How to Make Beats on a Chromebook: What Actually Works (Free)

You've got a Chromebook, from school or because it was light and cheap, and you want to make beats. You'll run into the same wall pretty fast: you can't just install FL Studio, Ableton or GarageBand on it. The good news is that you can still make real music on it. You just need to know which programs work. Here are your options, from easy to more advanced.

Why doesn't FL Studio work on a Chromebook?

A Chromebook runs ChromeOS, not Windows or macOS. The regular version of FL Studio is made for Windows and Mac, and so is Ableton Live. GarageBand is only for Mac, iPhone and iPad (more on that in GarageBand for Windows: does it exist?). So on a Chromebook you work with three kinds of programs: music studios in your browser, Android apps and, if you want to go further, Linux programs.

Option 1: BandLab in your browser (the easiest start)

BandLab is free and works in your browser, so there's nothing to install. According to BandLab, you need a computer that can run the latest version of Chrome, and they recommend Google Chrome for the best stability. That's exactly what a Chromebook has.

In BandLab you build drums in the Drum Machine, use loops and play melodies on an instrument track. For a step by step walkthrough, read how to make a beat in BandLab.

Good to know about files, according to BandLab's help page:

• Importing: the web version takes MIDI, MP3, WAV, M4A and OGG, among others.
• Exporting: you download your full beat (the mixdown) as M4A or as a 16-bit WAV at 44.1 kHz. MP3 isn't on the list.

Option 2: Soundtrap in your browser

Soundtrap is another music studio that runs in your browser. On Soundtrap's support page, Chromebook is listed among the supported systems, with Chrome or Edge as the recommended browser. Soundtrap does add that some audio features may not be fully supported because of browser or operating system limits. Using it at school? Your class might already have an account through the education version.

Option 3: FL Studio Mobile as an app

Really want to work in FL Studio? Then FL Studio Mobile is your best bet. Image-Line's page says the app is available for Android and Chromebook. You install it from the Google Play Store on your Chromebook. It's not the same program as FL Studio on a laptop, but you work with familiar parts like the Channel Rack, the Piano roll and the Playlist.

Since version 5, the app also includes free FL Cloud sounds. See exactly what changed in FL Studio Mobile 5: what's new.

Option 4: Linux programs (for advanced users)

A lot of Chromebooks can also run Linux programs. You turn that on in the settings. According to Google, you can then use your microphone in Linux too, once you turn on Allow Linux to access your microphone in the Linux development environment settings.

That lets you try a DAW that has a Linux version, like REAPER. Check with the maker first whether the Linux version runs on your Chromebook, because not every Chromebook is equally powerful. Two things to keep in mind:

• School or work Chromebook? Google itself says you might not be able to use Linux. Your administrator decides that.
• Just getting started? Start with BandLab instead. Setting up Linux takes time you could spend on your first beat.

Which option fits you?

• You want to start right away, no installing: BandLab.
• You're using it at school or with your class: Soundtrap or BandLab.
• You want to learn the FL Studio workflow: FL Studio Mobile from the Play Store.
• You're technical and the Chromebook is your own: try a Linux DAW.

Want to see every DAW side by side, also for when you get a Windows or Mac laptop later? Read which DAW to pick as a beginner.

Your first beat on a Chromebook in 5 steps

1. Pick your tempo. Trap often sits around 140 BPM, boom bap is a lot calmer. Not sure? Check BPM by genre.
2. Lay down your drums. Start with a kick, a snare or clap and hi-hats. Keep it simple.
3. Grab chords that work. Pick a mood in the free chord progression generator, listen and download the MIDI. Import it onto an instrument track in BandLab or your other app.
4. Add a bass or 808. Mostly play the root notes of your chords. The MIDI from the chord generator already includes a bassline on the root notes you can use as a start.
5. Export and check. Download your beat as a WAV. Want to share it as an MP3? Convert your M4A or WAV with the free audio converter. It runs in your browser, so it works fine on a Chromebook.

Working with samples or loops and not sure what key or tempo they're in? Run them through Beat Lab, the free BPM and key finder. That one runs in your browser too.

Tips to keep your Chromebook keeping up

• Close other tabs. A music studio in your browser uses a lot of memory. The less you have open, the fewer glitches.
• Use headphones. You hear details better, and when you record, your beat doesn't bleed into your take.
• Keep your project small. A few good tracks beat twenty tracks that make your Chromebook choke.
• Keep your files locally or in the cloud too. Download your export so you always have it, even if you switch to another DAW later.

Better drums for your beat

The stock kits in BandLab and FL Studio Mobile are fine to start with, but you'll hear them in a lot of other beats too. Want your own sound? Our sample packs have kicks, snares, hi-hats, 808s and effects you drag into your project as audio files. Check each pack to see what's inside and which terms apply.

FAQ

Can I install FL Studio on a Chromebook?

Not the regular version of FL Studio, that one's for Windows and Mac. FL Studio Mobile does exist: according to Image-Line, it's available for Android and Chromebook, through the Play Store.

What's the best free program for making beats on a Chromebook?

For most beginners, that's BandLab. It's free, it works in Chrome and there's nothing to install.

Can I record rap or vocals on a Chromebook?

Yes, you can record your voice in BandLab and Soundtrap. For how it works in BandLab, read how to record rap in BandLab.

Does GarageBand work on a Chromebook?

No. GarageBand is only for Mac, iPhone and iPad. On a Chromebook, BandLab is the closest alternative.

Sources: BandLab's help pages, Soundtrap's support page, Image-Line and Google Chromebook Help.