Welcome to this post on everything we know about music in Quebec City. Obviously it is a broad subject, but we will do our best to share as much as possible.
Jumping straight into the best musical instrument stores in Quebec City seems like a logical place to start. There will be separate lists for where to buy guitars in your area as well as the top drum shops in town.
Some may quibble about what store should go in which list, but we will try to differentiate them as well as we can. We aren’t sure if you are trying to buy keyboards, synthesizers, pedals, amps, or popular guitar brands like Gibson, Keisel, or Fender but a store on this page should have whatever you need.
Contents
Where to get a broken instrument repaired will follow that up. There are many repair companies that can tune a piano, repair a guitar, or work on all kinds of band instruments.
Once all the instrument talk is out of the way we will pivot to music classes and lessons for kids or adults before diving into local stores for music lovers with vintage CD’s and records. You can find numerous places to enjoy live entertainment at the best concert halls and music venues in your area.
Bars and restaurants with live music near you will get a shout out as well. A discussion about the Quebec City music calendar wouldn’t be complete without mentioning some great festivals either.
At the end we will share a map to help you find these stores or venues. Click here to read more about what is available in other towns around Canada.
Quebec City Musical Instrument Stores
Some of the best Quebec City musical instrument stores would be:
- Denis Musique at 701 Rue Saint-Joseph E
- Twigg Musique at 675 Blvd Charest E
- Long & McQuade Musical Instruments at 2700 Ch Ste-Foy
- MSP Musique at 1415 Rue Frank-Carrel
- Schonau & Tardif Luthiers at 838 Rue Saint-Joachim
- Archèterie Morency at 2485 Wilfrid-Hamel Blvd
- Won Music at 302 Rue Durocher
Denis Musique’s dedicated and dynamic crew is ready and prepared every day to offer their experience and know-how when it comes to the largest collection of musical instruments and sound equipment. You may discover world-renowned brands such as Gibson, Fender, ESP, C.F. Martin, Alvarez, Peavey, Ampeg, Sonor, Dunlop, Yamaha, Takamine, and Boss, to mention a few, in addition to their expertise and quality service.
Twigg Musique’s strong suit is providing services before, during, and after the sale. They’re not only there to sell instruments; they’re also there to help, and they always do it with a grin and a sense of humor. The upkeep of their instruments is critical, and it is always done by Twigg experts. They are only closed on Sundays.
Long and McQuade Musical Instruments is your place to go if you need to stay for a day, a week, a month, or longer, and you can consider them for your next event, whether it’s a party, a wedding, a weekend gig, or a sporting event. If you only need the merchandise for a short time or want to check out an instrument before buying it, they provide a renting service too.
MSP Musique is a store that specializes in all types of musical instruments and has a wide selection of the top instruments from well-known manufacturers. They are open every day and provide a professional and quick violin building service approved by top manufacturers like Martin and Fender.
Schonau and Tardif Luthiers takes an artistic approach to instrument restoration while maintaining the object’s integrity by strive for the greatest level of quality. Natural horsehair of the greatest grade is used to repair arches, and the horsehair is hand-sorted and properly cleansed. They exclusively use natural, raw, or blended white horsehair for the double bass bows and are closed only on Mondays.
Archèterie Morency has the largest variety of new and ancient bows and specializes in the manufacture, sale, maintenance, and repair of bows for violin, viola, cello, and double bass. Whether you’re a novice, a hobbyist, or a professional, they can help you choose the right bow for your playing, instrument, musical style, and budget.
Won Music Brothers Richard and Paul-André Jr Gagné continue to invest in the centenary building to meet their wide clientele and stay at the forefront of new musical trends and has become the real pioneer of diatonic accordions. There are three instrument floors as well as a violin and electronics repair center that are open every day but Sunday.
Where To Buy Guitars
If all you care about is guitars or guitar accessories check out:
- Alto Music at 5747 Rue Saint-Georges
- Hébert Music – Guitar Maton at 2336 Ch Ste-Foy #4500
Alto Music first opened in 1995 and quickly became popular for its catering services and second-hand musical instrument sales. The company expanded after few years and currently provides violin-making services every day.
Hébert Music – Guitar Maton has diversified its activities linked to music, violin making, sound systems, guitar tuition, instrument, and audio equipment rental and has created a devoted clientele over the past two decades but you should know that they are closed on Sundays.
Drum Shops Near You
Musique Gagné at 302 Rue Durocher is a good place to buy drums in Quebec City.
Instrument Repair
Instrument repairs are available at:
- Baptiste Guillemin at 495 Boisseau St
- Jacques Taine at 1675 8e Ave #4
Baptiste Guillemin is a classical and flamenco guitar maker’s store that makes adjustments and repairs of acoustic and electric plucked string instruments that is open every day but Sunday.
Jacques Taine adjusts and repairs guitars, basses, and plucked string instruments. You are required to make an appointment to avail of their services.
Music Lessons
Level up by taking lessons at a music school in your area:
- School Of Music Guitars at 2560 Blvd Bastien
- Immuart at Duberger – Les Saules
- The Hook Notes at 17 Rue Notre Dame
School Of Music Guitars gives guitar, bass, ukulele, violin, banjo, harmonica, computer composition, music theory, and music theory lessons near you. They also give online music lessons and are open Monday to Friday.
