Gary Cripps 
Are you stumped as to what to get for a musician? We all know someone who is musically inclined. Maybe it’s Great Aunt Jenny who plays the church organ. Perhaps Cousin Frank performs in local musical theater. Or it might be little Carlos who loves annoying everyone by loudly practicing his recorder. At some point, you will naturally want to get these people a gift to show what they mean to you. You want to feed their love for music with a music-related gift. But how do you know what to get?
Like most people, you take pride in finding that perfect gift. And you get satisfaction from that look of awe on their faces when they open it. However, did you know that people spend over $13 million each year on unwanted gifts in America alone? According to PBS.org, Americans spend between $650-1000 each year on holiday gifts. That is a lot of money to spend on things people might not want.
To get that perfect gift, it is best to choose gifts based on interests. And with music, there are never ending choices. The hard part comes trying to figure out which music related gifts for musicians to get.
Common Mistakes
Often, well meaning people pick gifts that they think are useful, but are not. For example, my husband plays guitar. But he only plays guitars with steel strings. Giving him a guitar with nylon strings would be a huge mistake. When you get down to the nitty gritty, specific industry gifts should be taboo.
Unless you are right there on stage with them and know their preferences, stay away from really specific gifts. A musician will need to get these “personal” gifts for themselves. After all, you wouldn’t presume to buy a bra for someone!
Choose Gifts That Will Enhance Their Music
Gift giving is often about listening. Use your listening skills to discover what things would make their musical lives easier. You might even find something they didn’t even know they wanted yet.
● Think of a problem they might have related to their music. Instead of buying valves as a gift for a saxophone player, get them a finger strengthening tool. Just like football players need to strengthen their quads, musicians need to strengthen their fingers. This is a useful gift, but also not too specific.
● Maybe they need more music because they are sick of practicing the same songs. (No one wants to hear little Stella playing When the Saints Go Marching In for the gazillionth time.) A music book will come in handy.
● Perhaps they need a new gig bag with more pockets to organize their stuff. You can even have one customized with their name.
● They might want to learn more but don’t have the budget. Give them a voucher for lessons, either online or in person.
If you pay attention, you are likely to discover some way a gift from you will solve a musical dilemma they are having.
Give Quirky Music Themed Gifts
Another fun option is to choose some unusual gifts with their instrument as a theme. These gifts are easy to choose even if you know nothing about music.
● Accessories – You can get earrings that look like flutes, a watch with a musical note band, or a tie clip that looks like a saxophone. Everyone wears some sort of accessory.
● For the home – There are tons of music themed items for the household such as wall art, shower curtains, or kitchen items such as guitar shaped spoons!
● Experience – Most people enjoy listening to music, but for a musician, there is nothing like seeing it live. My husband plays guitar. He likes to get close to the stage to watch the performers’ finger movements during a show. As a thrifty way to enjoy music, many towns offer free concerts during summer months or host jazz nights in certain areas.
● Time – Time is free but at the same time priceless. Are you a musician too? Set aside time for that jam session you always talk about. Or if you are more experienced, share your expertise with a few free lessons.
● Homemade items – Something you take the time to make yourself shows how much you care. Plus these are great gifts for those of you on a tight budget. Get some music themed cookie cutters and make up a fun batch of cookies that look like musical notes or instruments. You can also find music themed fondant molds to decorate a cake or to use to make chocolates.
Now you are ready to rock and roll. You’ve got your ideas. Now it’s time to put them into action. But remember, gift giving is about paying attention. These tips are meant as guidelines. It’s up to you to do a little sleuthing to discover what will make the guest gift for your special someone. You will be glad you took the time.clined People
