Soundtrap Review – Producing Music With This Online DAW

Soundtrap, owned by Spotify, is a versatile digital audio workstation (DAW) that has quickly become a favorite among musicians and producers for its ease of use and robust collaborative features.

Whether you’re a seasoned producer or just starting your musical journey, Soundtrap offers a unique platform where creativity knows no boundaries, allowing you to connect and create with musicians worldwide.

With its cross-platform compatibility, extensive sound library, and user-friendly interface, Soundtrap provides all the tools you need to produce high-quality music.

In this Soundtrap review, we’ll explore the software’s key features, its strengths and limitations, and whether it’s the right choice for your music production needs.

Key Takeaways From The Review

🏆 Best Overall	🥇 Best Hosting	🚀Growing	🎤 Distribution
5.0	4.7	4.5	4.4
Try Buzzsprout	Try Podbean	Try Captivate	Try Blubrry

🏆 Best Overall

5.0

Try Buzzsprout

🥇 Best Hosting

4.7

Try Podbean

🚀Growing

4.5

Try Captivate

🎤 Distribution

4.4

Try Blubrry

What is Soundtrap?

Soundtrap is an online digital audio workstation (DAW) that allows users to create, edit, and collaborate on music projects directly from their web browser.

A Platform for All Creators

Soundtrap is built to accommodate a diverse range of creators, offering a flexible and inclusive environment for:

• 🎵 Musicians: Easily compose, record, and mix tracks with an intuitive interface.
• 🎙️ Podcasters: Streamline podcast creation with dedicated tools for editing and recording.
• 📚 Educators and Students: Ideal for teaching and learning music production, accessible for remote collaboration.
• 🎨 Casual Creators: Explore creativity without needing technical expertise.
• 🤝 Collaborative Teams: Collaborate in real-time, perfect for remote projects.

Collaborative and Social Environment

Soundtrap excels in real-time collaboration, allowing users to work together from any location. This makes it ideal for remote teams, students, and musicians.

Beyond collaboration, Soundtrap fosters a creative community where users can share, receive feedback, and inspire one another, making it more than just a DAW—it’s a social hub for creators.

Soundtrap Free vs. Paid Tiers

Soundtrap offers a versatile range of features across both its free and paid tiers, catering to different levels of users, from beginners to more advanced creators.

Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect from each:

Free Tier

The free version of Soundtrap is robust enough to get you started on your music creation journey, especially if you’re new to DAWs. Here are the key features available:

• 🎹 Basic Instruments: Access to a variety of virtual instruments such as pianos, drum kits, synthesizers, and more, allowing you to create diverse soundscapes.
• 🔊 Loops and Samples: A limited but useful collection of loops and samples, including access to over 150,000 sound effects from freesound.org, perfect for adding texture to your tracks.
• ✂️ Basic Editing Tools: Essential audio editing tools like EQ, reverb, and delay, help shape your sound without overwhelming you with too many options.
• 🌐 Collaboration Features: Real-time collaboration tools that let you work with other musicians, producers, or students, no matter where they are.

While the free tier is a great starting point, it comes with limitations that might prompt users to consider upgrading.

Paid Tiers

Upgrading to one of Soundtrap’s paid tiers unlocks a host of additional features designed to enhance your music production experience.

The paid options are divided into different levels, each offering more extensive tools:

• 🎻 Expanded Instrument Library: Gain access to nearly 1,000 virtual instruments, including premium sounds and more sophisticated tools like brass, woodwinds, and orchestral instruments.
• 🎚️ Advanced Loops and Sound Packs: Enjoy an expanded library of loops, including genre-specific packs and Soundtrap Originals, which provide high-quality, pre-recorded loops and samples.
• 🎤 Antares Auto-Tune: Access to professional-grade Auto-Tune, allowing for precise pitch correction and creative vocal effects, essential for modern music production.
• 🔧 Automation and Advanced Mixing: Advanced automation tools that give you control over dynamics, panning, and effects, providing a more polished and professional sound.
• 📈 High-Quality Export: The ability to export your projects in higher quality formats, suitable for professional release.

The paid tiers are offered at different price points, typically around $7.99 and $11.99 per month, allowing you to choose the plan that best suits your needs.

Paid Plans Features Comparison

Features of Soundtrap

Soundtrap delivers a lot of features that help home-recording musicians create professional-sounding music.

You receive access to a library full of different sounds, virtual instruments, and an easy-to-use DAW that helps you collaborate and record music with others.

We’ll cover each of Soundtrap’s features in more detail below. 

Cloud And Social 

Any projects you create will be saved to the cloud so that you can access your files from computers worldwide.

The collaboration process is also a breeze with this platform. You can tag new collaborators in your music production whenever you want. This is done by sending the artist an invite through their profile or via email. 

Music Editing

Soundtrap has a lot of music editing features that musicians will find useful. You can use detailed tools that can help you create anything from clean, simple songs to in-depth, modern pop tracks. 

Here are some of the features that Soundtrap has to offer:

• Able to connect personal guitars, amps, and various instruments
• Includes Antares Auto-Tune
• Many pre-set, ready-to-use loops, sound effects
• Various instruments, from drum machines, piano roll, to synths
• Automation abilities to fine-tune sweep, pan, and others
• Instinctive sequencer to create beats
• Soundtrap originals sound packs

These are just some of the features that are included with any basic DAW. Soundtrap has several more features that make it a notable software. 

Soundtrap Capture

Soundtrap Capture is a separate app that is included with a Soundtrap account. This app lets you draft tracks with other artists and professional musicians quickly and efficiently.

The app lets users digitally gather in a shared area, letting them upload vocals, instrumentals, and beats in a basic DAW.

