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Mac Vs PC for Music Production and Audio Recording? The Debate is Finally Over

This debate has been going on for decades. There are pages and pages of content, mac vs pc pros and cons, opinions, pc vs mac, opinions and school’s of thought that can waste hours of time you would rather be spending on making music…

This music article is about getting to the root of your decision: The Results, Budget, Learning Curve, Use and Compatibility. Your decision is also based on if you are just beginning music production, been using computers for a while or you are a seasoned professional.

Choosing whether to go PC vs Mac is an entirely personal decision. When asking questions and getting ‘the facts’, make sure to stay away from subjective advice. Subjective advice is strictly personal opinion and has no factual evidence. Everyone who gives you advice WILL NOT be paying your bill. While opinions are VERY influential more than we would like, they cannot be the ultimate decision maker especially when choosing the foundation of your music studio and what you will be using for music creation for the next 5-10 years.

Here are three perspectives to consider before buying or upgrading to a new music production computer:

1) Getting Started: If you are just getting started with music production and are choosing between pc vs mac, here are the main focuses:

A. Learning Curve: What have you used all your life? You do not have time to waste on a learning curve. Whether PC or Mac they are both computers. Both have bugs, glitches, quirks, are both equally powerful with their own personal pros and cons.

What’s important is staying on what you already know.  I have seen students waste 6 months to 1 year stuck just on computer issues before really getting into their music production equipment. All because someone said ‘you need this system to create professional music’. Those days are over with. Go with the option that you have already been working with.  Your computer is the foundation of your music and there is too much to learn after choosing your computer to get hung up in this debate.

B. Budget: Computers are powerful unlike never before. If you have a minimum system of 2Ghz Dual Core or Quad Core processor, 2GB to 4GB of ram you’ll be able to do what music producers and recording engineers could never have dreamed of 10 years ago! You can get a laptop system of this power from $400-$600. This is ideal as you’ll be investing in the rest of your recording studio equipment. Your goal is to get a complete studio at a minimal price so you stay focused working on your craft and creativity.

C. Compatibility: Before choosing your system you’ll want to make sure that all the equipment and software you choose for your studio is compatible with the operating system. If you can only afford one computer, it is important to also research the music business software you’ll need to make sure it is compatible and in your price range.

2) Been using Computers for Awhile: The learning curve and budget are still a factor but what does your studio need help with? Do you need a server, remote recording options, a small music production workstation, full blown system for recording live bands? At this stage, chances are you’re familiar with both PC and MAC and your budget is bigger.

A. Computers for different tasks: One great option to consider choosing between a Mac or PC is if your workload has increased and you need more CPU processing power. Make beats and record vocals on one system while checking email, working on graphics or uploading content to your website on another system.

B. Networking and Integration: Make sure that both your Mac and PC systems can integrate together. Research according to networking compatibility and different uses; email, graphics, web, production only systems, recording only systems, mastering only systems, etc. Just research like you already have the computers and you’ll run into the needed information to help make informed decisions.

3) Seasoned Computer Professional: At this stage, you finally get a chance to show off a bit.. buying computers is a combination of getting something new, to simplify your life or to have another toy to learn for new inspiration purposes. Usually budget is of no concern so the sky is the limit for the ultimate music computer system.

More power + more capabilities does not = better. Quality time with your equipment to utilize all its features is the best thing you can give yourself when choosing a music system. Even though its an expense for fun and inspiration, it is still highly important to make sure that each computer you have has its unique purpose and is compatible with the rest of your computer studio network. There is nothing worse than having a bunch of computers and equipment that collect dust from not being used.

The Purpose of your Music Production and Audio Recording Solution:
As a music professional in the 21st Century it is not enough to just be a music producer, artist, engineer, etc. It is important to consider the other ‘hats’ of the music business you will wear and make sure your computer system delivers according to your budget and where you see yourself in the next 5-10 years.

Your Music business is going to require you to do the following:

  1. Music Production, Recording, Mixing, Mastering
  2. Email management, File Management and Organization
  3. Accounting, Budgeting, Expense Management
  4. Graphics and Web Software Solutions
  5. Smart Phone and Business Phone Integration

Whether these tasks are enjoyable are not, this has become apart of our music business. It’s going to be awhile before your music business revenue can hire that ‘dream staff’ of people who will do these jobs for you. My suggestion would be to start planning now while investing in your computer system so you can save time, save money and learn these skills to get ahead in the music business.

In summary, the Mac Vs Pc Music Production Computer debate is finally over. Choosing computer systems is the beginning of your music dream into a life long journey of creating music. If you cannot get past this debate, you will have a hard time moving on to your creativity. The goal is to get back to the basics. Choose a system according to your budget, what you already know how to use, have fun doing what you love, stay inspired and make great music that inspires the masses.

Tutorial: MAC vs. PC for Music Production and Recording:
1) Stick with what you grew up on. If a PC, stay on a PC, if a MAC, stay on a MAC. We have seen students who ‘jump ship’ push back getting results for 6 months to 2 years because of a switch.
2) Get the fastest processor, most available RAM and hard drive space you can afford. If you are just getting started, consider a re-certified system. These give you double the power for half the price and will help decrease the budget expense.
3) When purchasing, check your firewire card specs with the specifications of your audio interface to make sure there are no issues or incompatibilities. Look on the product’s support/forum page or search for any known issues.

Our All-in-One Complete 7 Lesson Course teaches you how to integrate and simplify all of these tasks so you can create more music and do less technical work. Let us help you get your music off the ground – Speak with an Adviser and Get a Free Training Consultation


Does The Mac Vs PC Ad Song Sound Like Baby Music? | Gizmodo Australia – You know that Mac vs PC music in EVERY ad? Do you think it sounds like baby music? Because everyone at Gizmodo just got into a huge debate over it and are not talking to each other now. Tiebreaker please? …

The Mac vs PC Battle : ICT 10 – O’Bannon, Isaac M. “The Mac vs. PC Battle (And Why It Almost Doesn’t Matter Anymore).” Http://www.cpatechnologyadvisor.com/publication/article.jsp?pubId=1&id=2615&pageNum=1. The CPA Technology Advisor, Nov. 2009. Web. 17 Apr. 2010. …

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