Over the years, our family has bought a lot of music: method books, technique books, scale studies, compilations, sheet music, ensemble packages…you name it, and we’ve bought it. (With five PTMs in the house, music is a near-constant investment!) Much of this music was purchased from local stores, but we’ve also bought frequently via mail-order (catalog or online). Over time, we’ve developed a few guidelines that make mail-order music buying an overwhelmingly positive experience.
Know the piece
You might be surprised how many pieces share the same name. If a selection is requested for a gig you’re doing…or by your instructor…or maybe you just heard it on the radio and want to learn it, double-check the composer/opus/version/performer to be sure you order the right one. Playing the Schubert Ave Maria won’t make for a happy bride if she’s expecting the Bach/Gounod. 
Know the publisher
The same piece can be available from different publishers, so if your instructor requests you purchase a particular piece, always check the publisher. This is always a good idea, but never more so than with concertos. Different publishers often include different cadenzas. Gotcha!
Never, ever choose discount shipping
The worst gotcha of all? In my opinion, it’s discount shipping. Unless you have a month and a half to wait, just don’t do it. Spring for the extra couple of bucks and save the headaches.
Many mail-order music stores offer discount shipping, including one of our advertisers here, SheetMusicPlus. In fact, my first (and last) bad experience with discount shipping was for an order I had placed with them. But like many other vendors, their discount shipping option uses USPS Media Mail for delivery, and that is not a good thing.
USPS Media Mail makes no guarantees of timeframes, advertises 1-3 week delivery times (even mailing next door), and offers no way to track your order. Though the folks at SheetMusicPlus were sympathetic, there was little they could do to help by the time we reported that surely-our-order-is-missing. It finally did arrive…32 days after I placed the order. 
The bottom line
Buying music mail-order, via catalog or online, greatly expands your options and ability to get the music you want or need quickly. If you’re careful to avoid the three gotchas of “Piece, Publisher, and Postal Service”, you’ll stand a great chance of getting the music you want quickly at an excellent price.
Have a personal experience you’d like to share? Please leave us a comment; we’d love to hear from you!
Keep playing!
Mark
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