Macs or Windows for music dept?

[Jawloms]

We currently have a suite of Mac Minis in the music room. They are now pushing ten years old. All they use them for is Sibelius and Garageband. We have the Windows version of Sibelius, and the teacher has found https://edu.bandlab.com/ which he quite likes as an alternative to Garageband. Which route do you take? The one which actually works in a school environment nice and easily, or the one which, as far as I know is still, the industry standard? I know there are people out there who will say Macs work, but not as easily as just buying a Windows box and banging a standard image on it. If Macs should ideally be used as they are better for that and it's good to get the kids used to something different then that is the route I would go, but at the same time I don't want to just use them because they are shiny and Macs so they must be better. The music teacher isn't fussed, he just wants something that works.

 

Thoughts?

 

Thank you

[Iain.Faulkner]

We've recently been through this same thought process. We have a music suite with 12 year old MacMini's in them. They are domain joined, but we get never ending issues with keychains when students forget their passwords and have them reset. Realistically the only reason they use Mac's in there at all though is for garageband as we can install Sibelius onto Windows devices. Realistically we can't afford to replace the Mac's either as they are so much more expensive. I think, the last time I looked, that to refresh this room would wipe out my whole refresh budget meaning no other devices would get replaced this year.

 

Our plan for this summer is to replace them with Windows machines, using bandlab as well. The music department, like yours, seem really impressed with it as an alternative.

[stevewill6]

We have just installed Windows Desktops in our music department. We had iMacs previously.

 

The windows desktops were cheaper for a better spec. I also lack the knowledge to support the macs effectively, this meant i spent a lot more time supporting them than a windows desktop.

 

The music teacher was involved in the decision process and was happy with this as it meant that he would have more devices than he had previously.

[Andycat]

We've replaced our 10 year old Macbook Pros with Dell laptops (Good spec) running Sibelius and Mixcraft.

[Rob_D]

I vagally remember a few years back @ICTDirect_Dave put together an alternative-to-apple music suite build.

 

Personally, I don't see the point in having one apple suite on an otherwise windows network just because it's "the industry standard", but if it's what the teachers want.

[GrumbleDook]

As a Mac Evangelist … I’m now at the point of agreeing that there is little reason to stick with the Macs for what you are doing.

I like GarageBand, just as I like Logic, but it is no longer the best of breed that made such a difference. Unless you have some very specific things you want to do, or have educational schemes of work that require Apple kit (which is possible) then there are other things that will work out as good but cheaper.

To be honest, I just use GarageBand on my iPad or iPhone now instead if I want to play about. Any trimming or cleaning gets done in audacity now.

No need for Macs

And you cannot know how sad that makes me feel.

The other thing you lose is a different OS being used and some different ways of working. If the lab is only ever used for a few lessons though, then hard to justify that as a reasonable area of impact.

[emoji24]

[paulkerton]

https://www.soundtrap.com/edu/

 

Enough said, really.

[Jawloms]

Well that seems fairly conclusive!

 

Thank you for all the replies.

Edited May 12, 2021 by Jawloms

[Chaniel]

We moved from a small suite (16) of ancient iMacs to Windows PCs with Cubase 10.5. Decent spec Dell machines with an "AIO" monitor mount. Our music teacher is happy with the change and it's a hell of lot speedier and budget friendly Edited May 12, 2021 by Chaniel

[ICTDirect_Dave]

I vagally remember a few years back @ICTDirect_Dave put together an alternative-to-apple music suite build.

 

Personally, I don't see the point in having one apple suite on an otherwise windows network just because it's "the industry standard", but if it's what the teachers want.

 

I've done a couple of blogs on the matter over the years and helped several schools and individuals put together a superb music setup.

 

My thoughts on garageband are well known so I won't go over that again. Regarding the industry standard, however. There really hasn't been one for a while now. Logic, cubase etc. They're pretty similar in terms of capability, which is great. The gold standard is still Pro Tools, but a proper setup for it is needed to get the best and that is expensive. Ableton Live has been my software of choice for years now. It is quite brilliant.

 

If your staff are willing to look beyond Garageband then I can't see a reason to stick with Apple. You get a lot more for your money going for a Windows PC. Some of the savings you can then invest in a decent audio interface, which will make a huge difference to the user experience.

[paulkerton]

"the industry standard"

 

That's my red rag to a bull. Industry standard is a lame excuse which means "I'm not willing to learn."

It REALLY means a technical standard everyone sticks to, like the size of screwheads, requirements for certain drugs, or how cars have steering wheels, and a clutch, break and accelerator in the same order.

 

What it doesn't mean is "dominant market player who we're willing to kowtow to". Otherwise, they wouldn't get Garageband or Logic Pro to use - Mac isn't the "industry standard" OS in the world of work.

Grrrr.

[hardtailstar]

We use Windows devices and Chromebooks with Bandlab.

 

This has seemed to work well on both.

[Norphy]

On the whole, I agree with what people have said here: there isn’t much reason to go Apple when the majority of the software that your music department is likely to use is available for Windows as well. However, I think there is a caveat to that.

 

If something like Logic is already ensconced in the department, there will be a cost to moving to Windows and an equivalent DAW on Windows outside of the hardware and software. There will be training costs for the staff. There will be the costs in updating the teaching resources, both in terms of the course material and any base files you give to your students. There could be disruption to students who are currently taking the course; I don’t know about you but if I was in the middle of a course (any course, not just Music) and the technology stack changed underneath me, I’d be a mite annoyed.

 

It also worth adding that that although a Mac is a lot more expensive than its Windows equivalent, Logic is a lot cheaper to Education than its competitive products and once you take that into account, the costs even out, with lower end hardware anyway. Don’t know if that’s still the case, admittedly.

 

So yes, not saying to use Macs, not saying not to use them either, just try and see the whole picture. Which it sounds like the OP has definitely done. In that specific case, I’d whole heartedly say to use Windows

Edited May 12, 2021 by Norphy

[Ratcliffepg]

We use to have two rooms of MACS but now have PCs in one and MACs in the other. I am sure we will end up with PCs in both.