We’ve aware that curating a “Best Gifts for Musicians” guide is a bit like creating a list such as “Best Food for All Humanity.” But there’s a method to our musical madness. Our other gift guides are curated for specific players—Best Gifts for Beginner Guitarists, Best Gifts for Guitarists, Best Gifts for Beginner Drummers, Best Gifts for Drummers, Best Gifts for Bassists, Best Gifts for Music Producers—but there are potential presents that speak to the more global community of “people who love living, breathing and performing music.” So, if you’ve scanned the other gift guides and didn’t quite find the perfect present—hey, here’s another chance at making your favorite musician smile with gratitude.
Pictured: Arturia MiniLab 3 Hybrid Keyboard Controller in White
Table of Contents
Top Home Studio Gifts for Musicians
Best Microphones to Give a Musician
Best Keyboards and Controllers to Gift Musicians
Portable Presents for Musicians
Top Pedals Accessories for Giving Musicians
Don’t Forget Our Gift Cards
Top Home Studio Gifts for Musicians
PreSonus AudioBox 96k Complete Bundle
Why We Chose It: It’s one of the top-selling, totally complete home-studio rigs.
Things to Consider: Includes trial subscription to Studio One DAW.
At some point, most musicians advance from players who just want to play to players who want to record their own tracks. When that happens, the PreSonus AudioBox 96k Complete Bundle offers a musician everything they need—besides a Mac or PC—to set up a home studio and start doing sessions as soon as they open the box. The PreSonus bundle includes a six month subscription to their DAW, Studio One), a high-quality cardioid condenser microphone (with XLR cable and pouch), HD7 headphones and Eris 3.5” 2nd-gen studio monitors.
Shop Now: PreSonus AudioBox 96k Complete Bundle
Explore More: Make sure you have the right rig for your home studio by reviewing How to Choose the Best Audio Interface. You can also learn How to Choose the Best Home Recording Gear.
KRK ROKIT 5 Generation Five Powered Studio Monitor 5"
Why We Chose It: Compact, best-selling, precision monitoring for home studios.
Things to Consider: KRK app offers space-specific audio optimization with an acoustic real-time room analyzer.
Shop Now: KRK ROKIT 5 Generation Five Powered Studio Monitor 5"
In most home studios, the “control room” where critical listening decisions are made is typically not the acoustically treated, sonically neutral space found in big, professional facilities. Instead, a personal studio is usually perched atop a desktop in a bedroom, dining room or other area, making near-field monitoring (speakers positioned close to the listener to reduce room reflections and improve accuracy) vital. Gifting your musician with the KRK ROKIT 5 ensures precise audio reproduction with small-form, 5" woofer-loaded enclosures that don’t devour precious desktop space. In addition, 25 built-in graphic EQ presets help your home-studio musician tune the ROKIT 5s to whatever room—or rooms—they work in.
Explore More: Check out additional monitors at various sizes to best match a studio space.
Mogami Gold Neglex Quad Microphone Cable
Why We Chose It: Premium studio cable ensures signal clarity and low noise.
Things to Consider: Oxygen-free copper wire for excellent conductivity with minimal signal loss.
Shop Now: Mogami Gold Neglex Quad Microphone Cable
Microphone cables obviously connect mics (and other devices) to an audio interface and recorder, but perhaps not-so-obvious to some is that cable quality does affect sonic integrity. In other words, musicians shouldn’t mess around with cut-rate cables for critical vocal tracks. The Mogami Gold Neglex Quad is a premium XLR cable manufactured by a recognized, 60-year innovator in audio technology and high-end sound. Giving your musician a Mogami Gold Neglex Quad cable will help them capture truly pristine vocal recordings.
Explore More: Learn everything you need to know about cables.
Sennheiser HD 280 Pro Closed-Back Headphones
Why We Chose It: Comfy and transparent cans for recording, mixing and just kicking back to listen to music.
Things to Consider: Fantastic isolation with 32dB of ambient noise rejection.
