Apple Macbooks have become the go-to choice for music producers worldwide. From renowned music producers to amateurs, everyone seems to prefer using Macbooks for music production.
…but what is it about these devices that makes them so popular for music and audio production?
Macs have become the industry standard for music production due to their ease of use, hardware & software stability, “plug and play” compatibility with other devices, and high-quality design, build quality, and aesthetics.
With the introduction of Apple’s new M-series silicon chips in 2020, Macs have become even more powerful while taking up an even smaller physical footprint, which has only solidified their lead as the industry standard in creative fields like music production.
I personally used to be devoted to using Windows-based laptops and computers because it was possible to get very high performance for a cheaper price without being forced to start using Apple-exclusive hardware.
However, the new M-series chips are so good that I am now able to use an incredibly lightweight Macbook Air to handle all of the music production tasks I used to have to use a bulk desktop computer for AND also be able to take my production absolutely anywhere.
5 Reasons Why Are Apple Macbooks So Popular For Music Production
Let’s explore the top 5 reasons why Apple Macbooks have become the industry standard for music production and why they continue to dominate the audio and music production market.
1. Industry Standard
Macs have been an industry standard for music production for many years, especially in creative industries like video production, graphic design, and audio production.
Many software developers design their products specifically for Macs or design their products for Macs first, which means that a lot of audio software may be more optimized for Macs with Windows versions being an afterthought.
Unfortunately for Windows users, this has turned into more and more of a self-fulfilling prophecy as Macs become more of an industry-standard, software developers focus more on Mac, and around and around we go.
2. Stability
One of the biggest reasons that I switched to Macs is that Macs are generally known for their stability, thanks to their solid-state design and robust software, which is essential for music production.
A crash or glitch during a recording or production session could lead to lost work and time-consuming troubleshooting. Due to the limited selection of components & brands that are allowed to be inside Macs, they are often considered more stable and less prone to crashes than other operating systems.
Even worse, a crash or glitch during a live performance can be extremely embarrassing and even result in the show having to stop completely in a worst-case scenario.
This happened to me when using a Windows laptop at a show where Windows decided that it was the absolute perfect time to force a long 20-minute update of its operating system (ugh).
3. Ease of use aka “It Just Works”
Many music producers find Macs to be easier to use than other operating systems, particularly for tasks such as audio and video editing because there is truly an “it just works” factor to Macs.
Although this means that Macs can be less appealing to a music producer that wants to extremely customize how the computer works, the tradeoff is that everything is simpler and more straightforward.
The macOS user interface is designed to be intuitive and user-friendly, making it easy for producers to focus on their work without getting bogged down in technical issues.
4. Compatibility
Many hardware devices and software programs are designed specifically for Macs, allowing for a “plug and play” experience that makes it easier for music producers to use hardware and software that works seamlessly with their system.
Apple’s Core Audio virtual audio device in macOS is very well-supported by software and hardware developers alike, has a very robust feature set, and, most importantly, offers very low latency when working with audio plug-ins and audio hardware.
As someone who has switched from Windows to Mac, I can tell you firsthand that were several times that I’d have to spend hours trying to find Drivers and weird workarounds to get plugins and software to work on Windows.
Comparing that experience to Mac, again, things really do seem to “just work” on the Mac without having to spend hours of time looking at tutorials and weird workarounds instead of actually making music.
5. Aesthetics
Finally, and honestly, very superficially, some music producers simply prefer the look and feel of Macs over other computers as Macs are known for their sleek, minimalist design, which can be appealing to those in the creative industries.
Less superficially, Mac products are known to have extremely high build quality which can both help give a positive vibe when using them as well as confidence knowing that they can withstand most of what you’ll put it through.
In particular, their Macbook laptops, are extremely lightweight, sleek & thin, which makes them perfect for bringing to live performances and when traveling to and from studio sessions.
