A digital audio workstation, or DAW, is the heart of making music with a computer. DAWs are available for all major operating systems and offer everything you need for modern music production: Audio and MIDI multitrack recording, virtual instruments, effects, an audio mixer, and a music notation editor. But do you really need all that just to play a software piano?
A digital audio workstation offers fantastic opportunities to get creative with your computer. Basically, the idea is to move the entire music production process to the computer – think of a physical recording studio in a completely virtual form.
Of course, if you just want to play piano with software, you may not need such an overkill of features. However, some software pianos are only available as plug-ins and can only be used in a so-called host environment. So: What exactly does all this mean and how can you best use it?
DAWs are often referred to as audio/MIDI sequencers. This means that with a DAW, you can record, arrange, and play back both audio and MIDI data on separate tracks.
MIDI tracks can control not only external keyboards but also virtual instruments like piano VSTs, drums, synthesizers, samplers, and more. This versatility makes DAWs so valuable for keyboard players: They open up a world of sounds to explore while also handling everyday tasks, like editing MIDI files or creating arrangements for piano practice.
Other components, such as a mixer, effects, EQs, compressors, etc., allow you to mix all the signals into one complete sound.
Online articles, guides, and reviews have answered this question time and time again. With some background knowledge, these are of course understandable and hence useful. However, the many technical aspects can be a real challenge for beginners. And with the vast array of digital audio workstations available today, it is generally almost impossible to tell which DAW is best for you.
In general, any DAW is great to work with – you’ll find fun sounds, beats, and grooves, and get to make some great music. However, the programs differ conceptually – here is a brief, very superficial overview.
Recording Pros: Steinberg Cubase, Apple Logic Pro, Presonus Studio One, Avid Pro Tools – these are the classic recording tools. These are professional-grade but offer too many features for beginners.
Live Players & Creators: DAWs like Ableton Live and Bitwig Studio take a different approach to audio, MIDI, and sound design. Both fully embrace drag-and-drop functionality with pattern-oriented session views, making it quick and intuitive to create your own grooves. However, don’t underestimate these DAWs – they are still complex, powerful tools.
The world of software instruments for songwriting and sound design, as well as for playing and practicing the piano, is equally diverse. A good example of this is the virtual instruments in Toontrack’s EZ series, such as EZdrummer, EZkeys, and EZbass.
One of the many benefits of a DAW is that it combines all of these features into a single application. In addition, universal interfaces – the most popular being VST – allow you to expand your DAW with additional software instruments and sound libraries.
Piano VSTs, in particular, add world-class piano sounds to your DAW. Since the selection here is huge, it can be quite confusing for beginners. To help you make sense of it all, these two PIANOO.com articles will give you an overview:
→ Free Piano VSTs
→ Which Is the Best Piano VST?
DAWs are generally available for Mac and PC, and some even support Linux. There are also DAWs for mobile devices – not only handy for playing piano on the go, but increasingly a viable option for live performances. Be aware of some limitations, however, as mobile DAWs don’t offer all the features of professional DAWs for Mac or PC.
The reduced complexity of mobile DAWs makes them particularly appealing to beginners. However, good music apps are primarily available for iOS. While this may be a limitation, you don’t need the most expensive iPad; even the smallest current model can be more than sufficient for making great music.
Software pianos sound more realistic and enjoyable when played on a good hammer-action keyboard. If you own a digital piano, you already have a high-quality MIDI controller for playing virtual instruments in a DAW—especially piano VSTs.
Whether it’s a home piano, a portable piano, or a stage piano, the simplest way to connect to a DAW is through the USB-to-host port. Most modern digital pianos support USB-MIDI, and some can even connect wirelessly via Bluetooth-MIDI.
Because Bluetooth generally suffers from at least some latency, it’s best to use a USB cable connection. Before you can record with your digital piano’s keyboard, you’ll need to register it as a MIDI source in your DAW. This process varies slightly between DAWs, but it generally involves manual setup in the MIDI settings. DAWs on iPad have an advantage in this regard, as they often work seamlessly right out of the box with a plug-and-play setup.
In general, DAWs save these MIDI settings, so you only need to set up your digital piano once, and it should work seamlessly thereafter.
Technically, you can avoid using an audio interface and rely on your computer’s internal audio hardware (sound card). This setup is generally sufficient for playing a piano VST. While this works well on a Mac; it can lead to driver issues on a PC, resulting in poorer sound quality. Nonetheless, combining a digital piano with a DAW involves managing two separate audio systems: The output from the digital piano and the output from the computer. The easiest way to merge these is by connecting both devices to a mixing console.
