Are you looking for that perfect Christmas gift for the pianist in your life (or perhaps just a festive treat for yourself)? If space and budget don’t stretch to a Steinway Model D or a nice Fazioli, I’ve got some good ideas of Christmas gifts for pianists below. These should suit all budgets and prove to be instant hits!
Toys
There are a few great ‘toys’ that compliment the pianist’s practice room perfectly.
iPad
My starter for 10 is an iPad. Whilst a little pricey, is definitely what I think is almost a must have for any pianist these days. Mine pretty much lives on my piano and is used daily in a variety of ways.
I’ve used an iPad extensively ever since I came back to piano. I originally had a standard iPad 2 (which had a 9.7 inch screen) and I’m now on my second 12.9 inch iPad Pro – which these days you can even get on Amazon. Also, with an even newer generation of iPad just released, you can get great deals on slightly older models which still give we pianists everything we need!
The larger screen size is definitely better, but I never had any challenges with my smaller, earlier model and so the smaller screened models are still a great option.
The first thing to note is that the larger iPad is similar in size and shape to a book and so fits beautifully on the piano music stand (unlike a computer which is something of a pain to use). Equally, the additional screen size over that of a phone means that you’re able to read musical scores with no challenge. Moreover, you can basically carry your entire music collection around with you thanks to apps like ForScore.
Once you have this basic piece of equipment, it opens an entire online world to you. You can download almost any music pretty much instantaneously to it, play it, store it and organise it. You have access to lots of free online resources such as IMSLP (for sheet music), YouTube (imagine, being able to watch a master class by Sir Andras Shiff from the comfort of your sofa). There are Apps that allow you to use it as a metronome, a timer, a notebook, a video or audio recorder … the list goes on. Then don’t forget the social aspect of connecting with other pianists on platforms like Facebook, Reddit and Twitter – all easily accessible through Apps you can download for free. This post gives more information about what you can do with an iPad.
Apple Pencil
For those lucky enough to already have their iPad all set up to go, then there are a few extra things that might make good gifts.
The first is the Apple Pencil (again, available on Amazon). This is a real game changer in terms of being able to annotate scores (adding fingerings, teaching notes, pedal markings and the like). Mine now pretty much lives on the piano and gets used most days as part of my piano practice. forScore allows annotation without needing the Apple Pencil but this accessory makes things so much easier. You can then easily use your iPad as a notebook (lots of Apps for that) and writing with a pencil is just so much more comfortable. Make sure you get the right pencil version for your iPad of course!
Bluetooth Page Turners
Turning the pages when you’re practising or performing has always been a pain point for pianists – both hands are busy and needing to quickly turn the page is often a problem. Not to mention the number of times the page refuses to turn and flips backwards again.
This can become a thing of the past once you’re using digital copies of your music. Bluetooth page turners allow you to turn the page with a click of the foot. I’ve even seen these used by concert pianists in concert situations!
Microphones
Being able to record your playing and watch it back to really see how you’re doing is a well accepted game changer for any pianist. Back in the day, video recording yourself was not within the grasp of most people. However, these days, almost everybody has a smartphone of some description and these things allow us to get good quality video recording. The only downside is often the built in microphone which gives a muddy sounding result at best – which if you’re seriously trying to evaluate your playing isn’t really up to the mark.
However, it’s now possible to get plug and play microphones that go straight into your phone and improve the audio quality considerably. The big advantage to this type of microphone over others is that you don’t need to use your computer or any additional software or hardware. You simply plug the microphone into your phone and off you go. Of course, these work equally well with an iPad.
I highly recommend the Shure MV88 (which is iOS specific). You can read more about this microphone in this post.
For those Android users, then Shure also have an MV88+ which works with both. I now have both (as my upgraded iPad has a different connector).
Advanced Audio Recording
If the pianist in your life (or of course yourself) is looking for a significant step change in terms of home recording, then my recommendation would be the Zoom F6 recorder. Cutting a long story short, this allows us to use a new(er) audio format called 32-bit float which is an amazing advantage to the ‘one man (or woman) band’. Distorted and otherwise ruined audio are largely a thing of the past with this device. I wrote about my thought process in making this purchase in this article which you might find of interest.
