LMMS – Free, open-source and cross-platform digital audio workstation

2021-04-06

LMMS (short for Linux MultiMedia Studio, AKA: Let's Make Music Studio) is a free, open-source and cross-platform digital audio workstation (DAW) program for Windows, Mac and Linux platforms, considered to be one of the best alternatives of many similar commercial programs like FL Studio. With LMMS, you can create an entire piece of music without having to insert a separate musical instrument.

As an excellent digital audio processor/music production software, LMMS can be understood as GIMP or Krita in the sound world. It has user-friendly and modern interface, an incredible array of sound effects and an impressive array of instrument options; it can generate music from synthesizing sounds, arranging samples and playing on a MIDI keyboard; combines the features of trackers and sequencers; and supports LADSPA (Linux Audio Developer's Simple Plugin API), LV2 (LADSPA Version 2) and VST (Virtual Studio Technology) plugins. In summary, LMMS offers those power features and options you'd expect to get only from expensive proprietary software.

If you're looking for an audio editor to produce music (including the creation of melodies and beats, the synthesis and mixing of sounds, and arranging of samples) with your computer, but if you don't want to pay a lot of money for proprietary software, then you should not miss LMMS. Of course, LMMS does have a fairly steep learning curve, so getting started with its interfaces and tools will take some time.

Key Features

Feature List
Core Functionality
  • Compose music on Windows, Linux and macOS
  • Sequence, compose, mix and automate songs in one simple interface
  • Note playback via MIDI or typing keyboard
  • Consolidate instrument tracks using Beat+Bassline Editor
  • Fine tune patterns, notes, chords and melodies using Piano Roll Editor
  • Full user-defined track-based automation and computer-controlled automation sources
  • Import of MIDI files and Hydrogen project files
Musical Instruments
  • Built-in 64-bit VST instrument support with 32-bit VST bridge (64-bit Windows)
  • 16 built in synthesizers, including emultations of Roland TB-303, Commodore 64 SID microchip, Nintendo NES and GameBoy, Yamaha OPL2 chip and more
  • Embedded ZynAddSubFx: Polyphonic, mutlitimbral, microtonal, multi-voice additive, subtractive and pad synthesis all in one powerful plugin
  • Native multisample support for SoundFont (SF2), Giga (GIG) and Gravis UltraSound (GUS) formats for high quality instrument patches and banks
Effects Mixing
  • Drop-in LADSPA plug-in support
  • Drop-in VST effect plug-in support (Linux and Windows)
  • Built-in compressor, limiter, delay, reverb, distortion and bass enhancer
  • Bundled graphic and parametric equalizers
  • Built-in visualization/spectrum analyzer

Official Demo Video

Related Links

Download URLs

License Version Download Size
Freeware Latest (mir) n/a
(Homepage | GitHub)