With their newest update (12), you get Mimic, a fun new sampler for the modern beatmaker and producer. Buying their full Reason 12 edition gets you a host of features.

It’s a rare piece of recording software without a hyper-limited specialty.

But their flagship Reason DAW has a fair fanbase that straddles the line between those looking for electronic production and those looking for live instrument recording. Reason Studios is mostly known in the music industry for its plugins and effects. Best for Mobile: iZotope Spire at Amazon, 'The device itself comes with two Phantom-powered mic or TRS inputs for using a microphone or tracking instruments directly.'.Best Plugin: Celemony Melodyne Editor 5 at Amazon, 'This pitch plugin will interface with almost every major DAW and will become an indispensable part of your production.'.Best Budget: Acid Music Studio 11 at Amazon, 'You can record unlimited audio tracks, live track multiple instruments at the same time, and map shortcuts onto your keyboard.'.

Best for Songwriters: Presonus Studio One 5 Artist at Amazon, 'the thing that sets the Studio One line apart is its streamlined, single-window workflow that won’t require you to tab back and forth between a bunch of screens.'.

Best for Electronic: Ableton Live 11, 'Ableton is the standard for DJs, EDM, and hip-hop beats.'.

Best Value: Logic Pro X at Apple, 'Logic Pro is usually on the shortlist for the best in audio production software.'.

Runner-Up, Best Overall: Reason 12 at Reason Studios, 'It has a huge sound bank with more than 29,000 device patches, loops, and samples.'.

Best Overall: Pro Tools 12 at Amazon, 'Set foot into any professional recording studio, and you’re much more likely to find Pro Tools than any other software.'.

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