Whether you’re a Windows or MacOS user, a musician, or an aspiring DJ, you’re sure to find a software option that fits your music creation needs on our list of the best free music-making software. If you are a Mac user, the Logic Pro X is advanced software to help with music creation with track consolidation, logic remote, smart controls, flex pitch, and more. It is a professional recording studio on Mac.
- GarageBand is a fully equipped music creation studio right inside your Mac — with a complete sound library that includes instruments, presets for guitar and voice, and an incredible selection of session drummers and percussionists.
- Last Updated: June 12th, 2017 If you own a Mac and love music, consider installing below listed best Music apps on Mac. Hoping that you enjoyed list of best FTP Clients for Mac and blog editors for Mac. Make Music With These Mac Apps 1. GarageBand: GarageBand app for Mac is recording studio apps of Apple which can be downloaded for just $14.99. GarageBand ’11 comes with feature such as Flex.
By now, you probably know what a powerful creative tool your Mac is. It’s definitely hard to beat when it comes to retouching photos, editing videos, and — naturally — making music.
There are, in fact, so many music making apps for Mac that it’s hard to decide which one to get and what’s the difference between them, especially if you’re just starting out. But don’t worry — below is the ultimate guide to help you pick the best music production software currently on the market.
Be a creator with Setapp
The ultimate toolkit for curious folks — Setapp gives you access to 180+ apps for creating music, design, code, and more.
The Best Free Music Software For Mac
It’s important to note that no single music creation software is best for everyone. Needs, experience levels, and preferences tent do differ a lot, so the final choice should be different as well. Having said that, there are a few options that have been winning in their respective categories over the years again and again. Here they are.
GarageBand: The easiest way to start
You don’t have to go far for an introductory experience to music making programs — the GarageBand app is already pre-installed on your system.
GarageBand for Mac is a versatile free music making software for beginners. You can use its tutorials to make your first steps into playing an instrument, record your own music (including your voice), add special effects, and produce complete tracks to upload to SoundCloud or beyond.
If you don’t have GarageBand in your Applications folder yet, download it from the App Store for free. When you open the app, it’ll prompt you to get all the available sounds and effects. In the latest GarageBand version for macOS Catalina, Apple has included a fantastic virtual drummer that you can customize to fit your patterns exactly, whether you’re playing rock or hip-hop. The layout of all the GarageBand options is quite intuitive, so you can definitely study the app on your own, learning more as you go.
Some downsides to the GarageBand app are essentially reasons why pros don’t use it: at some point you max out its capabilities and need features like advanced crossfades, for example. When you feel that instead of the music making software serving you, you start serving the music making software — it’s probably time to upgrade.
Ableton Live 10: The best music making software ever
At the other end of the music software spectrum is the industry-standard Ableton Live. First released in 2001, Ableton has been honing its music making software for nearly two decades. It’s not only able to record, arrange, mix, and master your music but also be used at live shows to play that music back, right from the same interface.
Bad news: it’s very difficult to learn Ableton on your own if you don’t have any background in music making. Luckily, there’s a large international community of users, so you’ll likely be able to find either a local or online group in your language, which could become instrumental to getting over various hurdles.
Even more bad news: Ableton is not a free music production software at all. While Ableton Live 9 used to have a Lite version that could be downloaded free, Ableton Live 10 starts with an Intro edition at $99 (then Standard at $449, then Suite at $749). The more expensive the version the more effects, instruments, and sounds it contains.
n-Track Studio: A top recording software for Mac
If the gap between GarageBand and Ableton Live is so wide, naturally there would be some music making apps that would try to fill it up. Enter n-Track Studio.
Make music with n-Track Studio
With this simple app, you can take a professional music recording studio to your Mac. No expensive equipment, no fuss.
n-Track Studio is a music making software free of Ableton’s complexities but with nearly all of its power. You can record songs from live instruments or create complex EDM tracks using virtual tools as well, with the help of a massive library of sound effects. What’s more, n-Track Studio features a free MIDI software built right in and doesn’t require a too powerful of a processor on your machine, since its audio engine is optimized for minimum latency, even when dozens of tracks are played at once.
Starting with n-Track Studio is very easy:
Click the circled plus icon to create a new track, either blank or armed for recording
Right-click on the new track and choose “Add blank MIDI track”
Select your instrument
Play any progression you like, either using your trackpad or a connected controller
Repeat as many times as needed and enhance with other effects
Overall, exploring n-Track Studio is pure pleasure: more freedom than the standard GarageBand without the difficulty and cost of Ableton. Perfect choice!
Make all music sound better with Boom 3D
While selecting the best free music making software is important, it’s equally important to ensure that whatever tunes you create are going to be played appropriately. As most Macs are simply too quiet for all the intricacies of the music software, you need Boom 3D to make it all work.
Boom 3D is a system-wide volume booster and equalizer for your Mac. First, it features a variety of presets to make every genre sound as good as possible, by setting the right midtones, bass levels, and high-pitched notes. Second, it lets you surpass the default volume limit on your Mac to really get the maximum out of your speakers.
Finally, Boom 3D also acts as a nifty little music player that features over 20,000 radio stations from around the world and plays back tracks set in your specific preferences.
