TOP MUSICAL GIFT PICKS FOR 2008 HOLIDAY SEASON
National Consumer Survey Results Confirm the Gift of Music as the Perfect Choice for Kids and Adults
by Making Music magazine in association with NAMM
Carlsbad, Calif. (November 25, 2008) – Learning to play a musical instrument is one of the top New Year’s resolutions, according to a survey of 1,000 consumers conducted this week by Impulse Research and commissioned by NAMM, the international trade association for the music products industry. Survey results also show that giving musical instruments may be the perfect gift to help friends and family reduce stress, provide a fulfilling form of entertainment, and bring the family closer together this holiday season.
In the survey, which polled men and women aged 18 years and older across the United States, singing and playing holiday music with the family was reported as one of the top two holiday stress-busters. Additionally, an overwhelming 86 percent of survey participants responded that given the current economic climate, they will be seeking less expensive forms of entertainment during the holidays, such as music making, that the family can enjoy together at home.
“More than ever, people of all ages are making music as a means of stress relief, personal enjoyment and a way to bond with friends and family,” said Joe Lamond, president and CEO of NAMM. “The survey results illustrate the continued, valued role of music in our society, especially during the holidays.”
Recognizing the increased appeal of music this holiday season, NAMM has partnered with Making Music, a consumer lifestyle magazine that reaches music makers of all ages and skill levels, to identify the most popular music gifts for the year and help take the guess work out of holiday shopping. Listed below are the music world’s most highly anticipated, in-demand instruments and musical technology available on the market.
“It’s never too early or too late to learn how to play music, and instruments are perfect gifts for any one on your holiday list, no matter what age or level of experience,” said Antoinette Follett, editor-in-chief of Making Music magazine. “Music gifts can be enjoyed by both the recipient and the gift-giver, as they’re also an investment in the lifelong appreciation of music.”
“To give the gift of music this holiday season, there’s no better place to look than your local, community music store,” added Lamond, “where you can find quality instruments and other tools to make music a greater part of holiday traditions.”
10 Hot Holiday Gift Ideas
top
| 1) Ovation iDea MSRP: $859 It is the first and only guitar featuring a built-in MP3 recorder/player, allowing musicians to record music, for lessons or songwriting—ideal for guitarists of all ability and style. |
 |
| 2) Schecter Stiletto Studio-4 Bass MSRP: $969 The EMG-Hz pickups and active 3-band tone circuitry provide bass players output for all situations. |
 |
| 3) Normandy Chrome Archtop Guitar MSRP: $3,199 The first-to-market aluminum body electric guitars are a perfect holiday gift for experienced guitarists, and players who need a lighter body guitar. |
 |
| 4) Yamaha Clavinova CVP 401 Starting at $3,995 Audio recorder feature of the Clavinova digital piano let you record your performance directly to a USB storage device; you can also connect a microphone to record singing or other instruments. |
 |
| 5) Roland V-Drums Lite MSRP: $999 Conveniently compact and stylish all-in-one electronic drum kit. |
|
| 6) iKEY Plus MSRP: $69 Records live audio to MP3 or WAV to a USB storage device in real time. |
 |
| 7) Numark TTi MSRP: $449 Allows quick, easy connection to any mixer for instant playback from your iPod or vinyl records. |
 |
8) Roland FR-2 V-Accordion MSRP: $7,000 Has the look and feel of a traditional accordion but all the advantages of digital control—enriched with a wide palette, from percussion to bass, organ, strings, etc., to provide wider tonal choice. |
 |
| 9) Hohner Bob Dylan Signature Harmonica MSRP: $129 Premier harmonica designed by the legendary harpsmith Bob Dylan. |
 |
