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Apr 12 2022 
The Inclusive Music Consortium wins Music & Drama Education Award
Inclusive Music Consortium wins Music and Drama Education award
The Inclusive Music Consortium, formerly the Take it away Consortium, was honoured at the Music & Drama Education Awards on 23rd March, in recognition of its ongoing work to increase access to musical instruments for disabled children.
The consortium – which includes the six founder members of Creative United, Music for Youth, Open Up Music, Technology in Music Education (TiME) and Youth Music, and the OHMI Trust –won in the Music Teacher Magazine Editor’s Award category. Editor Harriet Clifford nominated the consortium as her choice after having been introduced to its work when she interviewed Creative United CEO Mary-Alice Stack. Of particular interest was its efforts to support the 31,459 children with a physical disability as their primary need who attend a mainstream school in England (2019 figure, according to Department for Education (DfE) statistics).Joining forces has long been considered the best way to galvanise the individual efforts of each organisation – whether that be improving participation by under-represented groups including those with a disability, gathering musicians for large-scale performances, work in mainstream and special schools, or supporting the manufacture of adapted musical instruments and enabling equipment.
Receiving such national acclaim presents an opportunity for the consortium to reach an even greater audience of musicians and practitioners who are seeking to make music-making truly inclusive for all.
Representatives from Creative United, The OHMI Trust, Youth Music, Music for Youth, Technology in Music Education UK (TiME) and music creator Jo Thomas were in attendance to collect the award on behalf of the consortium. See photos below!
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Dec 09 2021 
Give the gift of music this Christmas with these offers
Shopping online for the music maker in your life this Christmas? We’ve picked out some special online offers and highlights from our network of over 130 retailers – all of them run the Take it away scheme and many of them deliver nationwide too. Grab an online bargain or see if there’s a music shop near you!
Offers correct at time of writing, check each website for details!
Ebony and Ivory, London
Read our interview with them here
They offer a 7.5% discount to any customers visiting their shop in person to buy an item they saw in their eBay store. To qualify, simply show them the listing or tell them the listing number when you make your purchase. ebonyivory.co.uk
2. Early Music Shop, Yorkshire/Suffolk
The Early Music Shop specialises in early musical instruments and accessories. You can get £5 off your next order over £25 when you join their newsletter, and up to 15% off various beginners bundles. earlymusicshop.com3. The Sax Shack, Stoke on Trent
The Sax Shack doesn’t just sell saxophones – you can buy clarinets, flutes, trombones and accessories from them too. They have a sale on selected instruments and accessories for a limited time only: thesaxshack.co.uk4. Brittens Music, Kent
It’s not just about buying an instrument, but you also need to remember all the accessories that come with it! The music stand, the case, it goes on! Brittens offer a great selection of ‘Beginners Bundles’ which have everything you need to get started and are always very popular as Christmas gifts! brittensmusic.co.uk5. The Soundgarden, Barnet, London
The SoundGarden music shop has been trading since 1994 and is a general music store specialising in guitars but also offering a broad product range including accessories for most instruments. They have a special offers page featuring a wide variety of instruments on their website thesoundgarden.co.uk/Special-Offers/
6. Rimmers – various sites including Blackpool, Edinburgh, Liverpool
Selling both new and used equipment, Rimmers Music offers competitive prices with long guarantees for peace of mind). If you’re stuck for ideas, Rimmers offers an excellent gift guide on their website. rimmersmusic.co.uk
Don’t forget some of our top instrument buying tips:
- Think about the person playing the instrument. What size will they need?
- Remember there are different buying options available!
- Check that spare parts/authorised service centres are readily available for the brand of instrument you choose.
- If you do decide to purchase online, make sure you are familiar with distance selling regulations.
