Hi! I use Musescore. Is a open and free program for score editing, that have, recently, a VST (virtual isntrument) compatibility. You can use the mixer (in the program) to change the isntruments like a DAW, even the function do add delays, rotary, reverb, effects, compressors and so on, but instead of blocks, you have the tradicional writing and, if You compose contemporary pieces, You can customize almost everything. I use it in most of my works today, even the professional ones, since the mixer function is, in terms of sound, the same quality of a DAW. But You can, too, make midi files and pass to a DAW, I make this in musics that have some daily life sounds because I'm studing how to add sound's of records, for example, in pitch function in musescore yet, but I think they're seeing it for future releases. And You have to pass to a DAW in case of loop (I pass the mp3, ogg or wav file to FMOD (when with a dev) or Audacity (when to promote my work and for general download)