Shop Now: Sennheiser HD 280 Pro Closed-Back Headphones
Good-quality headphones with enough sonic isolation to minimize environmental distractions are critical for recording, mixing and DJing. Gifting your musician with a set of Sennheiser HD 280 Pro closed-back headphones ensures they can make creative assessments with confidence, due to the HD 280 Pro’s precision audio reproduction and excellent noise isolation. Plus, the collapsible design makes for neat and easy transport to a DJ gig or studio session.
Explore More: Learn about other studio headphones and DJ headphones.
Best Microphones to Give a Musician
RODE NT1 5th Generation
Why We Chose It: A best-selling mic from a renowned brand.
Things to Consider: World’s first 32-bit float digital output on a microphone. Comes with custom shockmount and pop filter.
Shop Now: Rode NT1 5th Generation Condenser Microphone
Home-studio musicians can seldom outfit their creative space with the large and varied mic collections of big, commercial recording facilities. But they can build their studio around one awesome, multi-purpose microphone that can capture vocals, guitar amps, acoustic guitars, percussion and more with exquisite clarity. The RODE NT1 5th Generation large-diaphragm condenser microphone is a supreme multitasker with surprising range. It’s not simply an excellent mic—it also includes a built-in interface with a Revolution Preamp and USB digital output. There’s more. Onboard DSP provides compression, noise gating, Aural Exciter, Big Bottom and more from APHEX—a trusted name in pro-audio processing for 40 years. Perhaps the biggest workflow advantage is the NT1 5th Generation’s 32-bit float digital output virtually guarantees that even studio newbies with limited mic placement skills will not be able to make this microphone clip. Plop the NT1 in front of a kick drum, horn section or bellowing demon from hell, and it will handle earsplitting signals without distorting.
Explore More: Upgrade your mic knowledge by reading Essential Microphones for Professional Recording Studios.
Shure NXN8/C Nexadyne Dynamic Vocal Microphone
Why We Chose It: Performing vocalists (and their FOH engineer) will love the detail this handheld cardioid mic captures.
Things to Consider: Powered by Shure’s Revonic dual-engine transducer technology for optimal sonic performance.
Shop Now: Shure NXN8/C Nexadyne Vocal Dynamic Microphone
If the vocalist in your life is picky about their sound, the Shure NXN8/C Nexadyne dynamic mic might be the solution they’ve been seeking. With its focused, linear cardioid polar pattern and calibrated twin-transducer design, vocal reproduction is crisp, clear and natural. Those all-important midrange and high-end frequencies shine to enhance overall intelligibility for audiences. The Nexadyne 8/C also boasts Shure’s famous indestructability with its dent-resistant metal grille, and the full package contains a protective zipper pouch alongside a mic clip and stand adapter.
Explore More: We have a comprehensive guide to microphones for live vocals.
Best Keyboards and Controllers to Gift Musicians
Arturia MiniLab 3 Hybrid Keyboard Controller
Why We Chose It: The MiniLab 3 is a compact studio centerpiece with an intuitive workflow for uninhibited creativity.
Things to Consider: 25 velocity-sensitive keys, two banks of eight pressure-sensitive pads and a pair of capacitive touch sensors for pitch bending and modulation.
Shop Now: Arturia MiniLab 3 Hybrid Keyboard Controller in White
Arturia’s MiniLab 3 MIDI controller facilitates communication between a musician’s head and hands, and their recording program. This compact, plug-and-play unit integrates with a slew of major DAWs, instantly mapping hardware controls to software functions to soothe any workflow friction. MiniLab isn’t just a utilitarian device, though—it’s likewise a creative partner, capturing the nuance and “humanity” of every performance through its expressive keybed and sample pads, from groovy synth bass lines to dynamic drum patterns. Comprised of at least 50% recycled plastic, Arturia MiniLab 3 is also sustainably produced and built incredibly tough.
Explore More: Find the perfect keyboard controller for your style and needs.
