So you love music but hate the idea of learning to play an instrument? Or you’re just not that into music but have always wanted to try your hand at producing some tracks? Or maybe you’ve heard that gaming PCs are great for producing music and want to know if that’s true? Can a gaming pc be used for music production?
Gaming PC can be used for producing music due to their powerful hardware specs. In addition to gaming, also they can be used in office work, school work, graphic design, and video editing. You may need to consider the hardware available, the software for music production, and other specifications that will make music sound better and video look excellent.
Or do you already know that gaming PCs are great for producing music and want to know how to accomplish that specific task with your PC? In this article, we’ll be looking at how exactly you can use your gaming PC (or a laptop or other desktop computer) for music production.
We’ll be looking at the types of software available, the hardware you’ll need, software recommendations, and more. So let’s dive right in and see how you can get started using your gaming PC for music production.
Related Article: Can a gaming pc be used as a normal pc
What Is Music Production?
Music production is a process where someone, typically an artist or producer, creates a song by writing and arranging melodies and chord progressions.
Music production involves several instruments and machines. The PC is one of the current necessities for music production.
How To Produce Music On A Gaming PC
So how do you use your gaming PC for music production? Well, the most important thing to keep in mind is that it does differ from traditional music production.
If you’re interested in using your gaming PC for music production, then you will need a laptop or desktop computer with a good audio interface.
Most laptops and desktops come with built-in audio interfaces which should be fine for basic work but if you are looking to do more serious work, then you might want to invest in an external one.
You will also need sequencing software such as FL Studio and Abelton Live which we’ll look at in more detail below. Now that we have all of the hardware sorted out, let’s take a look at the software.
Types of Music Software Available
There are plenty of music production software available these days, but not all are created equal. There are a few types of software you can use to produce your music, and we’ll be taking a closer look at the three most popular options below.
- DAWs: Digital Audio Workstations (such as FL Studio, Ableton Live, or Logic Pro)
- MIDI Sequencers: Software that allows you to sequence musical events via computer keyboard (such as Cubase, Nuendo, or Sibelius)
- Virtual Instruments: Software that mimics real instruments (such as Kontakt 5)
Which PC is best for music production?
If you’re just beginning in the world of music production, there are plenty of powerful gaming PCs that will do the job. You can easily find a PC for less than $1,000 with enough power to produce great-sounding tracks.
From our experience, Dell XPS 8940 is the best PC for music production. However, this does not mean that you can’t use other PCs for music production.
As you get more serious about your production, however, you will probably want to invest in a more powerful PC. If you plan on using your PC for live performance as well as production, it would be worth looking into whether or not your laptop has line-in capabilities.
What PC is good for music production and gaming?
In general, if you want a PC that will be good for both music production and gaming, it’s going to need to be better than what you would want as just a gaming PC. If you just want a PC to produce music on its own, then the type of PC doesn’t really matter.
The main thing for a music production PC and a Gaming PC is just making sure that your computer has enough RAM, graphics card, and processing power.
In general, you will need at least 8GB of RAM and a moderately fast processor. Therefore, even the best budget PCs will be excellent for gaming and music production.
Is a graphics card needed for music production?
For a gaming PC to be ideal for music production, you’ll need a powerful graphics card. The Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) is responsible for generating images on your screen and the faster it can do that, the better.
And the aim of music production is to make your music sound and videos to look as good as possible, which means high-quality visuals are crucial.
For example, when you’re mixing tracks in your DAW and want to hear what a particular instrument sounds like in isolation, you might solo that instrument track to ensure it doesn’t get distorted when all other instruments are playing at once.
To do this well on a gaming PC, we would recommend having at least an Nvidia GTX 1070 or AMD RX Vega 64 graphics card.
How do I build a PC for music production?
The first question to ask is what kind of music you’re going to be producing. Many producers in the electronic dance music genre, for example, may already have a high-quality PC and audio interface that they use for production.
If this is the case, then there’s a good chance that your PC is capable of producing music at a professional level. However, if you’re more into hip-hop or rock and roll, then it might not be as easy to find software that will help you produce those types of genres.
If you have no idea what type of music you want to produce but still want to build a PC for the sole purpose of creating tunes, then it might be best to start with one of the most popular software options: FL Studio 12 Producer Edition.
It has everything needed for beginners and advanced musicians alike and can make creating music as simple or as difficult as desired.
