Help needed - What to Buy!

Hi

I have a very musical 17 year old who has a Macbook Pro with Logic on it. He composes but also plays electric guitar, bass, piano and drums.

I wanted to get him something for Christmas that would work with the gear he has already got - he's really into dance music but does also play classical etc.

Is there something that would allow him to do more enhanced mixing or composition with Logic or something that would allow him to record his digital piano/electric guitar etc straight into Logic? Sorry if my lingo is all wrong just any ideas and recommendations would be hugely appreciated.

I don't have a huge budget this year so anything between £30 and £150 ideal level.

Thanks so much all of you in advance!

Something that would allow him to record his electric guitar and/or a microphone into Logic Pro: https://www.presonus.com/products/audiobox-usb

Or a MIDI Controller to play Logic's built-in instruments: https://www.arturia.com/minilab-mkii/overview

As David said, here are two distinct ways that you can capture – and, encourage – your son's musical proclivities: after the sound is produced, and before.

• An audio interface is the necessary connection between 'an audio signal, as captured by a microphone or recorder, and your computer. This captures the result of the performance, as a "sound wave."
• A MIDI controller, such as a keyboard, captures the performance itself, as a "series of events." (Which "the magic of Logic" can then turn into spectacular synthesized sounds.)
• And of course, the two can be used together.

And, if you're not quite sure "what he wants for Christmas," in this case I think that I would "spoil the surprise" (sic ...) and simply ask. The hardware that we might be talking about, in either case, does not have to be expensive, and perhaps your son would be delighted to be made part of the final decision.

("More expensive" is not "more better." I do not apologize for having purchased (fine!) musical equipment at ... pawn shops, and "used equipment" sections of reputable retailers and web-sites. What if you said to him, "son, I really want to buy you something for Christmas that you'll really like and use for years to come ... c'mon let's go shopping!")