Technology is a fantastic thing. We often think about advances in phones and computers but there has also been a lot of advancements in the world of music. What used to cost thousands, now only cost hundreds, and even less in many cases.
Today we take a look at 10 pieces of kit that any musician or music lover is going to want in their life. If you are looking to create or looking for a musician that’s impossible to shop for you are sure to find something incredible in the following 10 items.
As always, we don’t make a penny of these recommendations and we don’t use any affiliate links! With that said, let’s get on with the list!
- . Stylophone Beat – Compact Stylus Drum Machine
A drum machine in your pocket? Yes, please! The Stylophone Beat is a pocket-sized drum machine that uses a touch-sensitive stylus to play, record, and mix drum & bass sounds. If you are looking to make music fun again, then this little device might just be for you or that music friend in your life. The Stylophone Beat is considered more a toy than a dedicated music device since it can’t sync with anything else, but it makes creating beat a whole lot of fun while on the go! With its battery-powered design, headphone socket, and built-in speaker, this is one little device that will everyone around you will want to try out for themselves.
Price: $39.95
- . VOX AC30 Guitar/Bass Headphone Amplifier
VOX makes a series of versions of this little device, all based on sounds of popular amplifiers. With a swivel input plug, this little guy will fit any electric guitar that you have without issue. We all know how loud an electric guitar can be, especially for those of us living in an apartment. The VOX AC30 solves this by allowing you to plug in your headphones into this little guy so you can shred away without bothering anyone around you. It’s a great for those wanting to practice without annoying anyone, but you can also link it with a Bluetooth speaker so others can hear you play for impromptu jam sessions. With lots of options and modes, the VOX AC30 and friends make for great gifts!
Price: $45.99 (Sale Price)
- . MECHEN M30 Digital Audio Player
If you have someone who loves listening to music in the best quality possible then you are going to want to get them this little DAP (digital audio player). This isn’t you average iPod or MP3 player, instead what you get is a high-resolution music player. The sound quality with the DAC decoding processing is more restored than that of ordinary players giving you the best quality sound thanks to support for specialized audio formats like DSF, OGG, DFF, IMA and more. And because you are going to be listening to the best quality sound you have access to a headphone jack for the best possible experience using high-end over-ear headphones and tactile buttons and knobs for better control. Any music lover in your life is going to love this little device!
Price: $79.99
- . M-WAVE 25 Key USB MIDI Keyboard Controller
If you have someone in your life that is looking to get into the music production game then the M-Wave 25 Key USB MIDI Keyboard Controller is the perfect gift. Perfectly designed for the beginning producer and working great with an iPad to learn Logic Pro, this little device has everything one would need to get started on their journey. It’s small, portable, compatible with all the major studio software (Ableton live, Fl Studio, Cubase, Logic Pro X, Bitwig, Reason，Studio One, GarageBand, etc) and doesn’t require tons of cables. Heck, you can run this little guy via Bluetooth for added ease of use. And for those not ready to drop a fortune on studio software this little guy comes with it’s own to help get you started. It also comes in several fun colors to match your musical style and influences. This is some fantastic value for money!
Price: $89.99
- . Teenage Engineering Pocket Operator PO-33
A sampler that you can fit in your pocket? Yes, please! the PO-33 is a powerful micro sampler, synthesizer & sequencer, all packed into a small and ultra-portable design. With studio quality sound, you can play chromatic melodies and drum sounds, sequence it all together and add effects on top to create something truly original. The included mic also allows for 40-seconds to sampling for your beats. The 8 melodic slots let you play your own samples chromatically while the 8 drum banks play your sample as a one-shot. I love devices that make creating music a fun experience and this device certainly does that. An incredibly powerful sampler smaller than the size of your phone. The company has a number of these devices for all sorts of styles, so you’ll be sure to find one to fit your needs.
