Beat Making
13 Holiday Gift Ideas on Every Musician’s List for Any Budget in 2023
The holidays are coming up quick so before everyone gets started with their holiday shopping, it’s time to find (or ask for) that perfect gift.
There’s so much interesting music gear out there, it’s not hard to get overwhelmed by choice.
That’s why we’ve put together a list with all kinds of ideas for any budget big or small.
If you aren’t sure what to ask for or give to the music producer in your life, here’s 13 great musician gift ideas any artist will love this holiday season.
There’s so much interesting music gear out there, it’s not hard to get overwhelmed by choice
1. LANDR Studio
If there’s an emerging producer in your life, a LANDR Studio subscription is one of the most inspiring gifts you could give them.
Studio gives artists everything they need to get inspired, write, produce, master and release their tracks.
It comes with unlimited Mastering and Distribution, 1,200 royalty-free samples and a bundle of 30+ pro-grade plugins, valued at over $2,000.
At its unbeatable price of $150/year, this is an incredible deal that’s more than enough to get the producer in your life off the ground and ready to create their best music.
2. Ableton Live 11
Ableton Live is among the most well-known DAWs on the market today.
With its focus on creative workflows and user experience, Ableton makes for a comprehensive music production that’s sought after by many producers.
It comes with a ton of excellent stock plugins and instruments that open plenty of options for sound design, mixing, producing and beyond.
For the aspiring producer on your gift-giving list, Ableton is a game changer.
Hot tip:
Not sure about investing in a full Ableton Live 11 license? Ableton`s paired-down offering, Ableton Live Lite, comes bundled with LANDR Studio—making it a complete offering that comes with all the pro-grade plugins you need, plus an excellent starter DAW.
3. Elektron Syntakt
Elektron is a hardware synth and drum machine manufacturer that launched its brand new Syntakt earlier this year.
Its inspiring interface makes for some incredible analog synth sound design options that are contained with Elektron’s unique workflow.
Any synth enthusiast or Elektron fan on your list would be unbelievably excited about getting one.
4. Ableton Push
Eve takes us through her thoughts on the workflows of both Ableton and Logic
If the music producer in your life is already an avid Ableton user, an Ableton Push is an excellent complementary gift that will change their production game.
Push brings the classic workflow of Ableton into the physical realm with its intuitive button and knob interface that map easily and automatically to whatever’s going on in an Ableton project.
Music is an inherently tactile experience, so taking yourself away from the computer screen with a physical input is always an excellent way to inspire creativity.
5. Arturia MiniFreak
Arturia’s brand new MiniFreak synth is a total powerhouse—and it’s exactly what any budding synthesist in your life needs to really dive into sound design and synth performance.
This synth combines a powerful digital synth engine with analog circuits and is customizable with Arturia software—meaning synthesists can create sounds and download presets from Arturia.
For anyone looking to add synth sounds to their music, this is one excellent hardware gear option.
6. KORG Nu:Tekt series
Korg is getting really good at making compact synth gear that’s both affordable and incredibly useful.
Its new Nu:Tekt series brings compact synthesis to new levels, offering a handful of cool compact synth models that work as perfect stocking stuffers and will keep any synth lover entertained.
That’s partially because you have to assemble it yourself—meaning that anyone you give it to will not only get a new synth but also a behind-the-scenes look at the circuits behind it.
For the curious engineer in your life that loves music, a Nu:Tekt couldn’t be a better gift.
7. Arturia Keystep Pro
The Keystep is widely loved for being both an excellent sequencer and MIDI controller.
It’s a staple in so many synth setups, you’ll literally see it used everywhere.
That’s why the synth world got pretty excited when Arturia dropped its updated Keystep Pro.
The new MIDI sequencer offers additional functionality—offering new multitrack polyphonic sequencing, step sequencer editing, several new knob controls and advanced editing and transport controls.
If you have someone who’s getting serious about synths in your life, this is an excellent gift.
8. New patch cables
Patch cables are an important accessory for many guitarists, as they are used to connect different pieces of equipment in a guitar setup.
New patch cables are a nice gift for a guitarist because they can improve the sound of their setup and allow them to connect their equipment more easily.
Patch cables can degrade over time and may need to be replaced regularly—making them a perfect stocking stuffer gift for any guitarist in your life.
9. Korg Volca FM2
Korg’s Volca FM made our gear gift guide last year for good reason—it’s a powerful recreation of the legendary DX7 FM synth that defined the 80s with its unique FM synth engine.
This year Korg updated its Volca FM synth with an additional effects section and better MIDI in/outs and a stronger sequencer.
This is an affordable, game-changing synth. Any music maker in your life will love this.
10. Roland SP404 MkII
This year Roland dropped an update to its beloved SP404 sampler drum machine product with an all new MkII edition.
The slightly smaller, more compact edition features excellent tactile sample pads, great sampling capabilities and updates to its already beloved suite of effects and sounds.
If you have a beat maker or producer in your life, the SP404 MkII almost certainly catch their eye this year.
11. Nice guitar strings
New guitar strings are a nice gift for guitarists because they are an essential component of the instrument. Putting new strings on can have a significant impact on the guitars sound.
Over time, guitar strings can become worn and may need to be replaced to ensure that the guitar sounds its best.
Not to mention they’re an affordable gift that any guitar player needs to play their instrument.
12. The IKEA x Swedish House Mafia desk
IKEA dropped a collection of music production-influenced furniture this year in collaboration with Swedish House Mafia.
The affordable but stylish series of music production-friendly desks, monitor stands and studio furniture make for a super thoughtful gift for the producer in your life.
With desks like these from other manufacturers coming in at much higher prices, this gift could be filling a need that’s been put off for a long time.
13. A nice guitar strap
A guitar strap can be a useful and practical gift for a guitarist, as it can help them to play their instrument more comfortably and securely.
In addition to being functional, guitar straps can also be a fun and stylish accessory, with many different designs and colors available to choose from.
Overall, a guitar strap can be a nice gift for a guitarist, as it can enhance their playing experience and allow them to perform more comfortably.
Alex Lavoie works as a staff writer at LANDR by day and moonlights as a drummer for folk-rock outfit The Painters.
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