As my Google Drive’s free storage reached its maximum capacity, I knew it was time to upgrade. Before making the move though, I was determined to find the best cloud storage for music production. As it turns out, there wasn’t much information out there on the subject, so I decided to provide my own personal experience based on trial and error.
Dropbox, Google Drive and Apple iCloud are some of the most popular cloud storage services on the market. Although they may share similarities, you’d be surprised to find out that some of these aren’t necessarily optimized for music producers. However, it all comes down to personal preference. I’m simply going to be running you down each service and presenting its potential advantages and disadvantages.
- Splice Studio for music producers
- Dropbox for music producers
- Google Drive for music producers
- Apple iCloud for music producers
- Is cloud storage enough for music production?
Splice Studio for music producers
I only recently found out about splice.com and their revolutionary service. Rent-to-own plug-ins, royalty-free samples and FREE unlimited cloud storage for your projects are just a few perks for members of Splice.
Compared to every other cloud storage service on the market, this one best serves music producers.
However, it’s currently only compatible with Logic Pro X, Garageband, Ableton Live and FL Studio. It’s understood that this is a major caveat for music producers using other DAWs.
Specs and useful features
- Unlimited FREE storage for project files, sounds & presets
- Collaboration is integrated into Splice’s cloud storage platform
- Optional monthly subscription for royalty-free samples, loops & presets
- Designed to increase your workflow and productivity
- Ability to merge your STEMS and audio mixdown to each project file
- Keeps a record of EVERY version that gets synchronized
- Includes a desktop client
User impressions
It’s really difficult to compete with the service Splice is offering. Most music producers view it as the “all-in-one-solution” for everything music-related.
Splice’s only disadvantage is its incompatibility with certain DAWs (Cubase, Reason, Pro Tools, etc…). However, it’s always a possibility that more DAWs are added to the roster in the future!
One of the main things I don’t like about the platform though it the desktop client. It’s not regularly updated and seriously needs some work.
Bottom-line
You’re really getting what you’re paying for with Splice Studio (you’re not paying for anything, remember that). That means that there’s not much accountability if something goes wrong…
I personally still have it on-hand since I have nothing to lose, but I’d never rely on it 100% for my backups.
Splice Studio is perfect for the casual music producer and/or hobbyist.
Dropbox for music producers
I’ve been personally using Dropbox for the last year or so and it’s fulfilled most of my needs as a professional music producer. It allows me to easily deliver projects/assets to clients and keep my own files secure and ready to access wherever I go.
It’s one of the most trusted/used cloud storage services on the market, but is it necessarily the best?
The pricing may seem higher than most of the other services we’ll be talking about, but I assure you that it’s completely worth it if you’re serious about your career.
Specs and useful features
- 2 GB of free storage per Dropbox account
- Most affordable plan starting at 2 TB
- Sharing files using links is easy and effective
- The user interface is elegant and easy to use
- Transfer files using Dropbox Transfer (up to 2 GB)
- File recovery and version history (30-days)
- Includes an easy to use desktop client
User impressions
I’m not surprised that most industry professionals choose to go with Dropbox. It’s got useful features that most other cloud storage services don’t like the ability to recover files and to keep version history.
The only negative about Dropbox is the lack of flexibility in terms of pricing. It’s difficult for younger music producers to invest in more storage than they currently need. However, the quality of the service completely justifies the price.
That being said, an equivalent storage plan with Google Drive costs the same, but doesn’t provide any additional benefits.
Bottom-line
Dropbox is currently the industry standard for professionals. It takes all the necessary precautions against the possibility of having corrupted files. If external HDDs aren’t your thing, then this will surely take a load off your shoulders.
However, I don’t think Dropbox is the best solution for everybody. You’ll really need to ask yourself whether or not you’ll be needing all these extra features and 2 TB of storage. It’ll also depend on which type of storage you intend on prioritizing (physical/virtual).
It’s also worth mentioning that Dropbox doesn’t automatically backup your entire hard drive (just certain folders).
