While we could pay homage to the computer and its miraculous power, if it weren't for the evolution and development of software in the audio field, computers would be nothing more than glorified calculators. The software available today re-creates the recording studio inside a personal computer. Mixing, editing, instruments, and effects can all be achieved seamlessly in a virtual environment, mimicking a real recording studio and its hardware.

What makes computers so great? For many users, just the addition of recording software turns their ordinary home computer into a full-blown music studio. It also takes up little space, which is a big plus. Nowadays, the computer is becoming the central fixture of our life. Why not put our music studio there as well? Software manufacturers have answered the call with outrageous software for music production.

Advantages of Computer-Based Systems

Today's music software is state of the art and advances are made each year. Computers take up little space and can be upgraded as needed. Since even entry-level computers are so powerful these days, your current computer is probably already suitable for recording once you choose a recording application. Even today's laptops are more than capable of running cutting edge recording software, virtual instruments, and effects. If you're technical in nature, you might find the working style of computer music suits you very well. Many people feel that editing with a mouse on a screen is the best way to go.

Disadvantages of Software-Based Systems

Anyone who's worked with computers knows they are prone to crash, catch viruses, and eat files. And let's face it, some people are not tech savvy and just want to make music without worrying about the speed of their hard drive or the need to defrag their files. The mantra of “backup, backup, backup” becomes even more important when it comes to protecting your recordings from potential computer or hard drive failure. There's also a group of people who swear that digital recordings never sound as good as analog ones. The debate on that topic continues.