Music Producers Will Be Unimpressed with New MacBook Air, Mac Mini and iPad Pro


Thursday, November 1st, 2018 |

This week Apple updated their MacBook Air, Mac mini and iPad Pro models, but as Fact magazine writer Scott Wilson points out, these new additions from a cost and spect point of view aren’t very exciting when it comes to music production.

It’s strange that Apple continues to neglect one of its biggest user categories, especially considering the popularity of GarageBand, which is likely to be the first experience many people have of making music with a computer, phone or tablet. But it’s also not that surprising: this is the same company that removed the headphone jack from its phone in the name of ‘progress’ and removed traditional USB ports from its MacBook Pro line despite widespread support for them among producers with MIDI controllers, audio interfaces and modern synthesizers. The MacBook Pro is also too expensive for most bedroom producers and the MacBook far too underpowered for anyone wanting to do anything more than basic recording and light editing.

So where does this leave the professional and even intermediate level producers considering whether to stick with Apple or jump ship to Windows? Unfortunately the answer isn’t a simple one. Today’s slate of new products is a very mixed bag for producers. Each product offers something that the professional or semi-professional producer will want, but probably not at the same time. And, despite Apple’s attempt to shore up the more ‘affordable’ end of its product offering, each one is going to cost you more than you think.

You can read the article in full here.


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