The iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad aren't just about listening to music, they can also be powerful tools in creating it. If you've got any musicians, or aspiring musicians, on your holiday shopping list, they probably already have one of those devices. Why not combine their love of music and technology by giving them one of these gifts for guitarists, pianists, and singers?
Important note: Many of these devices connect to the iPhone's Dock Connector port. The latest models--iPhone 6 series, 5 series, 5th gen. iPod touch, and iPad Air and Mini--all use a new interface, the Lightning port. If the musician you're buying for has one of these devices, you'll probably need to add a $30 Lightning-to-Dock Connector adapter to make sure these accessories will be compatible.
Guitarists and bassist who want to record music directly into their iPhones or iPads will be interested in the various guitar input accessories available this holiday season. Guitar inputs are small devices that plug into the port at the bottom of an iPad or iPhone, or the USB port of a Mac. Connect the other end to a guitar or bass and you're ready to rock. One major benefit of this is that you can bring your recordings into GarageBand for post-recording mixing and effects. Expect to spend around $100.
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The pianist in your life looking for practice, or the budding prodigy who wants to learn how to play the piano, will appreciate the ION Piano Apprentice. This mini-keyboard comes with a teaching app that uses the iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch to impart piano lessons. Even cooler, the keys on the keyboard light up in sync with the lesson, showing you where to play and making learning easier. It offers built-in speakers and optional batteries for portable use, and can work with any MIDI-compliant piano app. The Piano Apprentice costs $40-50, refurbished.More »
Every musician needs a microphone. Whether to record vocals, string instruments, drums, or even podcasts, a microphone is key. The musician on your gift list will be thrilled to get a high-quality mic this year.
Blue's $250 Bluebird Microphone is a high-quality, traditional mic. For a more complex tool, look to the Apogee ONE. While it's a microphone in name, it can be much more than that. First, the ONE can plug into an iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, or Mac to record podcasts, singing, and other vocals. It also offers connections for other microphones, or guitars or basses, and support for two channels of simultaneous recording. Lastly, connect the ONE to a power source and it can charge your mobile device's battery, too. Expect to spend $350 on the ONE.
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If the musician in your life prefers a keyboard, chances are they may have MIDI-compatible instruments--and they may want to connect them to their iPhone or iPad. If that's the case, check out these connectors from iRig and Zivix. Both devices let music played on MIDI instruments be recorded in compatible apps. The iRig connects via the dock connector (so you may need a Lightning adapter), while the PUC connects wirelessly. Expect to spend around $100-$150.
If the musician in your life prefers electronic music over instruments, they may enjoy this DJ Cable from Griffin. The cable, which plugs into the headphone jack on an iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad, allows DJs to hear both the music pumping through the speakers and the songs they're preparing to mix in. This accessory is designed to work with algoriddim's djay app (Purchase at iTunes) and will set you back $20 or less.More »
With music being so digital these days, aren't DJs behind the times using traditional analog records? That's something the Numark iDJ live aims to fix. This iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad-compatible DJ station not only lets you mix music on your device, it also offers two turntable-style devices to provide, in Numark's words, "natural scratch feel." Like the Griffin DJ cable, the iDJ works well with the djay app, but it also adds traditional buttons, faders, and other controls to fine-tune your sound. A split cable allow DJs to listen to their cues or the music they're playing. The iDJ runs around $100.
If the DJ you're buying for needs a more portable, but no less functional, option, check out the sub-$100 IK Multimedia iRig MIX DJ Mixer (compare prices on the iRig MIX). This box lets DJs connect various devices, including an iPhone or iPad, to create the perfect mix.More »
Know an aspiring singer, or has the whole family been inspired by American Idol, X Factor, or The Voice and wants to join in the fun? These home karaoke packages will put them center stage. Soulo's Digital Wireless Mic + Karaoke App comes with a wireless mic that streams lyrics to your iPad or iPhone and lets you sing along (only 10 songs are included, but you can sing along with songs from your iTunes library or download songs from the free Soulo app). First Act's Disney Spotlight Digital Wireless Mic + Karaoke App works very much the same way, except that it comes pre-loaded with Disney songs and is aimed at younger singers. Both offer some neat bonuses, like pitch enhancement to keep your singing in tune and the ability to record video of your performance (then you can use the iPad to upload that video to the web or YouTube). Expect to spend much less than $100.
Buy Direct: Soulo Digital Wireless Mic + Karaoke App
Compare Prices on Disney Spotlight Digital Wireless Mic + Karaoke App
Important note: Many of these devices connect to the iPhone's Dock Connector port. The latest models--iPhone 6 series, 5 series, 5th gen. iPod touch, and iPad Air and Mini--all use a new interface, the Lightning port. If the musician you're buying for has one of these devices, you'll probably need to add a $30 Lightning-to-Dock Connector adapter to make sure these accessories will be compatible.
