The layout has been tweaked slightly since version 6 (mainly to accommodate new features), but the overall approach hasn’t been radically altered, with tracks and regions running horizontally along the timeline and most key features accessible without any menu-diving.

As such, the interface will be familiar to most people who’ve dabbled with DAWs and, perhaps more importantly, intuitive even if you’re a complete beginner. Mixcraft leans heavily towards the traditional approach to DAW design favoured by programs like Logic and Cubase, rather than trying to reinvent the wheel in the style of something like Ableton Live or FL Studio. Mixcraft has carved out a niche for itself as one of the best DAWs in the budget sector. With the latest version 7.1 release, Acoustica look to add a range of new features and bring the program up to speed with the last couple of years of developments in the DAW market (the last major update, version 6, having been released at the end of 2012). At just $165 for the top-of-the-range Pro Studio version, it’s one of the more affordable DAWs on the market, but developed with Acoustica’s ease-of-use ethos in mind from day one. Over the last decade or so, Mixcraft has carved out a niche for itself as one of the best DAWs in the budget sector. The solution could lie with Mixcraft, Acoustica’s Windows-based DAW. The problem is even worse at the more affordable end of the DAW market, which seems particularly unfair why should you be punished for being a newcomer to music production or working with a limited budget? But if it’s so self-evident, then why is it frequently not the case with music software? DAWs in particular often suffer from clunky interfaces and unfriendly layers of menus and sub-menus, whether that’s a result of decades-old interfaces being incrementally updated or new features being added and overwhelming the user with options. “Software should be easy to use.” It’s hard to disagree with California software developer Acoustica’s company slogan. Does the latest version of their affordable DAW still achieve it? Acoustica’s company philosophy strives for user friendliness above all else.

Acoustica 7 manual