Akai Professional MPC One+
Why We Chose It: For electronic musicians, this is a one-stop production powerhouse.
Things to Consider: Built-in Wi-Fi/Bluetooth enables Splice integration, seamless software updates and more.
Shop Now: Akai Professional MPC ONE+ Standalone Music Production Center
Akai Professional’s MPC One+ is a gateway into the MPC world. While more compact and budget-friendly than other MPC models, the MPC One+ doesn’t cut any corners where it counts: workflow. Its sampling and arranging capabilities are top tier, allowing producers to play virtual instruments, chop samples, sequence up to 128 tracks and build out complete songs without ever leaving the unit itself. This is one of those studio tools that could totally revolutionize the way a musician creates.
Explore More: Take a deep dive into the full MPC range or brush up on your MPC history.
Portable Presents for Musicians
Audio-Technica AT-SP65XBT Portable Bluetooth Speaker
Why We Chose It: Bluetooth speakers bring high-quality sound anywhere.
Things to Consider: Hands-free calling buttons built into the speaker, along with a dedicated internal mic for speakerphone.
Shop Now: Audio-Technica AT-SP65XBT Portable Bluetooth Speaker
The Audio-Technica AT-SP65XBT is an on-the-go Bluetooth speaker equipped with two 3" drivers covering a frequency spectrum of 90Hz–18kHz. Additionally, there’s a passive radiator that reinforces lower-end power for punchy bass from an ultraportable package. It’s ideal for entertaining and casual listening, but sometimes folks underestimate how great Bluetooth speakers can be for quickly checking mixes or showing bandmates ideas at practice. Should they choose, musicians can connect to their laptop and produce without being tethered to studio monitors or totally reliant on headphones, too.
Explore More: Check out our complete assortment of Bluetooth speakers.
Positive Grid Spark GO 5W Battery-Powered Combo Amplifier
Why We Chose It: Tons of tones for rehearsing, creating and having fun.
Things to Consider: Built-in Smart Jam generates AI-powered backing tracks for realistic personal jamming and practicing.
Shop Now: Positive Grid Spark GO 5W Battery-Powered Combo Amplifier
The Positive Grid Spark series of digital amps has transformed guitar tone and editing capabilities for personal practice, live performance and recording. The series has been well reviewed by Guitar Player, Guitar World, Guitar.com, Sound On Sound and other music media. We picked the Positive Grid Spark GO, because it’s an extremely portable personal amp with a rechargeable battery (eight hours of battery life per charge) and more than 50,000 tones available via the company’s ToneCloud app. The immersive experience through headphones is astounding, and Spark GO also offers AI-generated backing tracks you can jam to, learning tools (such as Auto Chords, which analyzes songs from Spotify and Apple Music to create chord charts) and a video capture feature that lets you post content online. The list goes on. Spark GO can act as an audio interface for recording, deploy its 5-watt amp and speaker for working out songs with band mates, and even be used as a guitar preamp through powered Full Range Flat Response (FRFR) speaker to play big shows.
Explore More: Dig petite powerhouses? Check out How to Choose the Best Small Guitar Amplifier.
Zoom H1essential 32-Bit Float Stereo Recorder
Why We Chose It: High-quality recorder for documenting gigs, rehearsals, songwriting sessions and more.
Things to Consider: Records at ultra-clear digital resolution of 32-bit float.
Shop Now: Zoom H1essential 32-Bit Float Stereo Recorder
Musicians have used portable digital recorders to document songwriting ideas, band rehearsals and cool environmental sounds (to later craft into unique samples) for quite a while. But we’re thinking most of those devices didn’t reach the exceptional digital resolution of 32-bit float offered by the Zoom H1essential. Audio quality aside—it’s stunning, by the way—32-bit float delivers massive dynamic range, which means you can use the Zoom H1essential to record something as excruciatingly loud as an industrial act banging on metal pipes and taking chain saws to anvils without any concern the audio will clip or otherwise distort. This is an opportunity to give your musician a truly a no-fear stereo recorder.
