For recording I use Garage band as it's really all I need and I write with Harmony Assistant, a French origin program (it's all in English, just comes from France)as it's cheap and very efficient. It could also be used for multi track recording should i need it but for me it's a writing software exclusively. Cheap to buy the entry version which is what got me. You can write using tablature rather than staff and there are tabs for a great many instruments...I use the guitar tab but it's teaching me about the staff as I compose or transcribe already written stuff through the guitar. Attached the first tune I wrote upon opening Melody the first time.