In addition to FL Studio 12 Producer Edition, there are many other excellent software options available on the market that could work well for those who want to produce different types or styles of music depending on their needs.
You can follow the steps below for building a pc for music production:
- Know the case: Your case has several ports, screws, and other sockets where PC parts will go into. Therefore, before starting to build the gaming PC it’s important to familiarize yourself with the case. Moreover, it will assist you to buy the right components for your PC.
- Set up the power supply: Connecting the power supply to the case needs to be one of the first steps you take when building a music production PC. This is because the power supply is the source of the cables that connect different parts and you need to locate it in an optimal position.
- Install the CPU: The CPU is a delicate gaming or music production PC part. It is the head of the computer and thus it needs to be given the important ports, especially in relation to the fans and power supply.
- Install the other music production PC parts on the motherboard: You need to include all the parts of the motherboard at this stage. Once you have set up the power supply and the CPU, you can install the RAM, cooling system, and other motherboard-specific components in any sequence. Working on the components at this stage will enable you to avoid installing components on your PC when there are wires around and it is hot. Thereafter, install the motherboard on the case.
- Set up the GPU, storage components, and sound card: Once you have set up the motherboard on the case, you need to install components that make the motherboard and music production tick. Therefore, you need to install the GPU, Storage HDD or SSD, sound card, and other components. You can decide to include a sound card for your gaming PC or not. This will give you the PC ready for music production.
- Connect your components: The connections are what make a gaming PC. It is quite challenging if you have not connected the different cables at any other time in the past. You will need to connect the parts to the power supply and also to the motherboard. You can connect parts directly or use daisy chain wires to connect parts to the power supply depending on the ports available. Moreover, the parts that connect to the speakers/ external outputs and the mic and other inputs.
- Start the PC: Once you have checked and counter-checked that everything is connected in the right way, you can start the music production PC. However, this should be done once you are sure that the connections are well done, all the cables are connected well and your PC is ready. If all that is good, you can start the PC and start installing the music production software listed above.
Is building a PC better than purchasing a gaming PC?
Building a PC for music production is definitely possible. Though it’s not recommended because you may not get the type of sound quality that you want from a gaming PC.
And, if you’re looking to produce music at home or on the go, your options are much more limited if you build your own computer.
If you’re just getting started in the world of music production, it’s best to purchase a gaming PC and then upgrade as time progresses.
This way, you’ll know exactly what parts to purchase and how much they will cost so that when you decide to upgrade, it’ll be less of an expense.
Mac or PC for music production
One of the most common questions people have is whether they should use a laptop, workstation, or gaming PC for music production. The answer to this question isn’t black and white, but there are some things to consider when deciding which type of computer you want to use.
You’ll need to think about your budget (laptops can be cheaper), how mobile you need to be with your computer, and what software you’re using.
For example, if you’re using Pro Tools and Logic Pro on your laptop, then it might not make sense for you to go get a desk-bound workstation that would need extra monitors and peripherals hooked up in order for it to function as a productive workstation for music production. Computers vary in price so find one that fits your needs within your budget!
Can gaming laptops be used for music production?
A gaming PC can be used for music production, but whether or not it’s a good option for you really depends on what you need. For example, if you have an audio interface that has MIDI ports and is running on Windows, a gaming laptop probably won’t work well for you as most laptops don’t have the necessary ports to plug into your interfaces.
It also depends on how much money you want to spend and what type of music production equipment you already have access to.
A gaming laptop might be perfect for producing some types of music but not others. For example, if you love drum-heavy hip-hop beats with high-powered synths, then a laptop will do just fine for producing that kind of hip-hop tracks.
However, if your favorite genre is acoustic guitar ballads or indie rock songs with lots of natural instruments, then you’ll want to invest in a desktop computer instead so that your sound is coming through crisp and clear.
So now that we know why it could be important to use a gaming PC (or any other desktop computer) over a laptop when producing music and what the differences between the two are, let’s take a look at how to get started with your new setup.
We recommend starting by reading our article “What Equipment Do I Need To Produce Music?” which will give you an idea of what tools you’ll need whether it’s a laptop or desktop computer. If it’s a gaming PC,
Software Requirements for PC-Based Music Production
To make the most out of your PC for music production, you’ll need a few pieces of software. Before we go into detail about the software you’ll need, it’s important to know the hardware requirements for a PC-based recording studio.
