Gifts for Piano Players and Pianists
- 20 gift ideas
- From under $10 to $100 and up
- 8 niche picks
Good gifts for piano players are practical tools for practice: a piano-style sustain pedal, closed-back headphones, a Bluetooth page turner, a mechanical metronome or a clip-on piano light. Add sheet music or a method book for students. These 20 ideas suit pianists from beginners to classical and jazz players.
Quick picks
- Best splurge: A weighted 88-key digital piano Weighted keys and piano tone in a portable instrument for real practice. Idea 1
- Best small gift: A piano-style sustain pedal Fixes the sliding switch that comes with many keyboards. Idea 2
- Best for classical players: A Henle Urtext edition of Bach A scholarly Urtext edition of Bach with clean engraving. Idea 12
- Best for adult beginners: A piano method for adult beginners Teaches reading and chords with songs adults recognize. Idea 16
The best piano gifts fit how the person plays. A student with a digital piano needs different gear from a classical player with a grand, and a family that shares a keyboard needs a bench more than a book. Piano fans who do not play can enjoy something decorative.
We sorted these ideas into practice gear, comfort and care, sheet music and books, and learning gifts for students. If another instrument lives in the house, Gifts for Guitar Players has ideas for guitarists.
Ideas 1 to 7
Practice gear for piano players
Pedals, headphones, adapters and stands for digital pianos and keyboards.
1. A weighted 88-key digital piano
The Yamaha P-225 has weighted keys and Yamaha piano tone in a portable body, which suits a student or an adult returning to piano who needs a real practice instrument. It is an 88-key digital piano with a music rest, a sustain foot switch and built-in speakers. It is the splurge in this guide, so check the person's space first.
Tip: Check floor space and whether they need a stand or bench.
2. A piano-style sustain pedal
The small square switch that comes with many keyboards slides around and feels nothing like a piano pedal, so a piano-style pedal suits a digital piano player who has only a basic foot switch. The M-Audio SP-2 is a universal piano-style sustain pedal for keyboards and digital pianos. Check that the keyboard has a pedal jack.
Tip: Check the keyboard has a sustain pedal jack.
3. Closed-back studio headphones
Closed-back headphones let a player practice on a digital piano late at night without disturbing anyone, which suits someone who practices after the household is asleep. The Sony MDR7506 is a long-running studio model with large diaphragm drivers. Check that the piano has a headphone jack and which plug size it uses.
Tip: Check the piano's headphone jack and plug size.
4. A Bluetooth MIDI adapter
This adapter connects a keyboard's MIDI port to an iPad or computer wirelessly for learning apps, notation and recording, which suits a player who uses piano apps. The CME WIDI Master is a Bluetooth MIDI adapter for 5-pin DIN MIDI ports. Check that the keyboard has a 5-pin MIDI port before you buy.
Tip: Check the keyboard has a 5-pin MIDI port.
5. A Bluetooth page-turner pedal
Players who read music from a tablet can turn pages with a foot pedal and keep both hands on the keys. The Donner wireless pedal is a rechargeable Bluetooth foot pedal for turning pages on tablets and phones. It suits a pianist who reads sheet music on a tablet. Check that their reading app supports a Bluetooth pedal.
Tip: Check their sheet music app supports a Bluetooth pedal.
6. A wind-up mechanical metronome
A wind-up pendulum metronome is easy to see from the piano bench and needs no batteries, which suits piano students and teachers. Wittner's Taktell Piccolo, model 836, is a classic, compact version in black. It makes a lasting gift for a student's practice routine and looks good on the piano.
Tip: Check there is a flat, level spot for it on the piano.
7. A double-X keyboard stand
A sturdy double-X stand holds a digital piano steady at the right height, which suits a player with a new keyboard. The On-Stage KS7191 is a classic double-X keyboard stand. Check that the stand fits the width of the person's keyboard before you buy, and pair it with a bench.
Tip: Check the stand width against their keyboard.
Ideas 8 to 11
Comfort and care gifts for pianists
A light, a bench and cleaning gifts for the instrument and the player.
8. An adjustable padded keyboard bench
Sitting at the right height matters for technique, and an adjustable bench sets the height for each player in the house, which suits a family that shares one keyboard. The RockJam is an adjustable padded keyboard bench. Check that it fits the keyboard or piano it will sit at.
Tip: Check the seat height range suits the whole household.
9. A rechargeable piano light
A wide clip-on light covers the whole page of music without glare and recharges by USB, which suits a player who practices in the evening. The Glocusent is a rechargeable clip-on music stand and piano light, 11.2 inches wide. Check that the clip fits the person's music rest.
Tip: Check the clip fits their music rest.
10. A felt-style key cover
A soft fabric runner lies over the keys to keep dust off between practice sessions on an acoustic or digital piano, which suits a player who leaves the lid open. This Mooson cloth is a key cover for upright, grand and electric pianos, in dark blue. It is a small, low-cost gift.