| 10) Peavey Vypyr 30 30W 1x12 Guitar Combo Amp MSRP: $279 Technologically advanced and affordable guitar modeling amplifier. |
 |
|
|
|
| 1) Daisy Rock Siren Vivacious Violet MSRP: $399 Looking for a guitar for the next Hannah Montana in your family? This purple-licious guitar has a slim neck profile, making for easier playing for people with smaller hands. |
 |
| 2) Fender Squier MINI Player MSRP $249 For a young guitarist, there may be no better starting guitar that the Squier MINI Player. An amplifier, speaker and distortion are built right into the guitar. |
 |
3) Raven RG20 Amplifier A powerful and affordable amplifier with tons of features, includes a chromatic tuner, distortion switch, global EQ, digital delay/reverb, and an MP3/CD/Tape input. The headphone jack makes it perfect for quiet practices. |
 |
| 4) Jim Dunlop Jimi Hendrix Signature Wah MSRP: $205 Unmistakable wah tone heard on several Hendrix classics |
 |
| 5) Yamaha NP-30 Digital Piano MSRP: $399 Yamaha’s Graded Soft Touch action help bring the overall weight of the NP-30 down to less than half of Yamaha’s previous light-weight champ, the P70. |
 |
| 6) M-Audio Torq Xponent MSRP: $759 DJ performance production system. |
 |
7) Gemini CDJ-505 Professional Tabletop Player |
 |
| 8) Panyard, Inc. Jumbie Jam MSRP: $250 Small steel drum, brings the sounds of Calypso home. |
 |
| 9) Alesis USB PRO Drum Kit MSRP: $799 Electronic drum kit, great for taking the next step from RockBand! |
 |
10) Tama IS58C Imperialstar 18 5-Piece Compact Drum Kit Great "entry-level" drum set. |
 |
Top 10 for Beginners |
|
| 1) Epiphone Les Paul Special II Electric Guitar and Amp Pack MSRP: $480 Everything you need to get started with a super low price. |
 |
| 2) Ibanez V Series V70CE Dreadnought Cutaway Acoustic-Electric Guitar MSRP: $299 A solid guitar at a beginner's price—sounds great plugged in or played acoustically. Soft cutaway helps you reach the high notes. |
 |
| 3) Gibson Les Paul Vintage Mahogany Electric Guitar MSRP: $1,379 The most affordable carved-top mahogany Les Paul on the market, provides the warm tone Les Paul’s are known for. |
 |
| 4) Yamaha PSR-E413 Portable Keyboard MSRP: $399 USB connection allows beginner musicians to download and play along with pieces from the internet. |
 |
| 5) Line 6 POD X3 Guitar Multi Effect Processor MSRP: $559 Awe-inspiring multi-effects processor. |
 |
| 6) Tascam Portable CD-GT2 Trainer MSRP: $199 Practice and learn fast licks, rhythm parts, and solos from your favorite artists. Slow down the speed of a CD without changing the pitch. Includes pitch and key control; tuner; and metronome. |
 |
| 7) Roland RMP-5 Rhythm Coach MSRP: $279 Makes doing rudiments fun—Over 50 onboard sounds and a roster of invaluable exercises; measures accuracy score, quiet control, and stroke balance |
 |
| 8) Alesis SR-18 Professional Drum Machine MSRP: $259 SR18 raises the bar for sound quality, ease of use, and flexibility—a versatile percussion bank. Whatever the playing style, the SR-18 has something for you! |
 |
9) Toca Black Mamba 13” Djembe |
 |
10) Meinl Siam Oak String Cajon |
 |
Stocking Stuffers |
|
1) The Slapstik |
 |
| 2) Prohands Exerciser Gripmaster MSRP: $15.95 Hand exerciser to help to increase speed, endurance, or strength for better music playing. |
 |
| 3) iKey iConnex MSRP: $69.99 A portable USB sound card is perfect for musicians on the go. |
 |
| 4) BOSS TU-80 MSRP: $39 This pocket-sized tuner offers a bright LCD and a built-in metronome and can tune almost any instrument. |
 |
| 5) Roll Up the Drum Kit MSRP: $59.99 Equipped with 6 sensor pads, this drum kit can roll up neatly and be stored in a desk drawer. |
 |
| 6) SmartMusic Accompaniment Software Home Subscription Price: $30/year or $11.95/month Allows students to play along with professional ensembles. |
 |
| 7) De:Chorder MSRP: $29.95 Musical Chord Transposer quickly and easily transposes chords from one key to another. |
 |
8) Remo Didgeharp Shaker |
 |
| 9) Tone Gear String Cleaner MSRP: $12.99 Helps extend the life of your strings by cleaning in a revolutionary 360 degrees. |
 |
10) Robo Key |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