Read the rest of our instrument buying tips here
The Accordion Shop – Rochdale, Lancs/Sunningdale, Berks
This long running family business is offering up to 20% off selected lines and various clearance deals on their website. theaccordionshop.co.uk
Southern Percussion Essex
This percussion specialist offers an array of instruments and accessories for the drummer/zylophone/marinba player in your life! They currently have a special offer running on soundproof practise mallets which are handy for keeping the noise down when playing at less sociable hours – buy one get 2nd half price! southernpercussion.com
Gough and Davy, Hull
If you’re not sure what to get your music maker for Christmas, a gift voucher could be a good idea so they can choose something themselves. Gough and Davy are among the many retailers that do these, as well as various special offers & discounted items on their website. goughanddavy.co.ukRainbow Music Carlisle
As well as various special clearance offers, Rainbow music has a great keyboard starter pack, the ‘School Pack’ which includes keyboard, accessories and online music lessons. rainbowmusic.co.uk
For more information on the Take it away scheme, our music shop members and more please follow the links below:
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Nov 10 2021 
Ten tips to consider when buying a musical instrument
Are you thinking of buying (or upgrading) a new musical instrument, either for a loved one or for yourself?
Buying a new instrument for the first time can be a daunting experience and it can be difficult knowing where to start.
You might be thinking that some instruments all look the same but there are so many makes, models and prices that choosing one can seem impossible!
Here are ten general tips which are useful to remember when buying an instrument:
1. Think about the person playing the instrument.
How old are they? Will they need a full size instrument or a smaller junior version? What kind of music do they want to play? How much are you/they prepared to spend on the instrument?
If they are already having lessons, a great person to ask for advice is their tutor who will have a good idea of a suitable instrument for the stage in their progression. You can also try speaking to fellow pupils or get some information from web reviews and roundups.
If they are disabled, check out our Guide to Buying Adaptive Musical Instruments. It includes details of more than 80 musical instruments and products, from prototypes and bespoke to commercially available and common accessories. Many have been specifically designed to make learning and playing musical instruments of all kinds as accessible as possible for disabled players of all ages.2. Avoid the temptation of buying something online just because it is cheap, and instead go to a shop and try some out before you make any purchase.
Whilst they may seem like daunting places at first, good music shops should welcome players of all abilities, especially new ones! Any good music shop should let you or the person you are buying for try out their instruments. They should also be happy for you go away and come back another time if you wish to make a purchase so don’t feel like you have to make your choice there and then.
Check out our list of specialist music retailers who are part of the Take it away music scheme:
3. Make sure that the instrument gets checked over/set up before it leaves the shop.
You might find you’ll be heading back pretty soon otherwise. Ask the shop if they will offer a free check-over after 6 months and if so, make sure they include this on the receipt.
4. Check if the instrument comes with any extras such as stools, reeds, cases, leads etc.
For some instruments, it may be possible to purchase a pack that comes with everything you need to get started so make sure to ask in the shop if they can offer you this.
5. Check that spare parts/authorised service centres are readily available for the brand of instrument you choose.
Also, the shop may have a repairer on site, or should be able to recommend one if something goes wrong.
…and here’s a few things not to do:
❌ Don’t feel pressured into making a purchase. A good shop will make you feel at ease and shouldn’t rush you.
❌ Don’t be frightened to ask questions. People in the music shops love talking about making music and the instruments they play. This way you’ll be sure to get the advice you need.
❌ Don’t worry if you’re not as good a player as the next person in the shop. You can be sure that the staff will have seen and heard it all before so just go for it and have some fun!
❌ Don’t settle for something unless you are completely happy with it!
6. Make sure you insure the instrument.
Accidents and losses do happen, and there are companies that specialise in instrument insurance including Allianz and Musicguard. You may be able to add it to a home contents insurance policy, although it’s important to find out coverage details. Some policies have a limit per item which may be lower than the musical instrument costs.
7. Make sure your receipt includes all the details, guarantees and serial number of the instrument.
Get the manufacturers or/distributors guarantee card stamped at the point of purchase. If there isn’t one, ask that this can be detailed on your receipt. Make sure that the full details of the instrument, including its serial number, are on the receipt.
8. Check whether the cost of delivery is free or included in the price of the instrument, or whether this is an extra cost.
This is essential for larger instruments such as harps and pianos!
9. If you do decide to purchase online, make sure you are familiar with distance selling regulations.
You’ll need to know what to do if you would like to return or change the instrument if you decide it’s not right for you after all.
