Are you looking for the best beat making software for a MAC or PC?
The truth is the best programs need a few essential properties: They have to be user-friendly, use quality sounds and are able to be used by both experts and newbies.
Sidebar: There are a lot of questions about what is the best beat making software program. In my opinion, there is ONE product that is both affordable while producing quality, professional sounds. It is the Dub Turbo beat making software. I think this better than most programs it produces STUDIO QUALITY sounds instead low fidelity beats you often get with other programs. Anyway…be sure to check out my complete Dub Turbo Review for more information.
We have come a long way, technologically, since the days when the 808 was the height of innovation. Regardless of the programs you use, free or premium, you will find quite a lot has improved in the quality of the output of beat making programs since those days.
While those old sequencers and drum machines served their purposes and have maintained strong cult followings ever since, today producers have access to an overwhelming multitude of computer programs.
All of these can easily run circles around the most sophisticated equipment of even a decade ago.
Even better, they are more affordable and modern home computers have grown to accommodate their system demands.
Best Well-Rounded Music Making Software
#1. Of course, on the best options for beat making software is the DubTurbo program. This is the industry standard when it comes to making your own beats. Thousands of people download this program every month and use it to create a variety of hip-hop, rap, and dance beats.
Some software is more focused and caters to a particular need or niche. Luckily for music-makers, technology has become so advanced that it is now easy enough for programmers to mix and match features that most programs are well-rounded to some degree. Nonetheless, there are programs for producing purely synthetic music, for creating just beats and those more inclined to specific genres. Dubturbo is one of these programs.
While it can be used to create convincing beats for all styles, this program is primarily marketed towards the urban scene. Dubturbo is oriented towards beats, but these days that term includes pretty well all parts of a song minus vocals. Its sound bank contains thousands of tones and patterns and while it is not compatible with MIDI interfaces, virtual drummers can key in their tones in real-time or program them into an easy-to-use grid using a 16-track sequencer. {If you act now, you can even get Dubturbo at a 75% discount.}
#2. On the pricier end of the spectrum, Reason offers a music making experience that is both user-friendly and good-sounding. Although it leans a little towards rock, this program is of the more well-rounded variety. It allows the user to construct full songs with realistic sounds and samples that are accompanied by interfaces designed to replicate the appearance of the gear they are synthesizing (i.e. amps). Reason is also designed for live recording and can be used in conjunction with external hardware to allow musicians to plug in guitars, bass guitars, keyboards, mics or whatever else they might want to try to incorporate into their songs.
At $449, version six of this popular music making software is out of reach for many of those who would be inclined to use it. The company also offers a lighter version with the same quality but fewer features for $299 which, while still pricey, beats buying a music studio and puts it more in line with the competition.
For those who can afford it, Reason is one of the best programs for constructing whole songs and it remains a trusted name in the industry. The software is available in stores as well as from the company’s website and potential customers who would like to try the program out before taking the plunge can download a free trial version via the web.
#3. Another well-rounded program with a good cost-to-feature ratio is Reaper, which costs only $60 ($225 for commercial users) and also features a well-rounded and easy-to-use interface. A trusted tool for many home studios, it includes hundreds of sounds and effects in addition to others available from third parties, as well as diverse editing capabilities, a 16-track sequencer and many more impressive features. Reaper is available for download from the company’s site.
And Then There are Free Beat Making Programs…
Sometimes with free versions, you get what you pay for.You are never going to make “professional” quality beats with a free program. BUT… that does not mean that you cannot make some awesome sounding music. You can! There are quite a few free music making options available out there. It can be easy to get lost in all the free beat making software offers that assault you from every direction. Here are a few of the best options.
#1. Hammerhead Rhythm Station is a good stand-alone beat-focused program that costs nothing and features uncommonly good sounds for a free program, although they are limited in scope to a few classic electronic tones.
This program’s other features are equally limited but perfect for the beginner and a possible adjunct to more sophisticated programs used by experienced beat-makers.
#2. OrDrumbox is another free percussion-focused program that features more sounds than Hammerhead and is suited to a wider variety of styles.
#3. For capturing live sounds, songwriters might also want to try Anvil Studio, a sequencer and all-around recording program that offers many of the same features as its commercial counterparts.
Technology provides modern musicians and songwriters with almost unlimited possibilities for composing and arranging beats and tracks and with patience and perhaps a small investment, they can find the best music-making software to realize their visions.
Overall, there are a lot of beat makers that produce a variety of sound quality. In my opinion, the best beat making software program is DUBturbo. But any of the ones I’ve listed in this post can work if you spend a long enough time mastering how they work.
Photo courtesy of Latejapride.
