"I want to buy a plugin or virtual instrument, but I wonder if I'll regret buying now..."
If you keep up with DTM, you will always run into this worry.
The short answer: DTM plugins and virtual instruments have clear sale seasons.
And buying at Black Friday in November every year is almost always the best value.
This article is written by someone with guitar and home-recording experience. It puts together the yearly sale schedule and "when to buy what."
What you'll learn in this article
- The yearly sale schedule for DTM plugins
- When you can buy at the best value
- Tips for buying at sales without failing
Conclusion: Black Friday in November Is the Strongest Every Year
Before the details, let me give you the conclusion.
The cheapest time to buy DTM products is Black Friday in November.
The reason is simple: by far the most developers take part.
Even developers that don't normally run sales make big discounts only at this time.
The discount rates are among the largest of the year too. It's not rare for products to hit around 80% off.
Black Friday is held on the fourth Friday of November every year.
In the DTM industry, though, an "early Black Friday" often starts before the actual Friday.
The following Monday is Cyber Monday.
After that it continues with Christmas in December and holiday sales around the New Year.
In other words, the roughly two months from early November to early January is the "buying season." You don't need to rush to buy on day one.
The Yearly Sale Schedule for DTM Plugins
Even though Black Friday is the strongest, there are other sales too.
When a product you want comes out, this helps you decide whether to wait for the next sale.
I put the main sale periods of the year in a table.
| Period | Sale | Rough scale |
| March to April | Spring sale | Medium |
| April to May | Golden Week sale | Small to medium |
| July to August | Summer sale | Medium to large |
| September to October | Autumn sale | Medium |
| November | Black Friday | Largest |
| Late November to December | Cyber Monday / Christmas | Large |
| Late December to January | Holiday / New Year | Large |
Lined up like this, you can see that some sale is running somewhere throughout the year.
Even so, in terms of scale and discount rate, Black Friday stands head and shoulders above.
The Summer Sale Is the Next Best Target After BF
Besides Black Friday, the summer sale is worth watching.
Depending on the year, some developers offer discounts that come close to Black Friday.
It is a realistic compromise when "I can't wait half a year for Black Friday."
Black Friday Prices Tend to "Return" at New Year
Even if you miss Black Friday, there is still a chance.
That's because the same price as Black Friday can come back in the New Year holiday sales.
In fact, there was a case where a popular bundle was available at the same price until after the New Year.
But there is no guarantee it "will definitely return." It's safest to treat Black Friday as the main target.
Classic Products Guitarists Should Target at Black Friday
From here, I introduce products that are popular for guitar and band home recording.
Including the gear I use myself, I've put together the Black Friday targets.
IK Multimedia MAX Bundles
For a guitarist's Black Friday, this comes first.
It is the maker of the classic amp simulators (software that recreates the sound of real amps on a PC), TONEX and AmpliTube.
Every year, it runs a standard promotion where the top versions of both are sold together at about 80% off.
In some years, buying one got you the other free.
What is an amp simulator? If you connect a guitar straight to a PC you only record the "raw sound," and this software turns it into a sound as if it went through a real amp. For home recording, it is close to essential.
UAD Plugin Bundles
Another target is Universal Audio (UAD) plugins.
UAD is known for running an early sale called "12 Days of UAD" before Black Friday.
Guitar amp bundles can sometimes be had at a low price.
I enjoy UAD time-based plugins for alternative-style sound design.
About prices
Sale prices and discount rates change with exchange rates and each year's policy. The amounts and discount rates introduced here are rough guides based on past years, not confirmed prices. Always check the latest price before you buy.
3 Tips for Buying at Sales Without Failing
Sales have a pitfall: you easily buy too much.
Here are three tips for not piling up "stacked plugins" you never use.
Tip 1: List what you want beforehand
Before the sale starts, note down the products you want.
If you decide to "buy only what's on the list" on the day, you can prevent impulse buys.
Tip 2: Look up the lowest price
Search the product name with "lowest price" and you can see its past lows.
You won't be misled by the word "sale," and can judge calmly whether it's really cheap.
Tip 3: Imagine how you'll use it before you buy
Try to imagine "how will my work change with this product?"
If you can't picture where you'd use it, it's not something you should buy now.
Summary: If You're Unsure, Wait Until Black Friday
Finally, here are the key points of this article.
Summary of this article
- The best value is Black Friday in November
- Summer sales and the New Year period are good targets too
- For guitar, IK and UAD are the standards
- List what you want beforehand to prevent impulse buys
Even if there's a product you want, if you aren't in a hurry, wait until Black Friday.
That alone saves a lot on software over the year.
Use sales wisely and grow your home-recording setup little by little.
