The season for giving is upon us, and many folks out there have a musician in their life. Indie musicians, frankly, need all the support they can get. So, if you need to shop for an indie artist during the holidays, make it something that will help further their career.

We’ve got a few ideas, if you’re looking for the perfect gift.

Three Great Gifts For A Musician In Your Life

1 – An iPad

Sorry, Android fans. When it comes to making music on the go, iOS is really the only choice. iPads are becoming the new indispensable tool for artists trying to make it on a budget. It can be an all-in-one portable music studio just using Apple’s free software. Plus, the range of musical apps that can be linked together through AudioBus for data-sharing is astounding.

For that special musician in your life, there’s probably no better gift you could give.

2 – Music Lessons

It might be a little hard to broach this one, but it’s a “you’ll thank me later” situation. Even top-caliber artists will go back to school, or hire personal trainers, just to keep pushing their music skills further. The (former) lead soprano of the operatic metal band Nightwish even studied at a prestigious German conservatory for awhile after her band made it big.

The majority of indie artists these days are largely self-trained, or maybe were in the high school band. In terms of long-term musical development, a year of actual lessons under a certified instructor will do plenty of good.

3 – New Fans

This one’s a little outside the giftbox, but think about it. What if, rather than buying something for your artist directly, you spent the money putting their album in front of more people? If they pick up even a single new fan, there could be big long-term payouts. Plus, CDs (or even download codes) make excellent stocking-stuffers.

After all, there are few things any musician wants more than gaining additional fans. So give ’em what they really want!

What was your favorite music-related gift?