It’s cool to play instruments — and even cooler to know how to play them, to an extent. We’re not talking about becoming the the next over-shredding Joe Satriani, but a little proficiency goes a long way when trying to express a musical vision, whether as a hobby or something more serious. (Editor’s note: Watch the author shred with Lil Jon above.)

Music teaching apps consistently rank high in the app stores. Tuners, metronomes, digital songbooks, reference guides and more benefit everybody with a smartphone or tablet, from the dorm room dabbler to the gigging professional.

Elec...

What can you say about a camera whose design has barely changed in half a century?

First introduced in 1954, the M series is the German manufacturer’s flagship collection of range finders. Leica M system cameras have long been held in the absolute highest esteem by photojournalists, street photographers and travelers for their light weight, compact body and versatility.

In 2003, Leica introduced the MP, an all-mechanical version of its classic design that looks and feels like a perfectly preserved artifact from your father’s shelf.

The MP is a stripped-down machine that only presents the bare...