12 Bar Blues

On one hand, having a musician to buy a gift for can be nice. There are a out there to choose from, including everything from to . Musicians are a rare breed who love what they do so much, any and all references to making music are appreciated. And if all that fails, there’s always , of course. I know about this first hand, since I am a musician with many musician friends.

On the other hand, though, musicians are extremely picky when it comes to the stuff they use to actually make music. This can make shopping for them tricky if you want to get them something more useful than novel. Most musicians won’t stray very far from their favorite brands or models, so a little due diligence goes a long way into picking more practical gifts. We’ve compiled a good mix of items to help you choose a great gift for your choosy musician.

From guitars to gigabytes, here’s our list of the top 15 best gifts for musicians:

1. Sennheiser HD 280 Pro Headphones

Did you know musicians require (at least) two pairs of headphones? Because they’re often obsessed with music in general, musicians tend to have one set of headphones for recording and another for listening. When simply listening to music, the preference is for something a little lighter weight with slightly more bass response, like the , which are my personal favorite. When recording in the studio, however, headphones need to be larger and better balanced, with no added bass. Studio monitoring requires natural sound response, and these Sennheisers are a great option. I have personally used them and can attest to their performance, particularly at this price point. The sound is clear and even after many hours of recording, they remain comfortable.

Need more ideas?

Price: $99.95

2. Musician’s Dice

Somewhat in the vein of , Musician’s Dice gives composers a method to randomize note or chord selection as either a way to get valuable practice or to get through a block when writing. The random nature of the dice will stretch even the most practiced musician when they need it most. A technically complicated gift that’s easy to give and will appeal to a wide audience.

Philomuse has two other .

Price: $17.95

3. The Musician’s Notebook: Manuscript Paper For Inspiration And Composition

Speaking of composition, after utilizing the dice, the musician in your life will need a place to record their new creation. Sure, there’s for this these days, but for relatively simple songs, it’s still sometimes nice to put pen to paper. I owned this notebook for many years and it inspired me to write a good number of songs. Musicians can toss it in the gig bag and have it on hand when inspiration strikes.

Need more ideas?

Price: $6.39

4. Prime Music

Every musician loves music — usually just a touch more than the people around them. They are fanatics who can’t get enough of exploring new bands and cherishing their favorites. An Amazon Prime subscription includes unlimited, ad-free access to over one million songs in addition to all the other benefits of Prime. Alternatively, you can get an so the musician on your list can download .

Price: $99 for one year

5. Godin LGX-SA Solid Body 3-Voice Electric Guitar

Everyone knows and , the two most popular guitar companies who make a number of truly excellent guitars. My main guitar is a 1985 Fender Stratocaster. They’re great. But for people craving something a little different, I recommend . These beautiful North American-built guitars offer technical innovation with three outputs — normal electric, acoustic, and 13-pin which can carry all three voices. The on-board acoustic guitar simulator means this may be the only guitar you need, while the synth voice offers even more options. It’s a very modern, advanced guitar in a traditional package. Don’t be afraid to step out from the shadow of the big boys. And don’t forget to stock up on plenty of my favorite strings, . If you want something really different, you could go for a , too.

Need more ideas?

Price: $1,745 (17 percent off MSRP)

6. Western Digital 1TB My Passport Ultra Portable External Hard Drive

Musicians love to collaborate, and that usually means packing up the gear and heading over to another studio. Since studio setups are (generally) more involved than just a laptop, having a simple way to carry files around can really simplify the process. A 1 terabyte drive that fits in a pocket is a perfect solution. Even if it doesn’t get used for recording projects, it’s a great way to back up what is sure to be an enormous collection of digital music. Available from 500GB to 3TB, it’s practical, affordable, and always appreciated.

Need more ideas?

Price: $59 (41 percent off MSRP)

7. Pink Floyd ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’ Platinum LP Award Style Collectible Display

Music memorabilia makes a great gift. This happens to be a display honoring Pink Floyd’s achievement, which will look great on any wall of the house, but especially in a studio or listening room. Not a Pink Floyd fan? Not to worry, there are plenty to choose from, including and . Inspire your musician to greatness by reminding them of their heroes.

Need more ideas?

