Gift Guide for The Music Lover

Hello hello friends!

I know what you’re thinking. “Priya. Why are we talking about gifts? Christmas is over.” I know, Christmas is done, but just because the ‘season of giving’ has passed by, doesn’t mean the opportunity to give has as well. I don’t know about you but I either tend to be super, duper prepared, or not prepared in the slightest. I either have presents sorted weeks in advance or I’m struggling the night before I need it to sort something out. I know this would probably have been some help around Christmas time, but I didn’t think of it back then, so we’re doing it now, because birthdays exist too.

That said, one of the hardest things when it comes to buying gifts, aside from making the time to get them, is the struggle of what to get. So much to consider, and while the deluge of Christmas gift guides has well and truly passed, I thought I’d drop one more on your feed. Bookmark it for the entire year if you must!!

Here’s a lil guide on potential gifts that any music lover is sure to appreciate!

A record player: So I’m talking from experience, but when I got my record player from a group of my friends for my 21st birthday, I cried. It was so unexpected but it was something I’d always wanted, just never pulled the trigger and bought myself. This is always a popular one, and there are heaps of options out there to pick from.

Vinyls: Already have a record player? Well let’s be practical and get them some more records!! Nothing beats getting a fresh sleeve with a brand new album pressed onto vinyl and listening to it for the first time. It’s also super satisfying to add it to a physical collection. Most artists are now releasing vinyl pressings of their music so it won’t be hard to find something that you music lover will like!

Merch: This is a pretty cute one in my opinion. I think merch is severely underrated as a gift, but it genuinely means a lot for someone to consider an artist or band you love, and support them through a gift to you. At least, that’s how I choose to see it! A hoodie, a beanie, a t-shirt, (vinyls count as merch too), a poster, anything from an artist or band they love, will mean a lot – bonus points if you get matching merch!

Concert tickets: This is such a lovely gift! Especially if you know the person you’re buying for is sure to love the artist! That’s one thing to consider – I’d be 100% positive that they genuinely really loved the artist and it isn’t just a general appreciation. If that makes sense? Take them for someone or a band they love rather than someone they may just sing along to when their song plays on the radio. I’ve had concert tickets gifted to me and I’ve gifted concert tickets myself, and it’s always a hit!

Ukulele: Hear me out. If the person you’re buying for loves music, loves singing or playing the guitar or the piano or anything similar, a ukulele is such a good gift. Honestly, whether you’re shopping for a little kid or an adult, a beginner or a professional, there is honestly an option for all quality and budget levels. It’s one of the most popular instruments our music shop sells, and that’s just throughout the year. Around Christmas it goes crazy! There are plenty of brands to choose from too, so it’s definitely worthy of featuring on this guide.

Headphones: I feel like it’s hard to go wrong with these. Once you’ve figured out the type of headphone they’re most likely to want and use the most, you have so many options out there, I mean you can even read my Headphone Guide if you want an extra hand cos why not? They’re such a practical gift, especially if you’re gift-ee is someone you know is listening to music all the time! I know personally, I have a different set for the gym, a set for recording, a set for using with my laptop and a pair that I keep in my bag for on the train and general use. They cover Plantronics, Beats by Dre, Apple and Audio Technica, so already you have four brands to choose from. I know in 2019 Air Pods were a hugely popular gift, so you’re definitely spoiled for choice!

Sheet Music: Here’s the thing. I feel like no-one really considers this, but I’ve come to realise it after working in a music shop for over 4 years. Sheet music is bloody expensive. I don’t know how, but classical musicians, and anyone who chooses to buy their music in paper form, fork out so much money to have physical copies of music, which is why I guess so many people have gone digital. However, if your music nerd does in fact read music and play from sheet music, this is always something that makes a great gift. It’s super easy to find out whether their favourite musicians latest or most popular album has been transcribed into a collection, and most of the time it’s super easy to track down and order online. Does your musician have a favourite classical composer? Maybe suss out their collection and see what’s missing, there are some insanely beautiful editions of classical music that make incredible gifts.

Music Store Voucher: Okay, so this may seem boring, but I feel like it’s the obvious resolution to a lot of issues that arise, when buying for musicians in particular. I think I’ve stated this before, but musicians are some of the pickiest people on the planet, especially when it comes to their gear and their instruments and accessories. And fair enough. Music gear is super expensive, so most musicians really want to test out things for themselves, do their research and be 100% sure about what they’re investing in. Sometimes, the easiest thing to do is suss out their favourite local music shop, put some money on a voucher, and give them a gift they can essentially choose themselves.

Portable speaker: Another underrated gift. I remember a little while back UE Booms were the best thing ever, and in my opinion, they still are. Whether it’s a UE Boom, or any other reputable brand of speaker, you never know that you actually need a portable blue tooth speaker in your life, until you finally have one. Going to the beach with friends? Portable speaker. BBQ in the backyard on a public holiday? Portable speaker. Getting ready for a night out all by yourself and want to pump some tunes? Portable speaker. Speakers in your car blown out? Portable speaker. Honestly, so many instances where a portable speaker would come in handy start arising as soon as you have one, I couldn’t imagine my house without the four we already have!

There you go! Hopefully this list helped you out a bit or at least gave you some ideas to work from!

x

Priya

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