Look, we have an abundance of different instruments that we can choose from and that are easily obtainable, either at our local music stores or through online shopping. What's more, you can even find plenty of affordable yet very reliable and great-sounding instruments in almost any category, which was pretty much unimaginable a few decades ago.
But despite having a wide choice in this day and age, a huge portion of music enthusiasts goes with the good old piano. After all, the instrument has everything "laid out" on the keyboard and is adaptable to almost any genre that comes to mind. What's more, it's also a pathway to getting into electronic keyboards that open up a whole new world of possibilities.
In case you have a piano-playing friend or a family member, there's always a moment when you're looking for a way to surprise them with a suitable gift. With this in mind, we've decided to help you out and come up with a list of the best gifts for piano players.
Contents
MIDI Controller Keyboard
While the piano is one of the most important instruments in the history of modern music, adding a new dimension to it can certainly give every musician a fresh perspective. In case your piano-playing friend or family member feels like trying out new stuff, getting a MIDI keyboard and pairing it up with a computer can really bring a new perspective and help them use their skills and talents to create completely new sounds.
By using different types of software and plugins, you'll be able to generate any kind of tones that you like, or just use pre-made presets. It's an ultimate tool for musicians, no matter their primary instrument. With MIDI keyboards, you also get some additional controls that let you control different parameters.
USB to MIDI Cable
In case the piano player you're buying a gift to already has a MIDI keyboard and is looking for a way to connect it to their computer, you can get them a USB to MIDI cable. Some MIDI keyboards, especially those older models, come with the standard MIDI in-and-out system that works with different modules and other devices that give keyboard players options to shape their tone. On the other hand, this makes it impossible to connect it directly to a computer. Luckily, we have a standard USB to MIDI cables these days that can help anyone overcome this issue. What's more, these cables are not expensive and come as a perfect choice for a simple gift.
Metronome
Whatever is the instrument and whatever the music genre that you're into, metronomes come as essential useful tools for improving your musicianship. After all, one needs to be skilled enough to be in perfect time if they want to perform their favorite music pieces. Getting a metronome to a piano player is one of the best things that you can do to them.
Sure, they might get angry at times since practicing with a metronome can be a really tedious task. Nonetheless, after many hours of practice time and noticeable results, they'll be very thankful for this gift. These days, we have digital metronomes that are very compact and practical and can even program some of the time signature changes.
Grand Obsession: A Piano Odyssey Book
Piano players are usually the kind of people that like to read. And is there a better gift other than a good book? In case you're leaning towards this particular direction, we'd recommend a wonderful one titled "Grand Obsession: A Piano Odyssey."
Written by Perri Kinze, the book tells a story about a German woman who gets really into one particular rare German grand piano. However, when it finally arrives, there's no more "magic" in the instrument's tone. She then sets off on a journey to find a way how to fix it and bring the grand piano to its former glory. "Grand Obsession: A Piano Odyssey" earned very positive reviews from major outlets like the New York Times and Washington Post.
Piano Stool
Well, is there a more useful thing for a pianist other than a good piano stool, or a piano bench? Of course, the pianist should know what they prefer and what works best for them. But in case we're talking about a beginner player who's desperately looking for their first stool, there are plenty of options to choose from on the market these days. Even though it seems like a fairly simple thing to buy, this will be a very practical gift for a young pianist who's just setting out on their wonderful piano-playing journey.
Piano Pop-Up Card
In addition to any gift that you'll decide to buy for a piano player, there's got to be a nice card to go along with it, right? But you don't want any kind of card to go along with it. There's got to be something piano related yet original that will really make them smile. This is why some clever people came up with a very innovative piano-shaped pop-up card that comes as a great addition to any gift, whether piano-oriented or not if you're buying it to a piano player. And we have to be honest – this one's pretty stylish, innovative, and very aesthetically-pleasing.
Piano Polish
Although big and robust, pianos are very delicate instruments. If you don't take care of them properly, you'll see their overall shine and other qualities deteriorate, which can eventually lead not only to superficial damage but also a change in their sonic output. But first thing's first, piano players need to start with the basics and have a nice specialized piano polishing liquid to get things going. By applying any of these mediums, you get them to shine and look great.
Additionally, quality piano polish liquids also come with additional substances that protect the instrument's surface and keep it safe from wearing out over extended periods. If you want something practical and useful that piano players will love, then you just can't go wrong with this choice.
