Commodore Remix

Worth a shot, and the feature list for a freebie seems quite comprehensive...

Main features of Studio One Free:

Elegant single-window work environment
Powerful drag-and-drop functionality
Unlimited Audio and Instrument (MIDI) tracks
Unlimited FX channels
Two simultaneous inputs and outputs
Unlimited inserts and sends per channel
Single and multitrack comping
Multitrack MIDI editing
Track list with presets and mixing-console link
Track Transform (advanced freezing capability)
Content browser with search, user tabs, and preview player
Automatic delay compensation
Easy-to-use sidechain routing
Presence virtual instrument with 100+ presets
Most intuitive MIDI-mapping system available
Real-time audio timestretching and resampling
8 Native Effects audio-processing plug-ins


http://studioone.presonus.com/free/

A handful of years ago, companies would demand hundreds from your wallet for just half that. No VST or multi channel card compatibility though. I know they have to cripple the vitals to get people buying the fully functional stuff but it rather does put the turd in the daffodils for people on the severest budget.

Though if you buy Computer Music magazine they're always dishing out free or trial things. A mixture of different bits from there would probably make up all a cheapskate would need. (I want to try the ethnic samples they gave out this month. I'm usually fairly satisfied.)




Some people also try torrents when fed up of being prickteased, though purchased VST DAWs now can cost only about 30 quid: http://www.drumnbass.be/forum/thread.php?threadid=16160

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xoko7g ... ynth_music

https://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&sugexp= ... 52&bih=769