It’s time to start planning your back-to school to-do listagain! Music & Arts Centers would like to remind parents andstudents to think of their band and orchestra instrument needsalong with new pencils and notebooks. Renting musical instrumentscan translate into significant short- and long-term savings forparents.
Renting an instrument offers many benefits, including:
Low-Cost Option for Beginners or Multi-Instrument Families
Instrument rental provides an opportunity for children to learnon a quality, name brand instrument without a long-term financialcommitment– perfect for beginners who may not commit to playingan instrument. The affordable monthly rates provide additionalcost-savings for parents, particularly for parents who may haveseveral children who play instruments.
Selecting the Appropriate Instrument
For beginners (and their music directors), renting allowsstudents to try an instrument and exchange it if necessary. Forexample, a student may realize that he prefers the clarinet to thesaxophone, or a band director may notice that a student is bettersuited for one instrument rather than another. An instrumentexchange during the initial trial period can be easier and cheaperthan trying to return an instrument or having to purchase twoinstruments within a short timeframe.
Renting More Advanced Instruments
As a student’s musical abilities, interest, and personalcommitment increases, renting allows the young musician to move upto the purchase of a more advanced instrument at the intermediateor professional level. Examples of advanced instruments include anopen-hole, sterling silver flute or wooden clarinet, which may notbe appropriate for a beginning student. Often the rental creditcan be applied to this type of purchase.
“Growing” Instruments
This point is most relevant for students who play stringinstruments. Most rented string instruments can be exchanged forlarger-sized instruments any time as the child grows. Up to 100percent of the rental payments may apply toward the exchange.
Thinking of Purchasing an Instrument?
Once a student has demonstrated a high level of commitment toa musical instrument, many parents are more comfortable withmaking a long-term investment into te purchase of an instrument.Also, depending on when you make this decision, a portion of yourrental payments can sometimes be applied to the purchase of aninstrument.
Music & Arts Centers, one of the largest music retailers inthe country, offers a wide selection of musical instruments forpurchase or rent, music, accessories, and services coupled withfriendly and knowledgeable employees. The family-owned companyactively supports music education programs in schools andregularly conducts outreach programs with music educators, schoolmusic associations, parents, and students. For the past 50 years,Music & Arts Centers has grown from one store in Bethesda,Md., to a network of 50 stores in Maryland, Virginia,Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Colorado, Georgia, NorthCarolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, and over 100 affiliatedindependent dealers. For more information call 1-800-237-7760 orlog onto www.musicarts.com.
