Finding the best music production sequencer for your creative projects is all about making sure you have the tools you need to optimize your workflow without getting bogged down in the details, whether you’re making beats, recording multiple tracks, or editing audio. Some music production sequencers are quite basic, making it ideal for rookies, while other sequencers are chosen by experts due to their sophisticated editing tools and versatile workflow.
Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide what kind of music sequencer will best suit your needs. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a pro or a beginner, you want to find a sequencer that’s absolutely “bussin”. However, since many sequencers have the same features, your level of comfort with a certain interface usually takes priority.
To assist you in making the correct decision before beginning your next project, I’ve put together a list of some of the top music production sequencers based on their usability, sound libraries, and general flexibility.
Ableton is a Top 1. It’s a German-California company popular among recording artists. Due to its custom audio and effects modules, music producers and DJs prefer Ableton Live. In addition, live performances benefit from its advantages.
As of March 2022, Ableton Live has three versions. And, of course, higher-priced plans provide additional functionality and audio handling.
- Intro ($99): A good basic plan with 16 audio and MIDI tracks, 16 scenes, two send and return tracks, eight mono audio input channels, and eight mono audio output channels.
- Standard ($449): Unlimited audio and MIDI tracks, unlimited scenes, and 256 mono audio input and output channels help professionals expand their work. It adds the ability to cut up audio and convert it to MIDI.
- Suite ($749): The amount of content you can manage per track and the amount of built-in content, like audio and effects packs, are both significantly increased.
If money is an issue, you’ll be happy with Ableton Live 11’s Intro version. It has many features, like Comping, MIDI polyphonic expression, tempo following, note, and velocity chance. In addition, Standard and Suite make it easy to edit several tracks at once by letting you link them together.
The key features of Ableton are its huge sound library already built in, three payment versions (you pay only one time), producers and performers like it a lot. Moreover, you should know that Ableton is the best sequencer for live performances.
Many artists who use it claim that it’s a top sequencer that won’t let you down.
Well, this is a very basic explanation of the sequencer, but if you’re interested in learning more, I suggest giving it a shot.
Apple’s Logic Pro is a highly capable digital audio workstation that provides a comprehensive set of tools for creating music.
If you’d rather not switch between several programs to complete your job, Apple’s next-gen DAW is a fantastic option.
Why’d you consider using it? Because of the set of features it offers:
- Fantastic multi-track DAW for making anything from scratch.
- Extensive collection of over 7,000 samples, including sounds, loops, instruments, effects, and more.
- An innovative 3D object planner that allows for 360-degree surround sound to be precisely placed around the listener.
- Fast and simple MIDI editing, recording, and modifying
- By clicking and dragging, you may select the parts of your comp that you wish to blend together.
You can purchase Apple Logic Pro for $199.99 or use it for free for 90 days.
Note: it’s only compatible with Macs.
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FL Studio
If you’re looking for a high-quality DAW for Windows or Mac, go no further than FL Studio, a premium program available only for those operating systems.
Its accessibility led to its rapid spread, and it is today among the most popular music-making programs in the world.
What FL Studio Has to Offer:
- Instead of using a MIDI controller, you may just click on notes to create music.
- Outstanding mixing and mastering skills with a top-notch mixer, sequences, VSTs, and effects.
- Use a wide variety of plugins and instruments, both commercial and open source.
- Excellent collection of sounds and presets for composing own music.
- Huge online community with thousands of forums and tutorials for the product
With a one-time payment and unlimited free upgrades, Fl Studio is a fantastic digital audio workstation (DAW).
It has four paid editions:
– FL Studio Fruity Edition $99.00
– FL Studio Producer Edition $149.00
– FL Studio Signature Bundle $299.00
– FL Studio All Plugins Edition $399.00
It also comes with an endless free trial edition that you may test out.
4. PreSonus Studio One
To facilitate CD recording, musicians Jim Odom and Brian Smith developed the first version of PreSonus.
PreSonus Studio One is a good DAW for beginners. It has a lot of features to help you make music.
It’s smaller than other sequencer for making music, and it doesn’t have as many features. But it’s no slouch, either.
There are presently three different versions of Studio One available, including a free, simplified version designed for beginners called Studio One Prime.
