Looking for music-related gifts to keep your young musician inspired? We asked our teachers for ideas and here are a few great options!
General Suggestions for All Students:
A clear sounding and loud metronome. This one is a favorite of Dr. Jo’s!
Tuners are helpful, not only for tuning your instrument, but for ALL the notes you play!
Some of these are available as apps for smartphone, but we still prefer having a real metronome and tuner sitting on the music stand!
An Elemental Music t-shirt or hoodie to show off your EM pride! Forget to place your pre-order? You can pick something up at one of our December concerts!
Portable speakers and quality earbuds allow music to go with you wherever you go.
Concert tickets to see great live performances around town
Gift cards to iTunes and Amazon where your young musician can download music that they love
Sheet must of favorite music from movies, tv shows, and pop songs
Private lessons! Perhaps a grandparent or generous relative might sponsor private lessons for your child. Private lessons allow a student to receive one-on-one instruction and focus more intensely on their own technique and musicality.
For String Students:
Rosin is always a necessity, and one can last for years. We particularly love the fun and more personalized Magic Rosin, which has something for every student
Mutes for violin/viola/cello students are a necessity for orchestral playing as they get older. Why not get a blinged out version with their favorite colors?
Looking for something to keep your instruments safe and cozy? A violin/viola/cello bag is a great idea! Here is a link to someone we know.
A practice mute for string players will let them practice later at night without bothering the neighbors!
The hardest part of practicing is often just unpacking the instrument! Consider investing in an instrument stand or wall hanger. This allows the student to keep the instrument unpacked in their bedroom or a safe space. You might be surprised how often your child picks up their instrument when walking by, simply because it’s already out of the case and visible to them!
Violin/Viola wall hanger
Violin/Viola instrument stand
Cello/Bass instrument stand
For Brass Students:
Mutes are a great gift for students, and serve different functions. Practice mutes (listed below) help mute the sound and are a great gift to loving family members looking to take a little of the edge off!
TrumpetOther mutes change the sound of the instruments in different ways. The ones listed below are for trumpet. If you would like more info, please contact your teachers directly!
Straight mute: Dennis Wick, aluminum
Cup mute: Dennis Wick, adjustableTrumpets could also ask for valve oil (Al Cass)
A trumpet stand makes the instrument easily accessible for practice!
Advice For Buying a New Instrument:
Don’t buy an instrument that your child will “grow into” - students need to play on a properly sized instrument in order to form a solid foundation and technique. Plus, playing on an instrument that is too large can actually cause physical injury! If you don’t want to buy an instrument until your student is ready for the full size, consider renting from a local shop.
Cheaper instruments are probably cheaper for a reason. A cheap instrument doesn’t do your child any favors. Most cheap instruments will lack a good sound and might even have mechanical issues such as poorly cut bridges or pegs that constantly slip. We highly recommend avoiding Amazon for instrument purchases and visiting a local instrument shop instead!
Ask a teacher for advice about where to purchase and what to look for in an instrument. Some teachers may even accompany you to the shop to try out instruments and help advise your selection!
And don’t forget, if you’re doing holiday shopping on Amazon this season (for musical accessories, not instruments!), you can always shop through AmazonSmile! Visit smile.amazon.com/ch/27-3274582 and choose Elemental Music as your charity. AmazonSmile will donate a portion of every purchase to our organization! Happy shopping. :)