What DAWs do These 11 Famous Music Producers Use?
Ever wondered what digital audio workstations (DAWs) your favorite producers use to create their chart-topping hits?
From Kanye West to Skrillex, every major artist has their go-to software for making music.
Here's round up of the best free DAWs you can download right now.
That’s because, each DAW offers unique features and workflows, giving these producers the tools they need to craft their signature sounds.
In this article, we’re diving into the DAWs behind some of the biggest names in music and why they might have chosen that particular DAW.
What DAW do these famous music producers use?
- What DAW does Kanye use?
- What DAW does Metro Boomin use?
- What DAW does Fred Again use?
- What DAW does Skrillex use?
- What DAW does FINNEAS use?
- What DAW does JPEGMAFIA use?
- What DAW does Deadmau5 use?
- What DAW does Tyler, the Creator use?
- What DAW does Tame Impala use?
- What DAW does Pharrell use?
- What DAW does Kenny Beats use?
1. What DAW does Kanye use?
In this compilation of Kanye's early days in the studio you can see a computer hosting a 2000s era Pro Tools project, but Kanye is generally interacting much more with the keys and drum machines adjacent to the DAW.
Kanye West uses Pro Tools to track and mix his music, but has been known to start producing his beats on hardware samplers
On his first albums, he produced almost everything using an Akai MPC2000 sampler—the choice of many iconic producers from his era.
Using a DAWless setup like this allowed Kanye to focus on creativity and sampling, using a handful of loops, vocals and drum recordings cleared from soul and R&B records.
Once his beats were finished in the MPC, he would record to Pro Tools, one of the most advanced DAWs in use during the 2000s when his earlier albums were produced.
This is a common trend for most major producers and artists. At some point, almost all of their tracks will pass through a Pro Tools project since it’s the industry standard among top-tier mixing and mastering engineers.
So it’s safe to assume that while Pro Tools is an industry-standard DAW, only some use it exclusively for writing and creating their ideas.
2. What DAW does Fred Again… use?
In this studio video, Fred Again... is seen performing his tracks on a variety of electronic instruments tracked with the help of Logic Pro.
Fred Again… uses Logic Pro to create his iconic brand of house music.
Known for blending live instrumentation with found sounds and vocal samples, Fred takes full advantage of Logic’s seamless recording workflow and powerful sampler tools.
With the help of a Maschine DAW controller, he layers chopped-up vocal snippets and organic textures, building them into the atmospheric, groove-heavy beats that define his sound.
Logic Pro’s flexibility allows Fred to interect with his hardware freely, turning everyday moments into captivating melodies and rhythms.
It’s the perfect DAW for a producer like Fred, who thrives on creativity and spontaneity.
3. What DAW does Metro Boomin use?
In this video Metro Boomin' is seen producing drums in FL Studio.
Metro Boomin uses FL Studio to create his iconic beats that are used widely by many of the biggest names in hip-hop and trap
FL Studio is one of the most popular DAWs among trap producers, so it’s not surprising that Metro uses it.
The DAW is well suited for trap production with its well-conceived drum production tools, creative synths and powerful plugins like Gross Beat, Soundgoodizer and Slicex.
4. What DAW does Skrillex use?
Here's a glimpse into Skrillex' Ableton Live project for his track Mumbai Power.
Skrillex uses Ableton Live to produce his hard-hitting EDM and dubstep.
It makes sense since Ableton Live is so well suited for electronic music production, with its relatively straightforward, creativity-oriented workflow.
Inside Ableton, Skrillex is a power-user of FM8 and Massive, two incredibly powerful synth plugins from Native Instruments.
5. What DAW does FINNEAS use?
Here's a tour of FINNEAS' home studio, including a Mac hosting a Logic Pro project.
FINNEAS uses Logic Pro X to produce pop tracks for Billie Eilish.
