Audacity isn't really a full DAW. It's useful for editing the odd file but it comes with limited tools and lacks a whole raft of features that you get with a proper DAW, even the cut-down versions. You can only create a few tracks, so it's really best left alone f you want to be creative.

Reaper is great if you 'get it', but I've always been a Cubase user and though I've tried Reaper a couple of times I've always given up swearing in frustration at how illogical it all is and nothing is in the right place. Cubase is probably the one I know that's most like using a mixer. But you do have to be prepared to keep shelling out if you want to move on to the next version, so Reaper is one of the cheapest starting points (though it's easy to spend a fortune on plug-ins).

I'd suggest starting with a cut-down version of a DAW until you find your way around, but Reaper has no cut-down version, so it is very much being thrown straight in at the deep end and hoping you manage to swim to the side.