New in Print Music: June and July 2018
West Music strives to bring you timely updates on new products as they come into the market such as Artie Almeida's Woods, Metals, Sakers, Skins. We are excited to provide timely information about new print materials on a regular basis to keep you up to...
Starting a Ukulele Program in Your Classroom: Part 5 of 6
How Can I Store My Ukuleles? Classrooms come in a wide variety of sizes as well as the amount of available ukulele storage - or lack thereof. There are many options for you to choose the best solution for your scenario while sticking to your budget. You may discover...
What Is A CodaBow Carbon Fiber Bow?
CodaBow is the original carbon fiber bow. Formed in the 1990’s by an aerospace engineer, materials expert, and master bow maker: these pioneers set out to find the perfect synthetic alternative to Pernambuco. Pernambuco is the hardwood considered the ideal bow-making...
Easy Ukulele Songs
Congratulations on owning a ukulele! The ukulele is the perfect instrument for a beginning or advanced musician at any age. Most importantly, playing the ukulele is fun and is very easy to get started. If you are brand new to the ukulele, here are a few...
The Vihuela – An Overview
What is the Vihuela? The VIHUELA MEXICANA is a traditional instrument used in Mariachi music. It is physically similar to the Guitarrón but on a smaller scale. The sound produced from this musical instrument is that of a tenor guitar. The body or the sound box is much...
Children’s Book of the Month: The Dot and Danza
We love children’s literature at West Music, and we’d like to share our favorites with you with a new series: Children’s Book of the Month! We’ll be selecting one book for early elementary and one book for late elementary/middle school each month. Post a blog...
What are NUVO Instruments?
NUVO was founded in 2008 with a mission to “enable kids from all walks of life to experience the power of making music.” West Music also shares a similar mission: “Play Now, Play for Life!” It’s only natural that we partner with NUVO to bring these unique...
Understanding Basic Music Terminology
Top 10 Must-Know Musical Terms Learn the ten most common musical terms in this short video. Make sure to have your volume turned on to hear the demonstrations! https://youtu.be/BBtDSncxOwc Learning to read music is like understanding how to read a foreign...
Percussion Technique: How to Hold Your Drumsticks or Mallets
As beginning musicians quickly learn, playing percussion instruments is a lot more challenging than it looks. Learning proper technique will ensure that you sound better and avoid injuries to your hands or wrists. General Principles for Holding Drumsticks or Mallets...
Be the Ultimate Band or Orchestra Parent in 5 Easy Steps
No matter the age of your kid, by being engaged in your child’s school music program they are more likely to be engaged themselves. Plus, being involved is usually a lot of fun! For over 75 years, West Music has worked with local communities to bring band and...
Stringed Instrument Tuning Guide
The Basics of Melody
Now that your student has learned the basics of rhythm, it’s time to talk about the next big idea in creating music: MELODY! What is Melody? Merriam-Webster defines melody as "a sweet or agreeable succession or arrangement of sounds; a rhythmic succession of single...