Are computers now becoming less important in music production?

Strange as it may seem, you could argue that the computer – by which we mean the traditional desktop or laptop machine – isn’t quite the dominant force that it once was. For years, we’ve been used to seeing elements of the production process moving towards the Mac or PC, but in some situations, and for certain users, it’s not quite as essential as it once was.

First there are the obvious alternatives: an iPhone or an iPad, for example. These might not quite have the levels of power and flexibility that a ‘proper’ computer has, but there’s no doubt that you can use them to make great music, and there are certainly advantages to having a touchscreen (though, of course, many Windows laptops now have this too). What’s more, iOS’s connectivity options are increasing: Audio Units give you a plug-in-like solution, and Ableton Link opens the door to jamming with iOS and desktop users.

Elsewhere, we’re seeing standalone music production hardware. First came PioneerDJ’s Toraiz SP-16, and now we have Akai’s MPC X and Live units to consider. Yes, they can be used with a computer, but it’s reasonable to suggest that some people will now use them as the hub of a set-up (especially when you consider that they can record full audio tracks), plugging in synths, drum machines, mics and external controllers.

It’s also worth considering that electronic music culture is changing too. While, for some, the goal is always to create complete productions, others are happy to sync instruments together (possibly throwing in a dedicated hardware step sequencer as well) and just jam. In these cases, there’s frequently no need to bring a computer to the party.

So, while the traditional computer is still king for ‘serious’ work, it’s certainly not the only game in town, and we suspect that this is just the start. A standalone Maschine would be an obvious next step for Native Instruments (possibly even one that could run plug-ins), and we imagine that there’d be plenty of demand for a version of Ableton’s Push that had a touchscreen and also ran Live. Watch this space.