Ubuntu Studio

One of the only problems with home recording is that even the basic software to do it well isn't cheap. Forget the bread you have to put down for some decent hardware to plug a decent mic into - software to run it comes at a price.

On the Mac, many people start with GarageBand. It's decent enough, but soon users will want to upgrade to Logic Express. Soon after that, if they really get into it, they'll want Logic Pro, and before they ever know it they've dropped hundreds on recording software. The situation on Windows is not much different, and let's not forget the few hundred you have to drop on the OS itself in that case.

As it turns out, there is a viable alternative: Ubuntu Studio. It's one of the many Linux distros out there, but it's interesting because if comes packed with oodles of open-source audio software, including multi-track DAWs, tons of filters, mastering software and production. Add to that drum machines, synthesizers, and an ultra-low latency Linux kernel, and it might just be worth a shot - considering it's free.

I've just installed it on my Macbook 5,1, and I'm incredibly impressed thus far. Let me use it for a while, and I'll post a full review.