With GarageBand and its big brother Logic Pro X being the easy choice for Apple-loving bedroom producers, it’s an *ahem* “logical” choice for a producer like FINNEAS.
Logic Pro X offers all the functionality needed to produce pop anthems, mix and EQ pop vocals and arrange chart-topping hits.
In one version of Logic Pro X, users could open a demo project containing the entire project for Ocean Eyes by Billie Eilish which was produced by FINNEAS, giving new users a glimpse into his arranging and writing process inside the DAW.
6. What DAW does JPEGMAFIA use?
JPEGMAFIA admits in this interview that he's learned how to use every DAW except Ableton.
JPEGMAFIA is known to primarily use Bitwig and FL Studio, but he says he uses a handful of different DAWs to produce his hard-hitting rap music.
Both DAWs are heavily oriented towards creativity, making them good platforms for creating JPEGMAFIA’s brand of off-kilter rap beats that use a mix of samples and software instruments.
7. What DAW does Deadmau5 use?
Here's a video of Deadmau5 making Imaginary Friends in Ableton Live
Deadmau5 uses Ableton Live to create his chart-topping EDM sound.
Here's a quick tutorial showcasing Ableton Live courtesy of LANDR's YouTube channel.
Like many electronic music producers, Deadmau5 is a big fan of Ableton Live’s creativity-oriented workflow and its ability to produce unique synths with its Max for Live extension.
Max for Live’s ability to build custom synths makes Ableton an ideal choice for a producer like Deadmau5, who heavily emphasizes sound design in his music.
8. What DAW does Tyler, the Creator use?
Here's a compilation of Tyler the Creator producing his tracks, you can see a handful of Logic Pro projects used throughout.
Tyler, the Creator uses Logic Pro X to create his unique style of hip-hop beats.
Like many bedroom producers who got their start making music at home or on the go, Logic makes sense for a producer like Tyler, the Creator.
It’s a well-rounded DAW that features an inspiring workflow for creativity, arrangement, mixing and mastering.
9. What DAW does Tame Impala use?
Here's a video showing a recording session for Tame Impala's currents, you can see an Ableton Project open on his laptop.
Kevin Parker of Tame Impala uses Ableton Live to produce his lofi indie electronic rock from the comfort of his vast home studio.
The DAW is decently well suited for live recording while keeping creative workflows, so it makes sense that Parker naturally gravitated towards the popular DAW.
10. What DAW does Pharrell use?
In this studio tour, you can see a Logic Pro project open on Pharrell's laptop.
Pharrell used Logic Pro X while he was a top-tier hitmaker for a handful of A-list music talent.
Just like the other pop producers on this list, Pharrell was drawn to Logic’s well-rounded approach that accommodates both creativity and recording.
11. What DAW does Kenny Beats use?
In all of his videos, you can watch Kenny Beats produce beats on the spot in Ableton Live.
Kenny Beats uses Ableton Live to produce his well-respected hip-hop and trap sound.
The famous YouTuber and beatmaker is a savvy user of Ableton Live, using it to piece together fiery trap beats live on his YouTube quickly.
Ableton Live’s quick workflow that effectively accommodates sampling, drum programming and software instruments makes this DAW ideal for talented creatives like Kenny Beats.
It doesn’t matter what DAW you use
The main goal is to pick a DAW you like and stick to it. Almost every DAW on the market today contains smart workflows for every aspect of music production.
Sure, some DAWs are better suited for certain genres than others—Ableton Live for electronic, FL Studio for hip-hop, and Logic Pro for pop music.
But there’s no rule saying you have to use a specific DAW to get a specific sound.
The key is finding a DAW with a workflow that you understand and that works for you.
Alex Lavoie is a drummer, music producer, songwriter and marketing professional living in Montreal, Quebec. He works as a staff writer at LANDR by day and writes indie post-punk tunes in his band UTILS while moonlighting as drummer for folk-rock outfit The Painters. Connect with Alex Lavoie on LANDR Network!
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