GarageBand is awesome software for those who want to record a full album with voice, instrument music, special sound effect, sound modulation etc. Available for MAC and iOS devices, GarageBand is the first choice of many professionals to create music. From Rihanna to Fall Out Boy, plenty of the biggest names in music have used GarageBand to help record their hits.
If you’re a Windows user who is flattered by GarageBand and envy fellow MAC/iOS users because this awesome music production software is not available for Windows then you don’t have to leave in this scarcity anymore. The official GarageBand audio tool might not be available for Windows but there are many awesome software which you can opt as GarageBand alternatives and use them to create awesome music. Right now, the most popular Garageband alternative is https://garagebandforpc.org/ that you should definitely check because it has all the necessary features of the official Garageband app.
However, if you want to check out other popular options that Windows users are using then scroll down the post. Many of these Garageband alternatives comes with unique features that will make your music composition even more amazing. Read on for full details!
Today, I am showcasing 20 best GarageBand alternatives for Windows which you can use to create as awesome music as you could using GarageBand music production software. The list includes free, freemium & paid alternatives to GarageBand for PC. And, we will be telling you similar & extra features of all audio software with their screenshot/image so that you’ll be able to decide which of these audio editing & music compilation software you should use.
1. LMMS
LMMS is an open-source audio editing tool which is available to download and use for free with all of its features. LMMS provides a good variety of software instruments, samples and pre-loaded effects with very appealing user interface that allows you to manage all the advance settings & instruments easily and create your music straight away. Using the software, you can conveniently compose new music, sequence, mix and automate songs as well as ensure chords, melodies and patterns are fine tuned using the Piano Roll Editor. If you want, you can drag your audio files to edit and enhance them.
2. FL Studio
Previously known as FruitLoops, FL Studio is a digital audio workstation which provides a complete software music production environment to compose, arrange, record, edit, mix and master professional quality music. You are provided with beats and tones of several musical instruments which you can drag and arrange in audio timelines, mix & modulate them to create the exact music that you desire. This awesome music creation software is available to try for free and once you’ve tested it enough and are satisfied with its functionalities, you can buy it on the desired package you like which ranges from $99 to $899.
3. Reaper
REAPER is a complete digital audio production application for Windows and OS X, offering a full multitrack audio and MIDI recording, editing, processing, mixing and mastering toolset. It supports a vast range of hardware, digital formats and plugins, and can be comprehensively extended, scripted and modified. REAPER’s full, flexible feature set and renowned stability have found a home wherever digital audio is used: commercial and home studios, broadcast, location recording, education, science and research, sound design, game development, and more. Free trial version available with a price of $60 for paid version.
4. Cubase
Cubase is one of the most popular digital audio workstations of our time. Due to its pristine sound quality, intuitive handling and unrivaled range of advanced tools, Cubase is not only considered by many users as the most complete DAW on the market today, but also sets the benchmark for contemporary music production software. It is one of the most popular alternatives to GarageBand app available for MAC & iOS. Don’t only listen, try Cubase by yourself using its free trial version and when you are satisfied with its functionalities, go for any of the paid versions that you like – Cubase Pro, Cubase Artist & Cubase Elements.
5. Sony Sound Forge
Sound Forge™ Audio Studio is perfect for recording, editing, and energizing music and sound. Digitize, repair, and restore rare records and tapes, produce podcasts and karaoke tracks, burn CDs, and render out all the right formats for playback from any source. Give your tracks high-end sonic impact with classic Sound Forge tools. Capture your performance at best quality, use Sound Forge’s advanced editing tools to give your audio tracks presence & sparkles
6. Soundation Studio
Soundation is a powerful online music studio with professional features like recording, effects, virtual instruments and over 700 free loops and sounds. If can be used directly through a web browser so you can use this online music creation software in MAC, Windows & Linux to quickly generate awesome music via your desktop PC. You can either create your own music by selecting instruments & their tune sets or you can drag your own audio here and add music to it. It is a free & quick alternative to GarageBand.
7. AudioTool
AudioTool is another very cool browser-based music creation software. You can create amazing music, mix, soundtracks using this online tool without having to download any software. It is fully free and offers variety of advanced tools which are easy for both professional and amateur music creators to create awesome music. You can either produce your own music, add/modify/enhance music in your own recorded audio track or remix audios provided by AudioTool and learn tools by modifying them.
8. WaveShop
WaveShop is a free, open-source audio editor for Windows. It is fast, lightweight, and bit-perfect (meaning samples aren’t altered unless they need to be). Editing a portion of an audio file only affects that portion; the rest of the file is untouched. Blocks of audio can be cut and pasted without changing their contents at all. This is especially useful for patching a finished master without corrupting its dither. WaveShop’s features include peak, RMS and spectral analysis, normalizing, fading, sample rate conversion, audio generation, plug-ins, and more, all with unlimited undo and comprehensive help.
9. Sony ACID Pro
The legendary application that started loop-based music creation, ACID Pro 7 is a DAW powerhouse that combines full multitrack recording and mixing, MIDI sequencing, and looping functionality for a seamless studio production environment. More creative partner than production tool, ACID Pro 7 software inspires like nothing else. With its Transparent Technology™ design, ACID Pro 7 software removes typical barriers to the creative workflow so you can effortlessly transform ideas into real results.
ACID Pro features including real-time pitch/tempo transposition during playback and preview, unlimited tracks, and our signature pick/paint/play interface. ACID Pro 7 software also includes more than 3,000 Sony Sound Series loops and 90 virtual instruments so you can start creating music right out of the box. It is available with a free trial of 30 days to test & evaluate the product. After that, if you want to use ACID Pro, you need to buy its license.
