Is Pro Tools Good for Making Beats?


Is Pro Tools Good for Making Beats?

Pro Tools is one of the better digital audio workstations you can use to create music. A lot of people use different digital audio workstations to create their music especially when we are talking about some of the types of music that are big in today’s world such as the beats in hip-hop music. But, as good as Pro Tools may be for creating music, is it good enough for you to make beats?

Even though Pro Tools is more of a mixing and mastering tool than one that is used to create music from scratch, it still is good enough for you to make beats so long as you have the necessary skills and background when it comes to MIDI and as long as you are already familiar with using Pro Tools.

There are plenty of different digital audio workstations you can use in today’s world especially now that a lot of the music we hear is actually created digitally. Pro Tools is merely one of the many different digital audio workstations being used today but that doesn’t mean that it pales in comparison to the rest of the competition when it comes to making fire beats. And that is what we are here to talk about.

Can you make beats on Pro Tools?

One of the more common ways for musicians to create music nowadays in a world where digital technology rules the landscape is by using digital audio workstations, which allow them to create different types of music without even using musical instruments or without even knowing how to play the instruments in the first place. 

This has made it easier and more convenient for musicians and aspiring musicians alike to create their own songs. And one of the more popular digital audio workstations we have today is Pro Tools.

Now, when it comes to hip-hop music where most of those who are into that genre would focus more on the quality of their lyrics than on actually taking the time to use different instruments and audio sources to generate the beats for their songs, the importance of digital audio workstations cannot be overstated. But is Pro Tools capable of making beats?

Yes, Pro Tools is capable of making beats. Even though Pro Tools was never made or intended to be used for hip-hop, it can still be used to make beats as long as you have the skill and the tools needed for you to create beats effectively. 

Is Pro Tools good for making beats?

Pro Tools has always been regarded as arguably the best in the business when it comes to all of the other digital audio workstations. It has almost everything you need to use if you are creating digital audio regardless of whatever kind of sounds you are talking about. In that sense, many professionals use Pro Tools not only as musicians but also as recording engineers and producers alike. 

Of course, Pro Tools got its reputation as arguably the best in the business because of its all-around capabilities when creating digital sounds. Some would say that Pro Tools doesn’t have any specific purpose at all because it can do just about anything as long as you have the right skills and tools needed for the job. In that case, is Pro Tools good for making beats?

Well, the thing about Pro Tools is that, again, it doesn’t really stand out in one thing but is capable of doing just about anything without specializing on what aspect of audio and music-making. But the consensus when it comes to Pro Tools (especially for those who have a lot of experience in making different types of music or audio using digital audio workstations) is that it is better off for recording, editing, mixing, and mastering the final product instead of actually creating music from scratch.

That said, Pro Tools is still capable of creating music well enough if you are equipped with the right tools and the skills and knowledge needed. However, does that mean that Pro Tools can be a good way for you to create beats especially if you prefer to make hiphop music using your digital audio workstations?

Yes, Pro Tools may be known more for recording, mixing, and mastering audio and other types of sounds but you can also use the industry standard for digital audio workstations for producing music as well. This includes beats.

The reason why Pro Tools is good for making beats is that it is best when you are using it for recording sounds using actual instruments and other types of sound-producing devices. That is why, if you are using real instruments for making beats, Pro Tools shines the most whenever you are at the part where you are already editing the music you just recorded.

What can really help you when you are editing your beats using Pro Tools is its Loop Recording feature. Of course, there is also a lot of things to love about Pro Tools’ Quickpunch feature. Both of these options will allow you to easily and efficiently create and assemble recordings that you can use for your beats.

But, even if you are not using real instruments, you can still find that Pro Tools is effective at helping you make your beats. This digital audio workstation comes with plenty of different drums, instruments, virtual synths, and loops that are all useful for making beats digitally when you are not making use of the sounds you produced from real instruments. And, of course, Pro Tools has plenty of room to support hundreds of different tracks for those who really want to maximize what it can do.

As useful as Pro Tools is for making beats, the one thing that may end up helping you, in the long run, is the fact that this is the industry standard when it comes to digital audio workstations. So, by developing your skills in making beats with Pro Tools, the skills you earned along the way will be able to help you in the long run when it comes to the music and audio industry especially if you are looking to become an audio engineer or a producer in the future.

What do professionals use for making beats?

On top of Pro Tools, some professionals also used the following digital audio workstations when they are making their beats:

  1. Logic X Pro

Logic X Pro is a favorite among sound engineers and producers alike when they are making beats. This digital audio workstation is only available for Mac users, so it isn’t available for those who prefer to use Windows and other operating systems. 

Nevertheless, the fact that Logic X Pro is optimized for Mac means that you can basically use it together with some of your other Apple devices. It actually works great when used together with an iPad because you can use Logic Remote to use it for controlling the program. You can also use the Mainstage 3 app to transform your computer into a great music-making machine that really gets the job done.

  1. FL Studio

FL Studio is arguably the favorite among producers when they are making beats and other videos because of how easy it is to use. It is one of the most available digital audio workstations on the market because of how widely distributed it is all over the internet.

One of the favorites of professionals when using FL Studio is the piano roll. On top of that, you can also use Grossbeat that allows you to change and control the time and volume effects of your beats. Meanwhile, what really allows you to create great beats using FL Studio is the Bass Drum plugin that gives your beats the kick they need to stand out.

  1. GarageBand

Available for free for Mac users because it basically comes with the operating system, GarageBand is the best to use for beginners although professionals still use it on a timely basis because of how easy and simple it is to use. In a lot of ways, it is the junior version of Logic Pro X because of its simplicity.

For those who are fairly new to making beats or for those who are already professionals but want to use the easiest digital audio workstation available on the market, GarageBand should be the best choice you can go for.

Sources:

https://www.juicydrumkits.com/blogs/industry-insight/19099071-best-daws-for-making-beats-logic-pro-x-fl-studio-cubase-more
https://www.musicradar.com/news/the-best-daws-2020-the-best-music-production-software-for-pc-and-mac
https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/avid-pro-tools

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