It used to be that only musicians who spent a decade traveling the world in a van and playing to anyone who would listen would have a chance of making an album. For almost half a century, the entire music business was dominated by major labels who dictated what was and wasn't popular.
- Best Mac For Recording Studio
- Best Mac Music Software
- Best Mac For Music Production 2019
- Best Mac For Music Production
- Apple Mac computers are beautifully designed and you feel good owning one. I started producing music on a Mac on Logic Studio. Logic Studio was made by the same company, Apple, so I figured I shouldn't have any problems using them both.
- The Mac Mini is one of the best budget Mac. It is small and quiet while having the same connectivity as the iMac and comes with audio in port. When it comes to music production, you need to ensure that you get the best Mac.
All of that changed with the rise of the internet - music distribution became as easy as sending a message. With the evolution of technology, home recording exploded into a market that now rivals major record labels with the ease of access to anyone who can string a few chords together. But here in which lies a new problem.
Music, Film, TV and Political News Coverage. But the Pro offers more than a ton of space. For one, the Pro features Apple's newest Liquid Retina display giving you 2732 x 2048-pixel resolution. Live Loops For spontaneous composition. Live Loops is a dynamic way to create and arrange music.
With so many musicians and composers able to flood the likes of Soundcloud and Spotify with music, it's still difficult to stand out from the rest. Part of that will be your musical writing and playing talent, but another major factor is ensuring that you get a clear, professional sound in your finished tracks.
Best Mac For Recording Studio
The battle between Mac and PC is still raging on, but many professional sound technicians have thrown their votes in for Apple as the best laptops to produce music on. Apple's interfaces and software programs, such as Logic Pro X and Garageband, offer a wide range of options to create your unique sound.
Table of Contents
- View The Best MacBook for Music Production Below
- MacBook for Music Production Buyers Guide
As for what hardware to use, leave that to us. We'll look at some of the best Macbooks for music production. Whether you're looking for a Macbook Pro, an Air, or something else, we've got you covered.
- Amazing HD visuals.
- Fingerprint touch bar ID to keep your contents safe.
- Made from recycled aluminum, be eco-friendly!
View The Best MacBook for Music Production Below
This Macbook runs on a 1.6GHz dual Intel Core i5 processor, which is on the low end of the performance when compared to the i7 processors, but won't cost you nearly as much. Even with the i5, you will be able to run most software and DAW packages. It comes with 8GB of Ram and the option of a 128GB or 256GB SSD hard drive.
The stereo speakers are excellent quality, although, for any recording technician and their laptop, we recommend investing in some good quality over-ear headphones to get the most accuracy out of your mixes. Where the Air Retina scores points, is in the 13.5-inch full HD screen. As a sound technician, you will be staring at your DAW for hours on end as you work to get your tracks sounding as good as possible.
The HD Retina Display has razor-sharp resolution so you can see every detail of your work without making your eyes bleed. The Air Retina also comes with two Thunderbolt 3 USB ports for fast connectivity to your audio input devices, so your music production never has to wait. This makes it an efficient and the best Mac for music, whether you're a pro or just starting.
Pros:
+ Amazing HD visuals.
+ Fingerprint touch bar ID to keep your contents safe.
+ Made from recycled aluminum, be eco-friendly!
Why We Liked It -With a razor-sharp resolution, and a great stereo quality, this computer is more than adequate for music production.
The Apple Pro Retina differs from the Air Retina through the sheer bolstering of power. Its Intel Core i5 processor runs at an increased 2.3GHz, making it just that little bit faster, and ensuring your software packages are running a little smoother.
The RAM on the Pro Retina comes in a range of speeds, topping out at a whopping 32GB, four times the amount of the Air Retina. This is great if you're planning to use multiple VST instruments, plugins, or other multi-program setups in your DAW and will ensure you have no issues with latency or stalling.
This is the best Mac Pro for live music for this reason as well. The Intel Iris Plus 640 graphics are so clear and crisp, you know you'll have no problem working and cueing from this laptop in a busy club or venue environment. The Macbook Pro Retina even can be upgraded to a quad-core processor for even more punch. It packs a 128GB or 256GB SSD hard drive and two Thunderbolt 3 USB ports.
Pros:
+ Fully upgradable
+ Potential for immense processing power
+ Superior RAM for multiple VSTs and plugins. Mac program list.
Why We Liked It - This Macbook Pro is an excellent choice of Mac for music production. Aspiring music producers will love the clear and crisp graphics. We love this is the best Mac for music, especially if it's live. Why not invest in a Macbook Pro?
The Macbook Air uses a 2.2GHz dual-core Intel i7 processor, making the most powerful Mac for music production on our list in terms of speed. The i7 can even be turbo boosted to an incredible 3.2GHz for even better performance. Where the Macbook Pro Retina stands as a competent live performance laptop, the Macbook Air gives you almost guaranteed performance reliability, and it's lightweight for easy traversal between venues and home studios.
