Canadian Musician - March / April 2020 | Page 17

GEAR PURCHASING SURVEY Canadian Musician surveyed musi- cians across the country to find out about their tendencies pertaining to purchasing music equipment. Here are the results… From which of the following instrument groups do you regularly purchase gear or accessories? 25% 08% 08% 02% 14% 10% 01% 19% 10% 03% Guitar Bass guitar Drums/percussion Brass/Strings/Woodwinds Vocals Piano/Keyboards DJ Equipment 02% 11% 22% 17% 28% 10% 10% $0-100 $101-200 $201-500 $1,001-2,000 $2,001-3,000 Over $3,000 77% of respondents say they buy the majority of their big-ticket items (i.e. instru- ments, speakers, etc.) in-store, with only 11% saying online & the rest split evenly between the two Live Sound For small-ticket items (i.e. strings, reeds, Other etc.), still a good majority, usually purchase in-store Weekly Monthly Few times a year Yearly Less often 73% say they 32% chose “existing relationships” and 26% chose “price” as the main factor that determines where they’ll shop for big-ticket items When purchasing small-tickets items, 38% say convenience is the most important factor in where they’ll shop, 22% who say price “Test in store, check the market price online, bargain the local store if I need to, buy local.” “More online research and product reviews. I prefer to purchase from companies/manufacturers support- ing local initiatives with sponsorships/ in-kind donations for events...” “Reviews from YouTube or product praise from producers on Instagram. Yes, Instagram has gained my atten- tion more in the past five years.” “Research online and then go to a store to check it out. Before I’d rely a bit more on the salesperson but now with all the online demos, all I need is to feel the instrument/device person- ally and I can make my decision.” followed by When purchasing big-ticket items (items over $100), how do you decide what product you will purchase (research online, test product in-store, etc.) and has this changed in the past five years? “Test in store first (if available), research further online, return to store to get any further questions answered. Order product from the store or make purchase.” $501-1,000 Recording Software & Gear How often do you purchase instru- ments and/or accessories on average? 03% 16% 56% 12% 14% On average, how much do you spend per year on instruments and accessories in total? Canadian rock legend, songwriter, and broadcaster Kim Mitchell (pictured) will be inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in a special presentation at CMW’s Canadian Music & Broadcast Industry Awards on May 21 st in Toronto, and joined by Ed Robertson of Barenaked Ladies for a performance. Mitchell led the popular and influen- tial band Max Webster throughout the 1970s and then enjoyed solo success with tracks like “Patio Lanterns” and “Go for a Soda.” He was also one of the most popular radio DJs in the country in the early 2000s on Toronto’s Q107. www.cshf.ca. CANADIAN MUSICIAN 17