Do you need to finish your shopping in a hurry? Whether you got invited to a Christmas party at the last minute or enjoy waiting until December to do your holiday shopping, here are some easy, simple, and useful stocking stuffer ideas for musicians of all types. The majority of these items are easy to find, so you won’t have to deal with special orders or overnight shipping from Amazon. In fact, many can be found on Music & Arts, so you won’t even have to stray from this website! Whether the musician in question is new to music or has been taking lessons for awhile, they’re sure to enjoy each gift on this list.
Music Stand Light
If your musician practices their instrument in one of the darker rooms of their home, they’ll appreciate the thought that went into this gift. A music stand light is an efficient way for your musician to better see the sheet music they’re practicing. Since they’re smaller items, most music stand lights run for a very long time on batteries, and are small enough for a musician to fold up and toss into their gig bag. If you’d like to combine a stocking stuffer with your musician’s larger, main gift, purchase a music stand light in conjunction with a brand new music stand. Many music stands are portable, so on-the-go musicians can take both items along with them whenever they please.
Portable Tuner
If you ask any musician, playing out of tune will quickly label you as an amateur, no matter how impressive their skill may be. If your musician plays a musical instrument that must be kept in tune, particularly the guitar or bass, a portable tuner is a great gift idea. With a portable tuner, your musician can stay in tune while touring on the road, performing at a recital, or while practicing at home. Although the market is flooded with different varieties of tuners, including floor pedals and mobile apps, a clip-on, portable tuner is a favorite among amateur and professional musicians alike. Manufactured by some of the best names in the industry, a portable tuner is a necessity for all musicians.
Hand Lotion
‘Tis the season for colder weather, which means one thing for many musicians: dry, cracked skin that can make practicing and performing more painful than usual. To make this stocking stuffer even more catered to the musician in your life, opt for a size that’s small enough to fit inside their gig bag. Additionally, opt for a no-frills, unscented hand lotion as those with a lot of perfume can, over time, can strip away the top layer of coating from guitar necks and piano keys. In fact, there’s an entire line of hand care, called Guitar Hands, that’s developed by musicians for musicians. Even if your musician doesn’t play the guitar, they can still use this line of high-quality hand care items.
Quality Headphones
As you search for a pair of quality headphones online, you’ll notice they’re often divided into categories: studio headphones, DJ headphones, noise-cancelling headphones, and consumer grade headphones. While studio headphones are intended to be used in a recording studio and DJ headphones are made so DJs can hear their beats over the roar of the audience, noise cancelling headphones and consumer grade headphones are great choices for virtually any musician. Both types will help your musician take their music skills to the next level, without annoying everyone around them.
Miscellaneous Accessories
Depending on the exact instrument your musician plays, you can purchase them a set of strings, a pack of picks, or microfiber cleaning cloths, among other miscellaneous accessories. The best things about purchasing your musician some accessories for their instrument are the price and size of most accessories- they’re affordable enough so you can purchase your musician a few different accessories, and small enough that they’ll fit in any size stocking. From metronomes and guitar straps to microphone cables and strings, there are plenty of accessories available online and in music stores across the country.
Gift Cards
Finally, you can never go wrong with purchasing a gift card to your family member or friend’s favorite music retailer. Chances are, you already know their favorite store or retailer and, if you don’t, just ask. While the amount is purely up to you, here are the average prices of various accessories and gear that you can use as a baseline: a pack of acoustic guitar strings typically costs about $10, a standard music stand averages $20, and the average price for a pack of drumsticks can range from $20-$40. If you prefer to keep the gift a surprise but still aren’t sure what to get, purchase them a gift certificate from Music & Arts. Available in amounts ranging from $10-$2,500, simply purchase and check out- it’s that easy!
Thinking about purchasing strings? Check out How to Choose Electric Guitar Strings.