In our first iteration of this research (Humberstone & Ly, 2016), we described this category of software as “Productivity/Creativity”. We’ve shifted to Making as a description fir the wide range of things you do with software such as DAWs, sequencers, step sequencers, virtual instruments (synthesizers/samplers), and notation software. Under this category we subcategorise by those types of software.
You may need to scroll… at the moment we have so much data that the following table doesn’t fit on all screens. Try scrolling to access all of the information.
| Software name | BYOD Rating (/6) | Company | Website | Price/subscription model (AU$) | Main category | Sub-category | 2nd Main Category | 2nd Sub-category | Curriculum content 1 | Curriculum content 2 | Gamified | Native or browser-based | iOS summary | Android summary | MacOS summary | Windows summary | Chromebook summary | Linux summary | Class compliant MIDI | Class compliant audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noteflight | 5 | Noteflight, LLC | Link | Most features free, with various subscription models | Making | Notation | Composition, improvisation | Performance | ✗ | Browser | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | No | No | ||
| Flat | 5 | Flat | Link | Free | Making | Notation | Composition, improvisation | Performance | ✗ | Browser | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Yes (see notes) | No | ||
| Soundtrap | 5 | Soundtrap | Link | Free, with various subscription models | Making | Sequencer/DAW | Composition, improvisation | Performance | ✗ | Browser | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Yes | Samson Meteor | ||
| Drumbit | 5 | João Santos | Link | Free | Making | Step Sequencer | Composition, improvisation | Performance | ✗ | Browser | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | No | No | ||
| Learning Synths | 5 | Ableton | Link | Free | Making | Virtual Instrument | Content | Tutorial | Composition, improvisation | Musicology, theory, aural | ✗ | Browser | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | No | ||
| HTML 808 | 4.5 | Link | Making | Step Sequencer | Composition, improvisation | Browser | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||
| O Generator | 4 | O-Music | Link | Subscription models, vary | Making | Step Sequencer | Composition, improvisation | ✗ | Both | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | No | Blue snowball | |||
| Caustic | 4 | Single Cell Software | Link | iOS $14.99 Android $9.99 all features | Making | Sequencer/DAW | Step Sequencer | Composition, improvisation | ✗ | Native | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Yes | No | ||
| Audiotool | 4 | Audiotool | Link | Free | Making | Sequencer/DAW | Step Sequencer | Composition, improvisation | Performance | ✗ | Browser | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | No | Samson Meteor | |
| Tanguy | 4 | Luke Teaford | Link | Free | Making | Virtual Instrument | Composition, improvisation | Performance | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | No | ||||||
| webCZ-101 | 4 | WAMs | Link | Free | Making | Virtual Instrument | Composition, improvisation | Performance | ✗ | Browser | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Yes | |||||
| webDX7 | 4 | WAMs | Link | Free | Making | Virtual Instrument | Composition, improvisation | Performance | ✗ | Browser | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Yes | |||||
| OBXD | 4 | WAMs | Link | Free | Making | Virtual Instrument | Composition, improvisation | Performance | ✗ | Browser | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Yes | |||||
| DEXED | 4 | WAMs | Link | Free | Making | Virtual Instrument | Composition, improvisation | Performance | ✗ | Browser | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Yes | |||||
| Dot Piano | 4 | Alex Chen & Yotam Mann | Link | Free | Making | Virtual Instrument | Sequencer/DAW | Composition, improvisation | Performance | ✗ | Browser | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Yes | ||||
| WebX0X | 4 | Irritant Creative Inc. | Link | Free | Making | Virtual Instrument | Composition, improvisation | Performance | ✗ | Browser | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Yes | |||||
| WebFMSynth | 4 | Takashi Mizuhiki | Link | Free | Making | Virtual Instrument | Composition, improvisation | Performance | ✗ | Browser | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | No | |||||
| Midi.city | 4 | Jack | Link | Free | Making | Sequencer/DAW | Step Sequencer | Composition, improvisation | Performance | ✗ | Browser | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | No (see notes) | ||||
