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10 essential stocking fillers for music techheads
Gift ideas for the computer and synth-loving muso
Ben Rogerson, Sun 14 Dec 2008, 6:25 pm UTC
GForce Vintage Synth Trumps £7
Let's face it, TV at Christmas is usually awful – far better to turn off the idiot box and play a nice relaxing card came. We're not talking about a few common-or-garden rounds of Canasta, though – with a deck of Vintage Synth Trumps, you can use your knowledge of classic hardware keyboards to top the stats on your opponent's card and win it for yourself.
Grand Illusions Music Box £16
Perfect for anyone who wants to take their music making back to the really old school, this music box has a two-and-a-half octave range and can play both chords and single notes. Sound is generated by feeding a hole-punched strip through the device using a hand crank – you get two blank strips in the box and more can be purchased separately.
808 pillow €99
What do you buy for the person who eats, sleeps and drinks music technology? We're not sure about the eating and drinking (although perhaps a crate of Ableton Live beer could take care of the latter?), but when it comes to sleeping, it has to be the 808 pillow. That said, we're not quite sure what any potential partners might think of it – that big knob looks like a bit of a passion killer.
Korg nanoSeries controllers from £49
You've heard plenty about these in 2008, but that's only because they're exactly what many laptop-based musicians have been waiting for. Actually, we'll qualify that by saying that the nanoPad (drum pad) and nanoKontrol (mini mixer) are what they've been waiting for – these are great, but the severely comprised nanoKey keyboard should be approached with caution.
Piano Hands £50
At this time of year, a gadget that lets you make music and keeps your fingers warm has got to be a winner, so say hello to the Piano Hands. Designed to let you play one of eight instrument sounds on any hard surface (each finger corresponds to a different note), they also feature 30 rhythms and an adjustable tempo control. Phalange-related fun for all the family.
Blue Mikey $80
Another tempting gizmo from Blue Microphones, Mikey is a stereo condenser mic that plugs straight into your iPod (though touch and iPhone models aren't supported). It's perfect for anyone who wants to record their song ideas or capture real-world sounds (there are three user-selectable gain settings) and the fact that there's a speaker onboard means that you can hear recordings without plugging your headphones in.
