Are you searching for gift ideas for the singer or songwriter in your life?
You’ve come to the right place.
I understand how hard it can be to find that perfect gift, so I’ve compiled a list of the best gifts for songwriters and singers.
Hopefully one of them will jump out at you as something that would appeal to your singer-songwriter, but even if not, seeing my suggestions should awaken additional ideas within you.
By the time you get to the end of this page, you will hopefully have that perfect gift in mind. The one present that will make the vocalist or songsmith in your life happy.
Gifts For Songwriters
Let’s begin with presents for the songwriters. Singers will follow below.
Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting: 126 Proven Techniques for Writing Songs That Sell
Robin Frederick’s book Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting: 126 Proven Techniques for Writing Songs That Sell is a must-read for anyone wanting to write songs and thus one of the best gifts for aspiring songwriters. She discloses 126 different melody and lyric writing techniques used by today’s top songwriters.
Using these same techniques will help anyone’s songs gain the edge and power that hit songs have: that quality that makes listeners want to hear them again and again. This book has 38 methods for writing powerful lyrics, 30 simple tricks for creating fresh and memorable melodies and 58 strategies for choosing the perfect song structure and the right chords to give your music that hit potential.
The 290 pages of Frederick‘s book also contain over 100 quick exercises that will get you started right away and keep you on track throughout. Get this book. It is undoubtedly one of the best gifts for songwriters.
The Chord Wheel: The Ultimate Tool for All Musicians
As the title suggests, The Chord Wheel is not just one of the best gifts for singer-songwriters, but a great present for guitarists or violinists too. It gives you the most important practical applications of chord theory in one easy-to-understand- tool. And it’s easy to use, too!
Even if you don’t know how to read music, this tool will help you to understand key structure and to transpose any progression into every key. It will do wonders for anyone’s songwriting.
Chord and key relationships are deeply connected and learning them is vital for any musician, but especially a songwriter. This fun and clever tool makes learning them easy, which is why it is one of the best gift ideas for songwriters.
Writing Better Lyrics
When it comes to presents for songwriters, books are always a great choice. They are inexpensive and full of knowledge, but there are just so many of them out there. That’s why I’ve included two books in this list, but I made sure to select only the two best. The one mentioned above and Writing Better Lyrics by Pat Pattinson.
This book is an absolute classic and has been THE book for songwriters for over 2 decades and now it has been revised and updated. This 2nd edition contains everything you need for generating song ideas, understanding the form and functions of songs and nailing the lyrics.
In this book, Pat Pattinson will teach you how to increase the emotional impact of a song using sensory images, how to avoid cliches and create fresh similes and metaphors, how to use repetition correctly, how to perfectly match the lyrics with the music, how to write the perfect titles and so much more. It also includes 50 fun exercises and a ton of examples from chart-topping songs.
Standard Wire-Bound Manuscript Paper
Any songwriter needs manuscript paper. How else are they going to write their songs? The Standard Wire-Bound Manuscript Paper from Hal Leonard is the best option. It doesn’t cost much and uses high-quality paper that is very sturdy.
This book has a green cover, but Hal Leonard sell the same one with a red or an aqua cover, too. It contains 96 total pages and each page has 12 staves. The pages are 8.5 by 11 inches in size. The pages are not perforated, but they are still fairly easy to remove.
The book also contains a music notation guide to ensure any newer songwriter always knows the proper notation for what they are trying to do. A book of manuscript paper like this one is one of the best and most inexpensive Christmas gifts for songwriters.
Gifts For Singers
A Wireless Karaoke Microphone
A mic like the 3-in-1 Wireless Karaoke Microphone from BONAOK is a great gift for any vocalist. It has internal speakers that deliver pretty good sound quality, but it can also connect to external speakers via Bluetooth or an audio cable. You can also connect it to your smartphone and make use of karaoke apps or Youtube.
This mic has a triple-layered filter head with additional de-noising technology to filter airflow and wind noise. This greatly reduces the noise level, making vocals perfectly clear. It is rose gold, but there are also other colors available.
The two internal speakers make use of a bass diaphragm cavity to improve sound quality by 30%. The result is a sound that mimics what you would get in a real karaoke booth. That said, sound quality is much better when connected to a high-quality external speaker.
