Can you produce music on an Android tablet?

Tablets provide a compact and affordable way for anyone to start creating music on the go. Thanks to music production apps and built-in features, it’s possible to produce entire tracks using just a tablet. With the right setup and apps, tablets can provide basic tools for recording, editing, mixing, and releasing music. A tablet allows musicians, producers, and hobbyists to be creative and make music whenever inspiration strikes. While tablets have limitations compared to a full-fledged computer DAW, they offer portability and accessibility that makes music production possible for more people.

Benefits of Tablet Music Production

Tablets offer several key advantages for music production compared to traditional desktop workstations. The most significant benefit is portability. Tablets like the iPad Pro and Microsoft Surface are lightweight and compact. You can easily carry them anywhere and produce music on the go. This makes tablets ideal for musicians who want to work while traveling or collaborating with others in different locations.

Tablets also provide convenient accessibility for music tools and apps. Everything you need for music production is available instantly on your tablet. With desktop workstations, you must boot up the computer and load various music software programs. Tablets allow opening music apps quickly with the tap of an icon. Switching between drums, keyboards, synthesizers, and other instruments is seamless on a tablet.

Lastly, tablets provide access to a wide range of affordable music apps. Apple’s App Store and the Google Play Store offer many high-quality music apps for very reasonable prices. Some popular options include GarageBand, Caustic 3, FL Studio, and Audio Evolution Mobile. While professional desktop DAWs cost hundreds of dollars, their tablet counterparts are a fraction of the price. This makes music production more accessible to hobbyists and beginners.

Popular Music Production Apps

There are several excellent music production apps available for Android tablets that provide powerful audio editing and composition capabilities. Some of the most popular and full-featured options include:

Caustic 3 is a modular music creation studio that lets you create synth patches, program beats, and sequence melodies. It’s great for electronic, industrial, and experimental music. The app is very affordable but packed with features like a piano roll editor, effects, and over 20 synth plugins.

The mobile version of FL Studio brings the popular digital audio workstation to Android. It includes step sequencing, drum pads, MIDI controller support, effects, sample playback/editing, and more. You can export your projects to the desktop version of FL Studio.

Cakewalk is a free DAW tailored for Android that lets you record, edit, and mix tracks. It has unlimited audio and MIDI tracks, VST plugin support, automation, and a full-featured mixing console. Cakewalk connects to cloud storage for easy sharing and collaboration.

While not Android-specific, Garageband is worth mentioning as a polished and accessible option. The iOS version is nearly identical to the MacOS DAW. It enables multi-track recording with amps, pedals, synths, and more. An optional $5 in-app purchase unlocks the full feature set.

Working with Audio

Many Android tablets like Samsung have built-in apps for basic audio recording and editing. The Voice Recorder app allows you to record high-quality audio by simply tapping the record button (Source). You can then edit the audio clip, trim unwanted sections, and export it.

For more advanced audio editing, there are great free and paid apps available on the Google Play Store. Some top options include Lexis Audio Editor, FL Studio Mobile, Audio Evolution Mobile Studio, and MP3 Cutter and Ringtone Maker. These apps provide features like multi-track mixing, effects processing, normalization, pitch correction, and more (Source).

With the right apps, Android tablets can handle detailed audio editing tasks like splicing together clips, removing background noise, balancing audio levels, and applying sound enhancements. Just connect headphones or external speakers to monitor the audio closely while editing. Overall, Android offers powerful audio production capabilities for music creation.

MIDI Support

One of the biggest benefits of using an Android tablet for music production is its ability to connect to external MIDI keyboards, controllers, and other gear via USB or wireless. This allows you to play software instruments using a real piano or synth keyboard, and control things like transport functions, mixer levels, and effect parameters hands-on.

Most modern Android devices support MIDI over USB with no extra configuration required. Simply connect your MIDI keyboard or controller to your tablet’s USB port (you may need an adapter or hub depending on your tablet), launch your music app, and you should immediately be able to start playing and recording MIDI data. Some apps like Caustic 3 even support multitrack MIDI recording and editing.

Wireless MIDI connectivity is also possible using MIDI over Bluetooth adapters or WiFi networks. For example, you can use Yamaha’s MD-BT01 adapter to connect your keyboard to an Android tablet wirelessly. The Roli Songmaker Kit also includes Blocks with built-in Bluetooth MIDI that works seamlessly with Android.

In summary, Android offers solid MIDI support comparable to desktop platforms, opening up many options for controlling virtual instruments, recording expressive performances, and integrating hardware into your mobile productions.

Managing Projects

One of the biggest challenges when producing music on a tablet is organizing and managing projects. With limited storage space, it’s important to have a system to keep track of songs, recordings, samples, and other project files.

