DAW stands for digital audio workstation, software for doing music production on a computer, including recording, MIDI programming, editing, sound design, and mixing. Logic Pro, Cubase, Studio One, Ableton Live, and Pro Tools are well-known examples.
Recording and editing
You can record microphones and instruments as audio, then cut unwanted parts, fix timing, and edit across multiple takes. You can also import existing audio files and rearrange them to build a song.
MIDI and software instruments
MIDI records performance information such as pitch, length, and strength, which you edit in the piano roll. Swapping the software instrument changes the sound to piano, synth, drums, and so on while keeping the same performance data.
The mixer and plugins
Each track feeds a channel strip, where you shape the sound with the fader, pan, EQ, compression, and more. Most DAWs also let you load additional instruments and effects as plugins to extend your setup.
How to choose a DAW
Since the core features have a lot in common, choose based on supported operating systems, the feel of the interface, the bundled instruments, and compatibility with the plugins and collaborators you want to work with. What I like about Logic Pro (Japanese) may also help when deciding.
Difference from DTM
DTM refers to the whole activity and setup of making music with a computer at the center, and the DAW is the central tool within it. Learning your DAW covers most of DTM, but the audio interface, keyboard, and monitoring environment shape the experience too.
