Introduction
If you’re like me, thinking of a gift idea for a loved one can be quite draining around the holiday season (or birthdays). It can be really frustrating, especially if that person doesn’t know what they want… OR you might want to surprise them with something really special.
I made this list asking my musician/producer colleagues the question: what piece of gear really helped with your musical creativity / output? Here is a list of some of their responses, coupled with some gear that I really like to use as a musician myself… (and some gear I one day hope to get!)
Most any item on this list will be sure to put a smile on your beloved musicians / producers / songwriters face!
Table Of Contents
- Introduction
- Gift Ideas from $10 to $30
- Gift Ideas from $30 – $100
- Gift Ideas from $100 to $300
- Focusrite Audio Interface Bundle
- A Good Midi Keyboard Controller (Arturia Keystep 37)
- Electric Guitar (Pacifica 112)
- Novation Launchpad X Controller for Ableton Live
- Compact 8-Track Pocketstudio Multitrack Recorder (DP-008EX)
- PreSonus Eris E4.5 Studio Monitors
- Electric Drum Set – Alesis Nitro Mesh
- Zoom H6 Portable Studio – Portable Audio Recorder
- Gift Ideas $300+
- Conclusion
(Note: We only endorse things we’ve personally used or come highly recommended by trusted peers. If you get anything we write about using our referral links, we may get a small commission. There is no extra cost to you, however.)
Gift Ideas from $10 to $30
Legiliner Music Staff Roller Pen
- It’s a kind of roller pen/stamp that draws a 5-Line music staff on any sheet of paper
- Very useful for anyone that likes to write down music notes and chords
- Great for learning music theory… writing these things out by hand helps you internalize it much quicker
- Amazing for music teachers
- Saves so much time, versus drawing each line by hand, or with a ruler. Plus it looks way cleaner!
- Can get creative with it and draw other stuff too!
- Click here to get the Legiliner Music Staff Roller Pen!
Creative Tunings SpiderCapo
- Perfect for players that like experimenting or playing with alternate tunings (like EAEACE, etc)
- This universal partial capo lets you capo each string individually
- For Acoustic, Electric, Classical-all makes & models. Capo all 6 strings like a regular capo with fine tuning per string!
- Fits a variety of string gauges and guitars
- Unlocks whole new palettes of sounds you can get out of a guitar
- Click here to get the Creative Tunings SpiderCapo!
Behringer ECM-8000 Room Measurement Microphone
- This is a really interesting microphone, that for it’s inexpensive price, offers a great improvement on recordings
- Using this tool, the audio quality of your finished recordings will be night and day. It is a game changer for mixing
- The way it works is it analyzes the acoustics of your recording space (be it your room, garage, home studio, or professional studio, etc) and in the master, using the included VST, it will EQ your sound to make it as neutral-sounding as possible (as if it were recorded in a perfect acoustic environment)
- To get started with this product, you can watch YouTube videos on room EQ and speaker calibration using RoomEQWizard
- Click here to get the Behringer ECM-8000 Room Measurement Microphone!
$5-$10 Gift Ideas
- Another good stocking stuffer is some nice guitar strings! The higher end ones range from $6-$10, and can be a cool gift that a guitar player might not always want to splurge on. For acoustic guitar players, check out our list of best acoustic guitar strings. For electric guitar, we recommend these strings.
- D’Addario Guitar Desk Stand – another useful gift for guitar players, this turns any flat surface (tables, furniture, amps, road cases, etc) into a guitar stand. Small, so it fits right into your backpack or guitar case, and very handy! It can be a real pain finding a place to rest your guitar, when you don’t have a guitar stand nearby… Or risky, as guitars can easily fall and break if you prop it up in the wrong place. The D’Addario Guitar Desk Stand is a nifty tool to keep around!
- Writing pens – I’ve found the Pentel RSVP Fine Point pens to be the most consistent and reliable (plus cheap!) for writing. I buy a dozen or so at a time and just keep them around everywhere (backpack, bedside, desk, etc.), so I’m never without a pen. I always get both the colored packs and regular black.
