MusicRadar

Reaper 3: your new favourite DAW?

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In a shock result, MusicRadar users have voted Cockos's Reaper their favourite DAW (Digital Audio Workstation).

The software, which is currently at version 3, is famed for its low system footprint (the installer is just a few megabytes in size) and intuitive workflow, and has quickly built up a loyal army of users.

Many of these are musicians who've turned to Reaper out of frustration with other DAWs, a fact acknowledged by Cockos on its website.

"If you currently use another DAW, you might be reading this because you're contemplating shelling out $150 for the next overhyped version that doesn't address any of the bugs you've been complaining about for five years while adding a bunch of features you couldn't care less about," says the developer.

When explaining why their software is different, Cockos says: "For starters, Reaper is coded by a small group of dedicated engineers, not multiple software units under the central command of product marketing. That means Reaper is lean, efficient, and stable.

"Reaper starts up and is ready to record in seconds, balances processing loads intelligently across multicore systems, and doesn't fall over when you start to tax it. That means you spend more time recording and editing, instead of staring at the startup splash screen."

If you're keen to find out more, you can demo a fully functional version of Reaper 3 for 30 days. Should you wish to continue using the software after this time, a discounted license (check the Cockos website to find out if you qualify) will cost you $60.

Click here to read about the 11 best DAW software apps, as voted for by MusicRadar users.