The best way to go about this is by building your own recording studio from scratch.
This is more expensive than just buying all the necessary parts and then assembling them, but if you know what you want before going in, it can save time and money in the long run because you won’t have to buy new parts or upgrade anything as often.
You’ll need sound card with an external power source, audio interface or mic preamp with an external power source, MIDI keyboard or controller with USB connection, monitor(s), speakers (for monitoring), headphones (to monitor while mixing), and headphones (for mixing).
The Best Hardware for PC-Based Music Production
If you’re on the market for a gaming PC and want to use it for music production, then you’ll need to make sure that your PC has some powerful hardware. So what exactly should you be looking for? Well, there are many different opinions on the subject.
For example, some people say that you need an Intel i5 CPU with four or six cores while others insist that an i7 CPU is better and still others advise against using CPUs at all.
Some say that 8 GB of RAM is prudent while others say 16 GB is better and still others say that 32 GB is a waste.
Basically, this question can be difficult to answer because everyone has their own opinion about what the best hardware for PC-based music production is.
Should You Buy a Gaming PC for Music Production?
If you’ve ever been interested in producing music or recording audio then a gaming PC can be an excellent option.
Gaming PCs are usually more powerful than regular computers and have better graphics due to their focus on games (which require good graphics). This means that a gaming PC will cost more than a regular PC but it’ll be more powerful for music production.
If you want to buy a gaming PC for music production, you should look for one with the following specifications:
- A high-end Intel Core i7 CPU from the Skylake (6th) generation.
- An Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 GPU or AMD Radeon RX 480 GPU.
- A minimum of 32GB DDR4 RAM clocked at 2133MHz.
- An SSD drive with 256GB or 512GB of storage space (the faster, the better).
Can I produce music on a gaming PC?
You most certainly can use a gaming PC to produce my music. The first thing that you’ll want to do is make sure that your computer has powerful enough hardware and then install the right music production software and then connect to the music production instruments.
You’ll want at least an i5 processor, 8GB RAM, and a dedicated sound card. If you already have a gaming PC and it meets these requirements, then congratulations! You are ready to start producing music. If not, then you’ll need to purchase a new gaming PC or laptop with these specifications.
Once your computer is set up for production, the next step will be installing an operating system like Windows 10 on it.
Do I need a powerful PC for music production?
The short answer is no. You don’t need a powerful PC for music production. You just need a PC that you can use to produce the sounds, edit the waveforms, and mix your tracks. Computers are powerful enough to run music production software without issue.
FAQs
Can I use any old desktop for music production?
A: It depends on what you want to do. If you’re looking for recording and producing music, then you will need to invest in an audio interface with a USB cable that connects your audio recorder or software to your computer. This will allow your computer to process the sound from the microphone, turning it into digital sound data that can be manipulated by your software like GarageBand or Audacity. You also need a good microphone, which we’ll get into more below.
Can a gaming PC be used for music production?
Yes, absolutely. In fact, many people who produce music use their gaming PCs for this very task. Even if you don’t have any musical experience and want to try your hand at creating some music, it’s possible on a gaming PC.
What kind of hardware do I need?
For the most part, you don’t need anything special for your computer to work well with music production software. If there are any specific guidelines from the manufacturer, these would apply to all computers. However, in general terms, an i5 or i7 CPU is ideal because of the processing power that they provide. You should also have at least 8GB of RAM and a graphics card that’s up-to-date (silent cooling preferred).
Conclusion
If you’ve been thinking about getting into the world of music production, it may be time to start shopping for a powerful PC.
A PC offers a lot of features for all types of music production, from casual to professional. One of the best features of a PC is that it can be upgraded, so if you have to buy a new one in the future, you won’t need to worry about your old one becoming obsolete.
When you’re shopping for a PC for music production, you should be looking for a computer that has at least 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD. You should also make sure that the computer comes with a discrete graphics card and has the latest specs.
Additionally, you should look for a PC with USB 3.0 ports and Windows 10.
If you’re looking to save money, you can also buy a cheap laptop and run software on it while using a MIDI keyboard or controller to send signals.
Do note that some laptops (such as Macbooks) are not as compatible with music production as PCs are.
If you’re looking to purchase an Apple laptop, you should be aware that they do not come with an audio input/output system