We’ll set the way-back machine to the year 1983 to start our story. On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Steinberg Cubase - one of the leading DAWs on the market today, and one that was integral in the development of the format - it seems appropriate to kick off this series of blog postings about home recording basics by telling the story of how the DAW was born. The advent of the computer-based DAW in the early 1990s was the result of concurrent high-tech innovation and improvements in the areas of personal computers, digital audio recording and MIDI - a perfect storm of technology. Not only that, it’s largely superseded recording consoles and outboard effects processors, since it incorporates their functionality in one integrated software application, with full onscreen visuals to boot. It has completely replaced the analog and digital tape-based formats that preceded it. The digital audio workstation - DAW for short - is a staple of today’s home and professional studio environment, offering powerful recording, editing and mixing of both audio and MIDI tracks.
Welcome to a new feature here on the blog! Each month, music journalist Mike Levine will focus on a different aspect of home recording, offering insights, tips and techniques.
