Do you have sheetmusic ready for this year’s holiday celebrations? The Holiday season is a hectic time, and if you’re in charge of getting music students ready for concerts, I certainly don’t have to tell you that. I also don’t have to tell you that if you are trying to get string players together for an ensemble - whether it’s for church, school, a charity collection at the local mall, or just for grandma’s enjoyment – you can’t be too picky about the instrumentation! The chances are slim of ending up with a standard string quartet of exactly two violins, one viola, and one cello. Publishers and arrangers know this, which is why so many have put together collections of music that can work with many assortments of violin, viola, cello, and bass. So, why not be prepared with one of these flexible ensembles that will make your Christmas, Chanukah, or other winter holiday gathering jolly? Having an assortment of this type of music can be very helpful for getting holiday season gigs on a moment’s notice, or just always being prepared for spontaneous string caroling!

Topics: Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass, Holiday Music, Christmas, Ensemble Playing, Flexible Ensembes

The days are getting shorter, your heat may have already kicked in a few times, and you’re starting to look for sweaters and coats you haven’t seen in months. Winter is coming, and that means dry air that can wreak havoc on your string instrument! As vapor is lost from the air, it sucks out moisture from the wood in your instrument, causing loose pegs, lowered string height, a change in tone, and even open seams or catastrophic cracks! Luckily, it is easy to prevent major damage, and even little inconveniences like tuning problems. Here are three easy steps that will keep your instrument in great shape through the cold, dry winter.

Topics: Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass, Instrument Care, Humidity

Beginnings are critical, right? If you’ve ever grown a vegetable garden before, you know what I mean by this: starting right mean your garden will yield better results later on. You have to sow your seeds at the perfect time, with the right amount of sunlight and heat. You’ll want to prepare your soil ahead of time, enriching it with whichever nutrients it needs. You’ll care for the plants as they grow, making sure to train them up a trellis if necessary, or taking care to pull any pesky weeds. With enough care and patience, you’re sure to have a good harvest.

Topics: Violin, Parents, Student Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass, Franz Hoffmann, Koe

Since 1962, SHAR has been making new products available to string players every year. The fall season is usually when we debut most of our new products in preparation for new school years, concert seasons, and holidays! This year is no exception with dozens of new items in all categories! Whether you are an advancing student, an orchestra or private studio teacher, a full-time musician, or just getting started,  SHAR is the place to find things you know you need, or things that you didn’t even know existed, but could definitely make your life easier! Innovation and improvements are being made every day by musicians and thinkers all over the world! Below are some new products for violin and viola players that are included in the SHAR Fall 2016 Catalog. Check them out – there may be something for you!

Topics: Violin, Viola, Accessories, Mark O'Connor, Electric Violin, Silent Violin, Cases, Instrument Care, Electric

Sometimes buying strings for your violin, viola, cello, or bass, is just a matter of reordering the same strings that you've loved for ages. The reliable set that has always sounded great on your instrument might be all you need for the rest of your life. However, sometimes a new instrument, or just curiosity will lead you on a search for the new perfect set of strings. Or, perhaps a change in playing ability or budget will lead you to look for a new sound. There are a lot of different brands and types of strings to choose from, so find a good source to start from can be time-saving first step. With so many new brands on the market, it's hard to just stumble upon the right one by chance or by word of mouth.

Topics: Violin, Viola, Cello, Strings, Bass

Is your violin, viola, cello, or bass rattling or buzzing? Does it make these noises only on certain strings or notes?

Topics: Violin, Instrument Repair, Viola, Cello, Bass, Instrument Care, Troubleshooting

Topics: Violin, Viola, SHAR, Cello, China, In Home Trial, Charles Avsharian, Bass, SHAR Ann Arbor

It's a CUSHY case cover, and it just wants to give you and your instrument a hug.

     The new and improved CUSHY© Deluxe Carry-All™ Backpack Case Covers are now available to fit over violin and viola, shaped and oblong cases! Our top product designers teamed up with leading backpack manufacturers to bring you a quality product that optimizes comfort, protection, and durability. It shouldn’t be a mystery why "CUSHY" is an appropriate name for these bodacious guardians of your precious cargo. They, like a forcefield of cushy goodness, repel the forces of nature that seek to destroy your instrument and wear out your case. All the while, it offers you a warm and soft embrace, making your commute comfortable and hands-free. However, here’s a few names we did NOT give to The CUSHY© and why:

Topics: Violin, Viola, Accessories, Cases, Bags, Straps, Travel, Traveller

There's a lot that can go wrong at a wedding, so wedding music should be the last thing the couple has to fret over. However, if you're the musician gigging at a wedding, it is your temporary raison d’etre. Besides the wedding party and the officiant, the musicians are the only other people on display, visible and involved in the proceedings of the ceremony. You have to showcase your talent and musicianship while at the same time tailoring the music to fit the timing at the altar; you must perform in an unusual space, and sometimes sight-read with musicians with whom you've never worked before; and you have to account for the weather and  changes in programming. Luckily, having the right accessories can help you avoid minor and major embarrassments at your next wedding gig. Below are some music accessories (and tips) that are, simply put, essential to having a successful wedding season. 

Topics: Violin, Viola, Cello, Wedding, Performance, Bass

Edited Apr. 14, 2016 - We've rolled live the Violin Strings, Viola Strings, Cello Strings, and Bass Strings Sound Guides, now with interactive icons, a pricing key, and revised placement! See the updated blog on choosing the right set of strings here.

As SHAR has picked up more and more string brands, we realized that our handy string chart was out of date. So we've done three things with the new string chart: we added new brands, limited the strings to violin and viola strings (cello and bass charts are on the way), and we simplified. As far as simplifications: now the major differentiations are Quiet/Loud and Dark/Bright instead of the three differentiations of Mild/Aggressive, Subtle/Direct, and Smooth/Textured. If you're looking for an interactive chart with links to products, check out the chart here. On that chart we've also added a key with price categories ($ to $$$$) to help you decide if a particular string is worth the money for you.

Topics: Violin, Viola, Strings