10. And last but not least – remember there are different buying options available!
Making music can be tough financially – a good instrument does not come cheap. But you don’t need to pay thousands up front to get the one you want. At Take it away, we offer interest-free loans to support musicians of every age, enabling you to borrow from as little as £100 up to £25,000 (subject to availability at participating music shops) and then pay the remaining balance back in equal monthly instalments. Take it away can also be used to buy accessories, music tuition and recording equipment. We work with music shops, music organisations, Arts Council England and Arts Council of Northern Ireland to break down the financial barriers and make learning and playing music more accessible and open to everyone.
Once your loan application has been approved by the music shop, you can take the instrument home straight away, or have it delivered.
Ultimately, the instrument should last the player a long time, (if not a lifetime!) so it’s worth giving good consideration to your purchase. The most important thing is to buy something that is right for the needs of the player and is of good enough quality that it’s something they’ll want to play and improve on!
For more information on the Take it away scheme, our music shop members and more please follow the links below:
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Sep 15 2021 
Music disability charity OHMI celebrates ten years of inclusive music-making
Music disability charity OHMI celebrates ten years of inclusive music-making
Disabled music charity The OHMI Trust, is celebrating its tenth anniversary in matching disabled musicians with the adapted instruments they need to make music.
The charity was established in 2011, with no money, only two trustees, and two volunteers. Fast forward ten years, and this small but ambitious charity has much to celebrate.
It is unique in the breadth of support it offers to disabled child and adult musicians, with its impact felt across teaching, research and development, and awareness raising. The charity’s biennial competition, which supports the development of musical instruments that can be played without the use of one hand or arm, attracts entries from across the globe. Its popular Music-Makers and Inclusive Access to Music-Making programmes gain momentum each and every year, reaching new musicians across England and Wales. Its hire scheme offers an impressive 300 instruments and pieces of enabling equipment; a number that will only grow through the development of further instruments through OHMI’s research partnership with Queen Mary University, London and Birmingham City University. It is this wide-ranging work that led to the charity receiving recognition in The House of Lords.
These impressive milestones will be marked at OHMI’s 2021 Competition Awards and Tenth Anniversary Celebrations, taking place on Saturday, 25th September. The event, which will be held at Aston University, will also be live-streamed from 6pm BST, and is expected to attract musicians and representatives from musical organisations from around the world.
The event will include performances from the talented OHMI musical community, as well as an announcement on the winners of the 2021 Competition, along with demonstrations of their equipment.
Melissa Johns, British actor and disability activist, best known for her roles in Coronation Street, BBC drama Life, and, most recently, Celebrity Masterchef, will be hosting the event.
As Rachel Wolffsohn, OHMI’s Manager, explains,
“Melissa is a proud champion of the rights of disabled people, so she was the perfect choice in helping OHMI to bang the drum for inclusive music-making. Hosting the event, for the first time, as a blended live and broadcast event, will allow us to share the celebrations with a global audience, reflecting the truly international nature of the competition entries over the years.”
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May 20 2021 
6 Pieces of Studio Gear to get started as a Producer/ DJ – Point Blank
Point Blank Beginner Kit List: 6 Pieces of Studio Gear for Producers/DJs
Point Blank Music School pride themselves on helping young creatives kick-start their music careers. With over 25-years of offering award-winning music courses both at their HQ’s in London and Los Angeles, as well as online, they are clued up when it comes to the kind of music tech you should have in your home studio. If you’re new to the world of music production and/or DJing and need to get to grips with what software and hardware you need, they can help!
They’ve put together their six go-to pieces of kit for anyone looking to jump into the world of music creation and performance which you’ll find below.
If you’d like to learn more about music production, DJing, singing, songwriting and music business, be sure to check out Point Blank’s courses. Plus, they’re currently offering 25% off their selected London, Online and Los Angeles courses using the codes LONDON25, ONLINE25 and LA25.
1. Ableton Live
Ableton Live is a staple for many music producers, featuring a range of instruments and effects. There are some affordable price plans available if you’re not looking to buy upfront as well as the option to grab yourself a copy for free when enrolling on certain Point Blank courses. If you’re looking for some fantastic free plugins to add to your music production tool kit, check out Point Blank’s round-up of the 10 Best Free Plugins: 2021.