- Notebooks – I use a variety of notebooks for writing, I like both the small-midsize and larger ones, just whatever I have by my side. The advantage of the large ones is that you can fit more information on one page, so for songwriting you can draw out a whole storyboard or plan the whole song one just one sheet, vs having to flip back and forth on the smaller notebooks. That being said, everyone’s different, it’s good to try out various ones and see what works for you. I personally like ones without lines, as it frees up your creativity to write or draw or do whatever on the page.
- Mini pocket notebooks are also cool, because you can carry them around everywhere, and jot down notes and ideas as they come, without having the pull out your cell phone (which becomes a distraction and time-suck). With my phone, I’ll often find I started reading and answering some message, or distracted by something, and after 5 minutes forget what I was going to write down. That messes with workflow, and it’s why I’m using my phone less and less: it takes away a lot of time and mental focus from more meaningful tasks. Plus going without a phone is very freeing!
Gift Ideas from $30 – $100
Sony MDR 7506 Studio Headphones
- These headphones are legendary. They are quite literally the industry standard, with practically at least one pair in every music studio around the world.
- Used by artists in the studio for decades in the creation of many top hits
- Great for mixing, reference listening, vocal/guitar tracking, amp sim playing, all in one
- The closed-ear design means they prevent noise bleed, meaning when you’re recording an individual instrument (like your guitar or voice), what you’re hearing on the headphones won’t bleed into the microphone (a common problem with cheaper headphones)
- Very durable: These things last forever, and are easy to repair
- They sound great: You can use them for listening to your phone, vinyl, tape, or CD player just as well as recording and mixing music
- I own these headphones and love them. They’re one of those pieces of gear that you rely on daily. Definitely something that will get used.
- Click here to get the Sony MDR 7506 Studio Headphones!
Shure SM57 Dynamic Microphone
- This mic is bulletproof. You can literally throw it out of a car, from a 10 story building, pick it up and use it for a live show or on your new record.
- You can use this microphone for literally anything, in the studio, or live
- Live / Studio: vocals, acoustic guitar, guitar amps, drums… any sound source really. And countless studios across the world use it just for this
- Many hit albums, going back to the 1960’s, have used this microphone. Read up on the SM57s history here.
- I own one of these and it’s definitely the mic I use the most. I use it with the Shure A2WS Windscreen and just keep it in my backpack, along with my Focusrite 2i2 and laptop, when I travel. Since the mic is bulletproof, I don’t have to worry about being gentle with it (at all!) like you would with a condenser mic (which can break if you just drop them once). I use it to record my acoustic guitar, and also vocals, and create demos/tracks on Ableton with a very rudimentary setup
- (If your musician will only be using their mic for vocals, you could also consider the Shure SM58, which is almost exactly the same as the 57, just more tailored to vocals. Though many hit artists still used the SM57 for vocals, such as Fleetwood Mac. Personally I use the SM57 for my vocals)
- Click here to get the Shure SM57 Dynamic Microphone!
Good Productivity Mouse (Logitech MX Master 2S)
- A good mouse with side buttons makes DAW workflows much easier (DAW being Ableton / Logic / FL Studio / etc)
- Program your mouse button shortcuts to do your most common tasks (such as delete key, adding / editing things / turning on automation / anything that takes more than 2 clicks you can program it to do)
- Some say this has taken hours of clicking out of their workflow
- This mouse comes with two wheels for up/down and left/right scrolling, and it comes with 3 customizable buttons and a four move pattern that can be customized as well. It is a must for anyone that spends a lot of time in a DAW like Ableton
- It really help with long mixing session, and it’s often an overlook piece of gear
- With the MX Master 2S, Logitech creates different profiles for different programs you use, so if you switch between Excel, Photoshop, or Ableton, it’ll remember the different settings you have for each program, automatically. Huge time saver
- Once you start using the mouse, you get used to the presets, and it literally becomes an extension of your brain!
