GarageBand Alternatives for Android | Apps Like GarageBand
Making good music is tough. Garageband makes it easier, which is why there is such a massive fan following that the iOS app enjoys. But what about people who use different OSes? While there are online Garageband alternatives that Windows PC users can enjoy, Android users often find themselves incapable of using those because Chrome for Android isn’t comparable to a desktop version internet browser (except Microsoft Edge; even Opera Mini is better than Microsoft Edge!). So what are some good Garageband for Android alternatives you can use? Read below to find out.
We decided to cover 5 alternatives because who wants to read a long piece these days. But there were so many options with something unique to offer that we decided to cut the length of each music app’s description and expanded to over 8 alternatives to Garageband that we think you’re going to love.
Let’s begin with the first one.
1. Music Maker JAM
Music Maker JAM’s best features include over 200 music style “packs” which cover virtually every genre practically useful to most music makers. You can choose to make your own music sounds by combining sounds as well as recording and modifying your own as well. The free version only has 10 style packs though. The shake-to-remix feature is pretty fun. What’s more, you can directly upload tracks to Soundcloud, Facebook and more platforms to share with your friends and get feedback. The app’s own music community is a nice place to get feedback from as well.
Speaking of functioning, the app is appropriately named JAM, which stands for Just Add Music. The app is a beauty. It has ease of use, smooth functioning and doubles up as a social platform to connect with fellow music makers. Sort of like an Instagram for music makers.
2. SPC Drum Pad
Even though the name says Drum Pad, SPC Drum Pad is actually pretty versatile in what sounds it can include. You can record and modify sounds, and then put them into beat using a very MIDI-esque keyboard based tuner. This is among the best options for Android smartphones and tablet owners, thanks to the effort the developers have invested in the optimisation; it really does show. There are good samples and scenes that come preloaded with the app, and they’re fun to experiment with. But you can just as easily design your own or source some from other sources. The mikrosonic website has some pretty good options to download. However, if you plan on recording and modifying sounds to make your own loops, it might help to have an external mic with better sound recording than smartphone microphones. At the very least, invest in a lapel mic.
3. Remixlive
SPC DRum Pad had 16 buttons on the screen, but Remixlive goes a step further and includes 24. Needless to say it won’t be convenient for people with tinier screens, but then neither will be 16 buttons. I prefer Remixlive for its synced launching of loops. The sounds are pretty impressive and the diversification possible with the effects in the app make it pretty versatile. The buttons are also more convenient to use than SPC Drum Pad. The app looks more attractive as well.
The app packs a whopping 50 sample packs, each with 96 sounds, 48 drums and notes and the rest loops or effects. The one disadvantage I found though is that the sheer number of buttons makes things look crowded and thus a bit daunting. Well, can’t have cake and eat it too.
4. Drum Pads 24
Drum Pads 24 is another app like Garageband that operates on a similar looking interface (or at least launch screen). You can create detailed musical patterns by interweaving sounds into a 16-step arrangement, which is better than many other apps that only offer an 8-step that needs to be sped up in tempo to get a 16-step of limited musical capacity. Like many apps, however, it offers microphone-based recording that has its own quirks as we discussed earlier.
The app also releases new sound packs every week which you may get, either for free or for a cost. The dull black background does attract, but the keys can be confusing. Thankfully, you can change their colors one key at a time so it becomes more intuitive where each sound is located on the pad.
5. FL Studio Mobile
FL Studio Mobile is pretty useful; it must be, considering it is somewhat steeply priced. The interface is a lot more contemporarily styled than other apps, which is a plus. The step sequencer and Bluetooth MIDI controller support are other things to check out in the app. Effects you can employ are pretty diverse. The music-arrangement layout is very touch friendly too.
That said, the design can sometimes be distracting, especially for someone used to a less, hmm, neon inspired design. This is an application best used once you are well versed in the basics of musical arrangement, perhaps using an free app from the list.
6. Soundtrap
A good app for beginners is soundtrap. The app provides you quite a lot of features for a price, but the basics are available for free. You just need to sign up. I like this app because of how easy it is to record with an instrument playing in your hands. It is also especially easy to collab with friends and fellow musicians on Soundtrap. Verily, Soundtrap is among the best Garageband for Android Alternatives on the Play Store.
If you want to get a feel of the app and/or learn the basics before fully investing with your real money and personal commitment to one app, Soundtrap is a good choice. What doesn’t work for it, however, is the rounded sound boxes and grey background, which does get tiring after a while and so doesn’t fit as an app I’d personally like to spend hours tweaking my melodies on.
7. RD4 Groove Box
RD4 Groove Box is a staple when it comes to suggesting alternatives for Garageband. It is simple in design, conceptualised on the lines of a keyboards many apps are, and capable of a lot of definition and diversification in sound and musical tone with all the variety of effects and tweaks you can perform to each. The app has a very vintage feel to it in terms of styling, which adds a touch of freshness. The neons and greys had been done to death by the previous apps we’d tried.
You can record live sessions which can be a good way to keep track of where you left off last time you were making music on the app. You can share stuff you make on Soundcloud. Also check out the app’s rack view on 10 inch tablets; it made me want to buy a tablet for myself because I could see myself becoming a DJ of sorts with the rack on the side.
8. The Smule app suite
Smule has some pretty nice apps that can all be used to refine and also show off your music talent. While Magic Piano fetches you the keys to popular songs, Karaoke lets you sing along to popular tracks by yourself or with someone else. You can even rap with the AutoRap app, and have words spoken by you turned into a rap track instantly.
And if you’re not that into singing or playing music, and just want to have some fun, you can try the Songify app which turns your words into a song. There are some pretty hilarious and entertaining tracks created by Songify.
You might want to be a bit cautious with the apps you download, though. Depending upon how much you use them, music making apps can bloat in your device and begin to crowd your phone. It can help to delete projects you’ve completed or save them somewhere outside the device itself if they’re not of use, like on an HDD or a Cloud storage service.
Contrary to what lay blogs will have you believe, you cannot get Garageband using an Android emulator. There is also no Apple certified garageband apk crack in existence that will magically run the app on your Samsung or Motorola or Kindle. Don’t fall for those cheap tricks.
There are also online options available for those looking for Garageband alternatives. But they might not work for all Android devices. The free apps suggested above are great for beginners who are unsure about which app and interface works for them as well as broke music aficionados and bands that are just starting out, since managing a steeply charged app that ultimately doesn’t do much for you might not be very feasible for a bunch of high school kids who just want to jam. On the other hand, apps like FL Studio might be steeply priced, but they have all the necessary tools and more for a professional music maker who wants to create melodies fit for a paying audience.