This Mac for music comes with 8GB of RAM, which isn't quite as much as other models, but the superior processing power it makes up for it. The SSD hard drive comes in either the standard 128GB or the massive 512GB. That's over half a terabyte to store your music on! The Macbook Air uses a 4K screen and Intel HD 6000 graphics to give what might be the best resolution out of all the laptops on our list.
It comes with two USB 3 ports, one Thunderbolt 2 port, and an SDXC card slot. While these are not quite as fast as the Thunderbolt 3 ports on the other models, the Macbook Air makes up for it in its impressive range of other specs. This is still one of the best laptops for live music.
Pros:
+ Unrivaled i7 processor power.
+ 4K Screen display.
+ Largest SSD hard drive.
Why We Liked It - There's a reason this has made our list of the best Mac for music production. It's reliable, lightweight for easy travel, and the power behind this Mac is equal to none.
MacBook for Music Production Buyers Guide
RAM and Processor
Why is RAM and processing power so prominent in the specs of music production? The best analogy is to think of it like books and a table. Imagine that your RAM is a table, and your computer programs are books.
The larger your table or RAM is, the more books (programs) you can have open at one time. Your processing power is how fast and how many of those books (programs) you can read at once. Most Mac recording software operates as a cluster of smaller programs, normally consisting of a sequencer, VST or instrument library, inputs, and a few other functions, depending on which software package you use.
It's always important to look at the minimum spec requirements of whatever music production software you plan to use to ensure your Macbook can handle it. All the laptops we've looked at are capable of running most of the popular program packages (see our programs section), but some fine tweaking or optimization is often a good idea.
Hardware inputs
If you want to use microphones or a DI, you will need to invest in an input device for your Macbook. There are many available in a wide range of brands, prices, and qualities, so it's worth doing some research to find which is best for your style of music. Some DIs come as just an input box that allows you to run an XLR cable or jack-lead into your laptop so you can use your DAW's internal sound effects and alterations.
Best Mac Music Software
Other DIs, such as Line 6's guitar POD range, also come with additional software, such as digital amplifiers and plugins, that you can record in real-time into your sequencer. If you are a writer of dubstep or EDM, a guitar package is likely to be of no use, so have a look and see what's required for your genre and recording style.
Programs
Finding a music production program or DAW that works for you can sometimes take a while. It comes down to personal preference and the setup for how you write and record music. For example, Steinberg's Cubase range allows for huge amounts of customization of MIDI, VST, and audio inputs, which makes it great for EDM or electronic genres.
It does not lend itself live performance as much, though. Pro Tools, while widely revered as one of the most professional audio interfaces, offers very little in the way of VST or digital instrument support and programming. This makes it best suited for audio input based genres like rock, metal, or indie.
The best thing to do is research your music production software, try it out, and if it doesn't work for you, move onto another music production program until you find one that does. While some packages can be expensive, you can find plenty of free alternatives online to play around with.
Here's a list of some of the best paid and free music production software for Mac available right now.
- Ableton Live (Paid)
- Logic Pro X (Paid)
- Avid Pro Tools (Paid)
- Garageband (Paid)
- Steinberg Cubase (Paid)
- Tracktion T7 (Free)
- Amplitube Custom Shop (Free)
Questions
Which is better for music production? Mac or PC?
There is no definitive answer as to which are the best laptops for music production. It comes down to personal preference. Most professional music producers tend to lean towards Mac based on reliability. However, there are plenty of music producers who prefer the most customizable options you get with a PC.
How good your end product is, depends on your competence as a musician, audio technician, and sound mixer. Choosing between a Mac, PC, and your recording software will not suddenly turn you into a pro-level music producer - that only comes with time and experience.
Which Macbook is the best laptop for music production?
From our list, our favorite is the Apple Macbook Pro Retina. The options to upgrade the laptop to 32GB Ram and a quad-processor gives it the edge to make it an exceptionally powerful machine. The only reason it beats out the Macbook Air is because of the higher quality Thunderbolt 3 ports, which provide a faster connection to DIs.
While the two other models still have respectable specs and features, the Macbook Pro Retina is a nice all-rounder of all of them, making it a versatile, and not to mention, beautiful looking laptop.
What does DAW mean?
DAW stands for Digital Audio Workspace. It refers to your sequencer or display that shows all of your audio files during recording so you can tweak, cut, copy, mix, and enhance your samples.
What does DI mean?
DI stands for Direct Input. It refers to when you plug an audio instrument such as a guitar or microphone directly into your computer.
Expert tip
Whether you're aiming for a PC, a Macbook Pro, or an Air, It's always a good idea to get a laptop that can run above your music software minimum requirements. While your software will run, you may experience long loading times, latency, or syncing issues. When you're in your creative mode, the last thing you want is to be troubleshooting technical issues, so in the long run, it's worth the investment for the extra processing power and RAM.
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Best Mac For Music Production 2019
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Who would say no to a MacBook air for music production? If you are a MacBook lover in general then give me a high five because we are gonna talk all about using a MacBook air for music production!