Price: $99.00
- . Vangoa EWI-100 Electronic Wind Instrument
A digital wind instrument? We must be living in the future! The Vangoa EWI-100 is a fun little device that is sure to delight any wind instrument fan in your life. With 10 built-in tones you can recreate an alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, clarinet, pan flute, trumpet, violin and more. Link it to your favorite DAW and you can recreate even more to get the perfect sound! This is a great tool for buskers as well as those looking for a quiet way to practice as you can connect headphone to the device. If you are looking to make music fun again, looking to get a kid a quiet way to explore, or do a little playing on the street in a way that sets you apart, the Vangoa EWI-100 is the perfect device!
Price: $99.95 (Sale Price)
- . Orba 2
You’ve never seen a device quite like this. This little palm device is a bunch of things all at once. Part looper, drum machine, and synth, the Orba 2 is a wild device. You play sounds using the touch pads around the device which can do all sorts of things. They can play chords, drum sounds, and other tones. It also understands your movement so you can pitch shift, use vibrato and more. You can even pick up the device and move and twist it to play with the sounds. It’s a unique experience that makes creating music a real blast. The Orba team call this an expressive music tool that you can use connected to a PC/Laptop or totally on its own. The included app also allows your to sample any sound that you record allowing you to create some unique projects. I can see myself using this to create some retro tunes for retro video games and create from them from anywhere thanks to being paired with a phone.
Price: $149.99
- . Enya Nova Go Carbon Fiber Acoustic Guitar
A full-sized acoustic guitar is not as portable as it may seam. They tend to be large and bulky and make for a not so great experience when you want to take your acoustic guitar on vacation or on a quick getaway. They are also expensive, so taking one camping or the beach can leave you worried they will get damaged. Enya seemed to understand this when they created the Nova Go portable guitar. This 1/2 size acoustic guitar is a travel beast! Its carbon fiber design is durable and light and makes it impervious to temperature and humidity change, making it perfect for those trips to the beach, the snow, or the mountain. It’s the perfect portable guitar, and it’s so good that you might just start using this more than your more expensive acoustic guitar! For this price you are going to think the Enya Nova Go a steal for the quality and included features.
Price: $149.99 (Sale Price)
- . Fesley FED150W Electric Drum Set
A drum set is an expensive proposition for most people. Beyond that it’s also a very loud experience and one that takes up a lot of space. I know this from experience as I drove my family crazy with practice sessions in my room as a kid that quickly were moved to the garage for their sanity. Electronic drum kits have been my jam for a number of years now because of their quieter nature and their more compact size. But one thing they aren’t great at is being affordable. So, when I saw that a company called Fesley was selling a complete electronic drum kit for only $200, I was intrigued. Designed for the beginner or kid in mind, the Fesley FED150 is a slick compact drum kit with mesh drums (6 layers of intensity) for easy playing and cymbals with dedicated strike zones and choke. The brain of the system isn’t great featuring cheaper sounds and basic features aimed clearly at kids. Still, you can hook this guy up to your PC or laptop to use high quality drum kits and sounds though your favorite DAW. If you have kids, need a quiet practice kit, and especially don’t want to break the bank, the Fesley FED150 is a solid choice at a rock-bottom price!
Price: $199.99
- . LEKATO Electronic Drum Set
Portable and drum set are two things that don’t really go together all that well. Electronic drum kits even less so with all the cables and wires that you’ll need to hook up at a show. Then take into account the space limitations for coffee shop venues and small apartments, and drummers tend to have the hardest time enjoying their art. LEKATO set out to address this with their new and incredibly unique portable drum set. This electric drum kit features a double-layered mesh snare drum pad as a quiet drum head for a natural playing experience, 3 Tom and 3 cymbals which are made of silicone for incredible rebound, and 220+ sounds through its included brain module. And all of this in a single piece layout with everything on a metal plate and even with included cymbal arms. It’s an amazing system that’s perfect for those short on space or those needing an electronic kit for those space-challenged venues.
Price: $206.99 (Sale Price)
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