With the paid premium plans, you have access to these features:
- Artist ($99.95): equipped with a “drag-and-drop workflow” interface, as well as an infinite number of tracks, effects, and plug-ins. Recommended for musicians and podcasters.
- Professional ($399.95): supports native plug-ins, Celemony Melodyne Essentials for vocal management, workflow improvements, and built-in audio.
- Sphere: Only accessible via membership at $14.95/month or $164.95/year. Integrates additional material and plugins, including the Presence XT Editor for sample editing and Notion’s notation software.
5. Bandlab
Bandlab is the easiest sequencer to use on our list because it is a cloud-based DAW. It works on all platforms, and you can even use it on your phone. Even though it is simple, it has everything you would expect from a modern DAW.
There is also a pretty big library of instruments and loops, which is great for people who are just getting into music.
Its pros:
- Online music editing tools for free.
- Accessible from any location with a WiFi connection.
- Extensive collection of instruments and sound effects.
Its cons:
- There aren’t as many bells and whistles as there are in today’s top digital audio workstations (DAWs), making this a rather simple piece of software.
- Electronic music producers are severely limited in their creativity by the limitations of sequencer instruments and synthesizers.
- The lack of compatibility with third-party VSTs and plug-ins is a major roadblock for music production enthusiasts.
- It’s a huge handicap when trying to learn more about music production.
6. Reaper
When compared to other digital audio workstations (DAWs), Reaper is among the cheapest.
The complete version costs only $60, which is a dead giveaway when compared to rival programs like Logic and Ableton.
Being a professional DAW, Reaper might seem and feel daunting to those who have never used one before. Once you learn the ropes, though, Reaper is a breeze to work with.
Other sequencers are hard to use compared to the drag-and-drop feature, which is a great tool for mixing and routing.
Another thing that isn’t great about the Stock VSTs is how they look. They are ugly, and beginners may find them hard to understand because there aren’t many visual examples.
Reaper is easy to customize and, Compared to competitors, rather cheap.
But to use it, you may need third-party plug-ins and tools to expand the library.
7. Apple GarageBand
Best Free software. Why? GarageBand is the best free music production sequencer because it is easy to use and has an extensive library of high-quality sounds, such as drum samples, synths, and guitar amp emulations. Even though GarageBand lacks useful features like a mixing console view and individual channel inspectors that other professional DAWs have, its clean and blocky user interface makes it very easy to start making music from scratch right away.
Among its advantages:
- Some advanced features are built into a simple, easy-to-use interface.
- It comes with a library of high-quality instruments and effects.
- It’s free on every Mac, with versions for the iPad and iPhone.
Disadvantages:
— No Windows version
— Flexibility is limited; there is no mixer view and only a basic track inspector.
— The sample rate is fixed at 44.1 kHz.
GarageBand is a great option for quickly writing songs and sketching music, and it can even be used to make commercial recordings. However, its design isn’t very flexible, and most users have to work within the software’s beginner-friendly parameters. Still, GarageBand is free for Mac, iPad, and iPhone users, making it a useful tool that’s worth checking out whether you’re a beginner or a pro.
| Pricing | |
| Ableton | Intro ($99) Standard ($449) Suite ($749) |
| Apple Logic Pro | $199.99 |
| FL Studio | free $99.00 $149.00 $299.00 $399.00 |
| PreSonus Studio One | $99.95 $399.95 $164.95/year |
| Bandlab | Free |
| Reaper | $60: discounted license.
$225: commercial license. |
| GarageBand | Free |
After choosing your sequencer and creating new music, what will be your next step? Right, publishing and promotion.
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Final Thoughts
All these sequencers have their pros and cons. And which one will be a perfect fit for you depending on what you plan on creating.
Pro Tools is the best music production sequencer for taking care of complicated tasks with relative ease if you mostly edit audio for commercial purposes and use industry-standard software. If you use a Mac and want to do some of the same things but with a bit more access to creative tools, Logic Pro might be a better fit for you. Ableton Live is still the best music production program for making music. Its sample editing tools are quick and easy to use, and FL Studio is the best choice for beginners because it is also easy to use. You can always choose Reaper in case other sequencers are too expensive. Lastly, if you want to save money on music production software, GarageBand is still the best free option, but you’ll need a Mac to use it.
Now that you have this list, I wish you luck in choosing the right music production sequencer and creating music that will conquer the world.