Price: $129.95 (48 percent off MSRP)

8. Stylophone Retro Pocket Synth

Musicians love musical toys. Whether it’s a or a , messing around with a toy version of more serious gear can be a way to free up creativity and unlock new ways of thinking about making music. This Stylophone pocket synth is a recreation of the 1967 version and includes the ability to pitch-bend three different organ voices. This little gem has been featured on some of my own music, and I happily recommend it to anyone looking to give a fun musical gift. You can also get the newer .

Need more ideas?

Price: $20.90 (30 percent off MSRP)

9. ‘The Wrecking Crew: The Inside Story of Rock and Roll’s Best-Kept Secret’

I am personally fascinated with the history and trends of music that lead to what we hear today. This book focuses on a group of studio musicians behind many famous recordings from the 60s. They embodied the West Coast sound at the time, drawing many artists who previously recorded in New York out to California to cut their records, including the Beach Boys and Simon & Garfunkel. There’s also about the same group. An interesting read, for sure.

Need more ideas?

Price: $12.07 paperback, $5.99 Kindle

10. Blue Microphones Cactus Tube Microphone

If you want to give a top-of-the-line gift, you should know that high-end microphones are a dream for most musicians. They might experience one in someone else’s studio, but having one of their own is usually out of the question. You can give them this Blue Cactus Tube mic which uses a vintage Class A circuit to deliver warm, detailed, and accurate recordings and help them realize the dream. This is a serious microphone for use on creating a masterpiece. If you can’t quite spring for that, I recommend the at a more reasonable $299. I’ve used the predecessor to this microphone and got excellent results.

Need more ideas?

Price: $2,999.99

11. Yamaha Motif XF8 Music Production Synthesizer

Staying with the big-ticket items for a second, this synthesizer workstation will form the center piece of any production studio. With over 1,300 voices to choose from, the musician in your life with have access to a huge catalog of natural-sounding instruments for use in any kind of arrangement. Yamaha is known for their attention to detail when it comes to digital sampling, particularly with regard to acoustic articulation. You don’t need a full symphony to produce richly textured music, this will take care of everything.

Need more ideas?

Price: $3,599.99 (11 percent off MSRP)

12. littleBits Electronics Synth Kit

Also in the synthesizer category, this kit allows the adventurous musician to create a fully customizable, modular synth. The modules snap together with magnets for quick reassembly so the musician can spend more time generating new sounds than building. There’s an included guide to get started quickly with famous tones, but the possibilities are really endless. A great gift for the aspiring sonic pioneer.

Need more ideas?

Price: $150.99

13. Yamaha HS8 Studio Monitors

While studio headphones are good, a dedicated pair of studio monitors are even better. Monitors should be completely colorless, meaning they don’t add their own flavor to the sound. They should reproduce what appears on the computer as accurately as possible to help the musician properly mix and master recorded material. While you can certainly spend several thousand dollars a piece on these, the under $1,000 threshold contains some gems. These Yamaha monitors are almost certainly the best you can get for the money. You can also get a , which provides all you need. There’s also the lesser, but still quite good, .

Need more ideas?

Price: $349.99

14. Pick Punch

The player of strummed instruments in your life might also enjoy the freedom to make a pick out of just about anything. Make custom-designed picks, reuse old credit cards, or memorialize a plastic item. Guitarists especially lose picks all the time, so having something handy to make one on the quick is great. You can also buy a variety of to give them plenty of ammo.

Need more ideas?

Price: $25.95

15. Shure SM58 with Mic Stand and Cable

While the condenser mic on this list is ideal for recording, you wouldn’t want to perform with it. For one thing, it’s very sensitive and for another, it’s too expensive. When it comes to live sound, the issue has long been decided about which microphone is best. The Shure SM58 is by far the industry standard. It sounds great, it’s tough as nails, and it’s nearly ubiquitous from coffee shop to arena. I have used them for years (even for recording), and I can attest to their brilliance. This bundle comes with a few extras so the musician in your life has everything they need.

Need more ideas?

Price: $124.99 (38 percent off MSRP)

Heavy, Inc. is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon. Our product recommendations are guided solely by our editors. We have no relationship with manufacturers.