Best music apps in 2023: 12 best music remixing apps

Whether you want to create the next big ear-worm mashup using two of your favourite tracks, to jam out some quick beat ideas, or build a full track on the go, there are plenty of apps that fit the bill. We’ve rounded up some of the best around, with easy-to-use editing features, fun performance controls, and some innovative ideas and tech under the hood. It’s time to get jamming.

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1. Ampify – Launchpad (iOS)

• iOS – Free (in-app purchases)
• Contact Ampify

Launchpad is a slick looking and easy to use performance app made in conjunction with Novation/Focusrite. The free version comes with 8 soundpacks, but you can purchase more as they’re added each week, including artists tracks from UK record label Ninja Tune. You can trigger loops and sounds from an Ableton-esque grid, sync to other apps and hardware, and punch in DJ effects for fun live performances. There’s also a Pro version that adds audio import via Dropbox, AudioShare, AudioCopy and Airdrop, advanced, editable performance FX and MIDI sync output. If you have the iPad version, then it also integrates well with Novation’s Launchpad hardware controller.

2. Drum Pad Machine – Beat Maker

• iOS & Android – Free (in-app purchases)
• Contact Apple

This is one of the simpler apps in this round-up, but it’s great fun if you just want to dive straight in and jam with a whole load of pre-made sounds and loops. It includes a wide variety of music styles and plenty of packs to choose from. There are also built-in instruments and FX, simple sequencing and the ability to quickly share your creations. The element of this app that is especially interesting, is the Beat School, which provides games to help improve your beat jamming over time. The main app is free, but you can opt for a Premium subscription that unlocks all the sound packs, provides new releases every week and removes adds.

3. Pioneer DJ (AlphaTheta Corporation) – WeDJ

• iOS & Android – Free (in-app purchases)
• Contact Pioneer DJ

If you’re coming from the DJ world and want something that feels familiar, then Pioneer’s WeDJ app will feel right at home, as it has the same colourful waveform views as Pioneer’s industry leading decks and rekordbox software. You get all the usual DJ features plus the ability to stream tracks via Beatport LINK and SoundCloud Go+, 11 easy to use Transition FX, useful Tutorial and Pop-Hint features for those starting out, and an array of performance FX, looper, sampler and more. Interestingly, there’s also a Phrase sync function that can analyse the composition of your tracks and align phrases, which could prove a time-saver when trying to mash two tracks together. The main app is free, but it’s worth noting that some of the additional features are in-app purchases.

4. MixVibes – RemixLive

• iOS & Android – Free (in-app purchases)
• Contact MixVibes

RemixLive is another grid-based, loop triggering app with plenty of additional features for quick jamming and track creation. You can jam with drum, synth and guitar sounds, program using the sequencer and then arrange sounds on the Song timeline to create a track. Other features include live DJ style FX, mic record, stem export and more. What helps make RemixLive unique, is the way you can seamlessly move between the mobile, tablet and mac versions. The basic app is free and has plenty of sounds and functionality, but you can add import/export for £5.99 and all the FX for £8.99, alongside the option for an all access monthly payment, which includes additional sound packs.

5. Medly Labs Inc – Medly

• iOS – Free (£4.49 p/m for membership, other options available)
• Contact Medly Labs Inc

If you’re looking for something a step on from some of the more basic apps in this list, then Medly might fit the bill. It has similarities in the way you can load up packs and sounds, but it provides a more in-depth, DAW-like timeline along with the ability to record and trim audio, and to automate parameters such as volume, pan, reverb, pitch and more. Every move has been designed with touch in mind, with clever use of snapping to make editing easy. The free version offers 17 instruments and over 100 loops, but you can become a member to unlock over 3000 instruments, loops, vocals and exclusive features.

6. Sergio Barbosa – FingerBeat

• iOS – Free (in-app purchases)
• Contact FingerBeat

FingerBeat is described as an all-in-one pocket sampler, drum machine and field recorder. It has a super slick interface with a fast and innovative workflow. Load sounds on to pads from a large library or record directly, then lay down beats and melodies that can be edited on a timeline. From here you can record into a tape machine, and then drag and drop back into the pads to keep the creation flowing. An especially nice touch allows you to auto slice recorded audio, where the pad is then divided into the appropriate number of slices for triggered playback. You can also mix down your creations and perform FX live.

