Wondering what to get your favorite music student for Christmas this year? I have some great gift ideas for you. A few on the practical side, and then some ideas just for fun.
Practical Gift Ideas
Metronome –
Metronomes are great “tools” for musicians to have.They help us learn to keep a steady beat while practicing. I know you can get an app on your phone for that, but if your phone needs charging it’s good to have a backup plan.
Tuner –
String instruments require regular tuning – to themselves.All the open strings need to be in tune to each other. Eventually, a student should learn to hear the right pitch relations between strings, but while they are learning a tuner can help the process. Any ensemble of musicians must tune before playing together. Again, a tuner can speed the process. A tuner should never replace the human ear, but it can certainly assist the ear.
Music Stand –
With the exception of pianists and organists,other musicians need a dependable music stand. Meaning a stand that will stay upright, will stay at the proper height, will hold a quantity of music at onetime, will not regularly collapse! While metal folding stands are cheaper and more easily stored, they are not terribly reliable. Get a good quality one-piece sturdy music stand. Your student will thank you, your floors and furniture will thank you.
Instrument Cleaning/Maintenance Supplies –
Every instrument needs to be cleaned! Does your child have what he/she needs to take care of their instrument? It might be a soft cleaning rag, oil, slide grease, silver polishing rag, a swab for the inside of the instrument. If you aren’t sure what your child needs, ask the music teacher or someone at your music store. Or Google it!
Music –
Is there some music your child would just love to play (within their ability!)? Do you know that their teacher will be recommending some new music soon? How about a book of hymn arrangements with accompaniment for use in church? Or a book of songs from their favorite musical? Please, though, look for something close to the same degree of difficulty as the other music they are playing.
Music Bag –
Does your student go to music lessons with music and papers falling all over the place? Is he constantly losing music? Get him a great music bag to keep all that music in one place! It could be as simple as a plain messenger bag, or something with music-themed decorations on the bag.Your child will thank you. The music teachers will thank you!
Padded, Protective Instrument Carrying Case –
If your student will be doing a lot of traveling with her instrument, this might be a good gift option. A padded instrument case is a case made to go over the regular instrument case to give extra protection. When I was in college choir, I had to take my flute with us on choir tours. Instruments went in the storage area of the bus – underneath! I wanted some extra protection for my flute!
And the Fun Stuff
Music-themed clothing -socks, shirts, hoodies, etc. –
What’s more fun than showing off your love of music, or your instrument, with a great shirt? There are so many options to choose from! I have seen everything from keyboard scarves and shoelaces to music-themed hats and gloves, shirts, hoodies, socks,ties, suspenders.
Music mugs/water bottles, etc. –
And don’t forget the water bottles, mugs, and travel mugs. Let them proclaim their love of music every time they take a sip of water.
Wall Art/Posters related to music –
So many options here!Everything from quotations about music to pictures of their instrument. You could even frame a copy of their favorite piece of music. They might even like charts of guitar chords on their wall.
Premium subscription to their favorite online music service(Pandora, Spotify, etc.) –
What service does your child use to listen to their music? ITunes? Pandora? Spotify? Something else? Get them a premium subscription so they can listen all day and not have to put up with commercials. (Hmm…I should have put that on my list!)
Tickets to a concert –
What would your child love to see?Opera? Symphony? Chamber music? Musical? The Piano Guys? Whatever it is, check schedules and buy some tickets! Plan to make it a memorable event.
Eraseable Highlighter Pens/Markers –
I didn’t even know these existed until a few weeks ago. What a brilliant idea! All musicians need ways to mark their music. Whether it is highlighting difficult passages for extra attention, or marking key changes, or marking changes in time signatures,highlighter pens would be perfect. What’s more fun than color-coding your music?!Being able to erase the markings is a bonus! My niece uses these as incentives in her piano studio. I should have put these on my list as well.
Now you have some great ideas – Go Shopping! Check out your local music store; see what they have to offer. If all else fails, there is always amazon.com. (And still time to get those deliveries before Christmas! Guess what I need to do later today?)
Need ideas for your music teacher?
