10 Christmas Gift Ideas for Musicians

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here are a lot of people on our holiday shopping list that are just really hard to shop for. We all have the Dad who has everything, or sister and law that you don't know too well, but if you have a musician on your list your gift ideas are almost limitless and it is very hard to get it wrong. Honestly a lot of the items in this list are things that musicians need but hate buying themselves, which makes them great gift ideas.

Here are 10 small holiday gift ideas for musicians.
1. Guitar strings
Guitar players always need strings and they are quite honestly the most annoying expense a guitar player has. If you are going to buy guitar strings don't skimp, they will be floored by a couple packs of Elixr Nanowebs if you stick those in the stocking. Because us guitar players are always breaking strings and replacing them we tend to buy the cheap stuff, usually a pack for around $5.00 but this is a Christmas gift right? Go ahead and pick up that $13.00 pack of high quality strings and they will be smiling.
2. Metronomes
Learning to keep time is a crucial skill for any musician. If the person on your list is still learning their instrument a good quality metronome makes a great gift. You can even find all in one devices that have a metronome, tuner, and chord finder all in one which is really convenient for guitar players. If you can find a metronome that lets you use many different sounds that is even better as sometimes the classic click track sound gets really old. There are also new metronomes on the market that have simple drum machines included so you can play to an actual beat not just a straight click, a very nice feature to have.
3. Music stand with carrying case
All performing musicians regardless of instrument should have a good sturdy music stand. Having your music or lyrics at eye level while you practice or perform is vital to playing your instrument. Now there are two types of stands; the classical wire music stand, or the more rugged stage stand. West Music actually makes a nice wire frame stand that comes with a carrying case; it's a lot like those fold up chairs in a bag.
4. Guitar Polish and Cleaner
There are a lot of dirty guitars out there and they are begging to be cleaned. Most axe men will give their guitar a quick wipe down with a rag when they change the strings but this doesn't do nearly enough. A good guitar polish and cleaner will help protect the guitars glossy finish. It's about more than keeping it clean its also about protecting your investment, a good axe is not cheap.
5. Percussion Practice Pad
Have a drummer on your list? Is he constantly banging his sticks on random surfaces? Try giving him a Practice Pad for Christmas. This is a great gift that I wish more drummers had. They can keep it with them wherever they go so if they feel the need to whack something with their sticks they have a nice quiet practice pad to hit instead of the kitchen table. Make sure you find a percussion pad that has good feel and bounce to it on one side and a quieter stiffer pad on the other.
6.New Drum Sticks
Since we have drummers on our minds I'll stick with that theme. Drummers can never have enough sticks, sticks break all the time and its good to have a hefty supply on hand at all times. Guitar players always need back-up strings but it is no where near the amount of back-up sticks a drummer needs. Now there are many different types of drum sticks and they come in many sizes, thickness, and weight. I recommend sneaking around and finding some of your drummer's old sticks to make sure you get them the right one.
7. Instrument Stands
Whether it be guitar or keyboard a good stand can go a long way, especially for a gigging musician. A strong sturdy gig stand for a keyboard player is an absolute must on stage as the stage can be a dangerous place. For guitars there are many different types of stands, gig stands that fold up nicely are a great gift as normal stands don't travel well. The fold up stands can fit in a backpack so they are really easy to carry from home to the stage.
8. Gig bag
Guitar players love their gig bags; it's like their Himalayan mountain survival pack. It needs to not only carry their guitar but all of there tools, cables, effects pedals, CDs, and much more. This makes an awesome gift, if you can find a gig bag with backpack straps and lots of auxiliary pockets the guitar player on your list will be very grateful. Gig backs get worn out and beat up and need to be replaced every once in a while.
9. A Good Pair of Headphones
Any musician out there knows the importance of a good set of cans, no not those cans, we're talking headphones people! This is a great gift if you know a musician who records their music at home as most of the time they spend recording music they have headphones strapped to their heads. Finding a good pair of headphones that provide comfort and great sound is hard as there are many to choose from. I for one love my Sony 7506's, they provide both the comfort and the hyped mid range sound I love, if you have a singer on your list they will love the Sony's.
10. A Good Music Book
This last one is rather broad but there are so many different books on music that cover a wide array of topics it would be hard to recommend one type of book. You could get a song book that has the notation written out for "The Wall" by Pink Floyd or a biography on Roger Waters. Musicians like talking and reading about music so a good music book that you think will either; help them learn their craft or just entertain them is always a good holiday gift.
I hope this gift list has helped you with your last minute holiday shopping. Buying for a musician is easy as there are a countless number of things they have on their wish list, but these above items are on their need list and trust me they aren't asking Santa for new guitar strings. So go ahead and fill up their stocking with the things they need and they'll thank you.

My name is Jason Broyer and I am an independent musician and songwriter.
You can read more of my music industry gear reviews and insights here: Music Gear Reviews
For more holiday gift ideas suited specifically to guitar players please read this article: Gift Ideas for Guitar Players

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