DAW

An acronym for "digital audio workstation". A DAW is a computer software package that combines the functions of a sequencer (in the computer software sense) with digital audio recording and processing. DAWs have the ability to load plug-ins, which may be soft synths, effects processors, or other functions such as spectrum analyzers. Audio and MIDI tracks may be combined into a song. MIDI can be sent to a soft synth plug-in or to an external synth via a MIDI interface connected to the computer; similarly, audio can be sent to or recorded from a plug-in, and received/sent from/to external sources via an audio interface connected to the computer.