It doesn’t have any complex characteristics, just basic ones. You’ll be able to draft a new track before working on it later in the Soundtrap app.

Storytellers Feature

This feature is made with podcasters in mind. No matter what type of podcast you want to make, Soundtrap has the features to help you create it.

Soundtrap Storytellers lets you oversee your guests, fine-tune audio songs, and even make a specific jingle with the app. 

Musicians may not find these features particularly noteworthy, but it’s a good thing to know that there are extra features that will help you record non-musical audio files. 

Education

Another feature that makes Soundtrap a great app is that it concentrates on education. Soundtrap for Education lets students of all ages learn about creating music. 

This is a nice choice for students without recording studio access or costly DAW gear. 

Mobile Compatibility

Soundtrap extends its usability beyond desktops and laptops by offering full mobile compatibility. Users can access and work on their music projects directly from their smartphones or tablets, whether they are using iOS or Android devices.

This feature is particularly useful for musicians and podcasters who need the flexibility to create and edit their work on the go. The mobile app mirrors the functionality of the desktop version, allowing users to record, edit, and collaborate seamlessly from virtually anywhere.

With Soundtrap’s mobile app, creativity is no longer confined to a stationary workspace.

Integration with Spotify

Given that Soundtrap is owned by Spotify, one of its standout features is its integration with the Spotify platform. This integration allows users to easily publish their finished tracks directly to Spotify, reaching a global audience with just a few clicks.

For musicians looking to distribute their music widely, this feature eliminates the need for third-party distribution services and streamlines the process of getting their work heard.

Additionally, this integration fosters a deeper connection between music creation and distribution, making Soundtrap an all-in-one solution for modern artists.

How to Use Soundtrap

Getting started with Soundtrap is a straightforward process that allows you to jump into music creation with minimal hassle. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you navigate through the platform, from signing up to producing your first track.

1. Sign Up for an Account

• Create Your Account: Visit the Soundtrap website and sign up for an account. Each musician or collaborator will need their account.
• Choose a Plan: Select a plan that suits your needs. Whether you’re a podcaster, casual creator, or musician, Soundtrap offers different tiers. If you’re unsure, you can start with the free trial to explore the basic features.

2. Navigate the Digital Audio Workstation (DAW)

• Access the DAW: Once signed in, you’ll be greeted with Soundtrap’s main DAW interface. This workspace is designed to be intuitive, even for beginners.
• Explore Tutorials: If you’re new to DAWs, Soundtrap offers a range of tutorial guides and videos to help you get familiar with the tools and features.

3. Start Your First Session

• Set Up Your Project: Begin by setting up a new project. You can choose from various templates or start from scratch depending on your needs.
• Use Built-in Instruments: Incorporate the MIDI keyboard, drum pads, and pre-loaded loops to create the foundation of your track.
• Add Effects: Utilize the sequencer to personalize your beats and add effects like reverb, delay, or auto-tune to enhance your sound.

4. Collaborate with Others

• Invite Collaborators: Collaboration is seamless with Soundtrap. Simply invite other musicians by sending them an invite via email or their Soundtrap username.
• Real-Time Collaboration: Work together in real-time using video and voice chat features, making it easy to discuss edits and progress as you go.

5. Refine and Export Your Track

• Finalize Your Edits: Once your track is complete, make any final adjustments using the DAW’s mixing and automation tools.
• Export Your Music: When you’re satisfied, export your track. Paid users can access higher-quality export options suitable for professional release.

This streamlined guide provides an easy-to-follow structure for using Soundtrap, making it accessible for users of all experience levels.

Functionality of Soundtrap

Below, we’ll explore the key functionalities of Soundtrap that make it an essential tool for modern music production.

🎶 Collaborative Music Creation

One of Soundtrap’s standout functionalities is its ability to facilitate remote collaboration. Users can invite others to collaborate on projects in real-time, making it easy to create music together, no matter where each participant is located.

📱 Cross-Platform Accessibility

Soundtrap’s cross-platform accessibility ensures that users can work on their projects from any device, whether it’s a desktop, Apple device, or Android. This seamless integration across platforms makes it convenient to access and work on music projects from anywhere.

🎙️ Recording and Editing Capabilities

The recording, mixing, and editing functionalities within Soundtrap are designed to simplify the music production process.

With built-in loops, automation, and effects like Auto-Tune, users can create professional-sounding tracks without needing a full recording studio setup.

🔒 Ownership and Rights Management

Soundtrap ensures that users retain full ownership and copyright of the music they create on the platform. This functionality is crucial for artists who want to protect their work and manage their rights effectively.

Advantages

• Collaborative video chat ability
• Extensive library full of ready-to-use instruments, beats, drums, and loops
• Easy to work with other artists in different locations
• Focus on education to help students and teachers learn
• Can create professional-sounding tracks with the software – as long as the artists are skilled
• Terms of service give musicians and artists control of their music – unless signed to a label or studio

Disadvantages

• All of the files are stored on the cloud, so they are affected by Spotify’s servers
• Can only receive optimum results if you have a stable, strong internet connection
• Good for working long distances, but a different recording system will be needed to record a full ensemble in a studio
• Any edits to tracks don’t occur in real time, they are only visible after they are saved

FAQs

Final Thoughts

Soundtrap is online software that acts as a digital DAW. It allows artists to collaborate on music when they cannot work together in one location. 

The app has lots of editing features, like drum machines, auto-tune, and video chat.

It also works well with different instruments and vocal recording gear, which makes collaborating on music go by smoothly.

The software has other features, like Soundtrap Storytellers and Education, which just add to the functionality of this application. 

If you want to work with other musicians, but cannot gather in one shared space to do so, Soundtrap is a great solution.

Distance is no longer a limitation when it comes to making music that you love.