Best Profeesional Product Music Software For Mac

A wide toolkit for recording, production, mixing, and mastering makes it possible to bring all your ideas to life. MAGIX Music Maker Plus Edition and Samplitude Music Studio includes easy loop-based production, a wide variety of VST instruments, soundpools, sounds, features and more that make it a perfect choice for every musician. Nov 16, 2017  On the music production front, Apple has Logic Pro X and GarageBand, two pieces of software that have done quite a lot to democratize music-making in the world. May 22, 2018  Top 5 Best Music Editing Software for Mac. When you want to create a custom ringtone from your preferred song or make a fusion of music for a party, an audio editing software is needed. If you don't know where to find a best audio editing software, you can read this article. Jan 17, 2020  10) Audacity Mac & Windows A list of the best free music production software for beginners would seldom be complete sans Audacity. Compatible with an array of VSTs, Audacity features tools such as pitch corrector and delay that are essential for beginners learning tricks of the trade. Nov 12, 2019  Fortunately, most music production software is compatible with Mac computers. The best Mac for audio production overall might be the Mac Pro, simply because it has the most powerful processor, but, in the end, it all depends on the music producer’s needs. People in this business need a reliable computer with plenty of memory and storage.

This is the third article in a multi-part series designed to help you build a home recording studio. Whether you are a beginner who has never recorded before, or if you are more advanced with years of experience, I hope you find value in the series. If you have any questions or would like me to cover a specific topic, please drop a comment at the end of the article. I read them all and will respond!

If you missed articles one and two in this series, I shared some of the basic building blocks most people will want to consider when putting together a functioning home studio.

In this article I will help you choose the computer that is best suited for your music production requirements. Most people will want to weigh the importance of a few factors including budget, processing power, connectivity, and portability.

Mac or PC

Let’s begin by saying that if you are on a limited budget, you can absolutely get started with whatever computer you already own, whether it’s a Mac or a PC. If your computer is more than 5 years old, and depending on how advanced your productions become, you may find that you’ll outgrow its capabilities over time.

Be that as it may, the Mac is the preferred choice for professional studios around the world. So if you are planning to purchase a new computer, you’ll be in great company should you decide to go with a Mac. It really is the gold standard in the music production industry. If you decide to use a PC, you’ll still have many options to help you unleash your creativity. Using a PC instead of a Mac will not be a roadblock in your creative endeavors. Just remember, there are plenty of great machines out there no matter which direction you choose.

Pros and Cons for Music Production on a Mac

Pros

  • Considered the ideal “content creation” platform
  • Retains value very well on the used market
  • Very stable operating system and hardware
  • Virtually unlimited software options for music production

Cons

  • More expensive than PC alternatives
  • Newer models are not as upgradeable as older machines, so you’ll need to invest in upgraded specs from Apple at the time of your purchase (this can be quite expensive)

Pros and Cons for Music Production on a PC

Pros

  • Many options available from brands like Dell, HP, etc
  • Typically less expensive compared to Macs
  • You can save even more by building your own system if you know how
  • If you’ve never owned a Mac, you may be more familiar with Windows
  • Most PCs, especially desktops, are still easily upgraded

Cons

  • Some music production software is not available for PC
  • You’ll need to be a little more careful to make sure your PC has high quality components that will be able to keep up with your music production needs
  • Most of the professional audio world is Mac, so you’ll be in the minority.

Hopefully this helps you decide between making a Mac or PC the centerpiece of your home studio. Next, let’s explore the differences between laptops and desktops.

Laptops vs Desktops for Music Production

The desire for flexibility and mobility has made laptops ubiquitous, from offices to college campuses and beyond. While desktops are still undeniably more powerful than their mobile counterparts, laptops are very viable options for music production thanks to technological advancements over the last decade. In particular, Thunderbolt-equipped laptops offer exceptional expansion and performance capabilities previously only available on desktop-class machines.

In most professional recording studios you’ll find desktop computers. There are a few benefits:

Desktop computers are faster

Generally speaking, desktop computers like the Mac Pro use components that are simply faster than their laptop counterparts. Everything from desktop processors to RAM is generally in a class above what you’ll

Professional Music Production Software

Desktop computers come with more connectivity out of the box

Desktop computers often offer additional connectivity including more USB ports, Thunderbolt ports, and more. This will come in handy as you expand your music production rig, whether you’re adding USB midi keyboards, MPCs, mixing control surfaces, or other peripherals. With modern laptops, you’ll likely have to purchase a Thunderbolt expansion dock to achieve this level of connectivity.

