FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How/where do I rent/buy an instrument?
The BEST place to rent/buy an instrument is from a local music store! These stores specialize in musical instruments and have trained staff to sell and repair instruments. They are also familiar with renting instruments out to students, therefore the rental process is generally simple and painless. I’ve seen rental instruments for as little as $20/month, so the cost is minimal, as well. For a list of local music stores, please visit the Music Stores page.
Buying an instrument online is NOT RECOMMENDED. See below.
Why is buying an instrument online NOT recommended?
Instruments found on online retailers such as Amazon, eBay, Facebook Marketplace, etc. are extremely unreliable in quality. Instruments from Amazon are factory-made from cheap materials. Oftentimes, the measurements and angles for the instrument are off, leaving the instrument to be unplayable. Another issue these off-kilter measurements cause is that the instrument will never stay in tune. Within minutes of tuning, the pegs will slip and either I or your child will have to spend the entire class, every day, re-tuning their instrument (which basically makes it unplayable). And occasionally, instruments from Amazon will show up completely unassembled...
As for second-hand sites like Facebook Marketplace or eBay, you never know what you’re going to get if you buy a used instrument (kinda like if you get furniture off there, you never really know if it has bugs…….until it’s too late).
How do I know what size instrument to get?
Make sure to bring your child to the music store when going to rent the instrument! The staff at the store will be able to take specific measurements of your child to get the correct size instrument.
If you are borrowing a school instrument, I will do the measuring :)
What should an instrument come with?
Every instrument “outfit” should come with the instrument, bow, & case at the bare minimum. Some stores may also include a cleaning cloth and rosin as part of their package, but this varies by store.
Where do I buy music books and other musical supplies?
If your local music store does not have the correct books/supplies in stock, I recommend you look at one (or both) of these websites: www.sharmusic.com & www.swstrings.com
These are string-specialty stores and are two of my favorite online retailers to buy strings supplies from. Shar has free shipping on orders over $35 and Southwest Strings has free shipping on orders over $15 (and Southwest Strings is in Tucson, so their shipping is pretty quick, too!!).
What is rosin?
Rosin is actually tree sap! Rosin goes on the hair of the bow to enable it to grip the strings of our instruments, which then creates sound. If you get your instrument and the bow doesn’t make sound, don’t worry--I’ll teach students how to use the rosin.
What is a shoulder rest? Does my child really need one?
A shoulder rest is a small, usually plastic padded with foam accessory that helps violinists and violists hold up their instrument. Without the help of a shoulder rest, playing violin/viola is very difficult and uncomfortable, since there is no cushion for the instrument (and it requires the player to support the instrument using only their bicep). Young/new players, especially children, will find playing with a shoulder significantly easier and more enjoyable, and are less likely to quit the instrument due to physical discomfort. So yes, your child must have a shoulder rest :)
If your question was not answered here, please contact Mrs. Tanaka at: alparks@pvschools.net