Holiday Gift Ideas For Under $100

Today is “Black Friday” in the US. The day after Thanksgiving, when the oficial Christmas shopping craziness is supposed to begin. I don’t know who makes up these rules, but that’s how it goes.

Now you know that I am kind of wacky when it comes to recording gear…whacky in the sense that I tend to tell you to NOT buy a lot of gear. I think we’re all obsessed with stuff, especially recording gear. So why am I writing a post on gear? Because I didn’t say you couldn’t ASK for gear as a gift. Bingo!

Affordable and Practical

Today I just want to highlight a handful of practical studio gift ideas. These items are all currently priced under $100 US so there aren’t outrageously expensive (which means someone might actually buy it for you)! More importantly, they can really make an impact in your studio right away. So get your wish list ready…here we go!

Shure SM57 Microphone – $99

If you don’t already have an SM57 in your arsenal, then ask for one this Christmas. This dynamic mic is an amazing example of flexibility. It’s great on snare drums, toms, guitar cabinets, and even vocals. I’m almost always surprised at how good this thing sounds. It won’t have that top end, airy crispness of a condenser mic, but what it does, it does well. Always have an SM57 on hand for any recording session. And if you have one already, it can’t hurt to have two!

ART Tube MP Preamp – $48

Do you have an audio interface with only one mic pre? Many of these boxes have a second line level channel that you can hook an external mic pre up to. If you are in need of another mic input there’s no better and affordable option for the home studio than the famous Tube MP from ART. This little tube pre is great for adding some color or “warmth” to your signal. It will sound different than your built in pre (not better necessarily, but different), and can give you more inputs of course. They are also great as a DI for bass guitar.

Behringer GDi21 Amp Modeler Pedal – $38

I reviewed one of these a while back and they are excellent. They act as both a simple overdrive stomp box, or as a DI with XLR outs to run analog amp modeling into your live rig or DAW. Three basic amps, with different gain and EQ controls makes it easy to get a good sound out of this unit. Plus if your guitar amp ever dies before a gig or studio session you can use this as a backup!

Auralex Aural-Xpanders Acoustic Treatment – $59

I got this little acoustic foam kit years ago when I started out. It’s basically some portable baffles and sound absorption platforms for your mic stands. It’s great for some sound isolation for your drum overhead mics, vocal mics, guitar cabinet recording, etc. It may seem subtle but some simple acoustic treatment at the source can go a long way as you layer track after track in your sessions. And for $59 you can’t go wrong with this handy kit!

Samson C-Control Monitor Management – $99

If you’re looking for a way to easily switch between multiple sets of monitors and speakers in your studio while you mix, or are in need of a an affordable talkback system for your studio, the C-Control from Samson kicks major butt for little cash. It couldn’t be easier to add powerful features like speaker switching, source switching (for referencing an iPod or something),mono, dim, and mute controls, as well as a built in mic for seamless talkback with your talent. A ton of value for your studio for under $100.