1. The Christmas season is a great time to get recording with Griffin Technology’s GuitarConnect Pro, a 1/4-inch interface that connects your guitar or bass directly to an iPad, iPhone or Mac computer and enables you to play and record using Apple’s GarageBand. About the size and shape of a small candy bar, GuitarConnect Pro fits into any stocking and comes with three detachable interfacing cables. GuitarConnect Pro is $49.99. http://store.griffintechnology.com/guitarconnect-pro-2012
2. Santa knows which drummers have been naughty or nice and Evans’ Level 360 Snare Drum Upgrade bundle gives drummers the opportunity to step up and breathe new life into any snare drum with fresh heads and wires. The pack comes with Evans’ Coated G1 Snare batter, Evans’ Snare Side 300 and PureSound’s Custom Pro 20-strand steel snare wires, all at a 12 percent holiday discount. This snare drum stocking stuffer is $76.37. http://puresoundpercussion.com
3. How about $18.95 gift for that drummer in your life? CruzTOOLS’ 13-in-1 GrooveTech Drum Multi-Tool is a compact fold-up unit including nine hex wrenches and a drum key with a thin-wall socket for easy access to any tension rod. http://cruztools.com.
4. DPA’s d:fine Headset line has now added both the DPA 4066 and 4088 microphones. Perfect for stage performers or presenters, these upgraded mics feature a combination of the modern d:fine mechanics, headset mount and ear hook and the sound of the classic mic capsules from the omnidirectional 4066 and cardioid 4088. Both headsets use flexible miniature microphones with quick and easy adjustment with the 4066 offering both left and right mounting, color change and single or dual-ear functionality. http://dpamicrophones.com
5. The RODE Microphone iXY would be a great gift for the journalist or iPhone video blogger in your life. It’s a stereo microphone for iPhone and iPad with 30-pin connector (Lightning adapter available for iPhone 5/5s) that allows high-quality recording at sampling rates up to 24-bit/96kHz. At the heart of the iXY is a matched pair of 1Џ2-inch cardioid condenser capsules, fixed in a perfect 90 degree “near-coincident” alignment. The iXY can be used for recording live music, meetings, lectures, reporting, dictation and sound design—not to mention DSLR backup. The iXY runs for $149. http://ixymic.com
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
-Barry Rudoloph
