Best Tablets For Musicians

This is a review of the best tablets for musicians you can find right now in 2023.

There are a lot of tablets in the market, but the best ones for musicians and music lovers are strong enough to run the apps you need, are big enough, and give the best value for money.

If you’re a musician looking to study from YouTube tutorials or read sheet music, consider getting a tablet since your phone is too small.

I’ve done in-depth research after trying some tablets to discover which is best for you as a musician, music producer, or music lover. 

My conclusion is that the Microsoft Surface Pro 8 13″ is the best tablet overall.

Each drum practice pad is different and can fulfill other purposes.

Keep reading to get the best for your music journey!

Let’s get started.

Microsoft Surface Pro 8 – 13″

📱It has a huge and beautiful display of 13” that will make your music task easier to watch.

📲The operation system is where it becomes cool with this tablet. The Microsoft Surface Pro 7 operation system is Windows. What does it mean for you? It means you can download windows apps, for example, the full version of FL Studio or any DAW you like. Yes, it won’t run like on a 5000 dollars computer, but still, it’s fantastic and get the job done.

💻The processor here is the strong Core i-7, and although you could run genuine windows software on this, it’s not as strong as the M2.

🦾Another sweat thing with this tablet is that you get 16GB RAM, so you can run most music apps and even them simultaneously.

If you’re a music producer or just prefer Windows to iOS, the Microsoft Surface Pro 8 is an excellent pick. If you just need the tablet to read sheet music or view YouTube videos, it’s an overkill option, and you can get a cheaper tablet instead.

Apple iPad Pro – 12.9”

📱12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR display with ProMotion(it will be hard to go back after trying this), True Tone, and P3 wide color for an immersive experience. This actually means it’s large, bright, and clear, making it an excellent pick for you if you want to read sheet music, watch tutorial videos, and produce music.

📲The operation system here is iOS, meaning there are many apps you can find only on iOS. GarageBand is a great example. Plus, you get more protection for the price of less customizability.

💻The IPad Pro comes with the well-known M2, which is incredibly fast and efficient, making it ideal for running demanding music apps like GarageBand or FL Studio Mobile. Additionally, it will get updates and run any app you want for years from now.

🦾 8GB RAM  and 16GB RAM on models with more storage. As you can read in the buying guide, 8 RAM is more than enough for a tablet to run any demanding app. There are some reasons to buy the 16GB, but it’s unnecessary for a musician.

The iPad Pro is probably the best choice if you don’t want to compromise on quality. Whether you are a musician, music producer, or just a music lover, with this tablet, you get a monster processor with an incredible display to compose music or to learn how to play an instrument. 

iPad Air 10.9”

📱Although the screen isn’t big as 12.9 inches, the 10.9 inches screen is still big enough for all the tasks you need as a musician.

📲The operation system here is also iOS which means you can use GarageBand and other apps made only for iOS.

💻The processor here is the M1, which is not the M2 but is still a monster and enough for using every app you plan to use as a music producer or musician.

🦾It comes with 8 RAM, which as in the iPad Pro, is enough for anything you demand.

This version of the iPad is the cheaper version of the iPad Pro above. For the price, you get amazing value, and it may be enough for you if you want to save some bucks. Note that the most basic storage version is 64GB which is not really enough by today’s standard. On the other hand, you can use iCloud to store your work in the cloud.

SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab S8 – 11”

📱The Galaxy Tab S8 comes with 11 inches, which is excellent for the average musician. Some may even prefer this from bigger screens.

📲Because the operating system is Android, you have greater flexibility than with iOS. In the end, everything comes down to personal preference. You should also think about your ecosystem, so if you already have a Mac or an iPhone, the interaction with the iPads will be smoother.

💻 The processing power with this one compared to the others in the list is not wow and bad. Anyway, you can still run Fl Studio Mobile on it.

🦾It has 8GB of RAM, so you won’t have trouble running many programs simultaneously.

Although the galaxy tab S8 doesn’t have the best performance in the list, it’s still a great choice if you prefer android.

Lenovo Tab P11 Plus – 11”

📱The screen is the same size as the galaxy tab, so it’s great for the daily use of a musician.

📲The operation system is android as well, so you can use android apps.

💻 Don’t expect the processing power here to be the best, but it’s good enough for those who want to do basic tasks like watching YouTube. 

🦾The Lenovo Tab P11 Plus has 4GB of RAM, the least of any device on our list, but you won’t need more for basic use. 