Some other ideas you can use for this mouse for automation are:
- 1st button = duplicate track
- 2nd = insert midi clip
- 2nd wheel = left and right scrolling
- 3rd button + up = zoom-in
- 3rd button + down = zoom-out
- 3rd + left = switch between mixing and session views
- 3rd + right = solo a track
- 3rd button by itself = open a new window within the same project
- Between the above shortcuts, and 6 to 10 basic keyboard shortcuts, you never have to click anywhere in the DAW again! Helps you keep in the zone with your workflow. Once you start using it, you’ll never be able to go back!
Click here to get the Logitech MX Master 2S Productivity Mouse!
Kensington Trackball Pro Mouse
- Perfect for music producers with a cramped workspace, who don’t have the real estate to be moving a regular mouse around a lot
- Good for people with wrist pain, RSI, or carpal tunnel
- For someone who spends many hours editing music on a computer, this could be a great choice, to cut down on wrist strain
- Some say they are more precise over a regular mouse
- Click here to get the Kensington Trackball Pro Mouse!
Wireless Guitar Plug (iRig HD 2)
- Digital Guitar Interface for your iPhone, iPac, Mac, or PC – that lets you plug in and play anywhere
- Perfect for demos, recording ideas, and just playing around
- Great for playing / recording on-the-go, or to quickly record from the comfort of your couch or bed, without having to fumble with your computer recording setup
- Can be used as a front-end pedal board and effects processor
- Comes with a full version of the Amplitube software, the best selling guitar and bass tone-crafting and recording studio. It comes with all the effects, pedals, and recording studio capability that you need to perform and record great guitar performances
- Click here to get the iRig HD 2 Wireless Guitar Plug!
Zoom G1X Four – Guitar Multi-Effects + Looper Pedal
- A guitar looper (or) an effects pedal are both very fun to play with. And this unit has both built-in!
- You get a ton of features in this unit, making it a great option for both beginners and experienced guitar players alike. (Or any instrument for that matter! You could also plug in a piano, violin, bass… anything with a sound output).
- Great for coming up with new ideas, and creating new songs from scratch
- The Zoom G1X Four combines many (costly) pedals into one – meaning instead of lugging around many different pedals, you have it one compact package. It’s a great first pedal to get, and play around with.
- Did I mention fun? (you won’t be able to put your guitar / instrument down)
- Note: It runs on batteries, but you can also power it with a 9V power supply, which you can buy separately here
- Click here to get the Zoom G1X Four – Guitar Multi-Effects + Looper Pedal!
Gift Ideas from $100 to $300
Focusrite Audio Interface Bundle
- If the musician in your life isn’t recording themselves onto the computer yet, consider getting them this audio interface bundle from Focusrite. Probably hands down the best “bang for the buck” present you can get
- Comes with all the hardware and software you need to make professional-sounding recordings, for a very reasonable price
- No extras needed, just plug in your guitar (or record it with the included microphone) and start creating!
- The Focusrite 2i2 (included) allows you to record up to two channels at once
- Comes with a very nice condenser microphone, plus all the software you need to get started (Ableton Lite)
- Click here to get the Focusrite Audio Interface Bundle!
A Good Midi Keyboard Controller (Arturia Keystep 37)
- MIDI Keyboard Controllers are another very useful tool for creating music. You just hook it up to your laptop via USB (or interface, like the Scarlett 2i2) and can create beautiful, professional sounding music, with Ableton or Logic, etc
- Since it’s so portable, this keyboard coupled with a laptop is all you need to create any type of music you’d like. (I’ve taken it in my camping backpack before traveling overseas, and it’ll fit in a regular backpack, would just stick out a bit)
- So if your beloved musician doesn’t have one, consider getting a MIDI Keyboard Controller for them
- Note: These typically don’t make sound on your own, so you do need to hook it up to something that has MIDI inputs and makes sound (like your computer with Ableton or Logic, or a rack synth)
- Click here to get the Arturia Keystep 37 Midi Keyboard Controller!
