The Christmas season is upon us and many are beginning to get their shopping organised for friends and family.
If you have a music obsessed friend who lives and breathes music, this can be a challenge, especially if they are interested in different styles such as classical or jazz. What options are out there for those who love listening to, or playing music?
You can’t go wrong with gift cards
Music online and download it to a hard drive or other device. Some services even offer gift cards for a monthly service where the user can stream any album in the collection.
This is a fantastic idea if you are not sure what the person likes to listen to, or if the person has obscure tastes in music that are outside the norm.
It enables your musical friends to chose what albums they like and have full control over their downloads. Many teachers and professional musicians appreciate the ability to search for any song or artist via music streaming services, making this a fantastic gift.
Pictures or ornaments of composers
If you know what composers/ artists your friend enjoys, having posters and pictures of those is a fantastic idea. Most of these can be purchased online and can be displayed on a wall or in their home.
Some places even have sculptures of composers you can put in your home. The only problem is they can be hard to find so get in early with this one.
Sheet music for instrumental or vocal players
For those who play an instrument, purchasing sheet music is always welcome. There are many books of compilations of different songs and styles of music out there for just about any instrument and level. Music retailers have these, but you can also purchase, sheet music online for download.
CDs are still a big hit
Although more and more people are using digitised music services, you can purchase CDs and many people still listen to them. Even better if you can find the CDs signed by the artist, or performed by someone the person admires. Those will be treasured for life.
If all else fails
If you have no idea what to buy this musical friend, then ask them what they would like. It’s nice to surprise the person, but sometimes it can be easier if you know what they would like.
Where to purchase music gifts
Music related gifts can be hard to find in many cases, as they can be quite specialised. Many styles of music such as classical have their other specialty shops, both online and offline. Use Google to help find these places.
If you know roughly what your friend likes to listen to, then phone the shop and ask the owner for advice. They are very helpful for those who don’t knowledge of that musical style.
Most people probably know a handful of musical services already. Often they provide deals on their website and also gift cards. Some even have in-app purchases.
Music retailers usually are very helpful when sourcing sheet music. You can ring and ask for a certain title, or advice or which ones to purchase for a particular level. Online services usually have a search function where you can search by instrument, level and style. They then provide a downloadable file or link after purchase.