Everything About Music In Washington DC

Local music shops Washington DC buy drums guitars in your area

Everything about music in Washington DC is going to be covered in full detail over the next few minutes. Of course this is a really broad topic but we will do our best to share as much info as possible while doing our best to not waste your time.

Getting things going will be a list of the best musical instrument stores in your area. There will even be separate lists for where to buy guitars and the top drum shops in town and while some may quibble about which store should go in which list we will do our best to get things sorted out for you.

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 varieties of band instruments.

Once all the instrument talk is out of the way we will pivot to local music classes and lessons for kids or adults before moving on to stores for music lovers that sell vintage CD’s and records. You can find numerous places to be entertained at the best concert halls and live music venues near you.

Bars and restaurants with live music will get a shout out as well. A discussion about the Washington DC music calendar wouldn’t be complete without mentioning some great festivals and events either.

At the end we will share a map to help you find these stores or venues, and you are all welcome to read more about the scene in some other towns around the Northeast if interested.

Musical Instrument Stores In Washington DC

The best musical instrument stores near you would be:

Middle C Music sells instruments and sheet music in your area plus they have a rent-to-own program and lessons.

Music on the Hill is a high-quality music education and retail shop that specializes in private and group classes for all ages as well as a comprehensive spectrum of instrument sales and rentals.

For a local mom and pop music shop in Washington DC that fills two showrooms, four warehouses, four repair shops, and employs 100+ people all to service the global music community head to Chuck Levin’s Washington Music Center who sells guitars, drums, saxophones, and clarinets.

Ludwick’s House Of Violin’s specialize in violin, viola, and cello sales, repairs, and acoustic adjustments.

Music & Arts is a countrywide network of stores that began in 1952 and serves as a comprehensive resource for parents, educators, and musicians of all ages, skill levels, and backgrounds.

A wide selection of band and orchestra instruments, guitars, drums, and basses can be found at Alexandria Music Company.

Bethesda Violins is a full-service shop dedicated to all skill levels offering instrument rentals, repairs, and restorations as well as sales of high-quality violins and violas.

Where To Buy Guitars

If you are specifically trying to buy a guitar or guitar accessories check out:

Melodee Music is a long-standing store that sells guitars, pianos, and other musical instruments near you plus they have good lessons.

You’ll find a huge selection of guitars, amps, drums, keyboards, recording gear, DJ equipment, lighting, and more from top brands like Fender, Gibson and others at Guitar Center.

SylviaTone Guitars in Alexandria builds custom guitars, guitar electronics, and custom guitar cables.

Plenty of other Washington DC music stores from our other lists will sell guitars so you don’t only need to focus on this section.

Drum Shops Near You

East Coast Drums & Band Rehearsal Studios at 8051 Penn Randall Place buys, sells, trades, repairs, and teach all things drums for all performance levels.

Some other good places to buy drums in your area include Alexandria Music Company, Chuck Levin’s Washington Music Center, and Guitar Center.

Instrument Repairs

Live music lessons near you Washington DC vintage CD record stores

You can get quality instrument repair services in Washington DC at:

Metro Guitar Service does a range of guitar repair services plus replacement items including strings.

A large selection of violins and cellos and fair pricing with rental options can be found at Potter Violins.

Steve Carmody has been repairing and restoring guitars in Silver Spring full-time since 1990.

A full range of repair, upgrade, and maintenance services for guitars and basses in the DMV area are available with Xu Strings Guitar & Bass Repair in Rockville.

Other places that we have mentioned throughout the post that also offer instrument repair include Chuck Levin’s Washington Music Center, Bethesda Violins, and Ludwick’s House Of Violin.

Music Lessons

Taking music lessons at these schools can level up your game in a hurry:

Dudley’s B Sharp Academy offers drum lessons near you for kids, teens, and adults as well as a freedom to explore a comprehensive range of musical talents including both instrumentals and vocals.

International School of Music brings together a community of dedicated, experienced faculty who offer personalized lessons in piano, guitar, voice, violin, viola, cello, flute, drums, saxophone, clarinet, harp, recorder, trumpet, trombone, bassoon, ensembles, and performances.

Providing kids with the necessary tools in a stress-free environment that is both child and parent friendly is what you get from Arts & Minds Academy.

Old Town Music School in Alexandria provides excellent private piano, guitar, violin, and voice training to students ranging in age from 3 to seniors.

Del Ray School Of Music offers group and private local music lessons for children and adults.

School of Rock in Silver Spring has both in-person and online music lessons for students of all ages including programs, camps, and workshops for toddlers, kids, teens, and adults.

Bach to Rock does music lessons in Bethesda for all ages and skill levels including piano, guitar, drums, voice, and a wide range of other instruments.

