Features Overview

Features Overview

OpenDaw is a full-featured Digital Audio Workstation. Here's a summary of everything it can do.

Core Features

Audio & MIDI

• Multi-track audio and MIDI arrangement
• Drag-and-drop audio files (.wav, .mp3, .flac, .ogg, .aiff) and MIDI files (.mid, .midi)
• Waveform display on audio clips; note preview on MIDI clips
• Full piano roll editor with velocity and CC lane editing
• Sheet music notation rendering from MIDI data
• Destructive audio clip editor with full undo/redo
• Multi-track MIDI file import with automatic merge

Mixing & Routing

• Per-track volume, pan, mute, solo, and record arm
• Horizontal mixer panel with vertical faders
• Bus tracks for submixing groups of tracks
• Visual node-based signal routing with drag-and-drop cables
• Sidechain input support on bus tracks
• Master output strip

Effects

• 8 built-in effects: Reverb, EQ, Compressor, Delay, Chorus, Phaser, Low Pass Filter, Pitch Shift
• VST3 instrument and effect plugin support
• Plugin scanning with cached results
• Native plugin editor windows
• Per-effect bypass and parameter control

Automation

• Per-track automation lanes for volume, pan, and effect parameters
• Add breakpoints by double-clicking
• Freehand drawing tool for painting curves
• Rubber-band selection for moving groups of points
• Drag curve segments to reshape
• Per-parameter bypass

Transport

• Play, Stop, Record, and Loop
• Click-to-seek and drag-to-scrub on the time ruler
• BPM control (20–300)
• Time signature control
• Dual position display: elapsed time and bars.beats.ticks
• MIDI Panic (all notes off)

Export

• WAV (16/24/32-bit float), FLAC (16/24-bit), OGG Vorbis (quality 0–10)
• Configurable sample rate: 44.1 / 48 / 88.2 / 96 kHz
• Optional normalize on export
• Progress bar with cancel support

AI Assistant

• Claude-powered assistant that controls the entire DAW through natural language
• 30 tools covering tracks, routing, effects, MIDI composition, transport, and analysis
• Streaming responses, agentic tool loops, and persistent chat sessions
• Audio analysis: levels, frequency balance, stereo image, transients, masking

Project Management

• Autosave with crash recovery
• .tracktionedit native file format (Tracktion XML)
• Track reordering by drag in headers or mixer
• Grid snapping: Off, 1/4 Beat, 1/2 Beat, Beat, Bar
• Horizontal and vertical zoom
• Track freeze and bounce

UI

• Dark theme
• Dockable panels: Timeline, Mixer, Piano Roll, Audio Clip Editor, Routing, Sheet Music, Effects, File Browser, AI Chat
• Splash screen
• File browser with drag support and quick-jump locations

For detailed documentation on each feature, see the individual wiki pages linked in the sidebar.