Other cool MIDI controllers we recommend:
- Roland RD-2000 Premium 88-key Digital Stage Piano – Cream of the crop, will be able to use it for everything, even live music / gigging. Has weighted keys, which is a very nice – around $2500
- Novation Launchkey 49 [MK3] – Popular little MIDI Keyboard. Great for those that use Ableton, as it integration with Ableton is awesome. Will let you get the most out of that DAW program – around $200
- Arturia KeyLab 88-Key MIDI Controller – Great for those who like to play synths / virtual strings. The faders are nice and smooth, which can be used for dynamics and articulations. Keys aren’t weighted though – around $370
- Yamaha PSSA50 Keyboard – Great piano sound. And synths – 2nd Lead Synth is wonderful. A lot of fun for the price. Arpeggiator and Motion Effect are good. Touch sensitive keys. All for around $100
- Casiotone MT 68 – Early mass market synthesizer. They have those 80’s sounding cheesy sounds, but at the same time, a fine amount of character. And great drums! Exquisite for messing around with chord progressions, drum loops, and/or making demos for your song ideas – Around $100
Electric Guitar (Pacifica 112)
- An electric guitar can make as a great gift as it opens up so many opportunities to create music and access new sound textures. Guitars are great for ideating (they’re portable), and when hooked up to an iRig or a computer, you play around with different sounds and effects. I can get lost for hours coming up with new instrumentals using just a drum loop and a guitar – one of the few things that makes me wonder how five hours went by when it felt like one!
- The Pacifica 112 is voted as the best beginners guitar, year over year. Make no mistake however, this is a great guitar, even for seasoned players.
- To make it even easier to get started with, you could tune it to an open tuning, such as DADADD
- Click here to get the Pacifica 112 Electric Guitar!
Novation Launchpad X Controller for Ableton Live
- If you make music with Ableton, the Novation Launchpad X is a MIDI Controller that has everything you need to play and perform your sounds and build tracks
- Makes composing music on Ableton much easier and faster
- Great for those that like hands-on, tactile gear
- Play your devices and instruments with passion using the 64 pressure and velocity sensitive pads
- Great for songwriters, never lose an idea with the one-press Capture MIDI function
- Spend more time creating music, and less time clicking away with a mouse!
- Very customizable and programmable… you can setup the Launchpad to truly streamline your personal composition style by such things as: Customizing pad colors (to mark them as drums, sound FX, vocal samples, etc); Scale Mode (only setting up keys in the key you want, so you never hit a wrong note), switching between instruments with ease (facilitating live performances), and many more features
- Opens up a whole new world of creativity for music makers. Many have stated they come up with very different (in a good way!) ideas than they traditionally do, and love the Launchpad for that reason
- Click here to get the Novation Launchpad X Controller for Ableton Live!
Compact 8-Track Pocketstudio Multitrack Recorder (DP-008EX)
- A multi-track recorder is a cool way to keep things more “hands-on” and tactile, and take the computer out of the equation. I miss my Tascam 4-track tape recorder: the more physical aspect of turning knobs by hand, and plugging things in and out, added something to the recording experience that I miss during this record-to-computer age
- Taking the computer out of the equation can boost creativity (a good amount of people report that recording without a computer boosts inspiration).
- It also allows you to record on-the-go, or for example from your bed, etc. It makes portability more accessible, vs moving around a laptop and audio interface (never mind a desktop!)
- Also great for live recordings. If you’re a musician that wants to record live gigs or performances, this is a good little setup to carry around with you
- Click here to get the Compact 8-Track Pocketstudio DP-008EX Multitrack Recorder!
