How to Buy Sheet Music Online

If you're a musician or a vocalist, the Internet provides dozens of ways you can browse, shop and order sheet music for delivery to your doorstep. Some websites now offer instant downloads of sheet music, which means you can be playing the music within minutes.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Visit Sheet Music Plus, one of a number of large websites selling sheet music of all varieties and for many instruments. Sheet Music Plus has music for piano, guitar, flute, violin, trumpet clarinet and other instruments--a wider variety than other websites. It also offers Karaoke CDs and lots of gift ideas. Although slower to move to sheet music downloads, this website is gradually moving in that direction.

2. Check out Music Room, a website that also offers sheet music, music books, music software and digital downloads of sheet music. Like other websites, Music Room allows you to browse sheet music by artist, title, or genre, and stocks many current pop and rock titles.

3. Go to Music Notes, which seems to be one of the most progressive sheet music websites, in terms of digital downloads. Music Notes will ask you to download free software that will make it possible for you to see the sheet music you would like to purchase, and eventually print it for your own use. Music Notes also offers volume discounts for customers who buy 5 or more titles.

Tips & Warnings

• When ordering sheet music online, read the descriptions carefully. These websites and others, for example, should provide complete songlists when you're purchasing a songbook.
• Be sure to order for the right instrument and level of play. You don't want an "easy play" book if you're an advanced musician.

Resources

• Sheet Music Plus
• Music Notes
• Music Room