How to use Mac OS software in Windows?

[Ricky Miller]

I want to start using Garageband for my music production but its operating system is macOS and I don't have either MacBook or iPhone. So, I was wondering if it is possible to use Garageband on my Windows system. I cannot afford MacBook right now.

I used softwares like Audacity previously to create music but now I want to go to the next level and I have heard lots of good reviews about this software.

Please let me know if it is possible.

[Curious.George]

Re: How to use Mac OS software in Windows?

I want to start using Garageband for my music production but its operating system is macOS and I don't have either MacBook or iPhone. So, I was wondering if it is possible to use Garageband on my Windows system. I cannot afford MacBook right now.

I used softwares like Audacity previously to create music but now I want to go to the next level and I have heard lots of good reviews about this software.

Please let me know if it is possible.

[Disclaimer: I know nothing of Mac apps nor OSX]

I would think you would have to run it in a VM. But, no idea how tolerant OSX is of that approach nor if the app has specific requirements that the VM might not support, cleanly.

[A VM might carry too much run-time overhead for some "real-time" applications, depending on the power you have available on your hosting system]

[piernov]

Re: How to use Mac OS software in Windows?

Simple answer: if you want the Apple experience and Apple software then buy Apple hardware.

And software planned obsolescence is a whole part of the Apple experience (not just theirs though). If you want to use up-to-date software you need up-to-date hardware. Basically if you need to get work done, always go for a machine that supports the latest release of the operating system (and the next release if we already know what machine it will support).

It is simply impossible to run macOS applications on Windows itself.
It is possible to run macOS in a virtual machine but the performances will not be great. Especially, you cannot have video acceleration with the GPU hardware simulated by a virtual machine so the user interface is barely usable. You'd need to use PCIe pass-through with a GPU supported by macOS but that's not necessarily easy to set up and may not work reliably.

There's also the hackintosh route. But still not the solution if you want to get work done. It may be fun to do, but still a huge waste of time to set up and maintain, and may not be reliable either.

Note that both those approaches are not allowed according to macOS EULA.

[stj]

Re: How to use Mac OS software in Windows?

hackintosh or maybe using Linux - there was a project to run mac soft in Linux but i dont know if it ever got completed.

[sean121]

Re: How to use Mac OS software in Windows?

Well, Garageband is designed for Mac OS and iOS users but with the help of some emulators like VMWare and iPadian you can successfully run Garageband on your windows.

Obviously, you won't get the performance as you would with Macbook but you can run it though.

It will take some technical knowledge to do so. I hope you are familiar with what emulators are? If not then you can take reference.

There is a well explained article there with explanatory video. Just go through it and follow the steps mentioned there.

[stj]

Re: How to use Mac OS software in Windows?

http://www.garagebandforpc.com/
https://techonation.com/best-garageb...tives-windows/

[Curious.George]

Re: How to use Mac OS software in Windows?

http://www.garagebandforpc.com/
https://techonation.com/best-garageb...tives-windows/

I've used FLStudio and Cubase. Both are nice products. Presumably, the OP has some experience with these sorts of tools so will be able to hit the ground running... (otherwise, the learning curve can be a bit steep as things aren't often "obvious")

[stj]

Re: How to use Mac OS software in Windows?

are they just "trackers" or is there more to them?

[Curious.George]

Re: How to use Mac OS software in Windows?

are they just "trackers" or is there more to them?

Not sure what you mean by "trackers"...

You can obviously play the "loops" game with them. And, compose with a virtual keyboard (mapped to a particular instrument or set of instruments). I suspect you can also use a MIDI device (though I don't own any for input).

And, can modify existing tracks with effects, ASDR envelopes, etc.

I can't comment on how good/bad any of these would be for a "true musician" trying to augment his own performance. But, I've found them "capable" for creating scores from scratch (where you don't have the urgency of "live" interaction).

[I also can't comment on how intuitive a musician might find the interface as I can easily adapt to it by viewing it as a "computer interface" (with all of the yuck that normally comes with that).]

[momaka]

Re: How to use Mac OS software in Windows?

