Making the most of musical instruments gives a musician an edge in the musical industry. It shows that the musician is serious about his profession and views instrument playing as much more than a mere hobby.

When it comes to playing band instruments or orchestral instruments there are several areas a musician might want to consider. Maximize your professional potential by:

1. Making the most of musical instruments by learning about the backgrounds of the instruments;

2. Choosing musical instruments and musical instrument accessories that fit your individualized talents;

3. And looking at retail stores as having more than musical instruments for sale.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Learn where you fit in the musical instrument business by understanding instrumental classification

In this world there is a wide variety of musical instruments: guitar, percussion musical instruments, string musical instruments such as the violin, brass instruments and more. Understanding where the instrument of your choice lies helps you determine what your musical needs are.

I recommend: Learn about musical instrument classifications through websites like Connexions. This explains in detail different ways to classify instruments and offers links to finding out more. The Virginia Tech Department of Music offers musicians a comprehensive chart showing classifications of musical instruments. It also offers quizzes for testing your knowledge of musical instrument identification.

Practice with musical instruments to make sure you like them before you take formal lessons

Learn how to play musical instruments and use musical instrument accessories with a few simple lessons from a DVD or on the Internet to determine whether or not you want to take formal lessons. While formal lessons are essential to the growth of a musician, they are costly and you want to ensure that you are pursuing the correct instrument match for your talents.

I recommend: Yamahamusicsoft.com recommends a number of instructional DVDs and Videos that teach beginning musicians the basics of instrument playing. It offers instructional material for piano, guitar, drums and more. World Wide Learn offers a number of lessons, tutorials and music courses you can take online. From keyboard to guitar chords, learn your instrument from the comfort of your own home.

Use valuable resources for musical instruments offered by local music teachers

Many musical instruments retailers offer lessons and even provide space for bands to practice. Some hold performance nights so artists can share their talents with other music enthusiasts. Most local areas also have music professionals ready to teach more students on an individual or group lesson basis in stores, at students' homes or from their own homes.

I recommend: New School of Music offers an easy-to-use online resource for musicians looking for qualified teachers. Click on your state and find teachers in your area. Find Piano Lessons has a database for students interested in the piano. Its state-by-state listing offers teacher recommendations as well as a link offering you the opportunity to seek specific information on teachers in your area.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Buy musical instruments from retailers who offer instrument maintenance plans. Small dents or dings can change the sound or quality of your instrument, and most plans include the repair of your instrument.
• •  Used musical instruments cost less than new and often come with warranties from the vendor.

If part of what you do involves music, you may be looking for musical instruments for your business. Just like any commodity or kind of goods, musical instruments are for sale online so stocking your music store or outfitting your high school band is as easy as checking your email.

From strings to keys, from horns to drums and woodwinds, you can find what you need online in just a few easy clicks. Business leaders look for musical instruments for situations like these:

1. Band instruments as part of outfitting a learning facility in a high school, college or university or other educational centers like camps and conservatories.

2. Rehearsal or performance musical instruments In recording studios, recital rooms and concert halls.

3. For a theatrical or film production, where all kinds of musical instruments provide a backdrop for a play or movie.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get pianos and keyboard musical instruments

For some music buys, a piano may be the mainstay of your operation. You can find pianos online, either for play by experts or students, or as a backdrop in a commercial business area.

I recommend: Get diverse piano types, from traditional studios and grand to innovative digital types, at Kawai: "The Future of Piano." For other piano buys, try QRS Music Technologies, Inc. a distributor selling the Story and Clark line of grands, uprights along with piano equipment. Rick Jones is a major dealer in used pianos.

Get musical instruments, guitar or string-based

Whether acoustic or electric, guitars are popular for bands and in other musical scenarios, particularly where musicians move from one location to another. Find guitar and other string band instruments to provide roving sound.

I recommend: For a great variety of acoustic guitars from top manufacturer Martin, try Wild West Guitars. The online shop also sells a range of other guitars and strings. For an electric guitar setup, try the Alembic Club. This guitar maker offers sales of flashy colorful electric guitar models as well as customized guitars and musical instrument accessories.

Get drums, percussion instruments or woodwind musical instruments

For musical instruments for sale to round out an ensemble, you might want other instruments like drums or flutes and horns to provide a full musical sound in a performance venue or band activity. Find what you need from dedicated musical instrument stores online that routinely sell varieties of musical instruments and apparatus.

I recommend: For woodwind buys, get oboes, bassoons and more from Linton Woodwinds, Inc. If you need a diversity of instruments, try the Yamaha Corporation of America through its online store. They offer everything from full drum kits and percussion musical instruments to guitars, keyboards, strings and dozens of other musical instruments. Yamaha may be one of the best stops for a large and diverse musical instrument purchase.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Envision the ensemble as it will be when fully furnished. This is one of the best ways to buy musical instruments. Without a vision of the goal, you may find yourself confused by all of the choices offered. Consult musicians if possible to find best types and brands for use daily.

Playing musical instruments is a fun hobby for all ages, making dealing in musical instruments a lucrative business as well. Students buy band instruments to participate in school bands, and aspiring musicians buy musical instruments in the hopes of becoming stars. With the right training and education, you and your employees can provide a wide range of services for musical instruments. Guitar lessons and band instrument repair are just a couple of the services that you and your team can get trained in.

In order to successfully provide musical instruments for sale, some musical instruments education and training is necessary. To provide your customers with the best service, make sure to:

1. Get professional training to fully understand all of the musical instruments that you sell.

2. Join industry associations to keep your training up-to-date.

3. Get certified in musical instrument repair.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Learn the basics of musical instrument construction through professional workshops

As the owner of a musical instrument business, it's important to understand the instruments you sell. This will allow you to provide your customers with the right help for all of their musical instrument needs. Learn the basics about string musical instruments, brass and horns and percussion musical instruments through various industry specific workshops.

I recommend: Sign up for the Southern California Violin Maker's Workshop whether you want to learn the fine art of violin making or simply want to have a better grasp on the instruments that you sell. Attend the Technical Committee on Musical Acoustics' ASA Meeting to learn all about musical instrument acoustics.

Join industry associations to attend workshops and receive the latest musical instrument training

Musical instrument professional associations provide many useful workshops, newsletters and training sessions for musical instruments retailers and manufacturers.

I recommend: Join MITA International for the latest training and information concerning electronic musical instruments. Join the National Association of Music Merchants and attend the NAMM Show to learn about the newest musical instruments on the market.

Enroll in a musical instrument repair training program

It's important when selling new or used musical instruments to know how to troubleshoot instruments as well as musical instrument accessories. Problems can include slides or valves malfunctioning, tuning complications or the instrument simply not playing. There are several certification programs available to help you and your employees learn the ins and outs of instrument repair.

I recommend: Complete the band instrument repair programs at Renton Technical College or Western Iowa Tech Community College.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Take basic lessons in a wide variety of musical instruments so that your musical knowledge and understanding will be broader and allow you to help more customers.