Again, Amazon is a handy source for this.
To get the best from it, you’ll also need some microphones. I bought a matched pair of Rode NT5 microphones which I think are amazing value.
Software
The next thing are Apps. There are more Apps than I have space to mention here, so I’ll limit it to just a couple of ideas.
ForScore
I’d recommend the first must have App to be forScore. This is an incredible App for storing and managing sheet music – built with the musician in mind. There are lots of other PDF reader type Apps, however, these will always soon become limiting as they don’t present the range of functionality a musician will need to properly manage music. I now use it daily and aside the rare occasions where there is no digital version of something available (such as when I bought Melanie Spanswick’s Play It Again Piano book – more about this below).
Symphony Pro
Another great App is SymphonyPro. This is a very clever App that allows you to actually write music (rather than needing to manually use manuscript paper). It is amazingly powerful and is even capable of playing back from the notes you have inputted so you can check audibly for errors. For anybody who spends lots of time writing down music, it’s definitely a great investment.
These quality Apps of course aren’t free and this often puts us off from buying them. However, it’s Christmas so what better time to make the investment. An Apple Giftcard could well be an excellent option in these cases.
Books
There are some great books that any pianist will benefit from having on their bookshelf.
A great new book for 2020 was Rough Ideas by British Pianist Stephen Hough. It’s a fascinating read with lots of piano and other topics.
The Art of Piano Fingering
The first I’d recommend is one of the very few definitive resources on Piano Fingering. It’s the Art of Piano Fingering by Rami Bar Niv. I bought a copy earlier this year and it has proved itself to be a great investment. It’s comprehensive and well illustrated and covers everything from the very basic 5 finger position to trilling in double thirds!
This is one of those reference books that will last for years to come and still serve even advanced pianists. It’s also available in multiple languages! Rami also released his auto-biography this year that is a fascinating read – access all areas to the life of a professional pianist.
Practising the Piano
Another great set of reference materials are the Practicing the Piano eBook series by Graham Fitch. All in all there are four volumes – available on Amazon for instant download. These again are what I’d consider must have reference works for any serious learner. There is a wealth of information, tips and ideas of how to become much more effective at piano practice. Here’s a link to Book 1 of the series.
Graham also has a member site – www.practisingthepiano.org to which it’s possible to buy an annual subscription. This subscription gives access to the entire eBook series plus a wealth of additional material. I’m lucky enough to have the subscription and have enjoyed using it over the past two years!
Play it again piano
For those returning to the piano after a break, Melanie Spanswick has put together a great course. It’s set out over 3 books and entitled Play It Again Piano.
Going right back to the beginner stages there is Book 1
Picking up from early intermediate is Book 2
Book 3 is for the more advanced learner
I have Book 2 and have enormously enjoyed working my way through it. The advantage of using such a course is that you are exposed to a wider variety of music than you might choose for yourself. You can read my review here … or watch the video below.
The Piano – A History in 100 Pieces
Released this year, this amazing book goes through piano literature from the days just before the modern piano (JS Bach for example) to now. Each piece is lovingly described with ideas as to why it made the ‘100’. I’ve very much enjoyed reading it and also listening to each piece as I read the chapter on it.
Unlimited Reading and Listening
Finally, absolutely great value these days is streaming services and other subscription services. You’ll find these from a variety of provider such as Apple and Amazon – often available with a free trial.
For avid readers, there’s of course Kindle Unlimited.
For music, then take a look at Amazon Prime Music.
I hope these few ideas will give you inspiration if you were struggling to decide on the perfect Christmas gift (or Christmas treat for yourself).
In full disclosure, the Amazon links are affiliate links and I will receive a small commission on orders you make. This in no way changes the price paid by you and is a way you can support Tommy’s Piano Corner ‘for free’.
