Drum Sequencer Apps

At first glance, miniDrum Pro looks like the most professional drum sequencer app out there, which it probably is. This app comes loaded with features that blow away almost every other app in its category. That being said, however, I only can recommend this app to those who know how to use or are willing to learn its rather complex features. For those who want a simpler solution, go check out EasyBeats or BeatPad instead.

EasyBeats is fantastic app for creating beats on the iPad. The main highlights of the app are its ability to import your own beats, great sample kits, four loopable bars, a multitouch pattern editor that can be copy/pasted, and the ability to trigger velocity for each pattern. I found EasyBeats to be quite simple and snappy, which makes it easy to recommend this app to all of the beat makers out there.

BeatPad is another app that brings a simple interface to drum sequencing. To start, the app has a huge sound library, note sync, and the ability to type and save lyrics. If that wasn’t enough, BeatPad also allows you to email your beats as well as post them on Facebook. Overall, if a simple app with a moderate amount of features floats your boat, then give BeatPad a go.

Drumtrack HD is another advanced offering out there, which explains the high price. The app includes a huge amount of features including over 15 kits, a mixer, and a way to edit each step’s velocity, pan, pitch and start/end offset. In addition, Drumtrack HD is pretty intuitive with a decent interface. That being said, this app should only be used by those who know how or are willing to learn to use it. Everyone else should look for another, simpler offering.

Music Studio is a lot like GarageBand in many ways. However, one can argue that it does offer a bit more to musicians due to GarageBand's simple functionality. This app has too many features to name, but when pertaining to drums, Music Studio has a hundred beats to choose from. That being said, this app is very expensive and may be overkill for a drum sequencer. So, unless you plan on using the other included instruments, I recommend you look at another option listed here.

GarageBand needs no introduction. When Apple's flagship music app came to the iPad, it was seen as revolutionary. Now anyone can play an instrument. The "Smart Drums" in this app are amazing for a beginner and the real drums instruments is decent for a more advanced user. Unfortunately, since this AppGuide is about Drum Sequencing, I can't recommend GarageBand because of its lack of advanced features that other Drum Sequencers have. Overall, this is a great app but not the best at what this guide is about.

BreakBox has perhaps the least amount of functionality out of all of the apps listed here. All it really does is create sixteen step break beats that can hold up to thirty two patterns and use eight different sounds. Compared to the other apps here, it's quite barebones. You may want to stay away from BreakBox for even simple uses.