7. Mixed In Key – iMashup

• iOS – £3.49, Mac & PC – $39
• Contact Mixed In Key

For those times when you want to just do a simple mashup of two tracks, this pro quality app from the award winning Mixed In Key could be just the ticket. It will automatically analyse and tag your music library so that you can make smooth sounding, harmonic mashups with no key clashes. It can also beatmatch tracks and sync them using a pro DJ algorithm, and let you split the song into segments to copy, loop and move around. On top of this, you can do volume and basic EQ automation, and then export as WAV files, or save to Dropbox/email. There’s also a slightly more fully featured desktop version that lets you load 3rd party plug-ins.

8. NI Traktor DJ 2

• iOS & Mac/PC – Free
• Contact Native Instruments

The original Traktor DJ app was quite revolutionary when it came out, as it packed in a whole load of pro DJ features alongside the unique way you can touch and scratch the waveforms, and also Freeze a track and perform by triggering slices. Traktor DJ 2 looses support for iPhones, but now sports a refined user experience that can be easily carried between the free iPad and Mac desktop versions. The Freeze function remains an excellent way to jam out ideas, alongside useful features like Sync buttons, built-in FX and mix recorder, track recommendations, queue lists and more. There’s also Soundcloud Go+ integration, giving you access to millions of tracks, although you’ll need an SC account for this.

9. Algoridim – djay Pro AI

• iOS & Android – Free (£48.99 to unlock all pro features)
• Contact Algoridim

The award winning DJ app has been rebuilt from the ground up using an incredible new AI technology called Neural Mix. This allows you to isolate instruments and acapellas of tracks in realtime. You can then mix, loop and add effects to drums, basslines and melodies separately, which opens up a world of possibilities for remixing. This could be a great app to use in conjunction with some of the other sequencing focused apps. On top of this incredibly useful function, you also get a fully featured DJ software that works across iPhone, iPad and Mac. Features include 2 or 4 deck mixing, high-definition waveforms, video mixing, hardware integration, built-in sequencer and looper, streaming integration, Automix and much more.

10. Apple – GarageBand

• iOS & Mac – Free
• Contact Apple

It can be easy to overlook Garageband as it’s been around for so long, but Apple’s flagship iOS sequencer has an impressive list of innovative features for song writing, beat creation, and remixing. It includes the impressive Drummer virtual session drummer, a high quality array of guitar amps, pedals and cabinets, Flex-time for fine tuning the timing of your recordings and audio, and fun ways to interact with the included instruments, plus a large sound library that has recently been updated with pro artist loops. You can also backup your tracks to iCloud and then develop them further using Garageband or Logic Pro on a Mac.

11. Ninja tune – Jamm Pro

• iOS – $9.99
• Contact Coldcut 

Pioneered by Matt Black of Coldcut and Ninja Tune fame, Jamm Pro is the evolution of the original Ninja Jamm app. It’s an easy to use layout that lets you trigger samples and load in your own audio, with a focus on fluid performances via multi-touch control. Other features include multitrack stem recording to transfer projects to your DAW, 5 channels of FX (Distortion/Crush, Filter, Delay, Reverb & Sidechain), MIDI input, looping and resampling functions, Slice sequencer, Smart pitch bends, live Scratch function and more. There’s also a Coldcutter module that uses a buffer shuffler, and modular synth-like modulation for sophisticated beat juggling. All in all, it’s an innovative and feature packed app that’s well worth a look.

12. BandLab Technologies – BandLab

• iOS & Android – Free
• Mac & PC – Free
• Contact BandLab

BandLab is one of the biggest free music recording software apps around, with over 37 million users worldwide. You can build tracks with the easy to use Looper, or go in deeper using the 16-Track Mix Editor, 330+ virtual instruments, top quality effects, and the new Sampler. There’s a massive library of over 15,000 royalty-free sounds, plus built-in mastering, Video Mix feature, unlimited cloud storage and more. You can also work on projects using the desktop app or web browser versions. What makes BandLab extra unique, is the social network elements that let you collaborate with up to 50 other artists around the world in a single project, then share and promote your tracks all from within the app.