High quality modern and unique music instruction for electric guitar are the specialty at Bones Jones Music in Rockville.

Expressions Music School is one of the fastest growing and finest quality music education facilities in Virginia providing professional music lessons in a variety of instruments to students of all ages and skill levels.

Jim Steed has been teaching guitar and voice lessons to students of all ages for over 5 years.

Other places that we have mentioned throughout the post that also offer music lessons in your area include Middle C Music, Melodee Music, and Music on the Hill.

CD & Record Stores

Some of our favorite stores for local music lovers with lots of vintage CD’s and records are:

Smash Records has long been a favorite among punk and independent music aficionados offering vinyl albums, CD’s, and vintage rock clothes.

Joint Custody is a second hand shop offering a variety of clothing, records, and electronics including turntables.

For a quirky music store near you specializing in new, used, rare, and imported vinyl records and apparel check out Som Records.

Joe’s Record Paradise is a DC record store offering a variety of genre choices such as rock, jazz, and hip-hop.

If you are searching for an independent store stocking new, used, and rare records plus CD’s and books in a no-frills nook head over to Red Onion Records.

Crooked Beat Records is an independent music store in Alexandria mainly stocking rare new and used vinyl and T-shirts.

Record Exchange in Silver Spring is a traditional retailer that buys and sells all forms of media including CD’s, records, video games, and DVD’s.

Purple Narwhal Music & Manga is Rockville’s source for vinyl records, manga, anime, CD’s, and more.

Live Music Venues

These Washington DC live music venues are great places to see a concert or performance:

Black Cat is a multilevel spot serves as a bar and cafe with vegan options while also being an indie, rock, and alternative live-music venue in Washington DC.

Soul, jazz, and various other artists play on a small stage in a cozy space at Takoma Station Tavern with pub food and full bar.

Flash is an intimate nightclub and bar created for local music lovers located in the Shaw district featuring international tunes and American bites.

Pearl Street Warehouse serves classic breakfast and dinner meals, bar snacks, specialty brews, and cocktails in an intimate live music venue.

For a tri-level hipster hangout with a snug basement bar, music stage with dance parties, and rooftop deck we suggest DC9 Nightclub.

The Renegade is a buzzing restaurant offering global small plates, brews, and outdoor dining plus regular live music in your area.

The Birchmere is an internationally renowned music venue in Alexandria with a barnlike performance room, a supper club-style main hall, and a bandstand section.

Big-name performers and national acts perform at at The Fillmore in Silver Spring which is an enormous music venue with multiple bars and opulent decor.

Bethesda Blues & Jazz is a high end dinner theater that features some of the best in live music and entertainment as well as creole and American plates served in intimate art deco setting.

For a relaxed 1950’s pub that serves beer in a bungalow with a porch, a pool table, and live music in Rockville that includes live roots, Americana, rockabilly, and other genres visit Hank Dietle’s Tavern.

Clarksburg Tavern is an Irish-themed family eatery and happy-hour spot offering American grill fare, live music, and lots of TV’s.

Restaurants With Live Music

Have a nice meal and enjoy good music at these restaurants:

Jojo Restaurant & Bar offers American food, burgers, lamb chops, steaks, beers, and wines with live jazz, rock, and hip hop.

The Hamilton is one of Washington DC’s top music venues with late-night hours and plenty of space in a live music space downstairs.

Check out an elegant restaurant that serves premium takes on southern coast staples with live jazz on occasion by visiting Georgia Brown’s.

Ragtime Restaurant is a casual spot with a covered patio serving up drinks, bar bites, and occasional live acoustic music.

Laporta’s Restaurant specializes in seafood and pasta dishes and features a happy hour and nightly live jazz music in Alexandria.

Bars With Live Music In Washington DC

Plus there are bars that play live music too:

Union Stage is a small intimate venue for varied live-music performances and a bar with draft beer and pizza.

O’Sullivan’s Irish Pub has a diverse beer variety and classic decor as well as traditional Irish music, karaoke, and quiz evenings in Arlington.

Music Festivals

National ShamrockFest in March is one of America’s largest St. Paddy’s Day festivals and features tons of musical acts on multiple stages. If you know of any other good music festivals in Washington DC or within driving distance please let us know in the comments, thanks.

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Enjoy The Washington DC Local Music Scene

Well guys, we tried cover as much as we possibly could. You read 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 like bars and restaurants, plus the best festivals near you.

Anyone that is still here probably knows bit about the local music scene themselves. If so feel free to tell us if we got anything incorrect, if we left any cool spots out, or just share your own thoughts in the comments at the end of the post. Now go have fun enjoying the music in Washington DC.

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