Music making apps for Android; the best five reviewed

What music making apps for Android are best?

As a professional composer and producer my optimal setup for writing and mastering tracks is my favoured digital audio workstation with wrap around screens, studio monitors, midi keyboard and a choice of headphones (open and hard back, depending on what I’m working on).

However, that configuration isn’t right for everyone, especially if you’re often on the move, or just looking to start experimenting with digital music composition. If you want to get into writing, mixing or producing music without much outlay (either financial or in floor space) then beat making software for a phone or tablet could be a great intro to the technology.

I’ve picked out some music production apps for iPhone/iPad devices in another post, but here I’ve put together a list of the best music making apps for Android based on experience, Google Play ratings and overall downloads, and this includes a mix of paid and free apps.

BandLab – Music Making Studio for Android

Download from the Google Playstore here
Cost: Free | Rating: 4.5 stars | Downloads: 243,691 downloads

When it comes to the best music making apps for Android, BandLab Music Making Studio is easily one of the most well-known and has been featured by numerous big names in the music field, including NME, The Verge, Pitchfork, Wired and MusicTech.

The app allows users to record and mix full-length music projects for free while also supporting collaboration with anywhere up to fifty people.

The highly professional-sounding results make it effective for so many different applications, even creating EPs and singles, and there are no hidden fees – which is why around a quarter of a million people have already downloaded the app from Google Play.

It’s free, popular and gets great reviews – what more do you need?

KORG Kaossilator for Android

Download from the Google Playstore here
Cost: £17.99 | Rating: 4.4 stars | Downloads: 2758 downloads

There are certain brands that are renowned for providing top-quality music solutions, and KORG is one of them. Indeed, KORG’s Kaossilator is one of the most powerful and versatile tools on the market for music synthesizing, thanks to its dynamic synthesizing ability.

The touch-control interface is highly versatile and responsive and covers over 150 different sounds – making it possible to create complex beats and powerful performances. The app also features over 50 built-in loops and 35 scales, giving users the ultimate customisation level.

The KORG Kaossilator app costs around £17.99 to purchase, which is pricey in comparison to BandLab, but its a small price to pay for an exceptional music making app.

FL Studio Mobile for Android

Download from the Google Playstore here
Cost: £13.49 | Rating: 3.8 stars | Downloads: 31,625 downloads

One of the most popular apps for making music on Android is FL Studio Mobile – an almost perfect replica of the original FL Studio digital audio workstation for desktops.

The app is uniquely optimized for the lower CPU of mobile devices and comes with numerous excellent, high-end features that help users create genuinely high-quality music.

Effects include a Parametric Equalizer, Distortion, Compressor and Chorus, just to name a few of the most notable features. The tool can also capture live performances and provide top-quality downloads for WAV, MP3, MIDI, FLAC and AAC.

Better yet, the FL Studio Mobile app is really affordable, costing just £13.49 on Google Play. It’s probably second in popularity to BandLab and used more by pro producers who are on the move, and is also worth more than the current 3.8 star rating (down due to recent issues with the latest update).

Roland Zenbeats Music Creation for Android

Download from the Google Playstore here
Cost: Free | Rating: 3.6 stars | Downloads: 1391 downloads

The Roland Corporation is, unsurprising, behind Roland Zenbeats Music Creation app, so you know immediately to expect good things.

The unique app includes over 900 preset tones and ZENOLOGY and ZEN-CORE compatibility. Moreover, the easy-to-learn touch-based interface makes it simpler than ever to create top-quality music.

Whilst it’s not the most popular by way of downloads or ratings, the biggest selling point of the Roland Zenbeats tool is that it’s free to download (although it does offer some in-app purchases) and it offers lots of innovative music tools, so there’s no reason not to give it a try.

SongMemo for Android

Download from APK Pure here
Cost: Free | Ratings and downloads unavailable

The outlier of the list, and also not available on Google Play, is best suited to singers and guitarists who want to record a melody, vocals or riff before it’s forgotten.

The SongMemo app is highly efficient and effective at many different levels, and best of all it is completely free to use. It’s perhaps one of the simpler apps on this list, but that’s just part of its charm – indeed, while it’s not suitable for recording a new EP or mixing an existing track, you can still make some amazing sounding music.

As the name suggests the SongMemo app is mainly intended for recording “music memos,” allowing you to quickly jot down notes and sounds to help ensure you don’t forget that stunning chord progression you just thought of while out and about. It also has mixing tools built in, so if you want to start layering your ideas on the move it comes in very handy.

Final thoughts

Whether you’re making music on a desktop DAW or using music making apps for Android, iPhones or iPads,  it’s never been easier to get into mixing and producing. To get the most from your music-making efforts, it’s important to start out with the right tool, be it a full on digital audio workstation, or simpler music making apps for for your mobile or tablet. Today’s top five picks are excellent options to consider, and each one offers something slightly different, but they all provide exception quality and practicality combined.