Are you looking for a gift for a musician, a band member, or someone who simply enjoys music? Or perhaps you’re just curious about your favorite Melt artists’ wishlists? If so, then this is a guide for you!
If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that music can have a wide range of effects on us. It has the ability to turn a sad day into a good one, or to remind you of a certain place or person. Music can induce any feeling in anyone simply by the sound of a key being touched or a note being sung. Most everyone enjoys music… and then there are those who adore it.
Giving a present to someone who’s really passionate about music can be a bit challenging, but we’re here to help. I invited the Melt Records staff and artists to give their thoughts on the subject, so keep reading to find out what they had to say.
Time is a precious gift.
“Time and space to explore and discover creativity that might have gotten muddled throughout the busy year. As part timers slash volunteers, we rarely get such an opportunity to really be with ourselves and to hone the craft we’re passionate about. The holidays are one such opportunity we definitely don’t want to miss out on! “ -Dexter, Co-founder of Melt Records
“Peace of mind haha! We’ve been grinding for the whole year and I think it’s good to be able to use the Christmas break to rest and reset mentally and emotionally. We can always go back to the music grind in January the following year” -Cortz, Guitarist at Sunday Sunday
“Probably a one month staycation in a house or somewhere in a campsite purely for the purpose of recording an album, single, or for songwriting. Distraction is a musician’s number one enemy. Take that away and maybe you’ll hear their greatest work yet haha! “ – Keith Human
“Genuinely share his/her music and treat him/her to dinner. Musicians are very specific with gear. So I don’t think it’d be the best idea to surprise them with something you think they’d like. Also, all we ever want is recognition hehehe a like and share can go a long way. “
Sharing their music to the world.
“Premium Spotify Subscription because it connects musicians to the music of the world! Strings too will be awesome since music shops closed on holidays” – Francis from KRNA
“Buy their album/merch if available. Also vinyl, CD or cassette tape records sound like a nice idea to me! For a change! I also think records are great this time around since most of us got more time to just stay at home :)”
“It’s hard to answer, but I think it would be great if I could participate in a special live event for Christmas. Last year and this year, I didn’t have many opportunities to see live performances, so it would be especially nice to see my favorite musicians live.” – Ryuta Wachi of Still Dreams
You can never go wrong with gear!
“Gear comes to mind, definitely. because gear! Lol” – Brando Bartolome from Fathergore
“A musical instrument. the real question is why not? :)” – Arkyoo from Annalogue
“Bass guitar strings is a great idea! So I have extra” – Tatski, Bassist from Annalogue
“Music gear, vinyl, CDs, cassettes of favorite albums as well. Music gear can be hella expensive and it’d be a load off the our pockets. In this current Internet of Things world, it would be nice to actually own physical copies of the music we love.” –Crisanto Ontario from Soda Can Genie
“Something you’re sure they’ll use/need. Instrument cable, a pack of picks, a new capo, maybe even a new guitar strap. Or something more sentimental, like your favorite record or a playlist/mixtape. It’s always meaningful. Whether in terms or practicality or sentimental value. I don’t think you can go wrong with any of these.” – Kenanaiah Joseph Jo, bassist, co-songwriter & producer of UJU
“A new bass would be nice! ? I’ve been wanting a new bass for quite some time now but I wasn’t able to buy myself one since I don’t have the need for now because Covid happened and we couldn’t get any gigs” –Ryan of Peregrine PH
“For me, anything vocal related (mic pedal effects, or a microphone) Because it’s useful (especially during these days!)” –Debb Acebu, Vocalist from Honeydrop
For all guitarists out there!
“This is coming from a guitarist’s perspective but can be applied to bassists as well. I recently got myself a really small pedal tuner that’s worth P1,500 on Shopee (Doppler Distro). It’s called the Swiff C10 and it tracks as fast as the Korg Pitchblack. Highly recommended for very tight pedalboards and they’re smaller than the MIni Tuners from Korg and TC Electronic. Most tuners at this price range are terribly slow to track and not that precise. The C10 is a surprisingly capable tuner that can go alongside with the best of them at a fraction of the price while being able to free up some space on your pedalboard. I also recommend trying out Chicken Picks. They’re quite expensive for guitar picks (P500 a piece more or less) but they can last a couple of years (assuming you don’t lose them). They also don’t have the plastic flapping sound the most regular picks have and they have a more precise tone. Available at Guitar Pusher. Chicken Picks, while might not be for everyone, can elevate your playing experience. Also great for recording because it cleans up your picking and takes out the flubby tone.”
And there you have it: some gift suggestions directly from the lips of those who love music the most. Whichever the case may be, the best gift is still one given from the heart. Let us know if you have any further ideas to add to the mix and tag us on social media @meltrecordsph!