On-Device AI Music App LoopMaker Challenges Cloud-Based Genres with Apple MLX

On-Device AI Music App LoopMaker Challenges Cloud-Based Genres with Apple MLX

In a quiet but potent revolution in artificial intelligence audio, developer Tarun Yadav has unveiled LoopMaker, a macOS application that generates original music entirely on-device—without relying on cloud servers, APIs, or subscription fees. Built natively in Swift and powered by Apple’s MLX framework, LoopMaker enables users to create up to four-minute tracks across six genres—including Lo-Fi, Cinematic, and Jazz—without ever sending a single prompt or audio file outside the user’s Mac. This marks one of the first fully local, consumer-grade AI music generation tools to emerge outside of corporate research labs.

While industry giants like Google DeepMind have recently introduced Lyria 3, an AI music model integrated into the Gemini app that generates 30-second clips via text prompts, LoopMaker takes a radically different approach. According to Gadgets360, Google’s solution requires internet connectivity, cloud-based inference, and is confined to brief audio snippets. In contrast, LoopMaker’s architecture prioritizes user sovereignty: after an initial model download (approximately 4GB), all generation occurs locally on M-series chips, with no ongoing data transmission. This aligns with the growing ethos of the local AI community, which seeks to dismantle dependency on corporate platforms that can alter, limit, or shut down access at will.

Yadav, who described his frustration with existing AI music tools as "the moment you stop paying, your workflow breaks," designed LoopMaker to be a sustainable, permanent tool for composers, producers, and hobbyists. The app supports optional lyrics and vocal synthesis, a feature still rare in on-device implementations due to computational demands. MLX, Apple’s machine learning framework optimized for Apple Silicon, allows for real-time inference—generating a full track in under 90 seconds on an M2 chip, a feat previously thought unfeasible without cloud acceleration.

Unlike cloud-based services that monetize user data or lock creative output behind paywalls, LoopMaker operates on a one-time model download model. There are no monthly fees, no usage caps, and no corporate terms of service dictating how generated music can be used. This independence is particularly significant in an era where AI-generated content faces increasing legal and ethical scrutiny over copyright and training data. By keeping everything local, LoopMaker sidesteps these controversies entirely.

While Google’s Lyria 3 represents the commercialization of AI music—integrated into a widely used AI assistant and designed for mass-market, ephemeral content—LoopMaker appeals to a niche but growing segment of creators who value autonomy, privacy, and long-term tool ownership. The app’s open-source ethos, though not yet fully public, has already sparked interest in developer forums like r/LocalLLaMA, where users are sharing benchmarks and requesting support for Linux and Windows ports.

Industry analysts note that LoopMaker could catalyze a broader shift in AI audio development. "We’ve seen on-device LLMs take off—now the same paradigm is moving into audio," said Dr. Elena Torres, an AI ethics researcher at Stanford. "Tools like this challenge the assumption that AI creativity must be centralized. If users can generate music, art, or even code locally, they regain control over their digital expression. That’s not just technical—it’s political."

As AI music tools become increasingly embedded in mainstream platforms, LoopMaker stands as a defiant alternative: not a product to be licensed, but a tool to be owned. For now, it remains a macOS-only application, but its success may inspire similar frameworks for Android and iOS. For creators tired of corporate gatekeeping, LoopMaker doesn’t just generate music—it generates freedom.