| Synth | 4 | Link | Free | Making | Virtual Instrument | Composition, improvisation | Performance | ✗ | Browser | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | No | ||||||
| MK-1 sampling for MakeyMakey | 4 | Eric Rosenbaum | Link | Free | Making | Virtual Instrument | Composition, improvisation | Performance | ✗ | Browser | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | No | |||||
| Omni | 4 | Luke Philips | Link | Free | Making | Virtual Instrument | Sequencer/DAW | Composition, improvisation | Performance | ✗ | Browser | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | No | ||||
| Type Drummer | 4 | Kyle Stetz | Link | Free | Making | Virtual Instrument | Step Sequencer | Composition, improvisation | Performance | ✗ | Browser | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | No | ||||
| Synthe-Scheisse | 4 | Link | Free | Making | Step Sequencer | Virtual Instrument | Composition, improvisation | ✗ | Browser | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | No | ||||||
| Online Sequencer | 4 | J. Morgan & G. Burdell | Link | Free | Making | Step Sequencer | Sequencer/DAW | Composition, improvisation | ✗ | Browser | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | No | |||||
| AcidMachine2 | 4 | Errozero | Link | Free, downloadable version E5.99 | Making | Step Sequencer | Sequencer/DAW | Composition, improvisation | ✗ | Browser | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | No | |||||
| FL Studio/Groove Machine | 3.5 | Image-Line | Link | Subscription models, vary | Making | Sequencer/DAW | Composition, improvisation | ✗ | Native | 1 | 1 | 0.5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Yes | Yes | |||
| Audiosauna | 3.5 | Naïve solutions | Link | Free | Making | Sequencer/DAW | Composition, improvisation | Performance | ✗ | Browser | 0 | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | No | No audio at all | ||
| Viktor NV-1 | 3.5 | Universless Ltd | Link | Free | Making | Virtual Instrument | Composition, improvisation | Performance | ✗ | Browser | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Yes | |||||
| Noise Sculptor | 3.5 | Link | Free | Making | Virtual Instrument | Composition, improvisation | Performance | ✗ | Browser | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | No | ||||||
| Simple Stitch | 3.5 | Matt Daniels | Link | Free | Making | Virtual Instrument | Sequencer/DAW | Composition, improvisation | Performance | ✗ | Browser | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | No | ||||
| PixelSynth | 3.5 | Link | Free | Making | Virtual Instrument | Composition, improvisation | ✗ | Browser | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | No | |||||||
| Groove Pizza | 3.5 | Link | Making | Step Sequencer | Composition, improvisation | Browser | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |||||||||
| MusiQuest | 3.5 | Link | Making | Sequencer/DAW | Sequencer/DAW | Composition, improvisation | Browser | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||||||||
| Learning Music | 3.5 | Ableton | Link | Making | Step Sequencer | Tuition | Composition, improvisation | Browser | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |||||||
| Web Modular | 3.5 | Link | Making | Virtual Instrument | Composition, improvisation | Browser | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |||||||||
| Web Synths | 3.5 | Link | Making | Virtual Instrument | Composition, improvisation | Browser | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |||||||||
| WebSID | 3.5 | Link | Making | Step Sequencer | Composition, improvisation | Browser | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |||||||||
| Sympathetic Synthesizer System Mk 1 | 3.5 | Link | Making | Virtual Instrument | Performance | Browser | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |||||||||
| Pattern Sketch | 3.5 | Link | Making | Step Sequencer | Composition, improvisation | Browser | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |||||||||
| True Grid | 3.5 | Link | Making | Virtual Instrument | Composition, improvisation | Browser | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 1; | 0 | |||||||||
| Tanguy | 3.5 | Link | Making | Virtual Instrument | Composition, improvisation | Performance | Browser | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 1; | 0 | ||||||||
| Beep | 3.5 | Link | Making | Virtual Instrument | Composition, improvisation | Performance | Browser | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 1; | 0 | ||||||||
| Java DX7 | 3.5 | Link | Making | Virtual Instrument | Composition, improvisation | Performance | Browser | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 1; | 0 | ||||||||
