is everything that is wrong with the music bizz and making music today ...
Selling me on it has to be easy , fast , and work where ever you want like while driving your car in traffic and then if you don't get killed you bring it into your main DAW is a crock of $hit ...in my book ...
How are you gonna master any deep musical skills working that way ?
OH wait I forgot in today's musical world people do not have a strong desire to work at how they play and master an instrument first to be able to hone in the performance they are gonna play before they hit the red record button ...
How silly of me to have forgotten that one
 
With all due respect to Russ hey man I'm glad your out there making videos keep up the good work ..
 
It still don't change my opinion ..that app sounded like $hit while it was the app only ...once it went into Pro Tools it still sounded like $hit ..only this time it had sprinkles  
 
I am old school musician.  I have devoted my whole life at getting good at playing the musical instruments I do play.
As I have said before on the forum , my whole thing is all about playing my guitar with absolute freedom and mastery ..
not geeking out on the browser of a DAW ..

that's my opinion , that's my story and that's what I'm sticking too ...
 
all the best,
 
Kenny
 

Hey abacab ,
 
You dig that software ? by all means knock your self out and enjoy the hell out of it
 
Kenny

abacab

kennywtelejazz
Hey abacab ,
 
You dig that software ? by all means knock your self out and enjoy the hell out of it
 
Kenny

Hey Kenny, no offense intended, was just surprised by your harsh opinion of Ignite.  It's just another tool in my box, and I have many, like you do.  Including Project 5, Waveform, and Band in a Box...
 
I look at something like Ignite, the same was as I do with Band in a Box.  Except it's easier to drag ideas around, rearrange them, etc.
 
Get some ideas down in that tool, then export some tracks to a proper DAW for finishing up with.
 
I wasn't intending to suggest it was a "complete" solution, but rather a "starter" program.  But for someone just taking the first steps to record a few ideas it's probably easier than a 4-track recorder.
 
And it does have a certain fun factor (but much simpler than Project 5 or Tracktion Waveform) where a blank track sheet in a fancy DAW can be intimidating.  Especially to newbies... and me! 

Thats exactly what I was trying to say, but you said it better! I was doing the rushed short text style in going thru too many posts. :)
All good points from everyone, just different scenarios is all.
Cheers!

AiR Ignite is definitely worth looking at.
Another dirt simple DAW with great features would be SoundBridge (formerly known as Lumit).
It's very powerful and absolutely free. I'm intrigued by its cloud collaboration option.
Check these tutorials:
https://www.youtube.com/w...1gSYxPMKbMdzA6OnqPN7EF

GregRband

abacab

kennywtelejazz
Hey abacab ,
 
You dig that software ? by all means knock your self out and enjoy the hell out of it
 
Kenny

Hey Kenny, no offense intended, was just surprised by your harsh opinion of Ignite.  It's just another tool in my box, and I have many, like you do.  Including Project 5, Waveform, and Band in a Box...
 
I look at something like Ignite, the same was as I do with Band in a Box.  Except it's easier to drag ideas around, rearrange them, etc.
 
Get some ideas down in that tool, then export some tracks to a proper DAW for finishing up with.
 
I wasn't intending to suggest it was a "complete" solution, but rather a "starter" program.  But for someone just taking the first steps to record a few ideas it's probably easier than a 4-track recorder.
 
And it does have a certain fun factor (but much simpler than Project 5 or Tracktion Waveform) where a blank track sheet in a fancy DAW can be intimidating.  Especially to newbies... and me! 

Thats exactly what I was trying to say, but you said it better! I was doing the rushed short text style in going thru too many posts. :)
All good points from everyone, just different scenarios is all.
Cheers!

OK this post is for the both of you Fine Gentlemen ...
I just got out of the hospital . i was having tests done and I have been MIA for a few days .
All is fine , yet I want to clarify a few things that may have been taken out of context ... now that I'm back ..
 
Ole Kenny over here has not had the privilege of hiking up to the top of the Mountain and having a One on One with The Almighty Burning Bush of DAW's  
 
What ever the OP needs in a DAW....I'm OK w it ...if it is out there it can be found ...
 
You know folks , it is my long held opinion that we all search until we become finders  
In some rare cases some of us enjoy being DAW searchers..( or fill in the blank for anything worth searching for )
IMHO there is an element of satisfaction  and enjoyment that can be found while pursuing the process of searching for a DAW for the sake of the search  ....paging abacab and KennyW   said w love , friendship & respect ..
 
I'm not gonna sit here and bash the above mentioned music app ...it just does not suite my needs ...
For those of you that read my rant closely my RUB was strictly about the nature of where some of the entry level DAW's are heading... that's all i meant by that  
 
 
I would love to sit here and talk more about some of the DAW's abacab mentioned ...
 
I will save that for another post ..
 
all the best,
 
Kenny