Desktop computers provide more upgrade options

Need more RAM to run additional plugins? Want to add a lightning-fast SSD to improve virtual instrument load times or upgrade your video card? A desktop computer will typically give you multiple ways to achieve performance enhancements. My 2010 Mac Pro has the latest generation USB connectivity because I installed a USB 3.1 USB-C PCIe card. That’s pretty incredible when you consider the machine is almost ten years old. By contrast, upgrading the components in a laptop can sometimes be challenging or downright impossible, as in the latest generation MacBook Pro (literally nothing inside is user upgradeable… yikes).

Ultimately it’s up to you to decide if the advantage of portability offered by a laptop outweighs the performance and customization afforded by choosing a desktop computer. There are many project studios and DJs who rely on laptops at the center of their setups. A relatively recent laptop will give you adequate horsepower to run your recording sessions; a desktop machine will simply give you performance that’s a cut above at the expense of mobility.

My two cents: Go shopping for a Mac Pro “cheese grater” tower, specifically any model 2010 and newer. You can bargain hunt and find great deals all over the place, including at OWC’s Used Mac section. You’ll pay a small premium over eBay and Craigslist, but OWC has a well-regimented process for checking and refurbishing every used Mac they sell. For me, that additional peace of mind is easily worth the investment. And at the end of the day, you’ll have a powerful machine capable of running the latest music production software.

Laptops for Recording and Music Production

If you’ve decided a laptop is the best choice for you, you’ll find that Apple offers three Mac laptop models and a wide variety of options on the PC side.

Three Mac Models, But Really Only One Choice

Apple currently offers three laptop models: MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro.

Best Profeesional Product Music Software For Mac

My recommendation: If you’re buying a new or used Apple laptop, go with a MacBook Pro. They are significantly faster machines compared to the MacBook and MacBook Air. If you already own a MacBook or MacBook Air, there’s no harm in getting started with what you have, but you will probably find yourself limited in how complex your arrangements and mixes can get. You’ll also probably want at least an i7 quad-core processor and 16GB of RAM. More RAM and faster processors = more plugins, more audio tracks, and faster load times. You’ll also probably want to consider a Thunderbolt dock to give you additional ports for connecting a wide variety of music production peripherals. With MacBook Pro laptops, you generally only have a pair of USB ports and one or two Thunderbolt ports, so you’ll definitely appreciate the flexibility.

MacBook Pro Laptops:

  • If you’re buying a brand new Mac laptop
    • 15″ MacBook Pro (recommended)
      • I recommend this first because the base model includes 16GB of RAM, a 6-core i7 processor, and four Thunderbolt 3 ports. It will serve you well for many years to come, not to mention the 15″ Retina display will give you much needed additional screen real estate compared to the 13″ model.
    • 13″ MacBook Pro
      • You may consider the 13″ MacBook Pro if you are a little more budget-conscious, but I would recommend upgrading several of the components when you place your order. Both the 15″ and 13″ MacBook Pro are NOT capable of being upgraded after you place your order. I would upgrade the processor to at least a quad-core i7 as the stock configuration features an i5 dual-core processor which is likely to be a bottleneck in the future. I would also recommend upgrading the RAM to 16GB.
  • Buying used and refurbished
    • OWC has a great selection of refurbished MacBook Pro laptops
      • This is a great way to purchase a powerful MacBook Pro laptop while saving a significant amount of money. The newer and faster the better, but any 2012 or newer laptop with an i7 quad-core processor, 16GB RAM, and an SSD for primary storage would make for a great first music production computer.
  • Connectivity Expansion
    • Thunderbolt Dock
      • You’ll definitely want to pick up a Thunderbolt Dock for your laptop. You’ll benefit from additional USB ports, and depending on the dock, support for multiple monitors, wired ethernet, Firewire, and more. OWC offers some great Thunderbolt Docks in addition to carrying other select brands as well.

