So which is the best free beat making software? MPC Beats is the newest choice, and is excellent for traditional beat making workflows. Also, Cakewalk is the most full-featured program, but has a steep learning curve for beginners and is only available for Windows. FL Studio (Fruity Loops) Dubturbo Beat Software. DrDrum – BEST Beat Making Software #1 Choice – If you want something that is super easy to use, comes loaded with hundreds of sounds and samples, a huge list of features and frustration free then Dr Drum is definitely worth giving a.
As a beginning music producer, you may not be ready to spend money on expensive equipment, including a digital audio workstation.
Luckily for you, you don’t need to spend money to build your own home recording studio.
In this post, we’re going to uncover the top free beat making software on the market.
Available for for Windows 7, 8.1, 10 and Mac OS X, this free beat making software is notable for offering a great selection of samples that you can listen to and gain inspiration from. You can also adjust tone and pitch easily with this software and also save your files in multiple formats.
We evaluated the options based on the essential features every beat maker needs:
A step sequencer, a native sampler, and compatibility with third party plugins.
So which is the best free beat making software?
MPC Beats is the newest choice, and is excellent for traditional beat making workflows.
Also, Cakewalk is the most full-featured program, but has a steep learning curve for beginners and is only available for Windows.
Finally, Waveform Free and LMMS are simple and intuitive programs, but have limitations which separate them from truly competing with the established paid options.
Generally speaking, your decision will ultimately come down to your particular needs. All of the options on this list are good choices, but your long term plans as a beat maker will be the determining factor.
Before we get into the full analysis, let’s clear up a few common questions…
Should you use free beat making software?
If you are a beginner, your best option to start making beats is to choose a free digital audio workstation.
Why pay for software before you know what you need from it?
During your early phases as a music producer, you will need to learn the basics of music production, and all DAWs – free and paid – provide a similar workflow.
Choosing a free beat making platform will help you get the hang of beat making before you know what works best for your needs.
Once you’ve learned the basics and are ready to commit to making music regularly, then you should start looking into the paid offerings.
Is free beat making software safe to download?
It’s important to be cautious when downloading any software, especially if it’s coming from a questionable vendor.
In the case of downloading music production tools, all the choices on this list are offered by reputable software companies.
You should feel safe that there won’t be any issues when downloading these programs. However, just be sure you download them directly from the vendor’s website.
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s cover the best choices for free beat making software.
Top Choices
First, let’s take a look at our recommendations for the best free beat making software.
Cakewalk by BandLab
Cakewalk by Bandlab is a Windows only software based on a paid program called SONAR Platinum.
It comes with a variety of native plugins, a step sequencer, mixer, and third-party plugin support.
Cakewalk is a very stable platform, supported with frequent updates, and has powerful mixing capabilities with its ProChannel modules.
On the surface, this DAW is a dream for most producers…
However, because of its professional capabilities, the interface may feel confusing as a beginner, and the workflow may also feel less intuitive than other simpler programs.
It’s also limited to Windows only, which is a problem if you plan to collaborate with other producers who use another operating system.
Finally, for music samplers, Cakewalk lacks a dedicated audio editor, and doesn’t include a built-in sampling plugin.
Overall, Cakewalk is a powerful music production platform for a specific set of users. It’s perfect for intermediate producers who use Windows and don’t rely on superior sampling features.
If that sounds like you, then Cakewalk might be the best compromise for anyone who wants powerful beat making software for free.
Pros
- Supported with frequent updates
- Powerful mixing capabilities with its ProChannel modules
- Includes bundled loops and instruments
- Support for third-party plugins
- Includes a step sequencer
Cons
- Lacks an audio editor
- Windows only
- No sampling plugin included
Waveform Free
Waveform Free, by Tracktion, is a simple to use program with everything you need as a beat maker.
It comes bundled with all the essential plugins, including a sampler and mixing suite (EQ, reverb, delay, chorus, phaser, compressor/limiter, pitch-shifter and high/low-pass filter).
Unlike Cakewalk, Waveform features an intuitive interface where all functionality is managed in a single view. It’s especially friendly for beginners with a popup window for most functions, accessible by hovering your cursor over the audio files.
Waveform also has professional-grade automation capabilities, cross platform support, and full support for third-party VST plugins.
The only downside is its limited mixing capabilities, which shouldn’t affect most beat makers getting started with free software.