So, again, while choosing the best music production software comes down to your level of experience and needs, if you go for a mid-market product like n-Track Studio, you definitely won’t be bored for a long time. Just don’t forget to couple it with Boom 3D for an absolute killer of a sound.
Best of all, n-Track Studio and Boom 3D are available to you absolutely free for seven days during the trial of Setapp, a platform with over 160 apps for your creative self, from music making programs to film editing and drawing. Try Setapp today and unleash you creator spirit. It’s free, so why not at least try?
Meantime, prepare for all the awesome things you can do with Setapp.
Read onSign Up
How To Delete Music Creation For Mac
Whether you’re a young student and started making music as a leisure activity or planning to become the next Dan Reynolds, it’s always best to begin with free online music maker software.
So, if you’re looking to create your own music or band, look no further than your smartphone.
However, if you don’t know how to make your own music online, then you don’t need to worry about it anymore as we’ve done all the heavy lifting to help you pick the best free music maker software.
Let’s jump right into the wonderful world of music-making apps:
Music Maker Apps for Creating Your Own Band and Music:
1. GarageBand
The most obvious choice for the top spot, this free online music maker has been a favorite for many years.
Whether you’re a complete beginner or ready to take your music-making to the next level, GarageBand has got you covered.
Apple’s long-standing music-making app offers a wide range of Touch Instruments & Multi-Touch gestures to help you play guitars, keyboards, create beats with DJ-style effects, and much more.
It gives you access to the various, audio recordings, Apple Loops, and musical instruments with professional mixing effects & sound packs — so you can create your own music anywhere, anytime.
2. BandLab – Music Making Studio
With more than 9 million users, BandLab is the world’s most popular free online music studio to create your own songs and mashups.
With BandLab’s multi-track editor, you can record, produce, edit and remix any fine-tune to perfection while on the go.
BandLab also lets you connect with fellow DJs and artists — so you can start a band with established musicians, rappers, guitarists, and more.
3. Music Maker JAM
Even if you are not a fan of music-making apps, then Music Maker JAM will definitely make you one.
This music mix app with its tons of studio-quality loops allows you to create & share amazing music with the world.
Being a part of this music creation community, you can get access to more than ten free packs with over 2000 loops that can help you produce your own album right on your smartphone.
So, what are you waiting for? Download Music Maker JAM and be a music creator today!
4. n-Track Studio 9
n-Track 9 is an online music studio that lets you record & share an unlimited number of tunes and MIDI tracks (max 11 tracks without in-app purchases) with the Songtree community.
It offers a wide range of creative tools including Piano Roll, Guitar Amp, Screen Drumkit, VocalTune, Surround mixing, Beat doctor, 2d & 3d Sonograms, and much more!
So, if you’re looking to make a name for yourself in the music production industry, then this free online music maker could be the perfect option for you.
5. Groovebox
Groovebox is a beautifully designed music-making app that comes with an inspiring synth, presets, and world-class touchable instruments.
With this free music maker software, you can instantly create, remix and record your own tunes and melodies.
So, what are you waiting for? Download Groovebox today and tune your iPhone or iPad into an online music studio.
6. Audacity
Audacity is a free, open-source music making software that offers an amazing set of editing features and real-time effects to help you make your own music.
The music production software is available for free download on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux operating systems.
Audacity is one of the most used multi-track audio editors with you can instantly record live audio through a microphone or mixer.
7. Tracktion T7
Tracktion T7 is a free digital audio workstation (DAW) for recording, producing and sharing your own music.
Tracktion T7 offers unlimited free audio and MIDI tracks with a wide range of powerful editing and recording features like clip layer effect, automation pattern, LFO modifier, freeze point technology, and more – so you can easily record, edit, and produce your own beats with ease.
This free DAW is available for download on Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems.
8. Music Memos
Music Memos, developed by Apple Inc. is one of the best music-making apps for music writers to capture & organize your new song ideas.
Music Memos helps you record piano, acoustic guitar, voice, or any other musical instrument in high-quality on your iPhone & iPad.
It also allows you to take your song ideas into GarageBand on your iPhone device – so you can use an additional instrument to make yourself sound like a Pro!
9. Cubasis 2
Cubasis, developed by Steinberg, is an iOS-based online music studio that lets you record, edit, mix, and produce an extensive collection of songs with ease.
It features amazing touch-optimized tools like real-time pitch-shifting and time-stretching, spin FX, mini sampler, virtual analog synthesizer, and much more!
Cubasis with its wide range of built-in instrument sounds and performance features ranks among the best music-making apps in the world right now.
10. FL Studio Mobile
The beautifully designed user interface has made FL Studio Mobile the world’s most popular free music maker software in the world.
FL Studio Mobile offers a vast number of built-in features like advanced sound creation, touch controllers, high-quality synthesizers, mix effects, and more – so you can take your music to the next level.
It might come last in the list of best music-making apps, but it is definitely worth a try.
Final Verdict
The apps listed above are some of the best music-making apps on the basis of ease and popularity.
You can get all of these online music studios for free; use them and make your own music anywhere, anytime.
Music Creation Software For Mac
So, what are you waiting for? Pick your favorite & create your own album right on your phone.