PC Laptops for Music Production, An Endless Variety

If you’ve decided to go with a PC laptop, you’ll have more options than you can count. With such a wide variety available, it can be difficult to choose the right solution. You’ll likely get more bang-for-the-buck when it comes to raw performance, but you’ll want to make sure your new PC meets a few particular technical specifications including a quad-core processor, at least 16GB of RAM, and SSD storage. You’ll also be happy down the road if you choose a model that has Thunderbolt 3 and/or USB-C connectivity. even if it comes with a modest price premium.

Here are a couple I’d recommend looking at. Just make sure to upgrade as necessary to get you the quad-core (or above) processor, 16GB of RAM, and SSD storage.

  • Dell XPS 13
  • HP Spectre x360

Desktop Computers for Recording and Music Production

Apple offers four desktop models: Mac mini, iMac, iMac Pro, and Mac Pro. If you’ve decided on a PC, you’ll have more choices than you can count once again.

The Best Apple Mac Desktop Computers for Music Production

Mac Pro

Ask any commercial studio facility what computer they use to run their DAW (digital audio workstation) and they’ll probably tell you a Mac Pro. Some will still be using Mac Pros as old as 2009 (cheese grater style), while others will sport the 2013 Mac Pro (black cylinder).

You may wonder how these older machines are still relevant in 2019, and it’s really quite simple. Mac Pro desktop computers are not only incredibly stable machines, but they are easy to upgrade too. In fact, you can upgrade just about any component in a Mac Pro, from the processor to RAM, to multiple hard drives or SSDs — even the graphics card. I personally have a 2010 Mac Pro with a six-core Xeon processor, multiple SSDs, 16GB of RAM, USB-C card, UAD-2 Octo DSP card, and an upgraded graphics card to run MacOS Mojave 10.14 (the current MacOS as of this article’s publishing). It works great and I am able to run very large Pro Tools sessions with tons and tons of plugins. What’s more, you can pick up refurbished 2009, 2010, and 2012 Mac Pro at incredibly affordable prices.

Shop a great selection of used Mac Pro computers at OWC

Mac mini

If the idea of a Mac Pro seems intimidating, a Mac mini is the perfect budget desktop for your first music production workstation. For under $1000 you can pick up a brand new Mac mini that features great performance along with cutting-edge Thunderbolt 3 connectivity.

A Mac mini is a great option for anyone who already has a display, keyboard, and mouse and just needs a capable machine to drive their digital audio workstation. OWC also has great deals on customized, refurbished Mac minis.

iMac

The iMac, similar to the Mac mini, is a great choice for anyone who is just beginning to experiment with music production. You’ll get predictable, reliable performance in a sleek, convenient all-in-one package. For many people, the iMac is the goldilocks computer for music production. You can purchase the newest models that feature Thunderbolt 3 technology and a 5K display, or buy late models from OWC’s certified refurbished program and save a ton of cash. If you stick to the recommended specs of a quad-core processor and 16GB of RAM, you should be quite satisfied with the performance of your audio workstation.

iMac Pro

The iMac Pro is currently Apple’s most powerful computer. Its performance is simply incredible and it would be absolutely gorgeous at the center of any studio setup. However, its starting price tag of $4,999 makes it too impractical to recommend as

The Best PC Desktops for Recording and Music Production

Build Your Own

Best Professional Product Music Software For Mac And Motif Keyboard

The best way to get the biggest return on your financial investment is to build your own PC. If you’re the type who is comfortable completing that kind of project, just remember some of the desirable specs I mentioned a few times in this article:

Forex software for mac. Other Platforms for Mac. Eclipse trader serves as stock market trading software for Linux. It allows you to watch the pricing of shares in the market, history charts, and intraday statistics. It features technical analysis indicators, integrated trading, market depth analysis and stock market news.

  • At least a quad-core processor (the more cores the better)
  • At least 16GB of RAM
  • A quality SSD
    • The OWC Mercury Electra 6G and Mercury Extreme Pro 6G SSDs are both exceptional performers

If you’ve never built your own PC and don’t want to go there, here are a couple of models to consider from Dell and HP. Neither offer Thunderbolt technology, but do provide USB-C connectivity along with plenty of capacity for upgrades and enhancements. At the expense of mobility, you’ll experience noticeably increased performance compared to their PC laptop siblings.

  • Dell XPS Series
  • HP Pavilion 590 Series

Conclusion

If you’re purchasing a new (or used) computer for music production, it’s ultimately up to you to determine what factors are most important. With a relatively modest budget you will find there are a number of options available to you, whether you are seeking more processing power or the flexibility of a portable laptop device.