If you want to use the tablet for music creation, you may want to look at the higher-end tablets on the list.

The Lenovo Tab P11 Plus is the best choice for musicians on a budget or those who need the tablet for simpler tasks. 

Suppose you need a tablet only for reading sheet music, hearing music, and watching videos. In that case, you won’t get the smoothest experience as the other tablets here, but still, it’s a great pick.

Buying Guide

Tablets aren’t just for kids. Quite a few grownups take pleasure in using their use as well. Tablets are fantastic devices for musicians and whoever loves music.

Top Uses of a Tablet if You’re a Musician

You can use the tablet in many ways, especially as a musician. Here are some of the things you can do.

Music Creation 

Tablets are great for creating music. A tablet can be the perfect tool for composing beats or sampling new sounds if you’re an aspiring musician. 

GarageBand is one app that comes with the iPad. And you can use FL Studio Mobile on almost any tablet if you don’t have or can’t afford an iPad. Those are great tools to use if you want to demo the music in your head but can`t reach your computer or instruments.

Learn 

They’re also great for musicians who want to learn how to play their instruments. You can use the tablet with an app that lets you connect your instrument directly to the device to record yourself playing or practicing easily. 

Here you can watch a youtube video on practicing: 

Sheet Music. 

If you’re a musician who plays an instrument, a tablet is also a great tool for accessing sheet music. 

You aren`t limited to printing the sheets, and you can easily access any sheet music for any song with the internet. The tablet’s big screen makes it easy to read the notes so you can follow along as you practice.

Music Apps and Sound Tools 

There are a ton of apps and tools available for you as a musician to use with your tablets. Some of the most popular include:

-A tuner that makes it easy to tune your instrument before playing – great for your guitar.

-A metronome that can help keep you on track while practicing.

-A drum machine that makes it easy to play with pre-recorded beats or create your own.

-An app for creating a backing band for yourself.

-Tools that help you learn how to play specific instruments, as seen in the youtube video.

-Timer that makes tracking how long you’ve been practicing.

-Amp modelers and much more.

Music Player 

With the music player, you can load the music you want to practice and play with your instrument.

Furthermore, if you’re an artist, you can listen to your own pieces or get inspiration from other artists quickly.

Recording

With the recording feature on your tablet, you can record yourself playing your instrument and then listen to it later. Great for practicing or creating a new song from scratch.

Although you probably already have a smartphone that can do pretty much the same, it’s more convenient to use the tablet’s big screen.

Youtube and Online Tutorials

As a pianist, I remember searching for tutorials on playing a nice piece. The tablet makes the job pretty easy as I can see the notes on a big screen and don’t need to pause the video to focus on which notes to play. 

Look at the following video and imagine how easy to learn the song with a tablet: 

Frequently Asked Questions.

You can ask a lot of things when it comes to which tablet you should choose. Here are some of the most common questions.

Which Tablet to Buy as a Music producer?

The short answer is the stronger, the better. As a music producer, you probably want apps like I mentioned above, Fl Studio or GarageBand, for the best experience without lags and crashes. You need a good tablet with a powerful processor, and the more ram it gets, the better.

What to Look for in a Tablet?

There is a whole section for this common question, so keep reading, and let’s get into it.

What to look for in a tablet before buying?

Each is different and has his own perspective and taste, but the common things important for most people are below.

Screen Size

If you plan on only listening or playing with the tablet, the screen size can be smaller. Still, if you plan on reading sheets, learning instruments with the tablet, producing music, and such, the bigger screen, the better. More Than 11 inches is enough in that case.

Performance 

With today’s technology, most tablets from any brand should perform quite ok. Still, some brands are superior and worth considering. If you want a tablet that will last long and perform well, go with more than 6 RAM. If you need less consuming tasks like listening to music or reading sheet music, it doesn’t matter.

Battery Life & Storage Capacity

For trips and long rides, you should look for a tablet with more battery life. And again, for more simple tasks like reading sheet music, it only matters if you use it outside your house.

You’ll also need enough storage space on your device so it won’t fill up too quickly after downloading music.

Conclusion

To get the most out of your music journey, you should get a tablet, get better, or just enjoy. 

After considering many of the tablets in the market, I realized that the Microsoft Surface Pro 8 13″ is the best tablet you can get as a musician. For music producers, it’s incredible since you can use an actual DAW. Also, your options are almost limitless with this one.