Overall, Waveform is very simple and intuitive, especially for beginners. If your focus is beat making combined with simple mixing capabilities, then this is a great choice.
Pros
- Bundled with essential plugins
- Automation capabilities
- Full support for VST plugins
- Cross platform support
- Supports MIDI, step sequencing and sampling
Cons
- Limited mixer
MPC Beats
The latest entrant into the free DAW space is MPC Beats, developed by AKAI.
AKAI is famous for its world-class hardware samplers, and its new software is a fresh take on the MPC workflow.
MPC Beats provides all the essential tools for Hip Hop beat making:
Virtual drum pads, a step sequencer, time-stretching capabilities, third-party plugin availability, support for a MIDI controller, and audio effects.
MPC Beats also comes with a 2 GB collection of drum kit samples and loops, with additional expansion packs available for purchase in their online store.
For seasoned music producers, you could also use this software as a plugin within other DAWs such as FL Studio and Logic Pro X, which means you can continue to use the software even after you’ve upgraded to a paid option
Overall, MPC Beats is the best choice for Hip Hop producers who may upgrade their DAW later, and would like to incorporate a robust sampling workflow into their process.
Pros
- Includes an advanced step sequencer, virtual drum machine and sampler
- Akai provides a free training video series for beginners
Cons
- The newest option, which means it does not have an established community of producers
GarageBand
GarageBand is a music production suite built for Mac OS by Apple.
It’s simple and intuitive for most beginners, includes a large library of loops and virtual instruments, and supports several third-party plugins.
It also gets regular updates and additions to the sound library with each release of Mac OS.
The layout and workflow are similar to Logic Pro X, which makes the transition fairly smooth if you decide to upgrade to professional grade software in the future.
However, Garageband is less than ideal for beat makers because of its limited step sequencing and sampling capabilities.
Overall, Garageband is great for MIDI sequencing and recording, and is easy to get started with if you own a Mac.
Pros
- Extensive instrument and loop library
- Wide support for third party plugins in AU format
- Frequently updated and supported by one of the biggest companies in the world
Cons
- Limited mixer
- Mac OS only
- Limited step sequencing and sampling capabilities
LMMS
LMMS is an open-source software that is compatible with all major operating systems.
It was designed for simple beat making, and offers a similar workflow to FL Studio.
LMMS includes a step sequencer, piano roll and playlist, and is bundled with several virtual instrument and effect plugins.
Compared to other options, the user interface is somewhat clunky and unappealing. Some users have complained that it can sometimes be unstable, and support is fairly slow to respond to requests for help.
Overall, LMMS has all the basic features that a beat maker needs. It also has a thriving producer community, and is a great choice for producers who want a smooth transition to FL Studio.
Pros
- Bundled with sounds, virtual instruments and effect plugins
- Cross platform support
- Includes a step sequencer
Cons
- No audio recording
- Stability issues
- Limited support for third party VSTs
- Limited mixer
- Cannot change the tempo of a sample without changing its pitch
- Limited audio editor
Studio One Prime
Studio One Prime by PreSonus is an established DAW that is excellent for producers whose focus is sound design or audio recording.
The free version offers unlimited audio tracks and mixer channels, time-stretching, multi-track comping, full MIDI support, advanced automation, and Studio One’s simple side-chain routing workflow.
However, the software is offered as a trial for its premium offering, which means certain features are missing from the free version.
Overall, Studio One offers a professional grade software – with limitations. If audio recording and mixing are your priority, then Studio One may be a good choice for your needs.
Pros
- Includes a step sequencer
- Extensive mixing capabilities
Cons
- No sampler plugin included
- Limited MIDI editing functionality
- No third-party plugin support in the free version
Which Free DAW will you choose?
Regardless of which software you choose, all the digital audio workstations on this list will help you make high quality beats.
The decision of which to choose comes down to your workflow as a producer.
For a complete production suite, choose a tool like Cakewalk or Studio One Prime. Just beware the limitations in these options due to their freemium pricing.
Alternatively, choose LMMS or Waveform Free for standalone software that won’t require you to upgrade. These options will allow you to get as close to a premium, full-featured DAW experience, but are slightly limited in their quality and support.
Otherwise, if you are looking for a pure beat making experience, then look no further than MPC Beats, which provides one of the best beat making workflows for Hip Hop production.
