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Today, beat-making apps make it possible to make beats on any device, anywhere. It’s incredible how easy it is to make a catchy beat on your commute or in the park!
Even the biggest stars in hip-hop and trap have used beats that were conceptualized on a smartphone.
Of course, there’s a dizzying number of beat-making apps available for download today, but which ones are worth your time and money?
In this article, we’ll unpack a range of beat-making apps—free and paid. By the end, I think you’ll have a good idea of what beat-making app is right for your needs.
Here’s the 10 best beat-making apps to try right now!
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1. Creator
Creator is the free beat-making app for LANDR Samples.
It makes it possible to layer up to eight loops from LANDR Samples’ extensive sample library and hear them together.
Creator will automatically time stretch and pitch shift any sample to fit any key and tempo.
That means you can hear how any batch of samples sounds together without worrying about their individual key or tempo.
It works super well in any phone browser and with so many inspiring (and free!) sample packs to peruse through, you’re certain to find and create beats entirely unique to you.
Definitely give Creator a try, it’s free to use and I think you’ll love it.
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Give Creator a try, it’s free to use and I think you’ll love it.
2. Ableton Note
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Ableton Note recently launched to great reception from the market.
Featuring seamless integration with its big brother Ableton Live, Noteu ses a slick interface to help producers record ideas, tap in beats and jot down ideas on the go.
Easily tap in beat ideas, write melodies with a handful of keybased synths, record and sample the environment around you and then come up with variations.
Then, once you’re home import your ideas straight into your DAW and start refining.
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3. iMaschine 2
Maschine from Native Instruments is a well-respected name in the beat-making world.
So it’s no surprise that their iMaschine 2 app is a go-to tool for on-the-go beat makers.
You’ll have to pay for it–and you only get access to so many samples.
But the meticulously designed interface, sample editor and unique workflow make the iMaschine worth the price.
4. Patterning 2
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Here’s a super interesting beatmaking app with a particularly unique interface.
Unlike timeline-based drum machines, Patterning 2 goes with a Euclidean-style interface.
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The Euclidean drum machine means you can generate out-of-this-world polyrhythms with ease, allowing beatmakers to quickly concoct and experiment with wild patterns.
If you’re looking for an out-of-the-box beatmaker that will inspire, definitely give this one a try.
5. iElectribe
KORG’s Electribe is a well-loved hardware sampler and synth. Somehow the app version translates nicely into a capable beat-making app.
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The iElectribe is both a sequencer, a sampler and a synth. So, you can get a ton of functionality out of it.
It’s a great tool for learning about hardware synths without having to purchase a physical one.
For an interesting app to play around with unique sound design capabilities, this is definitely a great option.
6. GarageBand
The desktop version of GarageBand is easily one of the best free DAWs available right now.
So it’s no surprise that its free iOS version is equally as excellent as its legendary desktop cousin.
GarageBand is equally as excellent as its legendary desktop cousin.
The GarageBand app is essentially a DAW in mobile format. You get a timeline editor, a selection of instruments, recording capabilities, effects, mixing tools and much more.
It’s best suited for iPad users, given how much functionality it has. But, that doesn’t mean it’s not a viable option on iPhone.
Highly recommended as a free starting point for mobile production. The only downside really is that it’s only available for Apple users.
7. iMPC
The MPC is the groove box sampler that started it all.
Now, the legendary workflow is available in a mobile app format that’s perfect for MPC-style beat-making.
Looking at the app it seems to pay homage to the original interface of the classic MPC 2000 layout.
The iMPC comes with 1,200 samples, 50 editable programs, and 80 editable sequences. Plus, a mixer, effects section and a sampler that uses the built-in iPad mic.
There couldn’t be a better option if you’re looking for an authentic MPC experience on a budget.
There couldn’t be a better option if you’re looking for an authentic MPC experience.
8. FL Studio Mobile
FL Studio Mobile is a mobile DAW that functions very similarly to GarageBand or even iMaschine.
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Except, this DAW is of course based on the well-known FL Studio DAW.
It comes with a timeline editor, a handful of effects and instruments, a mixing section and more.
The best part is that it’s available for all devices, meaning Android users can get in on the action.
It’s a great app with a familiar workflow from a well-respected DAW developer.
9. Beatmaker 3
Beatmaker 3 is a well-developed beat-making app that focuses on re-creating the workflow of hardware groove boxes within the tablet format.
It comes with all the standard sequencers, finger pads, sound bank and effects section you’d expect from an app like this.
Its strongest feature is its sample chopping and editing section that makes it super easy to chop up sounds and assign them to pads and sequences.
Beatmaker 3 is well suited for live performance given its strong sequencer and fully-fledged mixer with individual channels for each pad and up to eight effects sends.
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10. Beatsnap
Beatwave is a free beat-making app with a handful of in-app subscription options that open up access to more sound packs.
While most beat-making apps are best suited for tablets, Beatsnap is optimized best for use on smartphones, making it a great option for truly mobile beat-making.
Its most useful feature is definitely its MIDI-style timeline editor, which makes it easy to tap in drum sequences and sample triggers.
Once your beat is ready it’s super easy to export and share all within the app.
If you love sequencing drum patterns to samples on the go, this is definitely an app to check out.
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