Need a last minute gift for the budding muso in your life? The following gadgets are just a Google click away. [Note: some of these products are only available overseas, so be mindful of shipping costs.]
Line 6 Mobile In
soundslive.co.uk
While Grandad declaims the death of real instruments over his fourth glass of port, nip upstairs and plug your guitar into into your iPhone with or iPad with Line 6’s Mobile In. Decades of studio experience have been crammed into the neat interface. It may not be big, but it’s very clever.
Misa Kitara
misadigital.com
Feeling the need to make a 1980s new romantic power ballad MTV promo? Misa’s Kitara MIDI controller has the look, plus an onboard synth and 8in touchscreen. Now all you need is a time machine.
GarageBand for iPad and iPhone
App Store
GarageBand for Mac is good and all, but has none of the pure thrill of bashing away at a touchscreen and magically producing your own tunes. All but the most musically inept will be able to produce listenable results from Apple’s iPad and iPhone app, but serious musicians shouldn’t mock – it’s a worthy demo tool as well.
Korg microPiano
gak.co.uk
Yes, there’s nowhere to put your legs, but Korg’s iconic microPiano is no toy – it has 61 Natural Touch keys that Korg says provide “pure piano enjoyment.” It uses the same samples as Korg’s pro electric pianos and comes in red, white or black. Now, where’s the demo button?
Ion Piano Apprentice
Apple Store
Think a dotted crotchet is something you ought to see a doctor about? You need music lessons. But put away any thoughts of blowing into a recorder under the supervision of a cardigan-wearing music teacher – the future of music tuition is the ION Piano Apprentice, which uses your iPad to teach you the basics. Maybe don’t book the Albert Hall just yet, eh?
