12 Best Free Music Maker Software to Create Quality Music

The music industry is developing rapidly, and high-quality audio can quickly become popular on the Internet, whether it’s a song, background music, or simply a sound effect. Making music sounds like a very professional thing. Expensive music-producing equipment can put newbies off the hook. Today’s music-making software makes it easy for novices to record audio and create music. This article will introduce you to the 12 best free music maker software suitable for beginners. If you’re trying it for the first time, having this type of software can make your job more effective. These desktop music makers will be displayed in the following.

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1. Audacity

Audacity is a free, open-source music maker available for multiple platforms and systems, like Windows, Mac, and Linux. Although it is a desktop audio production & audio recording software, it can create professional studio recording effects. With it, you can record high-quality audio or edit audio files, such as mixing audio tracks, adding special effects, rendering the output as one, etc. It is currently the tool of choice for many professional musicians and live streamers.

In addition, Audacity supports importing and exporting various forms of music files, such as MP3, WAV, AIFF, etc. It also allows users to pick and adjust the parameters of the exported file. The only downside is that its user interface contains plenty of obscure tools, and it takes some time to really get used to this software.

All in all, if free and professional audio-making software is exactly what you’re looking for, then don’t miss out on this Audacity.

Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Free and open source to use Both for beginners and pros Support various audio formats	Mixed operating icons; need time to learn how to use it.

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows, macOS, Linux

You can download Audacity from its official website here: https://www.audacityteam.org/.

2. GarageBand

GarageBand is the inbuilt music making software on Mac computers. Apple users can access it and edit audio files with it for free. You can use GarageBand to record, play, rearrange, and mix audio. It is just like an all-featured music creation studio that offers you a complete sound library, including instruments, guitars, and a range of session drummer and percussion sounds. The professional and concise user interface allows you to operate quickly and produce beautiful audio effects, even if you are new to music production. It enables you to make an audio file with up to 255 tracks. Moreover, with its iCloud feature, you can preserve the edited files in the cloud without taking up the storage space of your PC. However, unfortunately, Windows users and users on other systems are not able to access this software. It is one of the best choices if you are a Mac user.

Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Friendly for beginners Cloud storage of the edited files Multiple effects to select	Only for Apple related devices

Price: Free

Compatibility: macOS, iOS

You can download GarageBand from Apple Store: https://www.apple.com/mac/garageband/.

3. Waveform

Waveform is an all-in-one music maker compatible with many platforms. It provides users with a free version to use. And this free version doesn’t lack core audio production tools. It provides you with an unlimited number of audio and MIDI tracks to choose from. You can use it to edit audio, compose music with MIDI controllers, add audio effects, and more. In addition, it supports adjusting audio parameters, allowing you to output high-quality audio files. But if you’re downloading and installing the software for the first time, you’ll need to create an account and enter your account details when logging in so you can enjoy all the features the software needs to make music. At this point, it is a bit troublesome to use.

Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Multiple music making features Numerous audio and MIDI to select	Need to create a new account and log in

Price: Free version available

Compatibility: Windows, macOS, Linux

You can download Waveform from its official website here: https://www.tracktion.com/products/waveform-free.

4. Cakewalk

Cakewalk is a free music maker software for Windows. It can be called one of the oldest music editors, with more than 30 years of development support. You can use it to create, record, edit, mix, master, and share music, and more. Cakewalk offers complete music mixing package, including instrument sounds, special effects, tool sounds, and everything else you need for music. The software also includes unlimited MIDI and audio tracks for recordings, as well as a full set of editing tools. Deservedly, it is one of the best free music maker software. But you need to note that Cakewalk is only suitable for Windows systems, and users of other platforms cannot enjoy its features. In addition, to get Cakewalk, loops, sounds, and more, you need to download BandLab and create an account. Some instrument and effects packs can also be downloaded in the BandLab app.

Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Complete instrument and effects pack Unlimited audio track	Need to download BandLab to get more sounds Only for Windows users

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows only

You can download Cakewalk from its official website here: https://www.bandlab.com/products/cakewalk.

5. LMMS

LMMS is an all around music production application that supports macOS, Windows, and Linux. Both beginners and professional musicians can choose this software. What’s different is that LMMS uses multiple windows to help you create your music. With it, you can edit melodies with instrument synthesizers, create rhythms with metronomes, synthesize sound effects with mixers, and much more. LMMS also offers a wide variety of audio tracks and MIDI for you to choose from. In addition, this software can export audio files that are compatible with third-party programs, such as MP3, AIFF, WAV, etc. But one disadvantage is that LMMS can’t record audio directly; you need to use other recording software to record and generate an audio file and then upload it to this software.

Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Generate multiple windows to make a song Offer various instrument synthesizers	Cannot record audio directly

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows, macOS, Linux

You can download LMMS from its official website here: https://lmms.io/.

6. Ardour

Ardour is also a powerful music maker software. It is available on Windows, Mac, and Linux. In contrast, Ardour is more suitable for professional groups. It makes recording, cutting, editing, and mixing easy, but the software itself is not easy to operate. It consists of various tools and plugins, so the user interface looks rather cluttered. Beginners need to spend time understanding the purpose of each tool, so it is not recommended for beginners. Aside from its difficult operability, it is very powerful and can produce high-quality audio effects, and you can even use it for movie soundtracks. Basically, you can use this professional music maker to edit (move, stretch, copy, paste, delete, align, trim, crossfade, etc.), mix (mute, solo, fader, automate, EQ, dynamics, insert, etc.) and export dedicated audio files.

Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Modify audio files with no limits	Complicated user interface Too many plug-ins Not friendly for beginners

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows, macOS, Linux

You can download Ardour from its official website here: https://ardour.org/.

7. SyndtSphere

SyndtSphere is an entry-level audio production tool. It has an innovative interface design that combines audio synthesis and sphere concepts. Users who are used to the interface of traditional audio production software may not get quite used to it at first. As a polyphonic synthesizer tool, SyndtSphere loads more than 70 presets. Let musicians surf between these presets freely. In addition to its unique user interface, its built-in audio tools are also quite innovative. It offers an impressive range of sound dives. The unique warp feature allows you to design sound effects. Once you are familiar with the operation of the software, you may be addicted to its versatility and creativity.

Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Friendly for beginners Easy and quick to modify music files 70+ professionally made presets	Innovated user interface; need time to be used to it

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, iOS

You can download SyndtSphere from its official website here: https://klevgrand.com/products/syndtsphere.

8. Soundbridge

Soundbridge is a very easy to operate music maker. SoundBridge provides touchscreen device support, so new users can more quickly learn about how to use it. In addition, it offers a powerful set of audio editing tools as well as a free and comprehensive sound sample library. In addition, its website also provides a variety of tutorials for beginners to learn. It is indeed a newbie-friendly music producing tool. But to download the software, you need to create an account on their website and log in, which can be cumbersome to operate and require you to provide some personal information.

Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Easily edit and mix audio files Support touchscreen devices Friendly for new beginners	Need to create an account and log in

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows, macOS

You can download Soundbridge from its official website here: https://soundbridge.io/.

9. Hydrogen

Hydrogen is another best free music maker that is deserved to recommend. It is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux. With its intuitive user interface, new users can operate it with no effort. At the same time, Hydrogen has a wealth of features that can be used to create all types of songs, and the top-notch mixer features and line sequencer make this software stand out from many competitors. It also offers embedded scripting capabilities for you to produce high-quality music. However, Hydrogen can only be seen as a music editor. It doesn’t provide an audio recorder tool.

Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Advanced music editing features Add multiple instrument layers simultaneously	Cannot record audio files

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows, macOS, Linux

You can download Hydrogen from its official website here: http://hydrogen-music.org/.

10. Qtractor

Qtractor is a versatile music production software that is only accessible on the Linux system. It is totally free to use. The software includes a large number of features and audio effects, as well as support for standard MIDI files, non-linear editing, multi-track tape recorder controls, and more. In addition, there are no limits on the number of the audio track and MIDI. Qtractor allows you to export the edited audio in MP3 format or other formats and guarantees high-quality audio results. For newbies on the Linux devices, it is one of the best free music maker software, which is effective and reliable.

Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Provide multiple audio tracks Support standard MIDI files	Only for the Linux system

Price: Free

Compatibility: Linux only

You can download Qtractor from its official website here: https://qtractor.org/qtractor-downloads.html#Downloads.

11. Darkwave Studio

Darkwave Studio is a lightweight and free music editing software for Windows systems. Its application only takes a few MB, so that it won’t take up too much space on your computer. It provides users with multiple music editing modes to choose from. You can edit digital music patterns using pattern editing mode. You can also select a sequence editing mode to mix audio files. In addition, it can also be used to record audio in real-time. Furthermore, Darkwave Studio also offers a number of different plugins to add virtual effects to tracks. As a free and lightweight audio editor, it has done a great job. However, there are advertising pop-ups during the editing process. If it doesn’t matter in your eyes, it is a great choice to make music.

Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Multiple music patterns to select It provides a lightweight program Various plugins to add virtual effects	A little challenging to use Ads on the user interface

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows only

You can download Darkwave Studio from its official website here: https://www.experimentalscene.com/software/darkwave-studio/.

12. Mixxx

Mixxx is a software dedicated to making DJ music. It is free to use. With this software, you can add a mixed effect to your audio clips. It also supports adding custom audio effects and compositing your own music database. Its user interface is also very novel, supporting the design of your own interface. Mixxx supports the input and output of audio files in various formats, and it can also import stream music over the Internet. Music can be imported directly from the video streaming platform. It is now compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Support customizing audio effect Comprehensive audio mixing tool Support importing from streaming platforms	Not for audio recording Mainly for making DJ music

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows only

You can download Mixxx from its official website here: https://mixxx.org/.

Best Free Music Maker Software: FAQs

1. How to mix audio clips with special effects using music maker software?

Generally, the music maker software allows you to add different overlays to the original audio file. The most efficient way is to select an effect and overlay your audio file. Different software may have different operations.

2. Can music makers record the audio on a PC?

Some music makers provide an inbuilt audio recording tool so that you can directly record voice or sound on your PC. If you have this kind of need, you can select the one with the recording feature.

3. Are there restrictions to using free music-producing software?

Some tools are completely free to use with no limits on every function. While others may charge for the advanced features. You can check whether it has a premium version before installing it.

Final Words

This article presents the twelve best free music maker software for multiple platforms, including Windows, Mac, and Linux. Desktop music making software is one of the most efficient ways to produce great songs. You can choose one that is suitable for your device and needs to install.