Explore More: Get tips on how to use portable recorders in Five Ways to Record Your Next Gig.
Top Pedals and Accessories for Giving Musicians
Line 6 HX One Multi-Effects Pedal
Why We Chose It: It’s a top-selling and extremely versatile stompbox filled to the brim with sound manipulators to explore.
Things to Consider: 269 onboard effects and 128 presets.
Shop Now: Line 6 HX One Stereo Multi-Effects Pedal
Warbling rotary. Watery phaser. Whooshing flanger. Reverb, delay, overdrive, tremolo, pitch shifting, modulation and more—the Line 6 HX One multi-effects pedal is a true Swiss Army knife. No bigger than the average stomp but with hundreds more tonal possibilities, lauded HX Modeling technology is behind every effect, ensuring authentic, component-level emulation of timeless hardware along with pristine sound quality. This is the perfect gift for the pedal fiend in your life, namely because it fills any gap in their existing effects ensemble—that, and it’s a ton of fun to audition so many inspiring tone shapers.
Explore More: Consolidate your rig with the best multi-effects processors around.
Pluginz Fender Jack Rack Key Holder
Why We Chose It: Misplaced keys can be a thing of the past.
Things to Consider: Four instrument cable-style keychains.
Shop Now: Pluginz Fender Jack Rack Key Holder
When they’re preoccupied with their next song idea, many musicians appreciate a little organizational assistance. The Fender Jack Rack by Pluginz is a wall-mountable key holder styled after timeless tube amps, featuring four “inputs” and heavy-duty, 1/4" connector keychains. Everything from the vinyl wrap to the grille cloth to the mini handle feels like a real-deal amplifier. With this, the musician in your life will always find the right “key.”
Explore More: Shop the rest of our lifestyle collection.
Hercules GSP38WBK PLUS Auto-Swivel Yoke Wall Mount Guitar Hanger
Why We Chose It: It’s a secure way to mount—and show off—your instruments so they are always at the ready for practice, recording, songwriting and playing.
Things to Consider: AutoSwivel yoke automatically adjusts to different neck widths.
Shop Now: Hercules GSP38WBK PLUS Auto-Swivel Yoke Wall Mount Guitar Hanger
For a lot of musicians, storing guitars, basses, ukuleles, banjos, mandolins and other acoustic and electronic instruments at home typically means leaving them in their cases. While that strategy will prevent a playful Golden Retriever from trampling an uncased instrument, it also makes it a significant hassle to grab the right case and retrieve, say, a favorite Les Paul every time a musician wants to practice, write a song, record a track, or just play around. The Hercules GSP38WBK PLUS Auto Swivel Yoke wall-mount guitar hanger gets an instrument out of hiding and displayed like a work of wall art, which also makes it much easier to grab and play.
KORG TM-70T Combo Tuner/Metronome
Why We Chose It: Top-selling double-duty device for essential tuning and timekeeping applications.
Things to Consider: Generously sized LCD. Built-in mic for tuning acoustic instruments.
Shop Now: KORG TM-70 Tuner/Metronome Black
Two things every musician needs to master are how to play in tune and how to play in time. The KORG TM-70T Combo Tuner/Metronome helps with both. For tuning, the large LCD needle meter ensures quick response times so you can spot pitch variations as you play. To keep your grooves tight, the metronome produces a clear tone across a wide tempo range. You can set tempos with buttons or use the handy tap tempo feature. Both the tuner and metronome can be used simultaneously, and the ultra-portable TM-70T is smaller than most cell phones.
Explore More: Good with tempo, but want to see more tuners? Take a peek at How to Choose the Best Guitar Pedal Tuner.
Don’t Forget Our Gift Cards
Pictured: Positive Grid Spark GO 5W Battery-Powered Combo Amplifier
If the search for the right gift is getting fatiguing, keep in mind you can take a break and still give your musician an awesome gift by providing them the means to choose their own perfect present with a Guitar Center Gift Card.