Are you wondering what is the perfect gift for the piano player in your life? There are so many wonderful things you can buy that a pianist is sure to appreciate. As a pianist myself, I am excited to show you what those things are!
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What do you buy someone who plays the piano?
There are lots of items you can buy as a gift for a pianist. Here is just a quick bullet list to get the ideas flowing in your head (don’t worry, I’ll get much more specific soon!)
- Sheet music books with their favorite songs/composers
- Novelty piano gifts likes mugs or t-shirts
- Piano supplies, tools, accessories, etc.
- Composing supplies
- Music software
Choosing the Right Gift
As you look at that list, keep in mind that in order to choose the perfect gift for YOUR pianist, you will need to know some things about them.
Ask yourself these questions as you look for gifts:
Is the pianist in my life a beginner, or have they been playing a long time?
Have they received lots of music themed gifts in the past? (i.e. do I need to find something extra unique?)
Do they like to compose, or are they a sheet-music only type of pianist?
Do they have the tools they need, or could they use more?
These are just a few things to start thinking about as we look at all the gift ideas for piano players!
RELATED: Gifts for Classical Music Lovers
Mistakes to Avoid
Before we get into the list, there are a few thing I want to mention as far as what you may not want to buy.
First: The truth is, some pianists may NOT want something that is “piano-themed.”
I’m referring to things like a piano Christmas ornament, piano jewelry, clothing, etc.
Why? Well, if the person in your life is well known for being a pianist, they may have already received so many gifts like this that they just don’t need any more.
For example, my dad is a church worship leader and piano teacher. Everyone knows him as an expert pianist. Therefore, he has been given so many piano themed gifts that it can be a bit tiring when he receives more!
Now, just to be clear, this really does depend on the pianist. If someone just plays as a hobby, or isn’t well known as a pianist, they could very well appreciate this type of gift.
My point is to pay close attention to the individual you are buying a gift for to see what they would like. I will definitely include piano-themed gifts in this list, but I will also include some more unique gifts that an expert pianist like my dad might appreciate more.
Second: when buying anything that features sheet music, make sure it is accurate!
This sounded absurd to me when I first heard about it, but unforuntately it is true: many items that have sheet music on them are not accurate at all!
For example, home decor may feature the sheet music from a specific song, but when played it sounds NOTHING like the song!
This obviously means the product was not designed by a musician, LOL. And it will probably end up annoying the person you’re giving the gift to.
If you are not a musician yourself and don’t know how to tell, don’t worry! I’ve proofread everything I’ve included in this list to make sure it is accurate. 🙂
Table of Contents
- Pianist Gifts for Him
- Pianist Gifts for Her
- Composer Gifts
- Gifts for Beginner Piano Players
- Personalized Gifts for Piano Players
Pianist Gifts for Him
If you have a dad, husband, or even a friend that enjoys piano, there are lots of ideas you should be looking at! These piano gifts for men are a great place to start:
Mens Piano Socks
A classic dad gift, am I right? This year, you could get your dad socks that are right up his alley! These socks feature a classic keyboard, with some eighth notes sprinkled around too. They fit a mens shoe size from 7-13 and are made from 80% cotton, 17% polyamide, and 3% spandex.
Metal Music Book Clip
Okay, I LOVE this gift idea. One common problem among pianists is their music book refusing to stay open. This clip does all the work for you, instead of having to contantly flatten the book or put something on the heavy side (thus covering the page). It is even made from stainless steel, ensuring a strong, long-lasting clip to use for years.
Funny Pianist T-Shirt
This T-Shirt is genius, and perfect for a more advanced pianist! It features the saying “these are difficult times” with two time signatures that most pianists will NOT enjoy playing in. I would not recommend this for a beginning piano player because they probably won’t get the joke. But for an intermediate-advanced player, it’s perfect!
Best Dad Piano T-Shirt
If the pianist in your life is your dad, this is another great t-shirt to buy. In case you are not musically informed, let me explain the joke: the notes shown on the staff are “D, A, D”! So only musicians will understand that the t-shirt says “best dad ever” in code. 😉
Mens Piano Tie
When looking for a piano tie, be careful! I was going to include a very popular tie I found on amazon, but then I realized that the notes do not match the chords shown on it. (When giving a gift to a pianist, you really want those things to be accurate because they WILL know!) So instead, check out this sleek men’s tie featuring a keyboard plus notes! Made from 100% polyester, this tie meaures 4.67 feet by 3 inches wide at the widest point. A great alternative.
Chopin Music Book
One of the very BEST gift ideas I can think of for a pianist is a music book by their favorite composer. While the previous gifts are great, this is something they will truly appreciate AND use. This collection of Chopin sheet music is an example of a book you could buy—but I recommend listening to your pianst talk and see what music they play most often before choosing one!
Mozart History Book
Last but not least, one more great idea is to buy a book on a specific composer. This gift would be especially perfect for those musicians who are interested in music history. This book is on Mozart, but you could look for others on Beethoven, Chopin, Bach, or other famous composers too!
Pianist Gifts for Her
Next, let’s take a look at some piano gifts that are perfect for women! Keep in mind that some of these things can be used for women OR men, so again, make sure you know YOUR pianist before choosing a gift.
