Is the MBA ideal for music editing and production?

[masterpace]

Ryuukumori, please check my first answer in your thread. There's no doubt the MBP is a more powerful machine, with more inputs, bigger screen and a faster drive. However, I'm currently using a MBA for some music production. That kind of setup should work fine as long as...

1) You've got an external monitor: editing scores on the 13.3" MBA screen is less than ideal.

2) You're recording instruments in solo (using a USB interface) and you're not relying too much on plugins (FX and EQ) and let alone, virtual instruments (soft synths).

A few years ago, I was using a 12" 867 MHz G4 Powerbook (paired with an external 17" LCD) and that was working fine.

 

[samroberto]

Thank you all for your opinions so far.

But I am wondering why music production needs that much power, such as in a MBP. Is it really needed?

Maybe this info might help.
I am coming FROM a 2.16 core duo first gen Macbook Pro, I added a GB of RAM to work with Logic Studio (so up to 2gb), and it ran fine, with a *rare* system overload.. i think it happened like once or twice.

No obviously the MBA isn't "ideal" for this sort of thing, though I don't physically posses mine yet.. (im getting one though)
However, it does have a much more efficient processor and though a few Mhz slower (okay 500 is more than a few, maybe slightly noticeable) it would be able to run these things.
I'm actually trying to downgrade from Logic 8 to Logic Express, for space reasons. I'm a musician myself!and I love working with guitar and piano - a usb interface will do the trick and I'm sure the MBA can handle it.

'ideal' no.. 'capable' certainly.

 

[beast]

If you are serious about production, get an MBP...... larger screen (try using logic or any of the pro apps on a 13 inch screen and you'll understand) and the connectivity.... i couldn't imagine how I would cope with a single USB and no firewire.

I'm not saying that you can't produce on a MBA, it's just that I don't understand why anyone would when a MBP is relatively close in price.

 

[jjahshik32]

The MBA might be able to handle editing music and production borderline at best... BUT its NOT ideal for editing and production.. I would say get a macbook or a macbook pro.

 

[MacAirUpThere]

I'm a professional writer and the Air is the finest Mac I've ever owned. Were I a professional audio producer, it would be the worst. It's not so much the power -- although faster is faster, and when you're working, you know, time is money -- it's the abbreviated internal storage and lack of multiple interface ports, and any FireWire port at all, which keeps you from using numerous FireWire audio interface, such as the Duet and others. And from friends I know who do professionally produce music and cinema audio, USB audio interfaces just don't cut it, perhaps not merely because they're USB not FireWire, but because they are consumer or hobbyist devices rather than professional tools, they are USB-only.

But for fun, say GarageBand, as an amateur hobbyist, no problem. Bear in mind the Air doesn't even come with all the Apple Loops and whatnot installed -- they're on the install DVD, just not installed to space -- so you'll have to allocate your internal storage accordingly.

Quick question...I am not by any means a cpu savvy person. But I'm looking into getting a MBA. I do pretty basic things like youtube, internet, music...the usual. I am a musician, just hobbying as of now, but I do know that at some point I'll want to get in Protools/Logic. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I've heard ppl say that they'll just use the Time Capsule to sort of compensate for the lack of hard drive on the MBA. Is it possible to run the Protools or music software from Time Capsule?

Frankly, after 22 years of using only Macs, the Air is the first Mac most targeted toward academics, students and writers, over those in the visual arts, like graphics and film, or the audio field, music and sound effects for example. Small and light is great for constant travelers, but constant travelers in these other fields who must work while on the go can deal with MacBook Pro or MacBook. So can writers, scholars, researchers, etc., but the feel of snagging a thing thin and light as paper notebook out of your bag, instantly opening it to where you left off, rather grabbing for your laptop computer, is something people in these latter fields find more accessible, in fact is one of the reasons many writers carry paper notebooks in their pockets or bags, but have a laptop they leave at home on their desks.