| Quicktab | 3 | QuickTab | Link | Free | Making | Notation | Composition, improvisation | ✗ | Browser | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1\0 | 0 | No | No | |||
| Notion6/Notion for iOS | 3 | Presonus | Link | Desktop $195 iOS $22.99 | Making | Notation | Composition, improvisation | ✗ | Native | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Yes | No | |||
| Groovy Music | 3 | Music First/Sales | Link | Subscription models, vary | Making | Sequencer/DAW | Composition, improvisation | ✓ | Browser | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | No | No | |||
| Soundation | 3 | PowerFX Systems AB | Link | Free, with various subscription models | Making | Sequencer/DAW | Composition, improvisation | Performance | ✗ | Browser | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Yes | Samson Meteor | ||
| Isle of Tune | 3 | Subscription models, vary | Making | Sequencer/DAW | Composition, improvisation | Both | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | No | N/A | ||||||
| Heisenberg | 1 | Audiotool | Link | Free | Making | Virtual Instrument | Composition, improvisation | Performance | ✗ | Browser | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Yes | |||||
| MIDIsynth | 1 | Link | Free | Making | Virtual Instrument | Composition, improvisation | Performance | ✗ | Browser | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Yes | ||||||
| mod-synth.io | 1 | Link | Free | Making | Virtual Instrument | Composition, improvisation | Performance | ✗ | Browser | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | No (see notes) | ||||||
| BlokDust | 3 | Link | Making | Virtual Instrument | Composition, improvisation | Browser | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||||||||||
| Launchpad Arcade | 3 | Link | Making | Virtual Instrument | Composition, improvisation | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |||||||||||
| Twisted Wave | 3 | Link | Making | Sequencer/DAW | Composition, improvisation | Both | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||||||||||
| Studio.SkyTracks.io | 3 | Link | Making | Sequencer/DAW | Composition, improvisation | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |||||||||||
| Band Lab | 3 | Link | Making | Sequencer/DAW | Composition, improvisation | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |||||||||||
| WebSynthv2 | 2.5 | Link | Free | Making | Virtual Instrument | Composition, improvisation | ✗ | Browser | 0.5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | No | |||||||
| Z3ta | 2 | Cakewalk | Link | Expensive. | Making | Virtual Instrument | Composition, improvisation | ✗ | Native | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Yes | No | |||
| Ujam Studio | 2 | UJAM Development GmbH | Link | Free | Making | Sequencer/DAW | Composition, improvisation | Performance | ✗ | Browser | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | No | No – it used the built-in tho | ||
| Musescore | 2 | Link | Making | Notation | Native | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||
| Theramin | 1 | Femur | Link | Making | Virtual Instrument | Performance | Both | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | No | ||||||||
| Zinkf | 1 | ZIKINF | Link | Free | Making | Step Sequencer | Composition, improvisation | Performance | ✗ | Browser | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| TAL-NoiseMaker | 2 | WAMs | Link | Free | Making | Virtual Instrument | Composition, improvisation | Performance | ✗ | Browser | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Yes | |||||
| Nodation | 2 | Link | Making | Virtual Instrument | Composition, improvisation | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |||||||||||
| Incredibox | 1 | Link | Making | Virtual Instrument | Composition, improvisation | ✓ | Browser | 1 | 0 | |||||||||||
| Audio Tool | 3 | Link | $60 for education | Making | Sequencer/DAW | Composition, improvisation | ✗ | Native | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Yes | No |
Download the above table as an Excel file. Download it as a CSV file.
The software is listed in order of its “BYOD rating”. This is a very simple rating out of 6 where one “point” is given for each operating system that it will run on. The operating systems tested were Android (smartphones and tablets), iOS (iPhones and iPads), MacOS, Windows 10, ChromeOS (Chromebooks), and Linux (Ubuntu). Where a half mark is given, it suggests that the software partially worked. Details are given in the full spreadsheet (download link below).
Did you find a mistake? Please let us know by sending a message through the following form. Or want to suggest we look at some other software? We have a form for that, too – click here!