Piano-Themed T-Shirt
Those who are into any instrument love to live that life even when they're not playing it. After all, everyone around them just has to know that they're musicians and that they're obsessed with it. And is there a better way to do so other than wearing an instrument-themed t-shirt? We guarantee that your pianist friend will be thrilled to get their hands on one of the many available piano-themed t-shirts that are available on the market these days. If this looks like something that they'll like, we have singled out a wonderful 100% cotton t-shirt for them. Just pick the right size and you'll have a perfect gift for them.
Piano-Themed Tie
Another piece of clothing that you can think of here is a simple tie. Of course, who you're buying it to needs to be into ties. But if we're talking about classical music pianists, there's a high chance that they'll really be into that kind of dressing style. And these piano-colored ties are designed as somewhat of a light-hearted addition to the otherwise serious clothing of classical musicians. What's more, one can also wear them for other occasions, so we'd say that this can be a pretty great gift for those who like to wear neckties.
Piano-Themed Mug
Hey, everyone loves a nice coffee mug. Although the gift idea itself might seem a little cliche, there's a reason why this choice is so popular. After all, everyone drinks coffee or tea during their average day. As for piano players, they'll certainly need one good cup before their daily practice sessions to get things going there. If your pianist friend is an avid coffee or tea drinker, then we'd recommend a piano themed mug as a thoughtful gift. Looking at what's available on the market these days, there's a lot of stylish stuff to choose from, so you'll be covered here.
Piano or Keyboard Key Chain
Just like with t-shirts, mugs, and other accessories, musicians find other ways to tell everyone that they're really into their instruments. Pianists are especially known for being proud of their instrument and their playing skills. As a modest gift or a simple addition to a bigger gift, you can always look into buying them a simple piano-themed or keyboard-shaped key chain. This way, they'll not only be able to remind everyone of their talents, but they'll always have something that reminds them of their own love for this instrument.
Piano Wall Art
Setting up your living space according to what you love in life is one of the most important issues for most people today. You'll wake up every day surrounded by furniture, art, and other things that will make you feel great. If the person you're buying a gift to really loves this approach to shaping their living space, then you can always look into some of the very stylish wall art with different piano motifs. In fact, some of them are pretty aesthetically-pleasing and are even not that expensive, especially considering the build quality and how well the piano photos or artworks are done. What's more, this can be a wonderful addition to the room where their favorite instrument is located.
Mini Kalimba
Now going to a bright and more creative side of things, you could always find a little simple instrument to get their mind of the piano and give them a bit of a different perspective. Kalimba, or mbira, is a small wooden instrument with a resonant chamber or a resonant board with metal tines on it. It's played by holding it and plucking these tines with fingers, which produces quite a pleasing sound.
Luckily for us, there are even mini versions of this instrument that can not only fit in your pocket but are also pretty cheap. It's not much of a virtuoso instrument, but it's still something that a piano player can use for fun and leisure activities when they want to get their mind off those lengthy performances and practice sessions.
A Good Set of Headphones
Whether a musician or not, almost every single person in this world loves to enjoy music. But in doing so, they always prefer to have something nice that will reproduce the best possible audio quality of the music that they're listening to. And your pianist friend will definitely want to have either a good set of speakers or a good set of headphones to either listen to music that they love or to prepare their repertoire well by listening to different interpretations of the pieces that they're supposed to perform. Additionally, if they also have an electric piano or a MIDI keyboard, silent practice sessions or just music-making sessions will be possible with a nice headphone set. It's one of the simplest yet most thoughtful presents for piano players.
Bluetooth Speakers
Speaking of which, Bluetooth speakers are another great way for them to play the music that they like or a repertoire that they need to practice. These are extremely compact and practical and can be taken on a vacation or a trip, all while allowing them to listen to audio files at the desired volume level. Overall, this is a universal gift that works for anyone, be it musicians or not.
Music Box
Being creative in coming up with a gift can sometimes be exhausting. In case your piano-playing friend loves somewhat unusual things and gadgets that involve mechanical parts, a simple music box can be a great thing to get them. After all, there's a romantic aspect to music boxes which makes them appealing to old-fashioned folks. Just think of some of their favorite songs and find a suitable music box that they'll love.
Conclusion
Whatever the gift is, the most important thing is the attention that you give to a nice present. Of course, it's always a great idea to get these people something that they'll actually love. And if we're talking about pianists, any of the examples that we've shared here are worth considering one way or another.