Image Credit: BandLab

BandLab now has 30 million users. Are free platforms the best way for beginner musicians and producers to get into music production?

There’s no longer a need to be in a professional studio to learn music production, or to shell out money for expensive equipment. To make great beats, all that’s required is headphones and patience. In the case of social music platform BandLab, all you need is an internet connection.

BandLab is an all-in-one music production platform, where musicians and music fans make and share music. There’s a focus, too, on the social aspects of music-making – giving feedback and collaborating together in real time to make new tracks. It’s basically a browser-based DAW with social media tools built in.

Slightly unbelievably, everything from Bandlab is completely free. BandLab is available on multiple platforms. You can access it in browser on your computers or download their app from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

Music lovers are becoming music makers at an increasing rate. Anyone who’s ever idly considered trying to make a beat, or heard a song on Spotify and thought “I wonder if I could do that?”, can access free tools from programs like BandLab to test out their creative skills. There’s not even a need to immediately learn an instrument or have any grasp of music theory, as virtual instruments are playable on an onscreen keyboard and drumbeats can be programmed with a few clicks.

BandLab recently celebrated reaching a milestone of over 30 million users on the platform. That’s a 150% jump in users since 2019. The growth was probably sparked by the pandemic, with people looking for a creative outlet, and having the time to explore music-making – but the upward trend has been a permanent one, with users now creating over 10 million new tracks a month.

BandLab CEO Meng Ru Kuok said: “We’ve seen activity grow naturally. Last year it exploded and it hasn’t slowed down. Even as circumstances changed in places around the world, creativity has remained a part of people’s lives.”

Kuok said that BandLab users tend to be younger and more gender balanced than the traditionally male-dominated music technology world. The music industry has been slow to recognise the appetite for DIY musicianship and its commercial potential, still favouring the gatekeepers of record labels. That’s despite Apple Music and other streaming services offering an easy way, via distributors like RouteNote, for independent artists to get their music heard.

Everything about BandLab is built to get you making music instantly. Because it’s all built into the browser, there’s no waiting to download and install software – after a quick sign up everything is ready to go. The built-in drum machine lets you program beats instantly. Plug in a MIDI controller or use the onscreen keyboard to start making instrumental tracks with the library of inbuilt sounds; record vocals or guitar, and easily add effects. Samples from BandLab Sounds are searchable and split into genres to make it simple to find whatever style you’re after.

Given the rapid increase in user numbers, it will be interesting to see if the social nature and encouraging community on the program are noted by other music production companies and if there’s a swing towards music-making becoming even more accessible in the future.

In-browser music software offers users the versatility of a downloadable DAW, without having to learn an often complex workflow or filling up disk space. If getting into music production seems intimidating, BandLab might be a good start for the beginner producer.

BandLab’s status in 2024 is significant. BandLab announced 60 million users at the start of 2023, growing 10 million in just six months. They’ve no doubt grown even more since then, making music creators out of everyone around the world.

Below we’ll cover the most common topics and questions. Read on or head to the part that interests you with our table of contents:

How to use the BandLab app to create projects

The BandLab app offers a multitude of features for users to create and collaborate on projects. With the app, you can harness the power of a digital audio workstation right on your mobile device or computer. Whether you’re a musician, producer, or simply someone with a passion for music, the BandLab app provides a platform to unleash your creativity.

One way the BandLab app allows you to create projects is through its extensive library of virtual instruments. These instruments range from pianos and guitars to synthesizers and drum machines, enabling you to compose melodies, harmonies, and rhythms to fit your artistic vision.

The app provides a user-friendly interface, allowing you to easily record, sequence, and arrange your musical ideas. Additionally, the BandLab app allows you to import audio files, giving you the flexibility to incorporate pre-existing recordings into your projects. Whether it’s a vocal track, a guitar riff, or a drum loop, you can seamlessly integrate these elements into your compositions. This feature opens up endless possibilities for experimentation and collaboration.

The app also provides a platform for collaboration, allowing you to work on projects with others in real-time. You can invite fellow musicians, producers, or friends to join your project, and together you can refine and shape your musical creations. The collaborative nature of the BandLab app enhances the creative process, fostering innovation and collective inspiration.

Furthermore, the BandLab app offers a comprehensive suite of audio editing tools. You can fine-tune your recordings, adjust levels, apply effects, and manipulate sound to achieve the desired result. The app provides a range of professional-grade audio processing options, ensuring that your projects sound polished and professional.

In summary, the BandLab app is a powerful tool for creating projects. Through its virtual instruments, audio-importing capabilities, collaboration features, and audio editing tools, the app empowers musicians and creators to bring their ideas to life.

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced musician, the BandLab app provides a versatile and intuitive platform for unleashing your creativity and crafting compelling musical projects.

Is BandLab user-friendly?

BandLab is designed to be user-friendly, allowing musicians and artists to seamlessly create and collaborate on their music projects. With its intuitive interface and straightforward features, navigating the platform is easy even for those with limited technical knowledge.

Users can quickly access a wide range of tools and resources for recording, editing, and mixing their music. Additionally, BandLab offers a user-friendly sharing and collaboration system, enabling artists to easily connect and work together on projects regardless of their location.

Overall, the user-friendly nature of BandLab makes it accessible and convenient for musicians of all skill levels to explore their creativity and produce high-quality music.

Is BandLab as good as a full DAW?

BandLab, as a music technician, is met with expected skepticism. However, upon thorough review, it becomes evident that BandLab is a remarkable platform. Its features and capabilities are designed to meet the needs of musicians and music producers, offering a seamless and intuitive experience for both beginners and professionals alike.

With its wide range of powerful tools and resources, BandLab allows users to explore their creativity and enhance their music production skills. The platform’s intuitive interface and user-friendly design make it easy to navigate and understand, ultimately saving time and improving overall efficiency.

BandLab also offers a collaborative aspect, allowing musicians to connect and work together seamlessly, regardless of their geographical locations. Its innovative cloud-based system ensures that users can access their projects from anywhere, enabling flexible and efficient workflow.

In summary, BandLab is a highly recommended platform for music technicians, providing a solid foundation for music creation, collaboration, and production.

What is Cakewalk by BandLab?

Cakewalk by BandLab is a music production software designed for musicians, producers, and composers. It provides a wide range of features that make it an essential tool for creating, recording, editing, and mixing music.

One standout feature of Cakewalk is its intuitive and user-friendly interface. It offers a visually appealing workspace with flexible layout options, making it easy for users to navigate and customise their workflow. The software supports both MIDI and audio recording, allowing users to capture their musical ideas using their preferred methods.

Cakewalk also offers a comprehensive set of editing tools. Users can easily manipulate and fine-tune their tracks using features such as pitch correction, time stretching, and audio quantization. The software also includes a range of professional-grade effects and virtual instruments, giving users access to a vast library of sounds to enhance their compositions.

Collaboration is made easy with Cakewalk’s integrated cloud-based platform, BandLab. Users can seamlessly share projects with other musicians and work together on the same project in real-time. This collaborative feature is particularly useful for remote collaborations or when working with a distributed team.

Additionally, Cakewalk provides professional mixing and mastering capabilities. Users can achieve polished and high-quality mixes by utilizing the built-in mixing console with advanced features like automation, routing, and busing. The software also supports a variety of industry-standard audio formats, ensuring compatibility with other professional audio tools.

Overall, Cakewalk by BandLab is a versatile music production software that offers a range of features for musicians at all levels. With its user-friendly interface, powerful editing tools, collaboration capabilities, and advanced mixing and mastering options, it provides a comprehensive solution for creating and refining music projects.

What is BandLab mastering and what settings does it offer?

BandLab Mastering is a highly valuable tool that enhances the quality of your audio mixes, preparing them to meet the standards required for distribution. It offers a wide array of settings and options to ensure optimal results.

Firstly, BandLab Mastering provides various mastering algorithms and techniques that intelligently analyze and process your audio. These algorithms can intelligently adjust the overall tonal balance, equalization, and dynamics of your mix, resulting in a more polished and professional sound.

Additionally, BandLab Mastering offers a range of customization options, allowing you to personalize the mastering process to best suit your preferences and needs. You can adjust parameters such as loudness, stereo width, and harmonic excitement, giving you the freedom to fine-tune your audio to your desired sound.

Furthermore, BandLab Mastering provides multiple presets and templates that cater to different genres and audio styles. These presets serve as starting points, empowering you to quickly achieve professional-sounding results without extensive manual adjustments.

Moreover, BandLab Mastering facilitates real-time monitoring during the mastering process, enabling you to hear the changes you make as you adjust the settings. This feature ensures that you have full control over the outcome and can make informed decisions to enhance the overall sound quality.

Lastly, BandLab Mastering enables seamless integration with its creative platform, allowing you to easily import your projects for mastering and export the finalized tracks for distribution. This seamless integration streamlines your workflow and ensures a smooth transition from the mixing to the mastering stage.

In summary, BandLab Mastering is an essential tool for enhancing and optimizing audio mixes for distribution. With its diverse range of settings, customization options, presets, and real-time monitoring capabilities, it empowers users to achieve professional-grade results and create high-quality audio ready for distribution.

What is the sound quality of BandLab?

BandLab offers high-quality playback. Depending on your device you can export different file formats which offer different audio compression and data quality. If you’re putting audio into BandLab then it will also depend on the quality of your audio input.

Import formats

  • BandLab’s Web Studio supports MIDI, mp3, mp4, wav, aac, m4a, and ogg files.
  • BandLab on iOS supports MIDI, mp3, m4a, and wav files.
  • BandLab on Android supports MIDI, 16/24-bit mp3, and 16-bit wav files.

Export formats

  • BandLab’s Web Studio supports: MIDI, 128/192/320kbps mp3, and 16-bit wav files
  • BandLab on iOS and Android support: m4a files

What is BandLab’s desktop assistant and what are its features?

BandLab‘s desktop assistant offers a range of features that allow users to create new music directly from their desktop environment. This tool is designed to facilitate music creation, providing a user-friendly interface and various tools that cater to both amateur and professional musicians. With this assistant, users can harness the power of BandLab‘s technology to compose, edit, and produce music seamlessly.

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