The post Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month appeared first on Johnson String Instrument Blog ..read more

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Learning to play an instrument can be a transformative experience for children, fostering discipline, creativity, and a lifelong appreciation for music. However, there can come a time when students consider quitting. This can leave parents and music teachers scratching their heads, especially if students were previously making good progress. We want to explore some common reasons why kids quit music, offer advice about providing encouragement and setting expectations, and discuss how to help them get … Read more The post Help! My Child Wants to Quit Playing Their Instrument! appeared first on ..read more

You’ve probably heard the assertion that print media is dead, and while suggesting the industry’s early demise is a bit harsh, it’s true that digital media is winning out. As a result, libraries, news outlets, and publishers are hurrying to digitize their archives and include virtual counterparts in their current offerings. Unsurprisingly, the sheet music industry has also been impacted, with digital sheet music quickly becoming a favorite among people just learning to read music … Read more The post Digital vs. Printed Sheet Music appeared first on Johnson String Instrument Blog ..read more

When it comes to evoking emotions through music, the violin is in a class of its own. Renowned for its ability to mimic the human voice, its varied tonal range can be used to express a wide range of feelings from joy to sorrow, and everything in between. However, the deeper, darker tone and lower pitch of a violin can resemble sounds that humans use to express sadness in speech. This distinctive sound creates a … Read more The post Why Do Violins Sometimes Sound Sad? appeared first on Johnson String Instrument Blog ..read more

Departments of JSI has returned! This is a series that highlights the different people that work within our company. We’re able to run such a large business through the expertise of and collaboration between our different departments. Everyone has a skill that they utilize to accomplish everything from coordinating rental trips to selling instruments to repairing instruments to shipping things on time and safely. This series will help you get to know the variety of … Read more The post Departments of JSI: Shipping and Receiving appeared first on Johnson String Instrument B ..read more

These days, many music shops have instruments available for rental in addition to purchase. Johnson String Instrument is no exception. For most of our customers who pick up a new instrument, it makes more sense to buy a reasonably priced beginners violin. However, there are cases where renting a violin is a more prudent decision. Imagine, for example, that you have a child who is a middle school or high school student and would like … Read more The post How Long Should You Rent Your Violin? appeared first on Johnson String Instrument Blog ..read more

Until the past decade, traditional wood bows were the only options available to string musicians. This might indicate that wooden bows are superior to other types of bows; however, the prevalence of wood was actually due to the fact that for centuries it was the only usable material for bows. Pernambuco wood, or Brazilwood, in particular, was favored in bow making. But after first being discovered by Portuguese explorers in 1500, Pernambuco wood became highly … Read more The post The Benefits of Upgrading to a Carbon Fiber Violin Bow appeared first on Johnson String Instrument Blog ..read more

Are you struggling to decide on a New Year’s resolution? Perhaps you have already attempted the usual — getting in shape, reading more, spending more time with loved ones – with limited success, and want to try something new. If this sounds like you, learning an instrument for the new year might be just what you’re looking for. Whether you have always wanted to learn an instrument or are simply curious about picking up a … Read more The post Why Learning an Instrument is the Best New Year’s Resolution Ever appeared first on Johnson String Instrument Blog ..read more

For many cello, viola, and violin players, classical music has been their introduction to the orchestra. Music programs in schools often rely on the classics, no matter what type of music students are interested in. If you’re a string musician that grew up learning to play classical music, you may feel there’s little opportunity to start playing your favorite songs in different genres. However, there’s no reason why you can’t incorporate your cello, violin, or … Read more The post Forming Your Own Modern Rock Orchestra appeared first on Johnson String Instrument Blog ..read more