If you have a digital piano with USB audio/MIDI capability, you can easily integrate it with your DAW. A simple USB cable is all you need to get started.
→ Find an overview of digital pianos with USB audio/MIDI capability on our Thomann landing page*.
In general, you should use a good audio interface when working with a DAW, especially when recording or setting up a home studio. An audio/MIDI interface is ideal for connecting studio monitors and headphones. While a small audio interface with two inputs and two outputs is technically sufficient, additional equipment needs will depend on your specific recording goals and plans.
Limited Edition: Most manufacturers offer special or limited editions that provide a selected set of features to help you get started. If you want additional features later on, you can often upgrade to a full version at a discounted price. Additionally, Limited Editions (LE) are frequently bundled with other devices. So, if you need to purchase an audio interface, microphone, speakers, or similar equipment, an bundled LE version can be a cost-effective way to get started.
Free DAWs: It’s worth considering free DAWs, which cost you nothing and may still be sufficient for getting started. However, these versions often have limited functionality. For example, GarageBand, Apple’s lighter version of Logic Pro does not support third-party plug-ins, making it unsuitable for playing piano VSTs.
You don’t need a DAW to play piano with iOS apps like PurePiano. However, if you’re interested in recording on the iPad, you should consider Steinberg Cubasis, as Apple’s GarageBand app doesn’t support external AU plug-ins.
Cubasis is a versatile music program that makes both external instruments and its own sound library easily accessible. While Cubasis’ basic piano sounds are just fine for songwriting, you may want higher-quality options for actually playing the piano.
You can, for example, integrate piano apps like Pure Piano by e-Instruments or Ravenscroft Piano 275 into an instrument track in Cubasis. This is especially useful for recording your performance, such as to review your practice of new etudes.
Development began in the early 1980s as computers like the Commodore 64 and Atari ST became more affordable. While the performance of these computers was far from that of modern laptops or tablets, the first MIDI sequencers were quite powerful, thanks in part to the newly established MIDI standard in 1984. Steinberg 24 and C-Lab Creator/Notator were among the first MIDI sequencers available for the Atari ST.
Initially, the focus was on MIDI recording, as hard disk recording was very expensive at the time. In the 1990s, Steinberg introduced the term “DAW” with Virtual Studio Technology (VST), creating the first software environment to integrate MIDI and audio recording with virtual instruments and effects. This innovation was groundbreaking and laid the foundation for all DAW software today. Whether on a PC, Mac, tablet or smartphone, every DAW adheres to this fundamental principle.
Studio One is designed for both arranging and recording and it combines a traditional DAW with a modern workflow. While it is quite powerful, it may not be ideal for beginners, so the smaller ‘Artist’ version is a better choice for those starting out.
Basically GarageBand’s big brother, Logic Pro is a full-featured DAW with tons of instruments, effects, sounds, and loops for a relatively low price. If you’re using a Mac and want a DAW with a classic arrangement workflow, Logic Pro is an excellent choice for a full-featured solution. Like GarageBand, Logic Pro is also available for iPad.
In a way, Bitwig Studio is the best of both worlds: Arrangement- and loop-based, Bitwig Studio allows you to work intuitively with instruments, effects, loops, and clips. While the modular approach and flexibility are remarkable, they can also be challenging for beginners. We therefore recommend the smallest version, Bitwig Studio Essentials.
Ableton Live is all about loop-based recording and live performance. It offers beginners an easy introduction to digital music production. For those looking for a more affordable option, the smaller Ableton Live Intro version is also a great choice.
The Hamburg-based company offers several versions of its software, each with a different level of functionality compared to Cubase Pro. If you are looking for stock instruments and a wide range of sounds, you should consider Cubase Artist or Cubase Elements. On the other hand, if your main interest is in using third-party piano VSTs, the more basic versions – Cubase LE and Cubase AI – will probably meet your needs.
If you’re only installing a few instruments, you probably don’t need to worry about this, as installations usually run smoothly and automatically. However, if you like to try out a lot of plug-ins (e.g. free piano VSTs), it’s helpful to understand the folder structure.
Plug-ins are stored as files within the operating system. While the exact locations vary between Windows and MacOS, folders for VST, VST3, AU and AAX formats are typically created during DAW and/or plug-in installation. On MacOS, these folders are located in Library/Audio/Plug-Ins.
On Windows, the location can vary depending on the system version, but plug-in folders are usually located in C:\Program Files\Common Files.
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