10. Ableton Live
Ableton has had a long reputation for making excellent audio software and Ableton Live is their star app. Ableton Live allows you to manage all the processes of audio production, from beat creation to adjustments, recording, and live sets. Ableton Live features a powerful combination of sequencer and sampler with a library full of instruments, MIDI, and audio effects to start working with. Create music in real time, on stage, or while producing in the studio, with Ableton Live. You can try Ableton Live for free and the PRO version is available at affordable price too.
11. Propellerhead Reason
Reason is easy to get started with, yet as deep as you want it to be. Create, compose, mix and finish your music–Reason will help you along the journey, from inspiration to mix-down. Synthesizers, drum machines, samplers and tons of sounds and samples to go with them, Reason won’t leave you wishing when it comes to instruments. Click and drag the sounds and instruments you want to the rack and just play. Everything is set up for you automatically. A free trial is available and two different paid versions are available at $69 & $399 according to your needs.
12. Mixcraft
Mixcraft 8 is driven by a new, lightning-fast sound engine, featuring advanced audio and MIDI routing, native sidechaining, and Audio Control, an innovative new feature allowing audio signals to control instrument and effect parameters. It is packed with high-end features including live performance panel recording, nested submixes, track grouping, and so much more. Over 7,500 loops, music beds, sound effects, and samples for fast and easy professional music production. You can edit both audio & video with it to enhance both audio/video to the professional demands. You can try Mixcraft 8 for free and once satisfied but its PRO versions to continue creating music with Mixcraft 8.
13. MAGIX Music Maker Jam
Make your own music & share it with the world with MAGIX Music Maker Jam. Whether you’re into hip hop, dubstep, rock or EDM, a complete range of over 100 music styles and an 8-channel mixer give you plenty of room to express your creativity. Music Maker JAM offers intuitive controls and amazing results. Choose from thousands of professional loops and bring your musical ideas to life. Record your own vocals and give your songs the right mix with the 8-channel mixer. All your loops stay perfectly on the beat as you put your songs together. No previous experience is required at all. Magix Music Maker Jam is available to use for free. Do you still want to wait? 😉
14. Stagelight
Stagelight is the easiest and fastest way to create music on your Windows, Android and macOS devices. Whether you want to make beats, mix loops or create full songs with vocal tracks, Stagelight makes music creation fun and easy for people of all ages and skill levels. Best of all we’ve made Stagelight available for anyone to get started, completely for FREE.
15. TrakAxPC
trakAxPC allows you to edit and mix audio, video, and photos. Whatever you want to create, with trakaxPC you have the tools you need to make something amazing. You can make a full movie using the software by adding video, photo and audio files. For all of them, TrakAxPC provides a variety of tools. Sound can be professionally edited and modified too. So, audio editor or music creation software fall short against your requireent to edit videos too, this is a software to try.
16. Bitwig Studio
Bitwig Studio is a multi-platform music-creation system for production, performance, and DJing, with a focus on flexible editing tools and a super-fast workflow. It comes loaded with industry-standard to industry-leading features, designed to meet the demands of present day musicians, producers and sound designers. Use the software in creation and performance of your musical ideas on stage or in the studio.
17. Anvil Studio
Anvil Studio is a multitrack MIDI and audio editing, digital audio workstation program for Windows. The software is available for free and provides multi-track MIDI/Audio recording & editing, VST Effects & Instruments, automation. Options for Sheet Music printing, music theory, ear training are also provided to better edit & optimize audio tracks. Each song you create can have up to 16 audio tracks of unlimited length, and you can record up to 8 audio tracks simultaneously if you have enough audio input ports.
18. Tracktion
If you find conventional DAWs intimidatingly complex or unaffordable, Tracktion could be the perfect alternative. It is a very easy to use DAW software which provides advanced audio editing with virtual instruments to be added and enhanced in your sound tracks. The software is very popular among music creators. New versions are free to try with paid full-feature versions but the old version T5 is available for free with all of its features. So, you really need to check and test this software.
19. Avid Pro Tools
Create music or sound for film/TV and connect with a premier network of artists, producers, and mixers around the world with Pro Tools. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a professional studio anywhere that isn’t centered around Avid’s Pro Tools software. Pro Tools is the most popular recording software on the planet. From powerful new loop-based music creation and trying ideas via Revision History, to timesaving workflows that simplify editing and post production, Pro Tools enables you to create at the speed of your imagination—without limits.
Pro Tools includes VCA Masters, Disk Cache, extended metering, and other advanced features, you can mix smarter and faster than ever. It comes packed with over 60 amazing virtual instruments, effects, and sound processing plug-ins, so you can sound your best. Plus, get access to 17 additional brand-new bonus plug-ins.
20. energyXT
energyXT is a portable music creation software which you can carry in a flash drive to use wherever you want. With energyXT you can focus on the music, instead of becoming distracted by tons of features you don’t need. With energyXT you will be creating tracks faster than with any other music application. It comes with 400 loops and 32 multi-sampled instruments from Loopmasters.
- Unlimited tracks of midi, drums and audio
- Multi-track direct-to-disc audio recording
- High quality pitch-shifting and time-stretching using elastique
- Import wav, aif, mid, mp3 (lame) and rex/rx2 loops
- Audio bounce, freeze and multi-track export
- Built-in effects and synthesizer with sample support
- Supports VST instruments and effects
- Mixer with group channels and unlimited insert and send effects
- Clip based automation of mixer and VST plugin parameters
…and many amazing features are provided with energyXT which makes it capable of producing any music you have imagined in your wildest dream.
So, these are the best audio editing software available for Windows which you can use to generate music of the same level which you can generate using MAC or iOS device’s GarageBand. We’ve done our best to create this list but still, if we overlooked any software that you find awesome in editing audio, please mention it in the comments section below.
