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Monday, 30 April 2018

Amplifier Maintenance and Other Things Covered with Insurance for Retailers



An amplifier is the lifeline of a good sound design. As a music retailer, it is obvious that you have a wide range of amplifiers, ready to go on sale. However, not everyday does an amplifier get sold; so, you need to keep the stock at your shop in perfect condition. The only way to do that would be go through amplifier maintenance on a regular basis. Here are a few things that should help you with maintaining it to the perfection.

Keeping the power controlled
It is important to keep the power of your amplifier in check. You should first lower the master volume a bit, before completely turning it off. In case you are using a tube amplifier, you should opt for the standby button on the amplifier, before you shut down the amplifier completely. The reason being the tone juice along the tube of the amplifier requires some time to heat up and cool down. So, you should give at least 3-5 mins to the tube to cool off, before you switch off so that it is in good condition. This should be done regularly so that the amplifier does not attract too drastic changes in the power conditions.

Check the earthing
When you are using the amplifier, either to check if it is working or to show it to a customer, make sure you use the plug points that are well earthed. If there is an issue along the earthing line, the amplifier may not take it too well. It can get damaged in the process. You should be careful when selling the amplifiers, and make sure you mention these to the buyer so that they can maintain it as well as you have.

The connectivity issues
At the end of the day, you want to make sure your amplifier connects with the instrument perfectly. The perfect connection ensures there is no noise coming out of the instrument. The best way to do it would be to check the input and output ports and make sure all the connections are perfect.

Care for the knob
In other words, you will need to check the knob settings and make sure the knob is working properly. Before you go ahead and switch on the knob, make sure you have set it to the standards mentioned. This would help you maintain the knob and the amplifier. The undesirable feedback can also be avoided in this case.

If your amplifier has been sitting in the corner of the shop for a while, then you should check the knob first. They tend to get rusty and this could be a possible loss for you. It is important to keep a check on the amplifier and clean it with a soft cloth on a regular basis.

It is important to invest in insurance for retailers, as that will help you survive the losses that come despite having maintained the instruments and the audio gear well for a fairly long time. you should check the ideal providers and their experience before booking them.

Monday, 23 April 2018

Tips to Consider When Choosing Your First Woodwinds Instrument



Woodwinds is a highly diversified and interesting instrument family. Right from single reed woodwind instruments to no reed instruments, you have a variety to choose from. They are instruments that are classified under the popular as well as classical music categories. High pitched, an absolute favourite in the orchestra, and something that you should ideally learn through your tender age, the woodwind instrument is by far the most favoured family.

Choosing the right Woodwind instrument for your musical love takes a bit of homework, and understanding of the kind of music you want to learn to play. Whether you are a parent picking the instrument for your child or a beginner yourself, you need to make sure you get these tips right to help choose the ideal Woodwinds instrument.

The size of the player
If the Woodwinds instrument does not fit your hand, you won't be able to play it properly. That's why you need to consider a combination of both size of the player and the instrument before purchasing your next Woodwind instrument. You generally tend to begin with Flute, Saxophone or Clarinet in the Woodwind family. While they are fit for the ages 10 through 12, they can have their own issues. For instance, if the player's hand is too small to reach the tone hole in the beginner clarinet, they won't be able to play comfortably. The clarinet would make a lot of squeaky sounds in that case. The comfortable hold is also important, which is possible only when the player's hand is of the right size.

The comfort in the teeth
The students who are planning to play the Clarinet should have adult teeth along the front side. The missing teeth along the front side can cause discomfort while playing the instrument. Even braces are not too convenient for the woodwind instrument players. This can cause slight discomfort and even pain while you are playing.

The level of concentration
If a kid aged between 10 to 12 is playing the instrument, there is the major challenge of concentration. There are chances they tend to get distracted while continuing with their lessons. The ideal instruments for this age group would be Flute, Clarinet and Alto Saxophone. The kids can easily play them for 10-20 mins without supervision. Oboe and Bassoon require high levels of concentration and focus.

The choice of woodwind insurance
Along with choosing the right woodwind, you need to make sure you have identified ways to maintain it and keep it safe and secure. That's precisely why you need to choose a good woodwinds insurance. Here are some of the ways in which you can choose a good insurance to suit your needs
  • Get a providers list for the woodwind insurance needs. You can either go online or offline with your hunt. The best choices would be the ones that offer customized solutions
  • Once you are ready with the insurance providers, start checking their background, their expertise, and how good they are with the solution you need
  • Finally, check the budget that you would need to keep aside for the insurance.