RN Records / Free artist workspace
Learn your setup.
Make your next song.
Six full introductions. Pick your program, open it beside the guide, and build something you can actually play back.
A DAW is a digital audio workstation: the program where you record vocals, make beats, arrange a song, and mix it. You don't need to learn every program. Start with the one you have.
Every RN guide is free. The software itself can be free, paid, or a limited edition—we explain that before you start. Each guide moves from setup to a first finished demo, then gives you useful shortcuts, fixes, videos, and official references. No signup or course checkout here.
Pro Tools
Get the signal in, keep the good takes, build a useful mix, and leave with a file you can play anywhere.
Open the full guide ↗ 02 / SOFTWARE GUIDELogic Pro
Build a groove, give it sections, record a vocal, and bounce a complete first demo on Mac.
Open the full guide ↗ 03 / SOFTWARE GUIDEFL Studio
Get a groove out of the Channel Rack and turn it into a beat with a vocal demo.
Open the full guide ↗ 04 / SOFTWARE GUIDEGarageBand
Get an idea out of your head and into an actual demo.
Open the full guide ↗ 05 / SOFTWARE GUIDEAbleton Live
Build clips, choose an arrangement, record a vocal, and get a complete demo out of Live.
Open the full guide ↗ 06 / SOFTWARE GUIDEBandLab
Make a beat, record your voice, and leave with a finished demo file.
Open the full guide ↗Not sure where to start?
Brand new to recording? Start Here covers your mic, room, input level, headphone monitoring, and a free first-session sheet before you get into the software.
Have a Mac and want a free starting point? Try GarageBand. Want to work in a browser? Try BandLab. Already own a program or work with an engineer who uses it? Start there. Pro Tools and Logic cover recording as well as MIDI; FL Studio and Ableton cover beat building as well as audio. There is no program that makes the song good for you.
Use your own recordings or sounds you have permission to use. Finish one small project before chasing more plugins. Save the editable project and an audio export—you will need both.