The Best MacBook Air For Music Production Tips
Let's be real, when it comes to appearance, super performance or brand Apple is one of the top brands in the market!
Now the real question is which Apple laptop is the best for music production?
personally, I have been using MacBook air from a few months so I will be sharing with you a brief review and things that you will find it helpful when thinking of using a MacBook air for music production.
My comparison will be between MacBook air and a regular laptop of similar price range and let's also pick a MacBook PRO.
Why Macbook Air Rocks
Here are some benefits of using a Macbook air compared to a Non-Apple laptop: I love the fact that it is Slim and lightweight for daily travel.
Let's appreciate the battery life: 10-11 hours battery backup on normal usage. Now if you compare them to any premium laptop Apple touchpads are awesome, smooth and responsive. Don't you think?
Okay, the audio quality on macbook air speakers is good, but let's be true, it's not as loud as a MacBook Pro's speakers. Skype call coming up? Another thing is that Apple front camera works the best in low light which is best for low light skype calls!
SSD Power: despite the low power processor apps launch very fast on a MacBook air due to SSD. I also love the metal body construction that gives it a nice finishing touch.
Mag safe charger can be very helpful if you are really careless plus you're working on an important music production project.
The ambient light sensor that adjusts brightness automatically is a nice feature although many people are not aware of this feature!
If you happen to keep your Air closed or you just drop it somewhere idle you will find out that the battery has dropped less than 3 or 4 % even tho you checked back after 2 or 3 days.
This could be the best part: Mac OS, contains some pretty needed apps like a calendar, To-do's app, notes, Quicktime, Mail app etc. Hassle free OS
Something that many people face with non-apple laptops is the heating issues. there are no heating issues on a MacBook air laptop.
But If you are working on really BIG and I mean BIG projects let's be real here, MacBook air won't be able to pull it off. In that case, I recommend the Macbook Pro for several reasons.
The Air is perfectly capable of being used as a music production device, but within the size & price range, the Pro has some luxuries that make it a better experience to work on day after day.
Free paint app for mac. While the 15″ macbook pros offer even more benefits in terms of power and upgradability let's compare them and see what you can learn from it:
Tip #1 Think of the Retina screen resolution:
Having this screen to me was worth the price difference between the Air and Pro alone, and the biggest deciding factor for me.
At 2560-by-1600 native resolution, the retina screen operates at 1680 by 1050 scaled resolution for my DAW, which allows me to see more of the workspace as compared to the current Air, which operates at 1440 by 900.
Screen real estate is very nice to have when working in Ableton – being able to see more tracks and channels helps a lot in managing projects.
A macbook air can be a great fit when we talk price here but you could get external monitors to help with the screen resolution!
Tip #2 Check which CPU and RAM specs is best for you:
The Air is a lot less powerful in terms of specs. There is a noticeable difference between a 1.6ghz Core I5 and 2.6ghz Core I5 when it comes to using VSTs and effects in my music production.
The same can be said of 4gb and 8gb ram – I would not recommend anything less than 8gb for a studio computer. No joke!
I say this because I have maxed out both before while producing. For the price of upgrading an Air from 4gb to 8gb ram, it's more cost effective to go for the Pro, which has 8gb standard, as well as a better CPU and screen.
So think about the CPU when it comes to a mcbook air for music production. Are you willing to upgrade if yours is less than 8gb ram?
Tip #3 Don't overlook the power of the Size, Weight and Battery life!
The advantages of the Air is its portability. It's so lightweight that makes music production easier and on the go most of the times.
The extra hours of battery life and slightly lighter weight is nice to have over the Pro, but for a studio environment when you'll be plugged into the wall, I find it doesnt make too much of a difference, especially when the weight difference between the two models is around half of a pound!
If you are a person that travels a lot the macbook air for music production could be the way to go.
But if you're stuck in your studio in the long run, the Pro has by far the better price/performance out of the two.
The lightness and thinness of the Air is something to behold, but for a few hundred dollars more, I recommend making the jump to a computer that can handle a lot more of your production needs.
Macbook Air, while very good for the purpose it is designed for. It is light. efficient, portable notebook type device but if you're a music production guy it is not really suitable for use with a very resource demanding application such as Logic Pro.
Of course, you could use it but depend on how complex your arrangements are, the number of tracks, the type of plugins or even the number of audio tracks etc.
Have in mind you would likely soon run into it's limitations.
Conclusion
All of them will work but finally, the decision is on your workload.
The large your projects the more powerful your setup should so you can either start with a Macbook air which is cheaper but works well for basic projects then when you see things get heavier you consider migrating to a pro that works for logic pro , cubase , Protools etc… a MacbookPro with minimum 16GB & a 4core processor is advised.
If you can afford a MacPro or a iMac (if you want something portable skip this one) at the least … it can be a greater fit.
There you have it, Macbook Air For Music Production Tips!
What is your pick, macbook air for music production or Macbbok Pro?
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