An online DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) usually has less features than a desktop version. The benefits are that you don't have to download the software and can run it on the web. The drawbacks are that it is often has limited functionality and also if relies on a fast computer and a fast internet connection to work well. Common examples of online DAWs are, BANDLAB, SOUNDTRAP, AMPED STUDIO, SOUNDATION.

Desktop Applications

There are lots of desktop DAWS, such as PROTOOLS, LOGIC, CUBASE. They all share common features such as:

The ability to record audio
Software Instruments (triggered by MIDI)
Automation
Plugins (such as EQ, reverb, delay, compression, distortion etc)
Library of Audio and MIDI loops
Ability to export project to audio formats (mp3 and Wav)
Templates to create project from

Analogue to Digital Conversion

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The analog-to-digital conversion process is called quantization and it's very similar to the way cameras capture video. A video camera reconstructs a continuous moment in time by capturing thousands of consecutive images per second, called frames. The higher the frame rate, the smoother the movie. In digital audio, an anlog-to-digital converter captures thousands of audio samples per second at a specified sample rate and bit depth to reconstruct the original signal. The higher the sample rate and bit depth, the higher the audio resolution.

Audio Bit Depth

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In digital audio using pulse-code modulation (PCM), bit depth is the number of bits of information in each sample, and it directly corresponds to the resolution of each sample. Examples of bit depth include Compact Disc Digital Audio, which uses 16 bits per sample, and DVD-Audio and Blu-ray Disc which can support up to 24 bits per sample.

In basic terms this means how much digital information is stored each time the audio wave is sampled.

Sample Rate Settings

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Sample rate is the number of samples per second that are taken of a waveform to create a discete digital signal. The higher the sample rate, the more snapshots you capture of the audio signal. The audio sample rate is measured in kilohertz (kHz) and it determines the range of frequencies captured in digital audio. In most DAWs, you’ll find an adjustable sample rate in your audio preferences. This controls the sample rate for audio in your project.

A sample rate of 44.1kHz is known as CD quality, so this is a high quality audio. The computer takes a snapshot of the sound wave 44,100 time a second.

Buffer Size Settings

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Buffer Size Settings

Buffer size determines how fast the computer processor can handle the input and output of information.

When your buffer size is lower, the computer handles information very quickly, it takes more system resources, and it's quite strenuous on the computer processor.

In order to use fewer system resources, you can increase the buffer size so that the computer processor handles information slower.

Which Buffer Setting Should You Use, And When?

The buffer setting you want depends on what tasks you need your computer to handle.

When recording, you'll want to avoid latency, which is when the input you give your computer is delayed. So if you were recording vocals, you voice would sound delayed in your monitors.

Therefore, when recording, you'll want a buffer size of 128, or maybe 256 max.

When you are mixing and mastering, latency doesn't matter because everything has already been recorded. You'll also be needing your computer to handle all of your plugins and tracks, so you'll want to increase the buffer to the max of 1024.

What is Latency?

Latency is the term that describes the delay time it takes for an audio signal to be processed by a computer. An example of latency would be, if you were to plug a microphone in to a computer and be listening back to it through headphones, you would be able to hear a delay.

Software Instruments

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Software instruments are virtual instrument in a DAW. They can be created by software synthesizers or instruments. They are triggered by MIDI data which could be drawn in with a pencil tool or played in using a MIDI controller (keyboard, drum kit, pad controller etc)

What are the key features of a software instrument track?

A software instrument track works by using MIDI data to create sound. This can be inputted using a MIDI controller or using the draw tool in a DAW, the software instrument is triggered by MIDI data.
You can load default synth sounds using the menu system or you can load up synth and then customise the sound.
You could also load a sampler on to a software instrument track
MIDI data is not sound just data, so files are small in size.
Individual sounds can be edited easily, notes can be changed in pitch or moved to different beats, quantising can also be used.

Software Synths

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Logic Pro has quite a few different synths and they vary in terms of complexity. There are key controls that are universal to most synths though and the main controls are outlined here. Like most parameters in logic you can automate any of the controls below. Using touch automation would be a good way of creating an automation lane for synth controls. Click here to find out more.

Below is a video guide to the concepts of Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release. This is on a hardware synth but the same applies to software synths.

Sampler

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A sampler is a digital device or program that can capture, store, and play back audio samples. The device has been around for decades and has become an essential part of creating music in various genres, predominantly hip-hop, house, and techno. Samplers are used to create unique sounds from audio sources by manipulating the sound waves and blending them with other samples or instruments to create something new.

Samplers are commonly used to transform a sound into a new instrument. Music producers can, for example, sample a drum sound or a guitar note from an old recording — called a one-shot. This sampled one-shot can then be tweaked and manipulated inside the sampler and used to build a drum pattern or melody for a brand-new song.

Samplers are also often used to capture entire instrumental and/or vocal snippets from other recordings and reused over a new production — called loop sampling. This is very common in Hip Hop and Electronic music where producers will sample one or more bars of older recordings and loop that sample over a new drum beat and bassline.

A hardware sampler is a physical device that allows users to capture audio samples from other sound sources such as vinyl records and CDs. One of the earliest and perhaps most known digital hardware samplers was the AKAI MPC60 (1988).

Software samplers are digital programs that allow users to create and manipulate audio samples using their computer or mobile device. You simply import your audio file into your DAW software and program the sample using a digital plugin. Most DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations) offer some variation of a sampler instrument in the interface.

This is the default software sampler in Logic.

Here is a video from the great Jono Buchanan demonstrating a sampler in Logic

Editing Tools

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Here are some basic editing shortcuts:

Cut-cmd X

Copy-cmd C

Paste-cmd V

Copy and Paste- Using the option/alt key to click and drag

These are the basic region editing tools (one of the green or blue box areas in the main project window)

It is good practice to keep the arrow as your primary tool and use the secondary tool to switch between the tools listed to the left.

Holding a cmd button will activate the secondary tool.

Alternatively pressing the t key will bring up the tools.

Here are a some excellent videos that talk about basic MIDI editing techniques, software instruments and drum programming.

Automation

This is a great introduction to what automation is and how you can use it in a track. It talks about how to use volume automation as well as how to automate effects and filters.