The BONAOK mic is powered by a built-in lithium battery that lets you sing from 4 to 10 hours, depending on volume, heaviness of use and whether you are using Bluetooth. Speaking of Bluetooth, it works with both Android and iOS and has a transmission distance of ten meters (about 33 feet).
One thing to be aware of: this microphone is for fun. It is not capable of producing professional level sound recordings. For that you want one of these recording mics. If you need a mic for live shows, try one of these. Both types of mics also make great presents for singers.
A Pitch Pipe Tuner For Vocalists
Every musician needs a tuner and singers are no exception. This 13 Note Chromatic C-C Scale Pitch Pipe Tuner from That’s My Tune makes for one of the best gifts for aspiring singers. It will help them ensure they sing in the correct pitch, which ends up training their ear and adding more color to their vocal tone.
Chromatic pitch pipes are often used incorrectly, which causes them to be inaccurate. The addition of a sliding mouth piece and note selector ensures that this tuner is always used correctly and always leads to an accurate pitch.
The That’s My Tune 13-note tuner comes with a lifetime warranty. It can be returned at any time if something goes wrong. A tuner is a great gift for any vocalist, but it is one of the best gifts for choir singers especially.
Musical Notes Scarf
Singing-themed clothing makes for some of the best Christmas gifts for singers and practical items like this Musical Notes Print Infinity Loop Scarf from Lina & Lily are my favorite. This item is meant for female singers. If you’re shopping for a man, musical-themed neckties always make excellent gifts for male singers.
This scarf is made from a lightweight polyester that feels incredibly soft. It is 35 inches wide and 70 inches long, meaning it can loop around twice. It is available in black, dark gray, dark red, navy blue and white. All colors are adorned with musical notes.
The Lina & Lily infinity loop scarf looks great with many different outfits and lets everyone know that the wearer is a musician. It is stylish, comfortable and inexpensive, earning it a place on any list of good gifts for singers.
A Vocal Dampener
Warming up and practicing are both essential for singers, but doing so can disturb others, especially if you live in tight quarters or somewhere with thin walls. That’s where a vocal dampener like this one from Beltbox comes in.
It can reduce the sound a performer makes by up to 30 dB, making it possible for a vocalist to warm up or practice without disturbing those around them. A removable strap means it can be worn hands-free in case the singer needs to play an instrument or practice choreography.
The Beltbox dampener is waterproof, so it can be used in the shower as well. This also makes it easy to clean. It comes with a cotton carrying bag. It is a great little product that basically allows a singer to take their warm-up room with them wherever they go.
Personal Steam Inhaler
Singers sometimes get sick, but they still have to perform. Other times, too much performing ends up damaging their voice. In either case, a personal steam inhaler like this portable one from Vicks can be a life saver. Few things do more to soothe the vocal cords than warm steam.
Vocal cords need to be properly lubricated in order to ensure the best possible performance. Colds, flu, too much strain or dry climates can all dehydrate the body and, by extension, the vocal cords. The Vicks inhaler produces warm steam that soothes and lubricates the throat and nasal passages.
Any vocalist whose vocal cords are suffering can benefit from 5 to 15 minutes with this inhaler. It is a wonderful tool for maintaining vocal health. It has a soft, comfortable plastic hood that makes using it a breeze. It is compact and lightweight, so it can come along to any performance or on any tour. It is covered by a 1-year warranty.
Musical-Themed Jewelry
Some people would never wear anything like this, while others absolutely love it. If the singer in your life is one of the latter, this Silver Plated Crystal Black Karaoke Microphone Necklace, or something similar, might be the perfect present.
It is lead free and plated in silver, with crystals embedded around the top. It is one inch tall and comes with an 18 inch chain. It is cute and well-made, ensuring it will last a long time.
It comes in a gift box, making it ideal to give as a present. Of course, this is only true if the vocalist in your life is the type of person who would enjoy a gift like this. If you’re not sure, I advise erring on the side of caution and getting something else instead, ideally something practical like all the previous suggestions above.
We also have specific articles with gifts for violinists, guitarists, producers, and music students and teachers.
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