Questions or comments? Drop me a line in the comments and I’ll do my best to help you!

Stay tuned for my next article where I’ll explore some of the most popular software options for recording and music production.

Josh Sularski is a lifelong musician and audio engineer with over 20 years of experience. He is currently a producer and mix engineer based out of the Indie Room at Covert Station in Brooklyn, NY.

Pro Audio Series:

  • Your First Home Studio (Part I)
  • Your First Home Studio (Part II)
  • How to Choose the Best Computer for Music Production
  • Comparing the Best DAW Software Options for Recording
  • How to Choose the Best Audio Interface For Your Needs
  • Microphones 101
  • Microphone Recommendations for Recording Vocals
  • Best Microphones for Recording Acoustic Guitar
  • Understanding Basic Acoustics in Your Home Studio (Part I)
  • Understanding Basic Acoustics in Your Home Studio (Part II)
  • Five Essential Audio Effects
  • The Best Plugins for Delay, Echo, and Reverb
  • The Best Plugins for Chorus Effects
  • The Best Distortion Plugins
  • The Best Compressor Plugins
  • Pro Tools Mixing Workflow and Free Template Download
  • Mixing Tips
  • Quick Tips for Better Home Recordings
  • DIY Audio Projects – Tools (Part I)
  • DIY Audio Projects (Part II)
  • How Reverb Works
  • Apple Makes a Statement with Logic Pro X Update

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If you believe that one can only make instrumental beats from an underground New York City recording studio, you’re wrong. The fact is, you can create rocking music like dubstep, wicked rap and what not sitting at home shuffling with music mixing Apps on your Windows or Mac computer. You can actually make your room a studio and tweak music with audio mixer and beatmaker.

If you want to produce your own beats or DJing is your passion, you’ll need the right tools to bring your thoughts into reality. By tools, we mean right digital audio workstation (DAW), a beat making software with lots of options to raise from just a beginner to a high-level producer.

You just need to get the right hang of your DAW. Once you do that, mastering synthesis, and drumming with a polished and a professional sound won’t be a challenge. We have got this roundup with the best beat making software for Windows and Mac with which you can make high-quality tracks and can produce music on any device. So just go through them and pick the best one for you to start your journey as a music superstar.

With just a couple of clicks, you’ll have created an excellent chord progression.6. This is songwriting software that will cater to your every need while you write songs and create the perfect music for it. This is a dictionary software and can be used by both songwriters and poets. Best free check writing software for mac.

Best Music Production Software 2019

1. MAGIX Music Maker (Windows Only)

MAGIX Music Maker is mainly designed to cater to Windows-based users. This is one of the best music beat making software with a lot of popularity among Windows users. Addition of optimized features made this music making software more popular among the users. Its free version used by professional music beat creators got it onto the limelight. You can rely on all its adjustable features like noise extortion, bass enhancer, volume, etc. it’s a vintage beat making software This DAW is available in 4 editions and you get access to more sounds, loops, and instruments as you go higher. The free version offers you 425 sounds in comparison to the Plus edition which is their least expensive edition featuring 5,000 sounds. Options increases to 6000 and 8000 if you opt for Live edition and Premium edition respectively. The only drawback we can foresee here is that it is designed exclusively for Windows users.

Pros

  • Affordable to premium range of options
  • Offers 30-day money back guarantee
  • Huge online database of tutorials
  • Vast loop library of up to 8000 sounds

Cons

  • Compatible with Windows only
  • Drum plugin could be better

2. FL Studio (Windows & Mac)

FL Studio was earlier known as Fruity Loops, but people were confusing it with a popular breakfast cereal so the name was changed to FL Studio. This is one of the best-optimized Beat Making Software that is suitable for novices and professionals. It has an easy and user-friendly console with numerous useful plugins including synths and samplers. You can directly transfer audio from the synthesizer to your editor. FL Studio’s roll piano is again one of its most used features. FL Studio is compatible with all the VST Standards for extra plugins. It includes various tools to for data editing and makes sequencing extremely easy.

It’s a quick access tool to start making beats and the same was revealed by Martin Garrix, the best EDM DJ. The free version comes with a limitation that you won’t be able to reopen your saved projects. Purchasing signature or premium version allows you all the access to future updates for free. It’s much cheaper than earlier and has all the tools one can look for including instruments, loops, and effects. FL Studio has one of the largest user-base and all your concerns will be answered on some or other forums.