1. AmpliTube iRig
The AmpliTube iRig combines a small accessory and an app to give guitarists and bass players a potable recording studio. Plug the guitar or bass into the iRig and then plug the other end into the microphone jack on an iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad and you unlock a world of virtual amps, effects, and more. You can connect the device to headphones, amps, and stereos for output and record the music. Expect to spend around US$40.More »
2. Guitar Inputs
Guitarists and bassist who want to record music directly into their iPhones or iPads will be interested in the various guitar input accessories available this holiday season. Guitar inputs are small devices that plug into the port at the bottom of an iPad or iPhone, or the USB port of a Mac. Connect the other end to a guitar or bass and you're ready to rock. One major benefit of this is that you can bring your recordings into GarageBand for post-recording mixing and effects. Expect to spend around $100.
Compare prices on:
3. ION Piano Apprentice
The pianist in your life looking for practice, or the budding prodigy who wants to learn how to play the piano, will appreciate the ION Piano Apprentice. This mini-keyboard comes with a teaching app that uses the iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch to impart piano lessons. Even cooler, the keys on the keyboard light up in sync with the lesson, showing you where to play and making learning easier. It offers built-in speakers and optional batteries for portable use, and can work with any MIDI-compliant piano app. The Piano Apprentice costs $40-50, refurbished.More »
4. Line 6 Mobile Keys Keyboards
Line 6's Mobile Keys keyboards can help turn an iOS device into a mobile recording studio for pianists. Simply plug the keyboard (there are two versions; one with 25 keys, the other with 49, ranging in price from $100-$150) into an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac and the pianist can play their music directly into audio software like GarageBand. Even better, these keyboards draw power from the device, so there's no need to carry a separate power supply.More »
5. USB Microphones
Every musician needs a microphone. Whether to record vocals, string instruments, drums, or even podcasts, a microphone is key. The musician on your gift list will be thrilled to get a high-quality mic this year.
Blue's $250 Bluebird Microphone is a high-quality, traditional mic. For a more complex tool, look to the Apogee ONE. While it's a microphone in name, it can be much more than that. First, the ONE can plug into an iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, or Mac to record podcasts, singing, and other vocals. It also offers connections for other microphones, or guitars or basses, and support for two channels of simultaneous recording. Lastly, connect the ONE to a power source and it can charge your mobile device's battery, too. Expect to spend $350 on the ONE.
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More »
6. Apogee Duet USB Audio Interface
For serious musicians whose recording environments include technology like iOS devices and MIDI devices, the $650 Apogee Duet can sit at the heart of their work. The Duet includes mic preamps, a USB MIDI connection, support for simultaneous MIDI keyboard and DJ controllers on iPad and, when connected to a power source, the ability to charge an iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad. It’s not an inexpensive gift, but for the professional musician, it could be a great gift.More »
7. MIDI Connectors
If the musician in your life prefers a keyboard, chances are they may have MIDI-compatible instruments--and they may want to connect them to their iPhone or iPad. If that's the case, check out these connectors from iRig and Zivix. Both devices let music played on MIDI instruments be recorded in compatible apps. The iRig connects via the dock connector (so you may need a Lightning adapter), while the PUC connects wirelessly. Expect to spend around $100-$150.
- Compare Prices: iRig PRO Audio/MIDI Interface
- Buy Direct: PUC Wireless MIDI Interface
8. Griffin DJ Cable
If the musician in your life prefers electronic music over instruments, they may enjoy this DJ Cable from Griffin. The cable, which plugs into the headphone jack on an iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad, allows DJs to hear both the music pumping through the speakers and the songs they're preparing to mix in. This accessory is designed to work with algoriddim's djay app (Purchase at iTunes) and will set you back $20 or less.More »
9. Numark iDJ Live
With music being so digital these days, aren't DJs behind the times using traditional analog records? That's something the Numark iDJ live aims to fix. This iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad-compatible DJ station not only lets you mix music on your device, it also offers two turntable-style devices to provide, in Numark's words, "natural scratch feel." Like the Griffin DJ cable, the iDJ works well with the djay app, but it also adds traditional buttons, faders, and other controls to fine-tune your sound. A split cable allow DJs to listen to their cues or the music they're playing. The iDJ runs around $100.
If the DJ you're buying for needs a more portable, but no less functional, option, check out the sub-$100 IK Multimedia iRig MIX DJ Mixer (compare prices on the iRig MIX). This box lets DJs connect various devices, including an iPhone or iPad, to create the perfect mix.More »
10. Home Karaoke Kits
Know an aspiring singer, or has the whole family been inspired by American Idol, X Factor, or The Voice and wants to join in the fun? These home karaoke packages will put them center stage. Soulo's Digital Wireless Mic + Karaoke App comes with a wireless mic that streams lyrics to your iPad or iPhone and lets you sing along (only 10 songs are included, but you can sing along with songs from your iTunes library or download songs from the free Soulo app). First Act's Disney Spotlight Digital Wireless Mic + Karaoke App works very much the same way, except that it comes pre-loaded with Disney songs and is aimed at younger singers. Both offer some neat bonuses, like pitch enhancement to keep your singing in tune and the ability to record video of your performance (then you can use the iPad to upload that video to the web or YouTube). Expect to spend much less than $100.
Buy Direct: Soulo Digital Wireless Mic + Karaoke App
Compare Prices on Disney Spotlight Digital Wireless Mic + Karaoke App
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