- (NOTE: If your musician really likes analog and wants to record to tape (and get that lo-fi tape hiss old-school sound) you could pick up a Tascam 4 Track Tape Multitrack on eBay. You can find used one’s on ebay for $50-$200 that can be a lot of fun to play with, and a good introduction to analog recording, which I personally miss and love). Your recordings won’t sound as “crisp” as recording to digital, but for some this is a good thing if you’re going for a more old-school or lo-fi sound
PreSonus Eris E4.5 Studio Monitors
- The PreSonus Eris E4.5 are probably the best entry-level studio monitors you can buy
- Studio monitors are important in audio recording, mixing, and mastering. They produce very clear sound, making it easy to catch any flaws in the recording and correct them
- Unlike regular speakers, they are consistent, making them the best option for sound production
- Compared to other popular options, like the JBL 305P and KRK’s, music producers online say these last longer and give better sound quality, for the same price (or lower)
- Click here to get the PreSonus Eris E4.5 Studio Monitors!
Electric Drum Set – Alesis Nitro Mesh
- For music producers, an electronic drum kit is great, as it’s: fun; increases your creativity; let’s you create much livelier-sounding drums on your tracks, and helps you understand more in-depth how drums work in a song
- Even non-drummers can benefit from a drum kit, for playing around
- Drumming is healthy too! It stimulates creativity, helps us in connecting to our core, and increases our sense of empowerment. Not to mention it can get you working up a sweat, while having fun!
- For someone interested in drumming, this is a great starting kit
- The Alesis Nitro is often referenced as the best entry-level electronic drumming kit
- Electronic drum kits don’t make much noise! (ie. headphones) So you can practice . drums inside a room / apartment / etc., without bothering people nearby
- The Nitro has a MIDI in and out, meaning you can use it to trigger your favorite sounds/samples on your computer
- Click here to get the Alesis Nitro Mesh Electric Drum Set!
Zoom H6 Portable Studio – Portable Audio Recorder
- Great for recording your own sound effects and other audio that you can use in your recordings. Prevent copyright issues by recording your own sounds!
- This model (Zoom H6) is one of the top choices for portable audio recorders, with great reviews online
- Great battery life out of all the portable recorders
- Can be used to record live performances – you can hook it up directly to the sound system, as it has 4 XLR inputs
- Click here to get the Zoom H6 Portable Studio Portable Audio Recorder!
Gift Ideas $300+
Akai Professional MPC Live II Sampler / Drum Machine
- Standalone drum machine, sampler, and MIDI controller. A dream machine for the modern music producer
- Portable! Make beats from the comfort of you bed, couch, car, train, plane… anywhere! Has a 4 hour battery life, and built-in speakers (don’t worry, headphone jack too). Being able to make music anywhere, with the legendary piece of music equipment that is the MPC, is a game-changer
- Allows you to create music without a computer, which is refreshing
- Working without a computer allows you to be more creative (less clicking around, dealing with errors, etc… everything button you need is right there in front of you)
- Even just getting into your workflow you feel more creative!
- If you travel with the Live II, you can use it as a Bluetooth speaker
- Ability to install a internal SSD drive, for extra storage (it comes with 16 GB, but Akai uses 10 GB of that space for their built-in sound packs and samples)
- Built-in Wifi and Bluetooth, so you can quickly move samples between the Live II and your recorder or laptop, without having to mess around with memory cards and such. These features aren’t available on the MPC One
- People that use this piece of gear love it… For a producer it might be the funnest piece of gear they own. I have a MPC 2000XL myself, and in my “producer + making beats” years it was my favorite setup for being creative and making instrumentals – I would get lost in it for hours. I can’t imagine what it would have been like to have had the option of portability! I will definitely be picking up the Live II myself one day in the future 😈
- (I can’t stress the portability feature enough, because it happens all the time where you have an idea and want to create something, but are just too tired after a long day to get off the couch and fire up the computer)
- Click here to get the Akai Professional MPC Live II Sampler / Drum Machine!
