You don’t need to wait until the big day itself to make the most of some of the best Black Friday music technology deals. Black Friday and Cyber Weekend are turning into something of a month-long affair, and all the biggest musical instrument retailers have already begun slashing prices on hundreds of products. So if you’re in the market for a new synth, MIDI controller or plugin bundle, look no further than our guide right here.
So when exactly is Black Friday? It normally falls on the Friday following Thanksgiving in the US, so this year, Black Friday lands on 29 November. While we’re already seeing deals trickle in, the majority of savings occur on Black Friday and the weekend of, which is referred to as Cyber Weekend.
And where can you find savings already? All the biggest retailers are offering discounts, including Thomann, Amazon, Guitar Center and Reverb, and if you’re a plugin enthusiast, Plugin Boutique is hosting some of its best deals of the year.
The team here at MusicTech are already on the prowl searching for the very best Black Friday music deals to save you scouring the web yourself. We’ve included a list of the best deals below, but to save you some time, here are just some of the places we’ll be searching for savings:
Plugins
Universal Audio’s UAD plugins are some of the best in the game, and here’s your chance to get a bundle off a bundle! All month, the Signature Edition is available for £299 and the Producer Edition for just £79 representing up to a staggering 80% discount. Meanwhile, the UAD Studio Classics Bundle is available with a 96% discount. It’s the perfect time to stock up on high-end plugins.
Plugin Boutique has knocked a cool 50% off Arturia’s powerful and comprehensive V Collection X of classic software instruments – 39 in total with over 10,000 presets. £248.59 for a limited time only.
Select software instruments by Native Instruments are available now with 50% off. They include Monark, Massive X, Reaktor Spark and loads more.
Plugin Boutique is offering some great discounts on products including 30% off the comprehensive Korg Collection 5, the M1 software for just $49 and the option to crossgrade from any Korg product to receive up to $150 further discount.
Get up to 94% off select Brainworx plugins. Highlights include the Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor down 90% to $30, and the AMEK 909 down to $30.
Plugin Boutique is knocking 70% off its big bundle comprising eight highly-regarded plugins. For $109 you get the Scaler EQ, Scaler 2, BigKick, Carbon Electra synth and more, representing an amazing saving on this powerful bundle of instruments and processors.
Native Instruments’ Komplete 15 Ultimate package boasts an “extensive array of tools” for professional production, scoring, performance, and sound design. Includes over 150 premium instruments and effects, ranging from cutting-edge synths to symphonic sample libraries, and more than 70 Expansion sound packs.
Grab XLN Audio’s LIFE AND XO bundles exclusively via Plugin Boutique at 55% off.
FabFilter plugins are some of the best in the biz, with intuitive user interfaces and all the features you need to get your mixes sounding top notch. And you can get up to 25% off select plugins right now at Plugin Boutique.
Total Studio 4 MAX is IK Multimedia’s all-in-one production suite, with 170 of IK’s most powerful music creation titles, 66 plugins covering the entire creative process, over 19,000 authentic-sounding instruments, over 1,400 creative and studio effects and so much more.
If you’re eager to expand your mixing and mastering tool belt, look no further. Plugin Boutique has just announced a huge flash sale on Waves plugin bundles – and you could save thousands.
Synths
With 37 Velocity-sensitive full-size keys, an authentic reproduction of the original “SH-5″ circuit with tuned transistors, and 2 Analogue oscillators with 4 selectable waveforms, the Behringer MS-5 is the perfect synth for enthusiasts on a budget.
Korg’s Wavestate wave sequencing hardware synthesizer uses wave sequencing to transform raw samples into new sounds and textures. Containing multiple GBs of samples it also includes modelled filters from the MS-20 and Polysix synths among others, has 64 stereo voices and 14 effects. Get it now for $500.
The Arturia PolyBrute Noir is a powerhouse synth which usually retails at $2,699 – but ahead of Black Friday, you can grab it with $1,200 off, meaning you pay just $1,499.
Lose yourself in a hands-on production workflow with Circuit Tracks – an all-in-one groovebox with two polyphonic synth tracks, two MIDI tracks and four sample-based drum tracks. Get it at Thomann for just £211.
At just $299, the Arturia Microfreak features both wavetable and digital oscillators, analogue filters, a poly-aftertouch flat “touch plate” keyboard and loads more.
Legendary synthesis, radically re-imagined. Organic, inspirational, and mind-blowingly powerful. Only $349.
The Waldorf M 8-voice wavetable synthesizer module pays homage to the brand’s Microwave and PPG synthesizers. And at Sweetwater while stocks last, you can get yours at a massive $400 discount.
Circuit Tracks in an all-in-one studio with two synth tracks, two MIDI tracks and four drum tracks: everything you need to create and perform music.
The Swedish company’s iconic red keyboards have long graced top-line tour rigs, stages, and studios worldwide. Now, the Nord Grand raises the bar for digital pianos once again.
MIDI and DJ controllers
Putting incredible DJ power in your backpack, the Traktor Kontrol F1 is among the most compact controller units NI has ever made. Its 16 multicoloured backlit pads provide hands-on control of your performances, linking directly to the Traktor software’s Remix Sets and letting you capture loops and samples in real time. Grab one now for the bargain price of just $110.50.
Push is a hardware instrument that seamlessly integrates with Ableton Live to give you a hands-on and expressive music-making experience. And in this killer B-stock bargain, you can grab one for just $499 (they’re usually $1,248).
The Arturia KeyStep is a dream come true for musicians looking to unite their hardware and software. Get yours for just $75.
Pro audio
The Shure SM7B is one of the best podcasting mics around, used by the likes of Joe Rogan, Lex Fridman, Conan O’Brien and more. If you’re looking to get in on the podcast hype, grab this sweet deal with £60 off.
Get crystal clear recordings with Warm Audio’s high-end studio condenser mic, now on sale for $729. This refurbed mic uses a true reproduction of the K47-style capsule in the original 47 tube mic and features nine polar patterns – cardioid, omnidirectional, figure-8, and six intermediate patterns. It comes with accessories including a wooden box, power supply, shockmount and more.
Get this multi-application Rode NT1-A large diaphragm condenser microphone at a £62 discount right now.
There’s 41% off this excellent digital mixer from Soundcraft, with a whole mixing system inside a rugged stage box perfect for taking on tour. In addition to onboard graphic EQ, noise gate compression, reverb and other effects it is controllable wirelessly from a computer or mobile device. As well as a bunch of XLR ins and outs it has a USB audio player and the ability to record performances.
Perfect for producers working in any genre, the Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 provides four inputs and outputs, making it perfect for recording several sources at the same time. Recording at up to 192kHz, it offers pristine audio quality, MIDI functionality and works over a USB connection which also sends power to the interface. Portable yet powerful, this is a great system for recording and producing for just $150.
Unbeatable, studio-quality sound right out of the box, Focusrite releases the third generation Scarlett 2i2 Studio Kit.
The Yamaha HS5 active studio monitor will help you make better-sounding recordings. Get your HS5s now at $50 apiece.
Looking for amazing value in professional monitor headphones? You won’t go wrong with the ultra-affordable Audio-Technica ATH-M50x cans. And you can get this limited-edition Ice Blue version for just $149 for a limited time only.
Consumer audio
With three previous iterations under its belt, it’s safe to say that JBL has perfected the performance of mobile audio in its Xtreme 4 portable Bluetooth speaker. Get yours now at an $80 discount.