Again, take a moment to consider the workflow that fits your needs, and test the top choices for yourself to find the best tool for you.
Best beat making software that will help you in mixing, composing, and modifying music easily.
We found tons of music making software, both free and paid, over the internet. So we tried them all and handpicked the best beat making software for you. Doesn’t matter if you are a professional or have just started to work with Digital Audio Workstation, we have something awesome for all. If you want to start using your creative souls into making beats and soundtrack but don’t know what to start it, read on and find the best beat making software, trust us!
We listed our top 10 Best Beat Making Software with a detailed review of each. Each of these tools is the best and may have its own unique features. You can look for the best one that suits your needs and start making music. Plugin your instrument and start recording, edit and mix those beats to make the perfect soundtracks.
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Don’t stress out, if you are a beginner! We have the best beat making software to get you started.
Best Beat Making Software for Windows
Contents
- 1 Best Beat Making Software for Windows
- 1.10 #10. Audacity
#1. MAGIX Music Maker – Best Beat Making Software
Website: https://www.magix.com/in/music/music-maker/
Another great DAW software, Magix Music maker offers the perfect deal of beat making, editing, and mixing. It is one of the best beat making software free to use for people who have just started. The easy interface and design make this beat making software suitable for beginners.
The Magix Music Maker offers automatic pitch adjustment, tons of sound effects and sample tracks that can really help you get started. There are tons of video tutorials available on the internet that are surely a great help too. The beat maker software free version comes with 4 sound pools but if you want more, you can easily upgrade to the Premium Version which isn’t too hefty on the budget either.
The premium version gives you more variety on virtual musical instruments, soundtracks, and professional features. You can mix and edit your recorded sounds with an easier and faster interface on Musix Music Maker. Once you master here, upgrade to premium and enjoy all the master features!
#2. FL STUDIO
Website: https://www.image-line.com/flstudio/
A piece of easy, full-featured music making software for those who have just entered into the music-making world. Although FL Studio is a paid beat making software, it is a highly budget-friendly tool. If you are a total beginner and have just begun to make music, this is the best beat making software for you!
The FL Studio comes with an excellent pitch-shifting tool along with time sequencing that gives the user ease while making music, especially for a beginner. The wide range of virtual instruments and over 80 built-in plugins is what makes FL studio such a popular and one of the best beat making software.
FL Studio offers a wide range of customization, editing and mixing tools and is worth every penny you pay for it. But, if you are a total beginner, it would still take a while before you get comfortable with this beat making software but among others, this is the best.
#3. Ableton Live 9
Website: https://www.ableton.com/en/live/
Ableton Live 9 is considered as one of the best beat making software with easy yet full-fledged tools. This beat making software work works well on Windows and Mac. Although they offer a free version of this, the premium of only $99 is a value for money.
Ableton is known for its amazing looping features and grid-style music editor.
This may not be the software you should use if you are a complete beginner, but if you know little something about using such tools then Ableton Live won’t drive you crazy after all. The interface, though easy, has some complex features that’ll take time to get your hands on.
Here is a guide video for Ableton Live 9 beat making software:
#4. LMMS
Website: https://lmms.io/
LMMS is one of the best beat making software free to use and open source. This name stands for “Lets Make Music!”. It offers the user a simple interface to work with but isn’t lacking any feature you need. The huge community is open for beginners to learn the tool. There are millions of videos on YouTube that can help you start off.
The free beat making software can do wonders! The virtual instruments along with a piano roll editor for fine tunes will make your creativity glow. The additional beat and bassline editors on LMMS make it one of the best software for making beats.
LMMS is easy to learn and comes with an automation tool for tracks that help users in finding the right sound patterns. The library of sample tracks and sound effects is just amazing. If you are somewhat a beginner, LMMS can be the right choice for you. You can do a lot with this free beat making software!
#5. GarageBand
Website: https://www.apple.com/in/mac/garageband/
Available only for Mac Users, GarageBand is an Apple Exclusive music making software. It offers a large variety of virtual instruments with tons of effects. The interface may seem a little intimidating but is really easy to learn. In addition to this, GarageBand offers plenty of customization features and editing tools such as bass measure and even a noise manager to reduce excessive noise during recordings.
With Garageband, you can record various virtual instruments, mix patterns and edit sounds with a huge library of sounds and tracks. You can add effects and amplitude to your own instruments and create amazing soundtracks. Not only this, this free beat making software provides excellent looping effects which can be used for live performance.