Immuart at Duberger provides musical-artistic services by bringing together various specialties taught by creative teachers in preschool and primary school and offers programs at daycare centers and schools to help children wake up to music, arts, dance, yoga, and literature. They also have private and semi-private singing and guitar instruction and are closed on weekends.
CD & Record Stores
Some of our favorite stores for local music lovers with lots of vintage CD’s and records are:
- CD Mélomane at 248 Rue Saint-Jean
- Sunrise Records at 2700 Bd Laurier
- Le Knock-Out at 832 Rue Saint-Joseph E
Quebec City Live Music Venues
These live music venues are great places to see a concert or performance:
- Centre de Valorisation du Patrimoine Vivant at 5 Rue du Cul-de-Sac
- Edwin-Bélanger Bandstand at 995 Rue D’Youville
- La Source de la Martinière at 201 de Lanaudière St
- Palais Montcalm at 995 Rue D’Youville
- Theatre Petit Champlain at 68 Rue du Petit Champlain
From Thursday to Sunday at 8pm each summer the Edwin-Bélanger Bandstand offers free blues, folk, pop, and world music concerts.
La Source de la Martinière is a venue that frequently hosts local music with a capacity of 357.
Fun Restaurants With Entertainment
You can take a date or a group of friends to these restaurants with live music:
- Restaurant Parmesan at 38 Rue St – Louis
- Le Rideau Rouge at 1147 Avenue Cartier
- Bistrot Pape Georges at 8 Rue du Cul-de-Sac
- Café De Paris at 66 Rue St – Louis
- Cecile et Ramone at 1061 Pierre-Bertrand Blvd
Restaurant Parmesan has a friendly atmosphere where reds, greens, and oranges are only a few of the warm colors that highlight the pleasant design of this restaurant which transports you to a friendly Italy where music and laughter reverberate for a few hours. Three lovely fireplaces warm the ambience in the winter, roasting chestnuts to customers’ delight every day of the week.
Le Rideau Rouge is an urban grillades and tartares, as well as a boîte à chansons that hosts the best singers in the province. It is a place to visit for a drink or a get-together with friends in a welcoming and lively atmosphere where musicians perform live in your area seven days a week.
Bistrot Pape Georges serves planks of cheese and charcuterie, comforting soups and mijotés, and decadent cheese fondue in a welcoming and warm environment seven days a week.
Café De Paris Come has a special châteaubriand for two at their Old Quebec restaurant every day. Your tummy will be delighted with their delicious steaks covered with Bordeaux sauce, and their culinary achievements include rack of lamb, veal Wellington, shellfish, veal, and pasta.
Cecile et Ramone can startle you by their decor’s magnificence immersed in an ultra-original soundtrack. It’s a gourmet adventure, a unique musical experience, an unusual and adventurous performing venue, and artists perform there every week.
Bars With Live Music
There are also some bars that play live music:
- La Piazz at 641 Grande Allée E #1/2
- Bar Ste-Angèle at 26 Rue Sainte Angèle
- Bar Les Yeux Bleus at 1117 1, 2 Rue Saint-Jean
- Bar Le Sacrilège at 447 Rue Saint-Jean
- Fou-Bar at 525 Rue Saint-Jean
- L’Anti Bar & Spectacles at 251 Rue Dorchester
- Le Bal du Lézard at 1049 3e Ave
La Piazz is a songbox in your area where you can sing yesterday’s and today’s hits in a lively and unique atmosphere with musicians that share the stage three out of seven evenings.
Bar Ste-Angèle provides a wide range of cocktails and has undoubtedly contributed to the establishment’s success by offering a dazzling menu of over 50 cocktails to its patrons. The blue angel, red devil, and kamikaze are still popular models, and a selection of 35 imported beers and Quebec microbreweries is available, providing ample opportunity to experience the delights of sampling every day.
Bar Le Sacrilège has a gorgeous patio with a canopy, lots of plants, stone, wood, and brick in its inner courtyard with an unrivaled warm environment. There are music shows on live radio every Thursday and a DJ on Fridays and Saturdays.
Fou-Bar is a typical tavern in a small neighborhood establishment that is friendly and warm, providing creative events including birthday parties, exhibitions, theatrical and literary events, and music every day.
Music Festivals In Your Area
And finally for the top music festivals near you:
- Bureau Festival d’été de Quebec in July
- TD New France Celebrations in August
We have also written about:
- Guitar & Drum Shops In Montreal
- Guitar & Drum Shops In Toronto
- Guitar & Drum Shops In Ottawa & Gatineau
- Guitar & Drum Shops In Boston
Enjoy The Quebec City Local Music Scene
We tried to cover the scene as well as possible on this page. You learned about the best musical instrument stores, drum and guitar shops, instrument repair services, where to go for lessons, vintage CD and record stores, concert halls and other live music venues near you like bars and restaurants, plus the best festivals in the region.
You might just know a little bit about the local music scene yourself if you made it this far. If so tell us what we got wrong in the comments or share your own thoughts on the scene.
No matter if you are trying to buy a new instrument, wanted some live entertainment, needed a vintage CD and record, or just wanted to learn more about music in Quebec City we hope you enjoy yourself.