Google Drive for music producers
I’ve been using Google Drive for EVERYTHING since it became operational in 2012. Right from the start, Google proved itself to be quite generous by providing 15 GB of free storage for all its users.
In retrospect, Dropbox provides a mere 2 GB for free and 5 GB with Apple’s iCloud.
That being said, most music producers would obviously need to upgrade at some point or another. Freebies are great, but we need to look a little deeper if we want to find out what’s best for our particular needs.
Specs and useful features
- 15 GB of free storage per Google account
- Most affordable plan starting at 100 GB
- Sharing files using links is easy and effective
- The user interface is elegant and easy to use
- Synchronized with all of Google’s Suite’s applications
- Includes an easy to use desktop client
User impressions
Most of us already have a Google account, so why waste 15 GB of free storage? However, it seems that most music producers are switching to Dropbox for the long run.
Although I’ve experienced issues with Google Drive (like corrupted documents), it’s still reliable 99.9% of the time. The only disadvantage is the fact that it doesn’t keep version history (at least not yet).
The main reason music producers choose Google Drive is because of its affordability and simplicity.
Bottom-line
Google Drive is what I’ve been using (and continue to use to this day). I was hesitant at first, but test-driving Apple’s iCloud for a day resolved any doubts I was having (more on this later). Don’t get me wrong, Google Drive isn’t perfect, but nothing really is.
I’ve used it with Logic Pro X for quite some time without issues, but I’m not using it for anything important anymore. Google Drive is great for basic files, but I’d rather have something specialized for my projects.
Apple iCloud for music producers
If you haven’t read my content in the past, then you need to know that I have mixed feelings about Apple. When it comes to music production, I prefer Apple computers and THAT’S THAT. I simply think the operating system and hardware (Thunderbolt mostly) are optimal for music/video production.
That being said, I have NEVER been more disappointed with a product than iCloud.
It’s almost as if Apple has completely given up on its cloud storage service. It’s completely outdated when we compare to other services. It baffles me that it’s still one of the most popular products out there. I don’t recommend it to music producers (or to anyone really).
Specs and useful features
- 5 GB of free storage per Apple account
- Most affordable plan starting at 50 GB
- Automatically backup documents/downloads folder
- Synchronized data throughout all your Apple devices
- Integrated into MacOS and iOS
User impressions
When I was researching the best cloud storage for music producers, I was hearing mostly negative things about Apple iCloud. Most users were dissatisfied with the ability to collaborate on projects.
It almost seems as if Apple refuses to acknowledge its clientele’s needs, so I was quick to ask for a refund. The inability to automatically backup any given file/folder was unbelievable, especially considering its integration with MacOS.
Most would assume that it works in harmony with Apple’s proprietary software such as Logic Pro X, but that’s NOT the case.
Bottom-line
Whether you’re using Windows and/or MacOS, I highly recommend staying away from iCloud. It’s simply not up to par with its competitors. Take advantage of the included 5 GB of storage to backup your contacts, settings, etc… But it’s not worth the upgrade.
If Apple decides to get their act together one of these days, I may provide a revision. However, I encourage you to look into Dropbox for your cloud storage needs.
Is cloud storage enough for music production?
The answer to this question will vary from individual to individual, but I personally believe that IT’S NOT. I frequently backup all of my projects using two external HDDs, not just ONE.
For me, cloud storage would be useful only and IF my house/apartment ever burned down.
Of course, there are other scenarios, but you get the idea… But what are the odds that your computer’s HDD and both your external HDDs stop working? Not very high. This is why I prioritize physical storage mediums.
Even if you were certain that your cloud storage service was 100% reliable, I still wouldn’t risk it. I think having BOTH is essential.
It’s comforting to have your work automatically being backed up to the cloud, but regularly backing up to your external HDDs is a good habit to develop. Maybe once per week? That way, if you ever need to pull back an older version of your project, you may still have it (happened to me recently)!
I hope you’ve found this guide useful. If you have any questions, feel free to leave me a comment!
