Gift Guide for Music Lovers * Christmas 2021 *
I have created a gift guide, so if you need a gift idea for someone that's into music or music production, those might be some items that you might want to consider. Or if you are a music producer and you're looking to get something for the holidays, you might get some ideas from this list. These are all products that I have used myself, I'm still using and I highly recommend. Let's hop straight into my gift guide for Christmas 2021:
1. Computer
The first thing I recommend is the Mac Mini M1. At the beginning of the year Apple came out with these M1 chips for their computers. My MacBook Pro 2015 was getting pretty slow, so I needed an upgrade. However, I didn't want to spend over $6000 to get the heavy duty computer. So far it has been really good, I haven't had any issues with it and I highly recommend it. It was only $1400 maxed out. Also, what I really like about Apple computers is that you can get Logic Pro X for only $200, and you never have to pay for any updates.
Mac Mini M1: https://amzn.to/3ylSHsj
2. Studio Headphones
Next thing on the list and what I think would be a great gift for a Christmas gift are studio headphones. Everyone that's into music production needs studio headphones. I personally have Shure SRH 440 and those are great studio headphones. They are only $100 and I have used mine for 2-3 years. I really love them and highly recommend them.
I did however upgrade to Shure SRH 1540, which are a little bit more expensive. The difference is personal opinion if they are better or not, however I really like these. I like the sound from those and they help me a lot with music production and mixing my projects. However, the Shure SRH 440 are really good even though they are only $100. And I would still use them today but if you don't mind spending a few hundred more I would recommend the 1540, but it's not necessary.
Shure SRH 440: https://amzn.to/3ETgCls
Shure SRH 1540: https://amzn.to/3yrjIKT
3. Midi Keyboard
I really love the Komplete Midi Kontrol S49 Midi Keyboard. I highly recommend it, however it is a little pricey but it has semi weighted keys, has some cool light features, and if you got the contact program you can connect it to midi keyboard and you can play off some patches on the keyboard. I want to mention though that for midi keyboards this might be a lot of money and you can get M Audio Midi Keyboard for around $100. If you're starting out and you're on a budget, you might want to pick up other things like a microphone or an interface and some other essentials, rather than spending $600 just on a keyboard. If I were starting out, I would start out with something cheaper, however, if you don't mind spending more money I would highly recommend this one.
Komplete Midi Kontrol S49: https://amzn.to/3ymxu1c
M Audio Midi Keyboard: https://amzn.to/3m0zTdh
4. Guitar
When it comes to buying a guitar if you are a music producer, songwriter, artist, or if you're someone giving a gift, this one is a really big gift. It's possibly the best gift you could give anyone. I got a guitar when I was 14 years old and I played that thing until my fingers bled and I loved it. It was the best gift I've ever gotten. But when it comes to buying a guitar it's important to do it the right way. You can get cheap guitars but getting cheap guitars means that you need to upgrade in the future. Get something that's going to last. Here are the guitars I recommend in different price ranges:
Taylor 214ce: https://amzn.to/3yl7WBE
Taylor 314ce: https://amzn.to/33eQwv1
Taylor 814ce: https://amzn.to/3oOfQR1
Taylor GS Mini: https://amzn.to/3qbvjKz
Fender Telecaster Elite: https://amzn.to/3pVNgwb
5. Speakers
Then we have the studio speakers. My favorite are the Yamaha HS8 speakers, they have a very clear sound. They are super nice for mixing music since they are very flat, so the brightness, and mids and lows, hasn't been exaggerated much, however the base is a little less present in these rather than some others speakers. I highly recommend these speakers and you can also get them in a smaller size.
Yamaha HS8: https://amzn.to/3pZWKa6
Yamaha HS5: https://amzn.to/3dPsusw
6. Microphones
Every studio needs a microphone and every music producer needs a microphone. You can get microphones anywhere from $100 and up to a few thousands of dollars depending on your needs. The microphone that I use the most is the AKG C414 XL. You can record anything with the mic, like electric guitars from an amp, acoustic guitar, vocals, drums and anything else you like.
Audio Technica: https://amzn.to/3oSUNfW
AKG C414 XL: https://amzn.to/3m0mG3Y
7. External Hard Drives
I believe that every music producer should have at least one of those, if not more, to store their backups and projects. I like the HDD for storing my backups and SSD for my sound libraries and recent projects, and have it connected to my computer at all times. The SSD is great if you have a smaller computer, like a laptop and you need more space to work on your projects.
External Hard Drive SSD: https://amzn.to/3Iztf7h
External Hard Drive HDD: https://amzn.to/3lO1CO8
8. Studio Chair
The last gift is a studio chair. Sitting for hours and hours making music can be tiring, so having a nice chair makes all the difference. Here are my favorites from different price ranges:
Basic Studio Chair: https://amzn.to/3dNrUvr
High Back Chair: https://amzn.to/3IHQ1tX
Herman Studio Chair: https://amzn.to/3lRye9B
If you want to see more ideas and hear me talk about all these products in more details, you can watch my Youtube video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ivxTo5Qu_k