There are all the good reasons we can it one of the best beat making software. GarageBand is easy to use, has all the features that professional beat-making software should have. If you are a Mac user, GarageBand is something you should try!
We all know that Garageband for Mac is only available right now but We found many guides about Garageband for Windows and Garageband for Android on the internet. We haven’t tested yet. We will test and share the guide soon.
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#6. Cubase Elements
Website: https://new.steinberg.net/cubase/
The highly customizable beat making software, Cubase Elements, is another of the best beat making software. It loads up on features such as a huge loop library, templates and virtual instruments. Although this is a paid software, it is a budget-friendly one.
The range of audio effects and plug-ins that can be used in Cubase is one of the reasons for its immense popularity. The layout is neat and simple yet a complete beginner should still expect days before they can get along with this software.
Cubase Elements is one of the best beat making software for PC, is available for Windows, Mac and Linux. The software, however, limits the number of audio tracks you use in a single soundtrack but the limit is far enough for what you’ll need.
#7. Reaper
Website: https://www.reaper.fm/
Reaper is a value for money, easy to learn, beginner’s music production software. It works on Mac, Linux and Windows smoothly. Although it is paid the $60 you pay for it is a real steal deal!
Reaper offers you an easy interface to work with and can support a variety of plugins for sound effects and tracks. The beat making software can read more than 25 file type so won’t have the trouble in converting your sounds into particular formats. The multi-track audio feature is something to look forward in Reaper.
Free Beat Making Software Download
The MIDI processor and editor make it easier for beginners to work with different beats and patterns. The customization options are excellent to work with. If you are looking for something that can help you get started in music making, then Reaper can be the perfect tool that has everything that has everything and doesn’t compromise on your creative thoughts.
#8. OrdrumBOX
Website: https://www.ordrumbox.com/
Ordrumbox is basically a drum beat making software but over the years has become a full-fledged music maker software. The software is great for people who have just begun making music. The beat making software is sometimes referred to as a Drum Machine given its main feature is drum beats.
One of the best features of OrdrumBox is that its Natural Sound Assignations which can match sounds to their natural pitch and sequence, a great help to beginners. The rhythm database is wide and with various customization options available, OrdrumBox makes it a complete package.
The addition drum kits can help you make better patterns of sounds and the built-in sequencer is some of the best features of Ordrum Box. The beat making software is available for Mac, Windows and Linux. So, if these features are something you are looking for, go for this tool.
#9. Tracktion T7 Draw
Website: https://www.tracktion.com/products/t7-daw
This is one of the best music making software you’ll find out on the internet if you are a complete beginner. It is simple but with every feature, you’ll need. The beat making software free version is older Tracktion T7 while the paid comes with more updated features and customization.
The beat making software comes with an easy to use interface and their tech support is just impressive. You will find a lot of tutorial videos for Tracktion T7 to guide you through.
It is one of the best software for making beats if you are a beginner. It offers you a range of sample tracks and sound effects to get you good and started. The editor and simple interface are best for beginners and you can add effects to your instruments. For a great start, use Tracktion T7 Draw!
#10. Audacity
Website: https://www.audacityteam.org/
Available for Mac, Windows, and Linux, Audacity makes up a great alternative for Garageband. It is one of the most elegant beat making software. It is neither too complicated nor too hard to learn. For total beginners, it would still take time but the process is not that difficult.
Audacity can be termed as more of an editor than a beat making software. Although it is free, the software limits on certain terms. It can be used as a great supplement with other tools as the features restrict it to mixing and editing. You can create sound patterns with this and lay the groundwork for your actual soundtrack.
The tool, however, can give you a decent insight into beat making and help you master such tools. The user interface is simple and really easy to use. Audacity can help you organize your sounds in a better way. This beat making software is worth trying, it will surely teach you a thing or two about music making software.
CONCLUSION
What Is The Best Beat Making Software For Mac
What is the best beat making of them all? Well, find for yourself. Choose the one that fulfills your needs and if not one, try them all!
Let your creative instincts find their sound. If you have already found your sound, it is time to make it big! And, as someone wise once said, the real music comes from the soul. To that, we’ll add that the best beats come from the best beat making software.
We hope that we helped you find the perfect beat making tool for you. And, although this article may be over, stay connected for more!
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