But for the hobbyist in audio and music, the Air is plenty. Get the external SuperDrive drive if you want to burn CDs of your work, eliminate the sneaker-net-esque hassle of copying file to another Mac to burn a disc, and I think an external USB2 hard drive is a must for back-ups and archiving projects.

p.s. Pardon typos. It's Easter. I'm celebrating by not nitpicking every trivial thing I write.

Quick question...I am not by any means a cpu savvy person. But I'm looking into getting a MBA. I do pretty basic things like youtube, internet, music...the usual. I am a musician, just hobbying as of now, but I do know that at some point I'll want to get in Protools/Logic. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I've heard ppl say that they'll just use the Time Capsule to sort of compensate for the lack of hard drive on the MBA. Is it possible to run the Protools or music software from Time Capsule?

 

[MacAirUpThere]

Quick question...I am not by any means a cpu savvy person. But I'm looking into getting a MBA. I do pretty basic things like youtube, internet, music...the usual. I am a musician, just hobbying as of now, but I do know that at some point I'll want to get in Protools/Logic. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I've heard ppl say that they'll just use the Time Capsule to sort of compensate for the lack of hard drive on the MBA. Is it possible to run the Protools or music software from Time Capsule?

 

[John.B]

If you are serious about production, get an MBP...... larger screen (try using logic or any of the pro apps on a 13 inch screen and you'll understand) and the connectivity.... i couldn't imagine how I would cope with a single USB and no firewire.

I'm not saying that you can't produce on a MBA, it's just that I don't understand why anyone would when a MBP is relatively close in price.

In my case I'm a songwriter (among other things) who was looking for something very portable that I could record a quick riff on-the-go so that moments of artistic bliss don't get lost in the shuffle of everyday life. I find my blackbook has fit the bill very well, and doing this type of work on the smaller 13" MB screen is not a problem at all for a handful of tracks (GB or Logic). Since the MB works great in clamshell mode I can work with my starter tracks at home on another monitor that has plenty of screen real estate for Logic. Best of both worlds.

I am a musician, just hobbying as of now, but I do know that at some point I'll want to get in Protools/Logic. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I've heard ppl say that they'll just use the Time Capsule to sort of compensate for the lack of hard drive on the MBA. Is it possible to run the Protools or music software from Time Capsule?

Protools is a funny beast, the LE versions require you use their hardware interfaces and the full version is nice but expensive as all get-out to implement. If you re-read the thread above, I'm not sure you are going to want to do either on an MBA.

I don't get what you are proposing to do with Time Capsule. You are thinking of deleting your audio files off of your MBA as you need to make room for other stuff, hoping to restore them from the Time Capsule backup as needed?

If it were me, I'd quickly realize how much "compensating" I had to do with the MBA and just get a blackbook with a decent sized hard drive and some 3rd party memory. Oh, wait, déjà vu. That's exactly what I did.

 

[masterpace]

For one or two simultaneous tracks recording and only a few tracks mixed together in Protools, Logic, Cubase... without much plugins, MBA can be fine. Obviously, if you choose that path, you definitely need external drive for backup purposes plus an external monitor is a must (the 13 inches screen of the MBA will "kill" your eyes).

Being said, I'm using a MBA in my studio and it works fine. The good part is that I'm doing the hard work of music production with outboard gear, using the MBA exclusively for MIDI. Even the audio recording is done externally with a digital recorder hooked on my digital console. Then, I transfer the mixdown from the external recorder to the MBA via USB. MBA is used for doing some mastering. So, it works for me. Before doing the switch, I had to take those limitations into account.

For sure, a Macbook is technically a better option. You have more ports and you have Firewire. So you can hook up any kind of audio interface, the most complex ones being with Firewire, and you can hook up more than one. USB hubs can manage collisions and power utilization as long as you only plug USB 2 compliant stuff and the total bandwidth and power consumption remains low. You don't have that hassle with a Macbook and it's much cheaper. But then, if you choose the MBA path, that's probably because of other reasons, which are as much valid... like "falling in love" with the machine or loving its form factor. The former was the main reason here.