Neumann U87 Condenser Microphone
- The U87 microphone is an industry standard: versatile, extremely neutral and accurate. You can’t go wrong with one of these – they’re ubiquitous in almost every major music studio these days
- You can hear the U87 on many legendary recordings. It’s been used by such artists as The Beatles, Amy Winehouse, Beyonce, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, and countless others
- Very professional sound, right out of the box. You don’t need to EQ anything, it just sounds great as-is
- Great microphone for: vocals, voiceovers, acoustic instruments, cabinets (amps)
- Polar pattern switch (3 different patterns) is very useful
- Sounds great on everyone because it’s very neutral, and has an unmistakable presence
- Great for the intermediate to advanced producer, who already has a great setup, and could use a better microphone. The U87 gives you a great base to work with
- Click here to get the Neumann U87 Condenser Microphone!
Vintage Neumann U67 Condenser Microphone
- The vintage (original) issue of the Neumann U67 microphone is probably the best microphone I’ve ever heard. It’s very expensive, and you have to buy one used, but without a doubt, this is my dream microphone. One day when I have the funds, I dream of buying one. If you’re looking for the best microphone for vocals (or anything for that matter), this is it (in my opinion)
- The vintage Neumann U67’s have a 3D quality sound, and make the vocals jump out at you, as if the singer was right in front of you
- It’s amazingly smooth, has a great low-end, silky top-end, and just makes everything somehow sound better. It has a way of conveying the emotion of the singer… just a magical mic, and anyone who has used one will agree
- The U67 is legendary, and has been used to record such artists as: Kurt Cobain on the Nevermind album, The Beatles on “Hey Jude”, The Temptations on “My Girl”, and virtually every vocal on Motown records from 1960 to 1968
- The U67 was the go-to mic for The Beatles for acoustic and electric guitar, piano, and strings
- NOTE: The newer reissued U67’s, that came out a few years ago… I’m not sure they’re worth it to be honest. I’d rather just get a U87 or some other mic, the new U67 don’t have the character of the vintage ones, they just sound more boring, tame, and are just missing something. If you ever listen to a comparison of the two, you’ll know what I mean. So if you do get one, make sure it’s an original vintage one, that has been well taken care of, and never dropped (condenser microphones are very delicate!)
- Click here to find a Vintage Neumann U67 Condenser Microphone!
Akai MPC 2000XL Sampler / Drum Machine
- If you love old-school 90s hip-hop like Pete Rock, DJ Premier, etc – you’ll love the MPC 2000XL. Pretty much every hip-hop song that came out around the mid-nineties was made using an MPC 2000XL
- This sampler / drum machine is legendary in hip-hop. It provides a certain type of sound that is ubiquitous from the era of 90’s hip-hop
- Provides solid sequencing, powerful drum programming, and smooth sampling, in a compact desktop unit
- Known for it’s great sound and wonderful pads, that are a blast to play and bang out drums on
- Musical legends still use the 2000XL to this day, such as Kanye West, Dr. Dre, Eminem, Madlib, Travis Scott, MF Doom, Logic, Bruno Mars, Nujabes, Jay-Z, Scott Storch, Q-Tip, and countless others. If you could only get one sampler / drum machine, and love 90s hip-hop, this is it!
- I own one of these myself, and have spent countless hours on it. I love the old-school feel of it, and just how versatile you can be with it. Also, that you don’t need a computer to make music – I can sample some drums from a record, some other record samples (vocals, effects, etc), and also hook up my MIDI keyboard and sound module, and sequence whole songs on it. And I did that for many years, I still love creating instrumentals that way. There’s been many a time where I spent a whole evening and night in front of the 2000XL, and felt like only an hour had gone by.
- The MPC workflow has a certain magic to it, because of the seamless way you can create each section, and just keep looping it and adding more and more instruments / elements to the song. You end up with some really creative, cool stuff. Then copying / pasting elements, and switching in between them, live, using the pads… once you learn it and play around with it, you’ll understand. It’s very addicting and fun. You’ll definitely be creating more songs than you did before
- They’re not produced new anymore, but you can pick one up from eBay used. Make sure you get one that’s been well taken care of, and it’ll last for years to come
- Click here to get an Akai MPC 2000XL Sampler / Drum Machine!
