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How to Choose a Musical Instrument as a Gift
By Deborah Lee | November 30, 2009
Musical instruments are a classic gift. Instruments come in all shapes and sizes. You can go from large and expensive like a piano all the way down to a simple stocking stuffer. You don’t have to give a full sized instrument. There are many other options including that can be fun or even whimsical. One year we gave all of my husband’s co-workers kazoos.
Here are a few pointers for getting the right gift for the right person.
- Know the Person – As with all gift giving, think about the person you want to give the gift to.
- Has the person expressed an interest in playing an instrument?
- Are they desiring a specific instrument?
- What is the person’s musical experience?
- What style of music do they love?
- What are their reasons for wanting to play?
Choosing a quality instrument
If you are not familiar with musical instruments, this will take some effort, but don’t let that discourage you.
- Know Your Limitations and Get Help-
Ask lots of questions of knowledgeable musicians who play the instrument you are considering. Be sure to ask them about facts to look for and brands they recommend. - Online Reviews-
Do an online search for reviews. Include the word review along with things like the type of instrument, brand, and/or model. Amazonand are a great resource for personal reviews from people who have owned the product.
- Return Policy-
Make sure there is a good return policy just in case the instrument is not a good fit. - Use Gift Cards-
An instrument can be a very personal decision. A gift card allows the recepient to choose what is best for them. - Avoid buying used or from online auctions-
If you are not familiar with an instrument, you may want to avoid buying a used instrument or buying from online auctions. Stick with a reputable company with a good return policy. Even the new items on the online auctions can be suspect. Many are poor quality instruments imported cheaply from overseas.
Instrument Ideas
Here are a few instrument ideas and resources for finding them.
- Simple to Learn Instruments-ukelele, dulcimer, recorder, harmonica, kazoo and many percussion instruments
- Instrument Families
- Brass – trumpet, trombone, French horn, tuba…
- Woodwind – flute, clarinet, oboe, sax…
- Classical Strings – violin, viola, cello and bass
- Other Strings – guitar, bass guitar, mandolin, banjo, dulcimers…
- Percussion – Snare drum, drum set (standard or electronic), xylophone, glockenspiel, world percussion, handheld percussion…
- Keyboard – piano, digital piano, keyboard
An additional tip, if you can afford it, add music lessons as part of the gift. If you can’t afford to add lessons, do some research and give them the name of one or more teachers to contact. Instruction books and videos can be helpful, too.
Hoping you have musical holidays,
Deborah
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