While Apple has GarageBand to bundle with OS X, there’s never been a definitive Microsoft DAW for Windows. A product called Groove Music Maker was teased last year - and there was the unforgettable Songsmith - but the company has always seemed happy for third parties to take care of releasing music production software for its operating system.
It looks like this might be set to change, though, as Microsoft is currently advertising for audio software engineers and program managers to join its ranks. A post on the KVR forum says that the company is looking for those “with experience building best-in-class products” who want to be part of “the future of music creation in multiple dimensions”.
That’s a pretty open-ended ambition, but it does sound like Microsoft is taking music making seriously. With its Surface range of hardware, it feels like the company is making a pitch to the creative industries, and releasing its own software would seem to be a logical next step. Watch this space.