Pros

  • It has a well-organized user interface as a beat maker
  • You get lifetime free updates for being signature and producer subscribers
  • Compatible with MIDI keyboard controllers for music production
  • Offers adequate online resources for finding a solution to almost anything
  • Great customer support for how to and other issues

Cons

  • Only suitable for music production and audio mixing

Best Professional Product Music Software For Mac Download

3. Ableton Live 10 (Windows & Mac)

Ableton Live 10 is one of the best beat making software of 2019. Ableton’s family has a standard edition for beginners and suit version for professional DJs or Producers. The standard edition is not as bloated, and pricy as the Suite version and not slim on features as per the Introductory version. It has everything you’ll need, from unlimited audio MIDI (musical instrument digital interface) tracks to 12 – 256 sends and returns mixable virtual tracks. It is loaded with more than 10GB of sounds built into its library, with above 1,800 different samples and loops. It also features 34 baked-in audio effects (eight dedicated to MIDI) to help you with post-production. Ableton Live 10 is DJ’s all-time favorite and most likely music making software.

In addition to the already rich library of Ableton, features like stock sounds, instruments, clips, samples and effects like Echo, Drum Buss, and Pedal are added on a regular basis. You can try out their 30-day free trial before upgrading to any of their three editions.

Pros

  • Loaded with great stock sounds and multiple features
  • Best for live performances
  • Future-oriented design with a user-friendly interface
  • Compatible with all VST Standards for extra plugins
  • A lively community of users for finding unlimited solutions for everything
  • 30-day free trial and purchase support

Cons

  • Easy and steep running curves for novice
Best Profeesional Product Music Software For Mac

4. Logic Pro X (Mac Only)

Logic Pro X is one of the best beat making software for recording, producing and editing audio for Mac users. It might be expensive compared to some of the production programs, however, its features are similar to some of the other music making software that costs as much as thrice the cost of Logic Pro X. The virtual instrument library is one of the best available collection for live performances as well as studio recordings.

Logic’s virtual drum plug-in is based on an AI algorithm to accustom a virtual drummer as per the style of music you produce. Instead of starting a song with a drumbeat, with Logic drummer track plug-in you can record a melody first. This is the best drum plug-in as a virtual drummer will play automatically with what you’ve recorded, adjusting with the feel and rhythm to fit your melody.

Logic’s workspace window is nicely arranged with the transport controls at the top of the window. It allows you to create up to 255 audio and MIDI tracks which gives you an ample amount of space to continually add new ideas to any song. Its flexible mix window allows you to add up to 15 insert effects and 8 sends per channel.

Pros

  • Greatest virtual instrument selection from a pool of instrument library
  • Intuitive interface with the best drum plug-in for a virtual drummer
  • Huge collection of royalty-free loops and samples for beatmaker & audio mixers

Cons

  • Only Available for Mac
  • Bit expensive than other beatmaker and audio mixer we compared

5. Muse Score (Windows & Mac)

The last one on our roundup of best beat making software of 2019 is Muse Score. Its magnificent features attracted millions of users around the world to try hands for music making. The music production software console of this beatmaker has a wonderful user-interface which is very attractive and easy to use. It also offers you a basic beginner featured mode which you can use to easily start making your own beats. This music production software is compatible with both Windows and Mac platform. You can easily record, edit music in parts within the recording and then download them in desired file formats like Wav, OGG, etc.

Pros

  • Professional music mixer software
  • Completely Free, No limitations or hidden charges
  • Easy to use console, yet a powerful beatmaker
  • Open source available for tutorials, forums, and handbooks
  • Input via MIDI keyboard and other instruments
  • Transfer to and from other programs via MIDI, MusicXML and many more

Cons

  • A limited collection of loops and samples for beatmaker

Wrapping Up

We have hired a profession DJ to test and review on numerous beat making software and he concluded these as the best of the rest software as beatmaker and audio mixer for beginners and professional. These music production software packages will surely help you to create quality music beats. You can record music beats and start sharing best of your musical creations on social media platforms and start your singing career with flying colors with the help of these amazing music production software packages. Do let us know which one worked for you or if you want to value add this article with your inputs, please share in comments.

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