By Barry Rudolph
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Merry Christmas All!
Gift ideas for that musician, singer, songwriter or budding engineer/producer on your shopping list. Mail A Link To This Page To A Friend! |
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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Here is a stocking stuffed with great gift ideas for all the music-oriented person(s) in your life. | ||||||
| Merry Christmas Everyone! If you're reading this, you may be thinking about a musical gift for your mate or that other special person in your life! Here are some great new products that should brighten the face of any music-loving person come Christmas morning! | ||||||
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Propellerheads' Record is recording software for musicians--there is no need to put on the recording engineer hat! Record combines effortless recording and a stunning software mixer console with a limitless rack of audio processing gear that builds itself or can be infinitely customized. For guitar players, the built-in virtual POD® from Line 6 brings a wide range of top quality guitar amps and cabinets. Record's software mixer's sound is faithfully modeled after the renowned SSL® 9000K console. There are no worries about track counts, latency issues or busting the "DSP Bank" when adding extra reverb or effects. Record sells for $299. www.record-you.com.
 Buy Propellerhead Software Reason 6
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Track Star Music rolls out another installment of their Hip Hop Exotica series with Hip Hop Exotica II their second package of ready-to-use music loops. This cross-cultural collection blends Hip Hop and World Music by using ethnic instruments with East and West coast grooves. The 4GB of content on this single DVD-ROM is formatted in .rex files, Apple Loops, RMX and raw .wav files so you're covered working in any DAW or music sequencer such as Logic 8 Pro, GarageBand, SoundTrack or Acid. Hip Hop Exotica II sells for $ $99.95. More at: www.bigfishaudio.com.  Buy Big Fish Hip Hop Exotica I
Got an Akai MPC? The MPC Kit category from Dark Side of the Tune features fast downloading and low-priced collections of samples made from acoustical drum kits and drum machines. You get 48 samples in 500 formats for $7.99 or 64 samples in 1000/2500/5000 format for $8.99. All of three Dark Side of the Tune kits, Drum Abrasion, Bent-O-Box and Lost Percussion, flow out to all the pads on the MPC. Producers who don't own an MPC can also build custom drum kits in their favorite sampler, using the WAV files. For more information, about Dark Side of the Tune, please visit www.darksideofthetune.com. Blue Microphones introduces the Eyeball Web Cam. Eyeball is a Snowflake mic with its own camera. It runs over USB and it's plug n' play on Mac computers.  Perfect for instant messaging, and video conferencing, Eyeball has a condenser capsule, a premium lens for Super HD video on a camera that recedes into the mic's body when you don't want to be seen during an iChat or Skype session. The Eyeball comes with a custom designed monitor adapter making it simple to position it on any laptop or desktop monitor. Eyeball is both Mac and PC-ready and sells for $79.99. Visit www.bluemic.com.
The Jam Kat Pick-Holster from Pick-Smith solves a guitarist dilemma: how to switch quickly between picking and finger-style playing? With the Jam Kat there is no need to put the pick in your mouth (ugh), on an amp top or music stand only to not to find it again.  Worn on the first finger, the pick is held in a spring-loaded harness that keeps the pick out of the way for unfettered finger-style and tapping techniques. A simple sweep of the thumb engages and locates the pick--and when you let go, the pick returns 'home'. The Jam Kat accepts standard picks of thin, medium and heavy gauge and is available in right and left hand sizes from extra-small through extra-large. It sells for $19.95. www.pick-smith.com.
Verbatim TUFF-CLIP USB Drives are hard to lose because not only does the USB connector retract into the unit; it comes with a carabineer type clip that locks to any belt loop or keychain. Available now with capacities of 4GB in turquoise and 8GB in black, Verbatim's TUFF-CLIP USB drives feature an ultra-rugged ABS plastic enclosure for active users to carry their data wherever they go. I have the 8GB model loaded with Pro Tools session data right now! With its solid-state design (no moving parts) and non-volatile flash memory, the drives will retain data for 10 years or more. The drives come pre-loaded with password security software for Windows systems that protects sensitive data in a user-defined private zone, while allowing a public zone for open access and sharing of non-sensitive content. The 4GB drive is $29.99 and the 8GB is $49.99. www.verbatim.com. Planet Waves promises a lot of fun with their Guitar Tattoos available in 12 high impact Lethal Threat designs featuring everything from classic 40's pin-up girls to the grim reaper.   Lethal Threat designs are seen all over the world including a line of Planet Waves guitar straps. Tattoo art, flames, skulls, and iron cross icons come on peel and stick appliqués that safely adhere to your guitar. Easily removable, guitarists can try a different tattoo design for every gig, every photo shoot, and every video. Planet Waves' Guitar Tattoos retail for $4.99 each. www.planetwaves.com.
What a cool little gift for guitarists or any music lover are Galaxy Media Group's beautiful Guitar Replicas Picture Frames. They are handcrafted from mahogany and other fine woods and exquisitely painted and proportioned so that the guitars are approx 9-inches tall and mounted on a 8.5x7-inch frame and finished with an illustrated picture of the artist. Current products include: Jimmy Hendrix Psychedelic Flying V (pictured), Elvis Presley Dove acoustic and a Super 400. John Lennon and Eric Clapton models are in the works. The frames sell for $39.95. Check www.galaxymediagroup.com or call 928-302-0069. Learning to become a better musician is a laudable pastime during the holidays so why not pick up eMedia Music's EarMaster Essential 5. EarMaster Essential presents an ear training solution with the core features of EarMaster Pro 5 at a lower price. EarMaster Essential will give you all the practical knowledge you need to play in a band or an orchestra with more confidence. You'll understand the music you hear and play better with the 139 progressive lessons from classical music to rock including jazz chords, swing rhythms and a customized mode to practice according to your own needs. Each exercise will improve different areas of your musical ear! EarMaster Essential sells for $29.95 is for both Windows (98, 2000, Me, XP and Vista) and Macintosh (OS X 10.4.11+, Intel and Power PC) platforms. www.emediamusic.com  .
Voice™ is the first chord-forming capo that lets guitar players go from standard tuning to an instant chord tuning. From Artioli Designs, Voice fits over the first four frets on a guitar neck freeing the fingering hand to play over the pre-formed chord. Voice will help guitarists of all levels advance their skills by allowing them to form a chord while practicing scales in a specified key. More information, including instructional videos and ordering information, can be found at www.voicecapo.com.
Speaking of guitars, Hohner, Inc. has the new Essential Series of acoustic guitars all built using a technique Hohner calls "frequency matching." Hohner's technicians utilize a form of tap tuning to determine the resonant frequencies of the wood and then match the solid spruce tops with similarly resonant mahogany backs and sides. The result is a guitar that is unusually resonant, producing a rich, singing, tone that makes even the small bodied parlor and folk guitars in the Essential series sound huge. Hohner has equipped each Essential model guitar with the Earvana™ Compensated Tuning System. This is a special nut and bridge that assures these guitars play with perfect intonation, up and down the length of the neck. Essentials start at $249. Check www.hohnerusa.com. | ||||||
 Buy Hohner's Essential Mini Jumbo Acoustic-Electric |
Buy Hohner's Essential Classical Acoustic | |||||
| Buy Hohner's Essential Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar |
Buy The Hohner Essential Plus Folk Acoustic | |||||
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