Six months ago I finally upgraded my ten-year-old iMac, and one of my criteria was that it be suitable for music production and live playing with MainStage. I have quite a bit of experience using Windows and even Linux for music production before moving over to Macs. It ran Band-in-a-Box and other Windows sequencing software that controlled a General MIDI sound module. In the 1990s it was common to see a tiny Toshiba Libretto computer on top of my digital piano. The audio recording wasn’t done on the computer itself, and I opted for a Yamaha MT44 four-track cassette recorder. It featured eight MIDI ports on the back as well as built-in sequencing software. I’ve used quite a number of computers for music production myself, starting with the Yamaha C1, a DOS-based laptop released in 1987 (well before USB ports were invented). In that role, I kept up with trends in audio hardware and software, including the choice of the right computer for music production. My name is Adrian Try, and I’ve been a musician for 36 years and was the editor of Audiotuts+ for five. Other Features that Support Music Production.Best Mac for Music Production: How We Picked.A Computer That Can Run Their Audio Software.

Computing Needs of Someone Working with Music Production.

Other Good Mac Machines for Music Production.

Best Mac Laptop for Audio: MacBook Pro 16-inch.

Best Desktop Mac for Audio: iMac 27-inch.

Best Mac for Music Production: Our Top Picks.

We’ll take you through all of the options and explain what makes them great or not-so-great when working with music production.

They offer enough ports for your peripherals and enough storage space for the audio projects you’re currently working on.īut other Mac models may suit you as well. Without compromising on performance, the models that give you the best bang for the buck are currently the iMac 27-inch and MacBook Pro 16-inch.īoth offer specs high enough for frustration-free work with music production software, as well as plenty of screen real estate so you can see what you’re doing when scrolling through all of your tracks. There’s a wide range of software and plugins available for the platform, the system is quite stable, and they’re durable and of high quality.īut which Mac should you choose? In this roundup, we only consider current Mac models, but we consider all of them. There’s a wider range of PCs available, their prices start lower, and many people are already familiar with the way Windows works.īut you’re reading this review because you’re considering a Mac, and I think that’s a great idea. You should consider your needs (both software and hardware) before making a final decision. For those who get creative with audio, they’re a great choice, and you’ll find them in many recording studios. They’re dependable, look amazing, and offer little friction to the creative process.

Macbook pro home studio setup