Gifts For Music Producers

Need to get a great present for the music producer in your life?

Finding that perfect gift is always a challenge. That’s why I wrote this post.

Below, I compiled the top gifts for music producers. I only included relatively inexpensive gifts, so you won’t find any professional studio equipment here.

But I did include two amazing portable pieces of equipment, that might be slightly out of some people’s budgets, but they offer so much value for money that I simply had to include them.

Hopefully one of the present ideas will appeal to your music producer, but even if they don’t, seeing my ideas should awaken more ideas of your own.

 

Best Gifts For Music Producers

Spoontiques Music Travel Mug

Two things are true about all music producers: they are always on the move and they are fueled by caffeine. Whether that caffeine comes in the form of coffee, tea or some other drink, a travel mug means they can enjoy their caffeine wherever they may find themselves when the need hits.

The music travel mug from Spoontiques is not only gorgeously designed, but also practical and inexpensive. It is made from double-walled ceramic, so it keeps hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold. It is completely safe to put in a dishwasher and a microwave.

The Spoontiques mug holds up to 14 ounces and will fit in any standard-sized cup holder. This means you can keep it with you and get your caffeine fix even while driving. It has a locking lid to prevent spills and a skid-safe bottom to keep it from sliding around. It is one of my favorite gift ideas for music producers or anyone interested in music.

 

Book: Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio

Educational books make for some of the best gifts for aspiring music producers. Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio teaches how to produce release-quality mixes, no matter how tiny the studio, through the use of special techniques from the world’s most successful producers.

This book shows small-studio producers how to quickly create chart-ready sounds. Written in a down-to-earth tone, it presents secret strategies from over 100 famous names in music production. It is an entertaining step-by-step guide through the whole mixing process.

Mike Senior uses simple explanations to explain all types of mix processing, even the most advanced technical concepts like spectral dynamics. He also provides chapter summaries and end-of-chapter assignments that are perfect for studying along on your own, but also great for school use.

The greatest benefit of this book is that it helps avoid the typical beginner mistakes, many of which can be quite costly. It is only too common to drastically overspend, so the tips on working with a limited budget pay for the cost of the book many times over.

 

Music Theory for Computer Musicians

Yes, it’s another book, but it’s an important one, especially given the prevalence of electronic music in the industry these days. Too many electronic producers (and DJs or gigging musicians) know how to make music using the computer or their instruments, but they have limited knowledge (or none whatsoever) of basic music theory.

Music Theory for Computer Musicians was written by Dr. Michael Hewitt for exactly those people. Despite the huge range of musical styles in the world today, the fundamentals of musical language are always the same and have been ever since music existed. Knowledge of these fundamentals can take a producer’s music-making to a whole new level.

Without a basic knowledge of music theory, one can never really develop as a musician and a producer. If you want to create truly great music, you need to know what you are doing when it comes to the music you write.

Music Theory for Computer Musicians gives you the music theory fundamentals in a simple and straightforward language and everything is taught using the MIDI keyboard environment and the computer composing and recording software that is in use today. This is one of the best possible presents for music producers who are self-taught, especially on synths, keyboards, etc.

 

Teenage Engineering Pocket Operators

The Teenage Engineering website bills its pocket operators as a wall of sound in your pocket. And that’s the perfect description. These card-sized digital synths are fun to play with, yes, but they are also fully capable of producing loops and larger compositions.

There are now 7 different pocket operator models, each with its own specialty. You can use them on their own or connect them together. They all have a 16-step sequencer and come pre-loaded with 16 patterns. They also have an animated LCD display, built-in speakers and a 3.5 mm audio in/out.

The audio quality they produce is amazing, especially considering the relatively low price point. The TE pocket operators are a great way to start producing your own music on a budget and also a great way to make tunes when you’re away from the studio. They are incredibly powerful and versatile and any of the 7 (or several of them) would make wonderful Christmas gifts for music producers (or birthday, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, etc. presents).

 

Ultra-Portable MIDI Drum Pad & Keyboard Controller

A real music producer wants to make music anywhere, whenever inspiration may hit. That’s why a portable drum pad and keyboard controller like the Akai Professional MPK Mini MKII is one of my favorite music producer gift ideas.

It does not need any software drivers or external power adapters to run. It is a true plug-and-play unit and is powered by a laptop or computer via USB connection. It comes with VIP3.0, which is an award-winning music software platform, as well as a number of other software programs via free download. They are: MPC Essentials (groove/beat production and sample-triggering software), SONiVOX Wobble (electronic music grime synthesizer) and AIR Hybrid 3 (high-definition synthesizer).

The Akai Professional MPK Mini MKII is small enough to fit in any backpack, but still boasts 25 synth-action mini keys, a 4-way thumbstick for dynamic pitch and modulation control, 8 velocity-sensitive MPC-style pads, 8 assignable Q-link control knobs, a built-in arpeggiator and a full-size sustain pedal input jack.

 

Producer Ingredients T-Shirt

Funny and/or clever t-shirts always make for good gifts, no matter the occasion or the recipient. The Producer Ingredients T-Shirt from a company called Gifts For Producers fits the bill perfectly, if you’re shopping for a music producer.

It is available in all standard sizes (up to XL for women and 3XL for men) and in 6 different colors: asphalt, black, navy, heather blue, dark heather and heather gray (found on a separate product page). The solid colors are 100% cotton, heather gray is 90% cotton and 10 % polyester and the other two heather shirts are 65% cotton and 35% polyester.

This is a lightweight shirt with a classic fit. It has a double-needle sleeve and a bottom hem. You should machine wash it in cold water with similar colors and dry it on low heat only, though you’re always better off air-drying clothes, if you want them to last longer.