New Site Announcement: MIDI Software Review

Using MIDI software to synthesize sounds and music is a practice nearly as old as computers themselves. For several decades, MIDI software has been used by amateur and professional audio producers alike (though in the beginning it was obviously too expensive for most amateurs), and by now the software and the computers running it have grown sophisticated enough to synthesize just about any sound.

If you’re looking to buy MIDI software, you’ll run into one particular problem: which one to choose. There are so many MIDI programs out there that it’s difficult to tell which one offers the best features and performance for your money. Fortunately, TopTenREVIEWS has done the research so you don’t have to. We’ve put together a list of the top MIDI software used by industry professionals. Then we reviewed and ranked them so it’s easy to see which is the best MIDI software for your money.

We took several important factors into account when reviewing MIDI software. First, we looked at the composition and sequencing features in each program to determine who offers the best array of tools for creating tracks. Next, we compared the recording and editing features, like the ability to view track data in multiple ways, non-destructive editing tools and previews. Then we catalogued the various formats each program supports for input and output to determine which programs offered the widest compatibility. Finally, we researched the customer support options each manufacturer provides for their products.

After comparing all of these features, several products began to stand out as clear winners. The TopTenREVIEWS Gold Award went to FL Studio because it offers the best balance of features and compatibility. In fact, FL Studio received full marks in every single category of the review, a rare feat among software programs. FL Studios used to be known as FruityLoops, but shortened the name for obvious reasons. Regardless of what it’s called, FL Studio provides one of the best sets of features out of all the products we reviewed. When you take the newly redesigned interface and the customizable workflows into account, it becomes clear why FL Studio took the top honors. Read the full review.

The TopTenREVIEWS Silver Award went to Digital Performer because it “has all the ingredients that make for an indispensable MIDI production software program.” In fact, Digital Performer is such a fully-featured program that it narrowly missed taking the top spot in this review. But considering the caliber of the top product, coming as a very close second is actually high praise. Digital Performer has excellent real-time MIDI Transcription, great pitch automation and a feature called Beat Detection Engine that we couldn’t live without after trying it. Read the full review.

The number 3 slot in this review, and the TopTenREVIEWS Bronze Award, went to Numerology. Numerology is a relatively new addition to the MIDI software market, but it’s fast becoming recognized as one of the best. We think it is too. For now, Numerology is only available for Apple computers. It comes with an excellent combination of traditional sequencing features that allow you to make elaborate changes to your tracks. We also loved the CV sequencing and parameter modulation capabilities. Read the full review.

For more information, see the MIDI software review site where you can see all the best programs compared side-by-side.