2. AKAI Professional MPK Mini MKII
Akai’s MPK Mini MKII is a great controller for programming beats and playing in your basslines and melodies. Unlike many other controllers, the MKII has an innovative 4-way thumbstick for dynamic pitch and modulation control as well as a built-in arpeggiator with adjustable modes. This one’s perfect for taking on the road due to its compact size of 18 x 31.4 cm (that’s roughly the size of a laptop).
3. Focusrite Scarlett Solo
To help connect all your gear, you’ll need a good audio interface. Focusrite’s Scarlett Solo is perfect for beginners and features an XLR input for recording vocals or instruments, the best-sounding Scarlett mix preamp yet, a 2-in/2-out configuration and more.
4. KRK ROKIT RP5 G4 Studio Monitors
What’s great about the KRK ROKIT RP5 G4 monitors is their integration with the KRK app. This allows users to gain expert assistance with EQ, level matching, speaker placement and more, so you’ll get the most out of your monitors. KRK’s are popular in lots of home studios thanks to their reliable quality and accessible prices. As well as featuring powerful D-class amplifiers, their custom Brickwall Limiter helps provide wider sound dynamics and prevents them from overheating.
5. beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO
These beyerdynamics are a solid option for those looking to use their new headphones primarily at the studio. They’re bass-heavy, reasonably priced and durable, meaning that you won’t need to replace them anytime soon. You’ll reap the benefits of these headphones when using an audio interface but when plugged into a laptop or phone the sound can feel slightly less driven. Overall these are a great selection if you’re in the game for some low-end studio sessions.
6. Pioneer DJ DDJ-400
The DDJ-400 from Pioneer DJ comes in at just under £250, making it a fantastic entry-level controller for those looking to jump into the world of DJing. Like many of Pioneer DJ’s other hardware controllers, the DDJ-400 comes equipped with the latest Rekordbox software which enables users to set cue points, hot cues, arrange playlists and organise their tracks for use on CDJs when the time comes. The layout on this controller mirrors that of the performance tech giant’s flagship NXS2 set-up, meaning that it’s a great tool to use when preparing yourself for the club.
If you’re looking to kick-start your music career, be sure to check out Point Blank’s award-winning courses in London, Los Angeles and Online: www.pointblankmusicschool.com
How Take it away can help you
Instruments and equipment can be expensive meaning some people never discover the joy of learning and playing music.
At Take it away, we work with our retail partners, Arts Council England and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland to break down these barriers. A part of Creative United, a community interest company that drives economic growth and social impact in the arts and creative industries, we provide a range of subsidised and non-subsidised loans. These are designed to make learning, playing and participating in music more affordable and open to everyone.
Together with our partners, we look to enable and inspire a life-long love of music.
Find out how Take it away can help you with the cost of a musical instrument, equipment and software.
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May 04 2021 
Visiting music shops in person post lockdown
Why we're excited to visit music shops again in person 🎉
As we all know, many small businesses and high street shops were knocked sideways when lockdown hit the UK, but a year later things are starting to look up…
Music shops have always been ‘essential shops’ in our eyes so we were super excited when our Take it away music shop members were once more allowed to throw open their doors ready to welcome back customers!
Many music shops have adapted to the times to ensure that lots of their stock is available to buy online, and for some customers this may still be the safest option. If you feel comfortable doing so, supporting your local music shop in person is incredibly important and here’s why we recommend popping in to see them:
In need of a new instrument or upgrade?
Nothing can compare to the joy of trying out different instruments and seeing how they feel beneath your fingertips. Some even say that it’s the instrument that chooses the musician… (Harry Potter fans, we see you.)
Music shop staff have unrivalled knowledge so stop by and ask for their advice however little or big a question you may have. Our Take it away retailers are lovely and are always ready to help – we know that they’ve missed having a chat with customers and musicians alike!
Image curtesy of Alan Gregory Music
Looking to refresh your repertoire?
