Cyber Monday Recording Accessories That Will Make Your Studio Life Easier

Cyber Monday is a great day for a deal, so I decided to put together my own list of cool accessories especially for musicians and engineers. Here are some items that make great gifts for any musician or engineer (even yourself).

 

Etymotic Research ER20 Earplugs – I keep trying other earplugs and keep coming back to the ER20s. They reduce the volume yet don’t change the frequency response. I don’t know what I’d do without them. You’ll use them more than you ever thought. Simply the best, especially for the price (around $13).

 

Blocklite – This goes under the category of “Why didn’t I think of that?”. Blocklite is a simple LED add-on to any 9 volt battery that turns it into a flashlight that’s perfect for checking all those dark spaces during a session or show. This version is by Bell & Howell and is a great deal at 2 for just $9.95, and that includes the batteries as well!

 

Monoprice 8323 Hearphones – Tired of spending big money on replacing trashed headphones? At $18 you won’t find a cheaper and better sounding replacement. Everyone is always shocked at how good they are for the money.

 

Snark SN-1 Guitar Tuner – We’ve all gotten used to using software guitar tuners, but when you want to tune as fast as possible, this is the best tuner I’ve found. It clips right onto the guitar so you don’t even have to plug it in, and it even has a built-in metronome. At $13 each, it’s unbeatable.

Shop Amazon for Cyber Monday deals in musical instruments.

 

Remo Active Snare Dampening System – Designed in conjunction with drumming heavyweight Dave Weckl to get rid of unwanted ringing without the tape. Once fitted to the drum by attaching it to the rim, you can adjust the amount of dampening by either moving the Dampener from the center to the edge of the drum head, or by sliding the O ring up or down. Genius! And just $32.

 

Primacoustic VoxGuard VU – Like other vocal isolators only better in that it adds a 3 inch by 7 inch Plexiglass window so that the vocalist can see the rest of the band or receive cues from the producer (among other things). The unit fits on to a common microphone stand and an extender clamp allows you to fit the microphone holder. It’s also adjustable so that you can move the mic closer or further from the vocalist. Just $99.

 

KB Keyboard Covers – If you want the keyboard shortcuts for just about any DAW directly on your computer keyboard, then look no future than KB Covers. I’ve been using a couple of KB covers for about 4 years and except for some dirt buildup, they still look good and none of the nomenclature has rubbed off. There are others that are cheaper, but KB covers last, and are a lot cheaper and more versatile than buying a dedicated keyboard. Around $30.

 

Radial Engineering Reamp JCR reverse direct box – has all the features needed to make the operation happen both quickly and easily.The Reamp JCR is actually a reverse direct box in that it takes a signal from your recording device via an XLR cable, then sends it out to the amp via a 1/4″ jack. The $199 box also features phase invert and ground lift switches on the input side, and a filter control switch, mute and level control pot on the output side.

 

 

String Strecha – New guitar strings sound great but it takes so much time until they stretch out. String Strecha will allow you to stretch each string by the same amount every time. This thing is a favorite of top-flight guitar techs everywhere, and you should have one in your guitar case or in the studio at all times. Well worth the $12.50.

Books By Bobby Owsinski – Okay, so I’m a little biased, but if you’re looking for a book for someone in the music business, you’ll hopefully find one of mine that will hit the sweet spot. There’s something for everyone, including books on production, mixing, recording, mastering, social media for musicians, and music business advice, as well as recording drums, being a studio musician or a touring musician, improving your band, navigating the new music business, studio building, guitar tone, and making videos. From about $16 to $40.

 

The X-Clip – If you want to mount an SM57 and a small diaphragm condenser mic right next to one another and keep them in perfect phase, then the X-Clip is just the thing you need. Forget about tape and multiple mic stands, this is the way to do it. Get one for $19.95, or the Studio Bundle of 3 for $49.95.

Have a happy Cyber Monday!

Shop Amazon for Cyber Monday deals in electronics.