Intro to DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations)

J. Jordan • October 6, 2021

An Introduction to Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs)

Producing music is becoming more accessible than ever. What was once only achievable in the studio can now be created at home using music production software called Digital Audio Workstations - or DAWs for short!

DAWs can utilize both audio recordings as well as synthesized sounds better known as MIDI. When producing music, DAWs aid in the process of arranging these audio and MIDI pieces into songs into the cohesive music heard anywhere.

Every DAW can seem quite different, but they all ultimately work towards the same goal - creating a song! At Sunburst, we most commonly use Apple's Logic / GarageBand software as well as Ableton Live. There are other great options such as FL Studio or ProTools as well. For now, let's take a look at the layouts of both Logic and Ableton.

Apple Logic

A. Tracks – Your song comes together track by track. In this case, we’re showing four different tracks labelled Synth, Lead, Bass, and Audio

B. The song – This is shown in the main arrangement window, where you can see the information – notes, etc – as data that corresponds to the tracks on the left

C. Timings and bars – As this song plays, it moves from left to right (indicated by the pointer). The window at the top shows your song position in bars, or minutes and seconds

D. Transport controls – You can move the song pointer (C) by pressing various transport controls for play, record, rewind or fast-forward

E. Instrument track – You have either instrument tracks or audio tracks. In this particular project, Logic is triggering one of its own onboard piano emulations

F. Instrument – This instrument comes from Logic’s own library, which is listed on the left of the screen. You can load in instruments here, or via the mixer

G. The mixer – And here is the mixer. Virtual faders allow you to adjust the volume levels of each track, by clicking and dragging them up or down with your mouse

H. Audio track – The other type of track is an audio track and the audio information is shown as a graphical wave (white on blue representing sound waves of varying volumes)

Ableton Live

A. Tracks – Like other DAWS, Ableton Live has audio and MIDI/instrument tracks. But rather than running top to bottom, they run left to right

B. Clips – The software uses ‘clips’ within these tracks, which you can click on and they will play together or loop to make a song or live performance

C. Audio clip – Most clips shown here are MIDI clips triggering internal plug-in instruments, but here’s an audio clip triggering the drum loops shown at the bottom of the screen

D. Effects – Live comes packed with effects and you can have several per track as standard. When selected, they also appear in the bottom window

E. The mixer – As with Logic, the main mixer is a virtual set of faders and dials used to adjust volume of the tracks

F. Main browser – You load in all of your audio, samples, plug-in effects and instruments via this main browser

G. Other instruments – As well as the effects shown in (D), Live’s instruments and other devices pop up here when you click on the relevant track or icon

H. Arrange view – Here, you can flip Live into an Arrangement View. This will show tracks much like Figures A and B in Apple Logic.

As you can see, while DAWs may look different or feature different tools / abilities, their layout is very similar.
It's up to YOU - the producer - on how you want to use it!

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Sunburst News - August 2025

August 1, 2025

August- Issue #96

5 Reasons to Start Playing in a Band

July 30, 2025

As summer break comes to a close, we’re gearing up for the next term of the Sunburst Band Program and would love to see some new faces this fall. Playing in a band is one of the best ways to progress as a musician, so we put together a list of five reasons why we encourage our students to seek out opportunities to play in groups—whether it's starting a band or jamming with a couple of friends. Progress Your rhythm, timing, and listening skills improve quickly when you start playing in a band or group setting. While private lessons and solo practice are essential pieces of the puzzle, playing with others introduces new variables—like tempo changes, dynamics, and coordination—that challenge you to stay in sync with your bandmates and adapt to each other. We’ve seen so many students level up after just a couple months in the Sunburst Band Program–the progress happens fast! Friends and Connections We love watching our students and their families become friends and our band program has been a natural starting point for many of those relationships. Some of our current bands have stayed together for years, and it's awesome to see them hang out outside of lessons and support each other at shows. Plus, one of the best ways to get gigs is through connections with other musicians! Motivation Playing in a band is super motivating because you're part of a group working toward an exciting shared goal. Whether you're learning a new song, building a set list, or getting ready for a show, the process becomes more exciting and rewarding when you're making music you love with people you enjoy being around. That shared energy turns practice into something much more fun and meaningful. Performing Performing can be nerve-wracking, but it gets easier the more you do it, and being on stage with your friends makes it less scary. We love seeing how our students' stage presence and confidence grow with each performance—it’s one of our favorite parts of being teachers! As we mentioned, shows are a great place to make connections with musicians who you’d like to collaborate with in the future. Simply put, playing more shows leads to playing more shows. Creative Outlet Music is a powerful tool for expression, and it’s important to have outlets for that at any age! Life is very fast paced for many of us, and it can be tough to pause and do the things you enjoy. Band practice can be a consistent anchor in your week—something you can rely on for connection, processing, and creating with your bandmates. As corny as it sounds, playing music is good for your spirit! If you’d like to know more about the Sunburst Band Program, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us for more information. We also recommend talking with your private lessons instructor so that they’re aware and can help you prepare.