I've used FLStudio and Cubase. Both are nice products.

+10

I am not a musician myself, but I have tried FL Studio out of interest and it's a nice product, indeed. Garage Band is pretty amateur stuff. It may be "more intuitive", but you will find it lacking in options quickly should you become more serious about music production. FL Studio, on the other hand, is probably not as intuitive (but not any less than any of the other known music production softwares out there.) However, there are a TON of How-to/learning videos on YouTube for using FL Studio. So giving that a try may be easier than setting up a Mac OS on a PC to run Garage Band.

Oh, and Audacity is not a music production program - it's a wave editor. Wave editors are used quite often in music production, but not solely for producing/composing. More often, it is used for editing "samples" and "waves" that can then be used in FL Studio.

[Topcat]

Re: How to use Mac OS software in Windows?

Adobe Audition?

[Curious.George]

Re: How to use Mac OS software in Windows?

Adobe Audition?

There are a LOT of Windows DAW products. They all, basically, do the same thing. But, have different price points and "goodie bags". The goodies may not be important if you're creating original content. But, if you're trying to synthesize a score from existing loops, more is usually better!

[OTOH, unlike visual things that you can quickly review with "thumbnails", it's pretty hard to peruse a collection of audio clips/loops (cuz you have to actually LISTEN to them).]

Cubase, FLStudio, Audition, Cakewalk/SONAR, Presonus, Logic Pro X, Avid, etc.

It's best to pick one (or two) and hitch your wagon to it/them. While learning one gives you a leg up instead of starting from scratch, on another, its rare for two products to do the same thing in the same way.

I despise "demo products" as a way of evaluating software. IMO, the only way to truly get a feel for a product is to use it to do ACTUAL work. Playing with some "examples" hides too many of the details about which you will likely later complain!

[Topcat]

Re: How to use Mac OS software in Windows?

There are a LOT of Windows DAW products. They all, basically, do the same thing. But, have different price points and "goodie bags". The goodies may not be important if you're creating original content. But, if you're trying to synthesize a score from existing loops, more is usually better!

[OTOH, unlike visual things that you can quickly review with "thumbnails", it's pretty hard to peruse a collection of audio clips/loops (cuz you have to actually LISTEN to them).]

Cubase, FLStudio, Audition, Cakewalk/SONAR, Presonus, Logic Pro X, Avid, etc.

It's best to pick one (or two) and hitch your wagon to it/them. While learning one gives you a leg up instead of starting from scratch, on another, its rare for two products to do the same thing in the same way.

I despise "demo products" as a way of evaluating software. IMO, the only way to truly get a feel for a product is to use it to do ACTUAL work. Playing with some "examples" hides too many of the details about which you will likely later complain!

FWIW, I use a really old program called "Cool Edit 2000", its great for editing audio files, including MP3. It was very simple to use and very effective. It was bought out by Adobe and eventually became 'Audition'.....which is a typical pita to use.....meaning you need a degree in overkilled gibberish to figure out how to make it do anything....very counter-intuitive...

[Curious.George]

Re: How to use Mac OS software in Windows?

FWIW, I use a really old program called "Cool Edit 2000", its great for editing audio files, including MP3. It was very simple to use and very effective. It was bought out by Adobe and eventually became 'Audition'.....which is a typical pita to use.....meaning you need a degree in overkilled gibberish to figure out how to make it do anything....very counter-intuitive...

Yeah, I ran cool edit pro "a long time ago" (with "loopology"). Modern DAWs are more featureful. VSTi support, track stretching, pitch correction, vocal syncing, Dolby, integration with video editors, autoducking, etc.

CEP was good for mixing and applying some effects but it was harder to be a "one man band" using it than more recent DAWs.

Of course, the added capability brings with it added interface complexity.

And, some of the UI seems like it was designed by folks who never thought about how it SHOULD be used.

Adobe tends to be like Apple in thinking THEY have a "way" things should be done. If you live entirely in their ecosystem, then you learn THAT way and all is fine. If, however, you mix and match tools (like I do), then "their way" always seems tedious when moving back and forth from "some other way".