Gift Ideas for the Not-So-Musically Talented

In another life, I could have been a rock god. Unfortunately, in this life, I was born without the necessary skills to survive in the music industry. This isn't to say that I am utterly devoid of any musical talent. It's just that my talents are best applied to a personal hobby rather than a world tour. Fortunately, I'm not along. There are many of us out there who long to fulfill a fantasy or even develop a talent in order to take it to the next level. Do you know someone who fits this description? Are you currently trying to find a great holiday gift for this person? If so, read on; you just may get a few great ideas from this article.

Video games are a great medium for simply fulfilling a fantasy. One of the most popular series right now is Guitar Hero. Luckily, one does not need to possess any skill with an actual guitar in order to enjoy this game. Using a guitar-shaped controller, the player(s) simply press buttons and hit the strum bar in order to play chords for popular songs. There are currently four different versions of this game, one of which is devoted entirely to music from the 1980s. You're bound to find one that features songs enjoyed by the intended gift recipient! A newer game, Rock Band, also looks promising. This game allows up to four players to enjoy the game simultaneously. Each player assumes the role of one band member; there are two guitarists, one drummer, and one vocalist. The players also have the ability to customize their individual characters to their liking. Performances can be streamed via the internet. They say that misery loves company; if so, perhaps the gift recipient has a few friends who would also like to indulge in the fantasy. Judging from the popularity of these games, you won't go wrong with a gift from this genre.

Karaoke is a lot of fun, even if you can't sing to save your life. I know that I can't. Fortunately, I've been able to spare myself a lot of public humiliation by limiting my karaoke performances to my own household. My spouse, daughter, and cat all love me too much to care that the neighbors might start throwing rotten vegetables in our general direction. I hope. Anyway, one of the most popular series in this genre is Karaoke Revolution. Singstar is the newest member of this group; its popularity continues to grow. Either series works just fine. Personally, I own games from both series. The only thing that I've noticed is that it's easier for a guy to find a suitable karaoke song on one of the Singstar games; many of the Karaoke Revolution games seem to cater to female vocalists, or even eunuchs. I know that I sure can't sing along with Britney Spears. When selecting one of these games, just make sure that the microphone accessory will work with whichever game that you select. Not all of the microphones on the market will work with every karaoke game. If you're in doubt, just ask a sales associate for assistance.

If the intended recipient has a good sense of humor, you could always take the plunge and arrange for some music lessons. Hey, I'd love it if someone would buy me some guitar lessons; I'm so rusty that I could definitely use the instruction. Check around your local music shops for flyers or advertisements concerning the lesson(s) of interest. You can sometimes find great deals on the bulletin boards of local music shops. I suppose you could think of this gesture as making the recipient's fantasy more of a reality. Who knows, maybe you'll see them on MTV one day. All thanks to those music lessons that you so thoughtfully provided! Hopefully that will earn you some royalties or appreciation.

Although I've inserted my strange sense of humor into much of this article, I genuinely believe that these gifts would be greatly appreciated by any musically inclined individual- regardless of their talent level. If nothing else, these gifts could offer the receiver something other than musical ability. A video game could improve their hand-eye coordination and overall reaction speed. Music lessons could enable them to become more dedicated and disciplined individuals. Whatever you choose, it's the thought that counts. As long as you've selected a gift that is tailored to the receiver's desires, it's bound to be a hit. Happy shopping!