The best Software is free.

Today the best software is free, but this was not always the case. Way back in the 1990s’ when you wanted software you purchased whatever program you needed. Software for Macs was harder to find, but software for Windows was plentiful. Many software programs were made for windows. In those days, you purchased the software and typed in a little code that would unlock the program for you. Software was expensive and it was a major part of your budget. In some cases you spent more money on software than you did on your computer.

Times have really changed. Today, some software vendors moved to a subscription model. Instead of buying a license to use the software these vendors moved to a software rental model. Companies like this include Microsoft and Adobe. Sometimes when you make a purchase with some vendors you may get a license to use the software, but you need to download an install program that will verify your identity, then it will download and install the program for you.

Free Software

But perhaps the best change is the fact that some of the best software you get today is totally free. Thanks to advancements in license agreements like GPL, LGPL, and FreeBSD many high-quality free programs have become available today that were not available in the past. Open Source software has created a new market and filled in the gap. Now, there is no reason to spend thousands of dollars on software. In addition to this, there are many free programs that work well and for a little money you can unlock extra features or upgrade the software. In many cases the free version found in some of this software is all you need. Today there are thousands of programs that are free, and they are incredible. In many cases the very best software is absolutely free.

The real questions are where can you get the best software available today, and what will it do? I spent the last 6 months testing software and trying out several programs just to answer these questions. I compiled a list in various sections and added it to this site. The list is called “The Ultimate Free Software Collection”. It is constantly updated and there are hundreds of programs. Things like recording applications also known as DAWs, Key board instruments, software synths, effects, and more are all tested and listed on this site.

In addition to this, another page has been included that will give you a list of software that is not related to musicians. This list includes things like video editing software, office software, media players, utilities, video capture software, emulators, cad programs, and much more. Well over 60 software apps are included in this list. Check it out and see what you need.

The List

If you’re looking for a platform to record your music otherwise known as a digital audio workstation or DAW check out this list. If you’re looking for musical instruments like pianos, drums, bass guitar, strings, or wind instruments that you can control with a midi controller then check out this list. Maybe you are looking for synthesizers like the Yamaha DX7 that you can control with a midi controller then check out this list. It could be that you are looking for incredible sounding reverb units, delay units, chorus effects, flangers, phase shifters, amp emulation, and more than check out this list. You may be are looking for incredible EQs, great sounding compressors, or other dynamic effects then check out this list.

If you are looking for video editors, media players, video capture software, office software, photo editors, cad programs, backup programs, utilities, video ripping software, emulators and more then check out this list.

As you can see there is something here for everyone. It does not matter if you are a musician or just a person that loves music. Everyone will find something that will be extremely useful. None of the software listed is hosted on this website. The links you click on will take you directly to the vendor’s website where you can then download the software.  In this way you don’t need to worry about a third-party inserting malware. It is really amazing to see what you can get for free! This list is constantly updated so download and enjoy!