best free recording software

[mid_life_crisis]

/snip/
With its low costs, frequent updates, and high quality, I don't quite understand how Reaper makes money?

By allowing people just starting out to purchase it for home use for short money, they hope that when some of them go pro they'll do the right thing and pony up the money for a commercial license. Mostly though, if they get enough people to buy it and have frequent major upgrades, say two a year, you'll be paying $50 every year as a home user or $250 a year as a pro. Frequent upgrades turn it into almost a yearly subscription if you want to stay current.
Thinking of which, I'm rather disgusted with how many posters are obviously concerned with finding out how to use shareware for free indefinitely. Someone puts a lot of effort into making a quality product, they deserve to get paid for it.
That's the problem with the honor system: not everybody has any.

 

[optikhog]

In addition, if they get enough people to buy it and have frequent major upgrades, say two a year, you'll be paying $50 every year as a home user or $250 a year as a pro. Frequent upgrades turn it into almost a yearly subscription.

That's a big *if*. To date I've only seen one major update to Reaper in the 1.5 years I've owned a license for it, so at this rate it'll be another 3 years before I'd have to pay anything to get the latest. Plus, as stated in the agreement, you don't *have* to pay for an upgrade if you do not wish and still have a very powerful piece of software.

 

[mid_life_crisis]

That's a big *if*. To date I've only seen one major update to Reaper in the 1.5 years I've owned a license for it, so at this rate it'll be another 3 years before I'd have to pay anything to get the latest. Plus, as stated in the agreement, you don't *have* to pay for an upgrade if you do not wish and still have a very powerful piece of software.

Absolutely. I was simply pointing out a possible marketing strategy. The website makes it sound like major upgrades are more frequent than that. I believe the quote is something like "our famous frequent upgrades".
Until I saw it here, I had never heard of this product. Based on what I have read about it, when I get to the point where I actually need decent software, this is the one I will try first.
Do they advertise?
Relying on word of mouth (or word of forum in this case) instead of expensive marketing campaigns keeps their costs down I'm sure.
Another consideration is that they might just be trying to earn a decent living by helping out the musical community, not get rich off it. The end goal makes a world of difference.

 

[optikhog]

Absolutely. I was simply pointing out a possible marketing strategy. The website makes it sound like major upgrades are more frequent than that. I believe the quote is something like "our famous frequent upgrades".

Ahh, understood. Yep, they release "patches" on a very frequent basis, but major releases are seldom thus far.

I have turned many old-school studio guys onto Reaper and most of them have stuck with it - great software!

 

[projectMalamute]

You mean the $50? Cheap compared to the time it takes to program your own (if you can). Better because it allows the company to upgrade their product and support you.

There is lots of buggy, free software on the interweb stuck in 2004, no updates or support available.

No, I mean the 400 bucks for Sonar, or the 1800 bucks for Nuendo.

 

[Perla Walker]

The following best free guitar recording programming choices let you jam up with your number one instrument. Recording your executioner performances or a band execution has never been simpler. Additionally, you can do this load of activities without dishing out a solitary penny. Invalid Link Removed recording software

 

[NoiseNinja]

Reaper hands down!

I prefer it to Cubase 5, which I also own.

Reaper got all the features of just about any other commercial DAW, and I personally really like it's user interface.

It also comes with all the essential VST effects, and great ones at that too.

You can download it here: REAPER | Audio Production Without Limits

After the free trial period you still have a fully functional program, no restrictions whatsoever, you just have to wait 5 seconds or so after opening the program to use it, if you are impatient though and don't want to have to wait 5 seconds before you can use the program after loading it, or just think the right thing to do is to support this kind offer it's ridiculously cheap compared to what most commercial DAW cost.

For additional VST effects there are plenty of great free ones out there, just do a Google search on "Free VST".

 

[cassanova]

IMO, Cakewalk is the best free DAW going.

 

[seamonkey]

This is also free
Tracks Live – Multitrack Recording Software | Waves
It's a minimalist daw, meant for live recording.