Tip: Check the key cover length matches their keyboard.
11. A piano polish kit for high-gloss finishes
Cory's kit is made for high-gloss piano finishes, to clean off fingerprints and dust, so it suits the owner of a high-gloss acoustic piano. It is a piano cleaning and polishing kit. Check that the person's piano has a high-gloss finish before you buy, because the kit is made for that finish.
Tip: Check the piano has a high-gloss finish.
Ideas 12 to 14
Sheet music and books for pianists
Classical, jazz and reading gifts for serious players.
12. A Henle Urtext edition of Bach
Henle Urtext editions are the scholarly standard, with clean engraving and no editorial clutter, and Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier is music for a lifetime, so this suits a classical player. This is Part I, without fingering. Check whether the player prefers an edition with fingering marked.
Tip: Check whether they prefer fingering marked.
13. The Real Book, Volume 1
The Real Book is the jazz fake book of lead sheets with chords and melodies for hundreds of standards, and a player curious about jazz can spend years in it. This is Volume 1, sixth edition for C instruments. It suits a pianist learning jazz and wanting a standard to play from.
Tip: Check which edition they own so you do not duplicate it.
14. Piano Notes by Charles Rosen
Pianist and writer Charles Rosen explains how the piano works, how pianists practice and how recordings changed playing, which suits a serious player who loves reading about music. This paperback is Piano Notes: The World of the Pianist. It is a thoughtful read rather than an instruction book.
Tip: A good fit for a serious player, not a beginner.
Ideas 15 to 20
Learning gifts for piano students and fans
Method books and study tools for lessons, plus a gift for fans who do not play.
15. A complete music theory course
Alfred's Essentials of Music Theory covers notation, scales, chords and ear training in one spiral-bound book, which suits a player who wants to understand theory. The complete edition includes lessons and workbook pages; the CDs are not included. Check whether the player can access ear-training audio another way.
Tip: The CDs are not included; check how they will hear the audio.
16. A piano method for adult beginners
Faber's Adult Piano Adventures teaches reading and chords with songs adults recognize, and it moves at an adult pace, which suits an adult starting or returning to piano. This is the all-in-one Book 1 in spiral-bound format. Check that the player is a true beginner, since Book 1 starts at the beginning.
Tip: Check they are a true beginner, since this is Book 1.
17. A practice assignment book
A lesson notebook keeps the teacher's assignments and the student's practice log in one place, which suits kids and adults taking piano lessons. This Piano Adventures PracticeTime book is spiral-bound. It is a small, low-cost gift and a handy extra for a student with a weekly lesson.
Tip: Check they have a regular lesson before you buy.
18. Music note flash cards
Color-coded flash cards drill note names, symbols and key signatures in a few minutes a day, which suits a young student learning to read music. These Alfred's flash cards are made for beginning music students. Check the student's level, since they are meant for beginners.
Tip: Check the student's level; they are for beginners.
19. A wirebound manuscript notebook
Staff paper is for composing, arranging and writing down melodies before they are forgotten, which suits a player who composes or arranges. This Hal Leonard book is a 96-page wirebound notebook with 12 staves per page, and it lies flat on the music rest. It is a small, low-cost gift.
Tip: Pair it with a good pencil for a small gift set.
20. A wooden piano music box kit
This 3D wooden kit builds a small piano that works as a music box, which suits a piano lover's desk, whether or not they play. The ROBOTIME Magic Piano is a mechanical wooden puzzle kit that builds a playing piano music box, and the listing says it is for adults. Allow time to assemble it.
Tip: Allow time to build; the listing says it is for adults.
Frequently asked questions
What are good gifts for piano players?
Practical practice gear suits most pianists: a piano-style sustain pedal, closed-back headphones, a clip-on piano light or a mechanical metronome. Sheet music such as a Henle Urtext Bach or The Real Book suits classical and jazz players, and a method book helps beginners.
What are good gifts for pianists who read from a tablet?
A rechargeable Bluetooth page-turner pedal keeps both hands on the keys while turning pages on a tablet. A Bluetooth MIDI adapter helps connect a keyboard to apps and notation software. Check that the player's reading app supports a Bluetooth pedal.
What are good gifts for kids who play piano?
Young students like a practice assignment book, Alfred's color-coded note flash cards or a music theory workbook. An adjustable bench helps a family that shares one keyboard. Check the child's level and whether a teacher uses a particular method book before you buy.
What are good Christmas gifts for piano players?
Stocking-sized ideas are a key cover, a manuscript notebook or a practice assignment book. Bigger gifts include a sustain pedal, a clip-on light or a metronome. A digital piano is the splurge for a student who needs a real practice instrument.
What are good gifts for piano lovers who do not play?
A wooden piano music box kit builds a small playing piano for the desk, and the listing says it is for adults. A book such as Piano Notes by Charles Rosen suits fans who enjoy reading about the instrument and the life of the pianist.