SP 1200 Sampler / Drum Machine
- If the MPC 2000XL defined the hip-hop sound from the mid-nineties onward… the SP 1200 sound defined the period before that, the late eighties and early nineties
- I actually like the sound of the SP 1200 more, it’s a more gritty, old-school, haunting sound that you find on those early 90s boom bap records. One day I dream of picking up this piece of gear, as I just love the sound of it. The MPC is a more powerful production tool, but the SP 1200 just imparts a more magical sound to it… it has more soul
- While more limited than the MPC 2000XL, that could be a benefit, as it’s known that limitations often increase creativity. And if you listen to tracks created on the SP 1200, you’ll agree they definitely don’t lack creativity
- Some tracks / albums created on the SP 1200 include: Early DJ Premier (ie. Guru, Jeru the Damaja); Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)” and his albums Soul Survivor and PeteStrumentals; Geto Boys – The Geto Boys; EPMD – Strictly Business; Jay-Z – Reasonable Doubt; Nas – Illmatic; Janet Jackson – Rhythm Nation 1814; 2Pac – All Eyez on Me
- This is a legendary piece of gear, a dream for any producer that loves early nineties hip-hop, or a more grimey lo-fi sound. I dream of getting one of these eventually, they are becoming more and more rare, as they are long discontinued. But you can still pick them up secondhand on eBay
- (Note: There is actually a reissue of the SP 1200, and online everyone so far says it sounds the same, there are very few differences between the original and reissue)
- Click here to get a SP 1200 Sampler / Drum Machine!
Sony PCM-D100 Portable Sound Recorder
- The Sony PCM-D100 is the most legendary, top-of-the-line portable sound recorder out there. When National Geographic types go out into the African savannah to record nature sounds, they use the Sony PDM-D100
- It has the lowest noise floor of all portable sound recorders, so you get the least “hiss” in your recordings – they just come out super clean, even if what you’re recording is faint or quiet. It’s the best option for recording faint or quiet ambient sounds
- Also great for recording interviews, foleys and sound effects, which you can use to sample on your own songs. This avoids any copyright issues by using other peoples sounds
- It’s status among the field recording community is legendary. If you’re field recording, this is the best recorder money can buy
- It was discontinued by Sony in 2021, but you can still find them on eBay. Prices will be going up on these, as they’re legendary (and there is nothing better that’s currently on the market!), so if you want one, it’s better to get it soon!
- Click here to get a Sony PCM-D100 Portable Sound Recorder!
Yamaha CP88 88-Key Hammer Action Stage Piano
- For the producer that wants the best MIDI controller / studio piano. This is the golden standard for a full-size keyboard with weighted keys. Yamaha keyboards are known for their great action and sounds – most everyone online agrees about this
- Weighted keys / hammer action means that the keys feel just like they do on a real grand or upright piano. This is important as it allows your piano playing to be more expressive. I’ve played on both weighted and unweighted keys, and unweighted keys just feel very cheap and light. Playing them also feels every different, it takes away from the performance in my opinion
- This is the top of the line piano that you can use both in the studio (to control MIDI instruments, or hook it up to your computer’s DAW) and also playing live. The CP88 has great built-in sounds, which you can hook up to speakers if you opt to play live
- Very durable – the CP88 will last forever, and you’ll never need to replace it. If you’re looking for a keyboard that’s the best of the best, this is it
- Click here to get a Yamaha CP88 88-Key Hammer Action Stage Piano!
Conclusion
If you’ve made it this far, I congratulate you for being a serious researcher!
If you haven’t found what you needed, please leave a comment down below, and I’ll try to help you out as much as I can to find the perfect gift for the musician / producer in your life.
Thanks for checking out this post, I hope it helped you find something special for your loved one!