Browsing for new sheet music in person and having a peek inside to see what the print is like beats searching online where more often or not you can only see the cover. In store, you’ll often be able to see what’s popular to learn for your level and ask for recommendations too! Also the smell of new books is oddly appealing. (This felt strange to write down but you know what we mean!)
Image curtesy of Just Flutes
Start browsing
We’ve got a brand new search page to make finding the best Take it away music shop member for you super easy!
All of our shop members have the appropriate COVID safety measures in place and some have timed booking slots to visit showrooms or try out new instruments, so make sure to have a quick check online before you head over.
Either search by location on the map with your postcode/town, or filter by instrument and shop name.
Image curtesy of Bridgewood & Neitzert
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Jan 07 2021 
How to Buy Musical Instruments
Buying a new instrument for the first time can be a daunting experience. Regardless of what you are buying, it can be difficult knowing where to start. You might be thinking that some instruments all look the same but there are so many makes, models and prices that choosing one can seem impossible!
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Feb 28 2018 
How to buy a musical instrument
How do you know which instrument is right for you or the person you are buying for?
Buying a new instrument for the first time can be a daunting experience. Regardless of what you are buying, it can be difficult knowing where to start. You might be thinking that some instruments all look the same but there are so many makes, models and prices that choosing one can seem impossible!
Ultimately, the instrument should last the player a long time, (if not a lifetime!) so it’s worth giving good consideration to your purchase. The most important thing is to buy something that is right for the needs of the player and is of good enough quality that it’s something they’ll want to play and improve on.
To start, have a think the person who will be playing the instrument:
- How old are they? Will they need a full size instrument or a smaller junior version?
- What kind of music do they want to play?
- How much are you/they prepared to spend on the instrument?
- Do they want lessons or are they already having lessons?
If they are already having lessons, a great person to ask for advice is their tutor who will have a good idea of a suitable instrument for the stage in their progression. You can also try speaking to fellow pupils or get some information from web reviews and roundups.
If this is the first instrument you are buying, avoid the temptation of buying something online just because it is cheap, and instead go to a shop and try some out before you make any purchase.
Whilst they may seem like daunting places at first, good music shops should welcome players of all abilities, especially new ones! Any good music shop should let you or the person you are buying for try out their instruments. They should also be happy for you go away and come back another time if you wish to make a purchase so don’t feel like you have to make your choice there and then.
Check out our list of specialist music retailers who are part of the Take it away music scheme:
Here are some general tips which are useful to remember when buying an instrument:
DO
✅ Make sure that the instrument gets checked over/set up before it leaves the shop or you might find you’ll be heading back pretty soon otherwise.
✅ Check that spare parts/authorised service centres are readily available for the brand of instrument you choose.
✅ Ask the shop if they will offer a free check-over after 6 months and if so, make sure they include this on the receipt.
✅ Ask if the shop has either a repairer on-site or can recommend one if something goes wrong.
✅ Check whether the cost of delivery is free or included in the price of the instrument, or whether this is an extra cost (essential for larger instruments such as harps and pianos!)
✅ Get the manufacturers or/distributors guarantee card stamped at the point of purchase. If there isn’t one, ask that this can be detailed on your receipt.
✅ Make sure that the full details of the instrument, including its serial number, are on the receipt.
✅ Insure the instrument. There are companies that specialise in instrument insurance including Allianz and Musicguard.
✅ If you do decide to purchase online, check your consumer and make sure you are familiar with distance selling regulations and what happens if you need to return the instrument.
DON’T
❌ Feel pressured into making a purchase. A good shop will make you feel at ease and shouldn’t rush you.
❌ Be frightened to ask questions. People in the music shops love talking about making music and the instruments they play. This way you’ll be sure to get the advice you need.
❌ Worry if you’re not as good a player as the next person in the shop. You can be sure that the staff will have seen and heard it all before so just go for it and have some fun!
❌ Forget to ask if the instrument comes with any extras such as stools, reeds, cases, leads etc. For some instruments, it may be possible to purchase a pack that comes with everything you need to get started so make sure to ask in the shop if they can offer you this.
❌ Settle for something unless you are completely happy with it!
For more information on the Take it away scheme, our music shop members and more please follow the links below:
