In a typical music instrument store you'll find electric guitars, acoustic guitars and bass guitars, as well as drums and percussion, music keyboards, live sound and recording software and studio equipment from all the leading brands.

All the latest equipment can be found in the better music instrument stores. Music123 is one such store that has a wide selection of musical instruments and musical equipment.

Other items you might find in a music instrument store would be DJ equipment and stage lighting, band and orchestra needs, clothes and lifestyle items, music instruction videos and books about making music.

Any instrument that produces music is a musical instrument.

The majority of musical instruments found in a music instrument store fall into one of six major categories. These are bowed strings, woodwind, brass, percussion, keyboard and the guitar family.

" Bowed Strings: the violins, the violas, the cellos and the double basses

" Woodwind: flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon

" Brass Instruments: trumpet, fresh horn, trombone, tuba

" Percussion Instruments: tuned, indefinite pitch

" Keyboard Instruments: plucked, struck, aerated, electronic

" Guitar Family: six-stringed and the four-string bass guitar.

The brass and woodwind instruments work by blowing air into the instrument which in turn vibrates within the instrument making a sound. The type of music that is produced will depend on the length of the circulation of air that is blown into the product, the shape of it and also the method of the tone and also the way in which it is created.

The percussion instruments produce sounds when they are struck. The sounds that are generated from it will depend on the shape of the device and also the size of the item.

Bowed instruments including the guitar family are played by strumming and plucking at the strings. These instruments produce a sound that is dependent on the amount of strings, the tension and the length of the vibration of the strings.

Other types of music devices include keyboards, piano as well as electronic items.

The piano is perhaps the most widely used instrument in western culture music despite its lack of portability and expense.

A piano can be classified as both a percussion and a string instrument; percussion because the player strikes the key to make a sound, and string because the sound is actually the result of a string's vibration. The strength of striking on the key determines the volume - the percussion angle, whereas some will argue that the "velocity" of the keystroke that determines the volume and not the strength behind it - thus making it a string instrument.

Many people would love to learn how to play a musical instrument, but for many the price of buying a new instrument is just too high. Consider the cost of a new piano which can cost well over $2000 for the most basic model. Even a smaller instrument such as a flute can cost as much as $3000 which is far beyond what many can afford to pay.

As an alternative to purchasing new from a music instrument store, there is always the option of buying used musical instrument. This is a viable option for those wanting to learn to play without spending a fortune. Typically over 50% savings can be realized.

Finding used music instruments can be somewhat difficult. Common instruments like pianos, violins and guitars are easy to find, however more obscure instruments are harder to find. Searching the internet is usually the first approach but sometimes your local music instrument store may surprise you in having the piece you would like (or at least know where to get one).