Keyboard Heart Necklace
First up, look at this cute heart necklace featuring a keyboard! It even includes a funny piano saying: “without music, life would be flat.” It is made from high-quality copper and comes with both the charm and the chain.
Chopin Nocturne CD
Pianists don’t just like playing piano…they also like listening to it! A great gift idea is a CD with their favorite composer’s pieces (especially for older people who don’t use spotify). I’ve included the Chopin Nocturne CD because I love them, but you can pick any composer! You may just want to keep in mind WHO is performing the pieces. Rubinstein & Horowitz are two performers who many piansts love.
Crossbody Handbag
Love accessories? This piano handbag could make a great gift! The keyboard notes ARE accurate even though they are a bit wonky shaped (that is just part of the design!) I love that it comes with an adjustble strap and a zipper closure too.
Piano Cuff Bracelet
Up next, take a look at this beautiful piano cuff bracelet. It is made from pewter and can be adjusted to different wrist sizes. Best of all, it is made in the USA and all the keys are accurate!
Just a Note Stationary
Does the pianist in your life love to write notes? Some stationary would make a great gift! This set comes with 50 notecards plus envelopes, and of course the cute sheet music box. I love how it says “Just a Note” at the top!
Sheet Music Mug
Perfect for coffee or tea lovers – a funny piano mug! Only a true pianist will know how to read the sheet music pictured here!
Composer Gifts
If the pianist in your life likes to compose music, there are some more specific gifts that they will appreciate. That’s what I want to cover next.
Composer Journal
First of all, this journal would make both a beautiful and practical gift. I’ve used this myself and it is so amazing! All the materials are high quality and long lasting. The inside features blank sheet music AND lined pages side by side (for notes or song lyrics). The only con is that it does have trouble staying open on a music stand (but one of those music book clips could solve that problem!)
Finale Software
Another gift that is sure to be appreciated by a composer is Finale Software, which is a computer software that allows you write your own sheet music! There are free types of software out there but they can lack the functionality you need. Finale, on the other hand, has it all and is considered the best on the market!
Blank Sheet Music Spiral Notebook
This spiral-bound sheet music notebook is another great option. It will be much easier to keep open than the original journal I showed you. It comes with 50 pages of blanket sheet music! I love the treble clef on the front.
Music Composition Book
Really serious about learning music composition (or looking to develop natural talent?) Some more learning on the subject is sure to be helpful. This book is written by Jonathan Peters, an award winning composer of over 40 works including operas, chamber music, piano solos and more.
Composer T-Shirt
Finally, a composer-themed T-Shirt is another great idea. This one comes in sizes small to 3XL , is made from cotton, and features a cool composer saying on the front.
Gifts for Beginner Piano Players
Now, most of the gifts we’ve looked at so far are geared toward intermediate-advanced pianists. But what about someone who is just getting started? I wanted to include some gift ideas for beginners as well. Most of these will be geared specifically toward children starting out.
Composer Playing Cards
What better way to get kids excited about music than with games? These playing cards feature the classic composers on them, making them both fun and educational at the same time.
Piano Stickers
If your child is just getting started with piano, these stickers can be helpful for learning the notes on the staff! They feature the names of the notes along with what the note looks like on sheet music. My only thought with these is to make sure it is something your child’s teacher approves of before buying. While they are good at the beginning, you don’t want your child to rely on them forever or they won’t truly learn piano!
First Book of Chopin
It is a great idea to get your kids excited about classical music when they are young! One way you can do this is by gifting them some piano books with simplified classical pieces. This First Book of Chopin is a great example of that! There are others available on amazon with more composers as well.
Composer Book
One last idea is to get some children’s books on the composers! With these, kids can read a story while also learning important facts on music history. This book on Peter Tchaikovsky is apart of a larger series with lots of composers that I definitely recommend!
Personalized gifts for piano players
Sometimes there may be times when you want to get a personlized piano gift – i.e. a gift with a NAME on it! I found some cool gifts in this category that you don’t want to miss.
Personalized Mug
This Best Piano Player mug allows you to customzie the bottom with a name! This is a gift a pianist is sure to appreciate (especially younger players I would think!)
Charm Necklace
For a girl, this charm necklace is a great personlized idea. You get to pick the birthstone included, as well as the letter. This is such a unique idea, I love it!
Personalized Piano Blanket
I think this is my favorite idea of all – a personalized blanket! You’ll get to put a name in cursive toward the bottom. The blanket itself measures 50″ by 60″ and is made from soft fleece. A great gift for a teen.
Piano Ornament
Last of all, you could also get a personalized Christmas ornament. This is a great idea especially if you’re signifying a special event—like if it was your child’s first year learning piano, or if this was the year they really “got into” piano. Best of all, the sheet music pictured accurately plays the song Jingle Bells!
Conclusion
There are SO many different items you can buy for piano players, as you can see. You can get anything from a music book, to a funny novelty gift, to something special and personalized. The gifts I’ve included work for Christmas gifts, birthday gifts, or just because. Take the time to understand what your pianist needs, and I know it you will end up choosing the perfect item!
Check out the Little Red Piano for lots more piano articles like these: