The music production landscape has changed drastically over the past 10 years. What used to take thousands of dollars in equipment to create can now be created with just a few hundred dollars and the right computer hardware.
With the advent of smart phones music production has advanced even further. Now you can produce music, and even play live digital music with the use of Android and iOS-based smart phones. But since the introduction of computer-based music production one thing has not changed, the PC vs. Mac debate.
What’s wrong with the Debate?
The problem with this debate stems from the division among musicians, recording engineers and record producers alike. The use of computers in producing music it’s a matter of efficiency. Since Android and iOS smart phones are little computers, and since the majority of PC users have Android phones, and the majority of Mac users own iPhones, this is a continuation of the Mac vs. PC debate. When it comes to the type of computer used in music production it’s a matter of personal preference. While there is no real “industry standard” when it comes to computer-based music production, each operating system and device has its own set of pros and cons when it comes to producing music.
iOS Music Production Apps: Pros and Cons
• iOS Pros – First and foremost, the most notable benefit of using an iOS device for music production is processing power. IPhones and iPads have arguably the most consistent allocation of computer processing power. When it comes to producing music, processing power will make or break the user experience. This has proven abundantly clear in user-generated cell phone reviews about music production apps. The other significant benefit of music production is the user interface technology. IPhones have some of the best touch response out of all smart phone devices, and this is an essential component especially if you are performing music live with your smart phone.
• iOS Cons – The biggest downside of using iOS devices for music production has to do with the lack of customization ability. This should not be confused with the actual features of music production applications, but rather this is all about iOS app development. Since Apple application design is based on a closed-source system, developing iOS music production apps for more sophisticated use is virtually impossible.
Android Music Production Apps: Pros and Cons
• Android Pros – Google, the developer and creator of the entire Android mobile operating system, has always had an open policy. This means that the entire platform is open-source, which makes application development easy for advanced Android users to fully customize the user experience when using music production applications. This fact is abundantly clear when reading the user-based cell phone reviews on the Android Market website.
• Android Cons – The overtly obvious downside of using Android phones for music production is found in their inability to keep up with iOS in the processing, and user interface department. The processing speed is still lagging, and many Android devices still lag in the touchscreen response department.
Conclusion
The truth is that as musicians and producers, we need both platforms to see a thriving music production community worldwide. Both platforms push for innovation in both camps. Whether you’re an avid Android user, or a rabid iOS fan you should be rooting for both companies to improve their platforms so that mobile music production thrives in the years to come.
This is a guest article by Ruben Corbo, a writer for the website Cell Phone Expert where you can compare cell phone plans and check out cell phone reviews.
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