Many Android music production apps include basic project management features like the ability to create folders and tag files. For example, Caustic 3 lets you organize kits into folders, while FL Studio Mobile has a built-in file browser.

Some apps take project management even further. Studio One Remote allows you to remotely access Studio One projects stored on a desktop computer for seamless mobile-to-desktop workflows. Apps like Nuendo Mobile go as far as integrating with cloud services like Dropbox for online project collaboration.

Using a separate file manager app can also help organize projects across various music apps. For example, Simple File Manager allows creating custom folders and tagging files. symlink the music production app folders to Simple File Manager for one centralized place to manage projects.

While limited compared to a desktop DAW, Android tablets do provide enough project management capabilities for basic to intermediate music production needs.

Limitations

Android tablets do have some limitations when it comes to music production compared to desktop computers or higher-end devices like the iPad Pro.

One key limitation is the relatively small screen size, especially on cheaper Android tablets. The small display can make it challenging to view and manipulate all the parameters and settings when using complex music production apps and plugins. This is less of an issue on tablets with larger screens like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ with its 12.4″ display, but most Android tablets have screens under 10″.

Limited processing power is another constraint. Many affordable Android tablets simply don’t have the RAM, storage, or CPU performance to handle very complex projects with lots of tracks and plugins. There can be noticeable latency and audio glitches. High-end tablets like the Tab S7+ again fare better here, but in general an average Android tablet won’t match an iPad Pro or desktop PC in processing capability when it comes to intensive music production work.

Overall the small screen size and limited processing power mean that Android tablets are best suited to simple music making and recording rather than highly complex professional projects. The iPad Pro and desktop computers are better choices for more advanced audio work. But Android tablets can still be highly useful for sketching out musical ideas, basic recording, and mobile music production.

Recommendations

When choosing the best tablet for music production, first consider the top models like the Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch or Apple iPad Air. The larger screen size and powerful processing capabilities of these premium tablets allow for smooth performance with music production apps and DAWs.

Look for a tablet with at least 64GB of storage and ideally expandable storage through a microSD card slot. This provides sufficient room for installing music production apps, storing audio files, and saving projects.

A fast processor like the A12Z Bionic chip is recommended to handle real-time audio effects and playback without lag. Multi-core processors also enable parallel operations for applying filters, running synths, recording, and mixing.

Accessories like a USB audio interface allow connecting mics, instruments, and studio monitors. A sturdy tablet stand provides a handy surface for positioning the tablet at eye level while producing music. Bluetooth MIDI keyboards are useful for playing software instruments and recording MIDI data.

For Android, some of the best music making apps include Caustic 3, FL Studio Mobile, Audio Evolution Mobile Studio, and Waveform. iOS is well-known for music production with apps like GarageBand, Cubasis, Auria, and BeatMaker 3. Try out demo versions to find your favorite music production workflows.

Alternatives

If you decide that Android tablets aren’t the right fit for your music production needs, there are some other great options to consider:

Laptops

Laptop computers offer more processing power and storage compared to tablets. The larger screen and full keyboard can also make music production easier. High-end Windows and Mac laptops like the MacBook Pro and Surface Book are excellent portable options for music production.

Desktop Computers

Desktop PCs provide maximum performance for music production since they aren’t limited by battery life, heat, or size constraints. You can equip a desktop with top of the line CPU, RAM, multiple monitors, and storage for handling intensive music projects.

iOS Tablets

Many musicians favor Apple’s iPad Pro over any Android tablet. The iPad Pro offers seamless integration with music apps and accessories, ultra-low latency, abundant music production apps, and Apple’s powerful A-series chip. Just be prepared to pay more for iPad Pro models versus comparable Android tablets.

Conclusion

Android tablets can absolutely be used for music production and provide some distinct advantages over laptops or desktops. Tablets are ultra-portable, have touchscreens well-suited for music apps, and include powerful hardware at lower prices. With the right audio cables or adapters, you can plug mics, instruments, and monitors into an Android tablet. The touch interface makes it easy to manipulate loops, samples, and effects in real time. There are many great options for DAWs, synths, drum machines, and other production tools available on Android.

That being said, Android tablets do have some limitations compared to a full-fledged computer setup. The small screen size can make it hard to get a big-picture view of your project. Storage space fills up quickly with audio recordings and samples. Music projects can’t get as complex on a tablet. And Android audio latency still lags behind iOS and desktop operating systems.

In summary, Android tablets offer an affordable, portable option for basic to intermediate music production. They shine for sketching out ideas, capturing samples, and tweaking synths and effects on the go. Pair your tablet with studio monitors, keyboards, and other gear for expanded capabilities. While tablets may not completely replace a desktop workstation, they provide producers with flexibility and convenience.