Progressing in our violin-learning journey, we often find ourselves needing a little more in the way of supporting materials, be they exercise books, étude anthologies, or just some good new strings to give our instruments a new ‘breath’. Here’s a slowly growing list of merchants I’ve had positive experiences with over the years, and in this very special part of the world where not all mega-online-retailers manage to ship things to :) ENJOY!
1) For books / music scores: SHEET MUSIC PLUS
This is a US-based sheet music source for the serious learner. They stock all kinds of method books and prints of the most-used classics such as collections of the Bach Solo Violin Partitas, Beethoven Piano Sonatas, etc. A fantastic resource offering great prices, and even with low-cost shipping (considering that much of their printed material comes from the US! I don’t remember which postage company they use, but what I do remember is always getting a knock on the door and having everything I order from them hand-delivered, with SMS-updates and all… even during COVID times, so this is certainly a service we can all appreciate! Just remember to wash your hands after you’ve removed and discarded the packaging :)
The link HERE will bring you to a credit-based referral system where a small amount of what you spend ends up in my account too, without affecting your final payment in any way, so that I can continue looking for amazing violin projects for all of you!!
Build your musical library over the years and enjoy the fruits of your labour!
2) For violin accessories: THOMANN and GEAR 4 MUSIC
These are two German- and UK-based online shops that offer a huge (and I mean, HUGE!) selection of all things you could possibly think of needing for your violin.. and perhaps even your violin itself! Although I really do not recommend buying a stringed instrument as sensitive as the violin from an online source without being able to try several variants of the same model and then being able to choose your favourite, I do appreciate the choices of accessories these two websites offer in the way of cleaning cloths, case/instrument humidifiers, and all that find stuff. Heck, you might even find an electrical adaptor for your Italian pizza oven!! Just saying :) They each have a slightly different selection of specific models of everything, so give them both a look! Thomann and Gear 4 Music links here :)
3) For Strings, and quickly: Violin-shop.ch
A ‘local’ Lucerne-based business, they offer local shipping charges and timings (YAY!) and strings and accessories at reasonable prices. Who knew?! I stumbled upon their online shop looking for a very specific Corelli E-string upon recommendation by someone else, and my first searches led me only to faraway shops based in other continents, and the necessity for bulk-orders and exaggerated shipping prices. And then I found this little corner, which not only had the strings, but also allowed me to order just a few to try them out before developing a taste for them :) But nevermind my Corelli adventure, here’s a direct link to the strings we have always loved - the Dominant strings for G, D and A. A word to the wise - whenever possible, spend a little more on the Silver-mounted G and D strings… your violin will thank you later. Also, as a general rule, we steer clear of the Dominant E strings, so enter the Corelli E strings (Crystal was good for a while, but I highly recommend using the Alliance model now, for its sweet richness).
Aaaand that’s it for now! Hope you find this list of shops helpful for the next time you need a learning / accessory upgrade, and leave a comment here to help others hear about your own experiences, too!
In the meantime, stay safe everyone, and HAPPY PRACTISING!!!!
X.O.
