The Music Shoppe Inc.

10/03/2026

One more day of ShredFest in Champaign! Don’t forget: today is giveaway day!! Come in store to get your backstage pass for the giveaways, a free tshirt (while supplies last), and one more FREE clinic with Derek Sederwall!

📍 27 Marketview Dr., Champaign
⏰ 10a–5p (clinic at 2!)

10/01/2026

The first guitar sale of ShredFest 2026! This means we’ve got one gone and 349+ guitars still on sale at massive discounts all month long!

Visit us in Champaign for ShredFest through Saturday and check out our other stores, too:

Springfield ShredFest: 10/14–10/17
Normal ShredFest: 10/28–10/31

10/01/2026

ShredFest is officially on and it's great timing because it's ALSO Boss Independent Music Store Month, which means discounts on pedals, amps, and headphones.

The deals are running all month long, with ShredFest going on in Champaign now! 🎸

09/28/2026

📢 Champaign! It's ShredFest '26, and we're taking you to guitar school. 🎸 Swipe/tap through for more info on our C-U classes this week: "How to make $100K in the Music Business" with Martin Atkins, "Right Hand Bootcamp" with Jay Thomason, and "Pedalboard 101" with Derek Sederwall.

Anything catch your eye? Register at the link in our first comment!

🎶 Clinician Bios 🎶

🎤 10/1 @ 6:30 pm - Martin Atkins
Atkins will offer tangible strategies and advice for independent artists that will translate into $100,000 in additional revenue over the next year.

Atkins, author of Tour:Smart is a music industry powerhouse with 40+ years of experience. He has spent decades navigating and disrupting the music business from every possible angle. Today, he channels that expertise into mentoring future talent as the Music Industries Coordinator at Millikin University and managing Chicago's Museum of Post Punk and Industrial Music.

🎤 10/2 @ 6 pm - Jay Thomason
Join Jay for this 1 hour masterclass as he walks you through some fundamentals for good right hand technique that many guitarists and instructors miss.

Thomason has played professionally for 20+ years. He holds degrees in both Contemporary Performance and Contemporary Studio Guitar from Musicians Institute (GIT), as well as a degree in Music Education. As a "Certified Shredder" Jay has a long gigging, touring, and recording history with a wide range of artists including B.B King, Larry Carlton, Kirk Fletcher, and more.

🎤 10/3 @ 2 pm - Derek Sederwall
Join guitar specialist Derek Sederwall as he discusses everything you need to know about pedalboards.

Sederwall has an extensive background selling guitars, having worked for Guitar Center, Sweetwater, and Sam Ash before joining The Music Shoppe. As a guitar content creator, he hosts a YouTube channel called “Sound & String" where he explores industry news and reviews guitar gear.

09/22/2026

Students are most successful in music when they feel supported both at school and at home. The SMS Text Club is another way to receive valuable resources throughout the school year.

If your student plays flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, or alto saxophone (with more instruments coming soon!), opt in now at the link in the first comment for helpful practice tips, encouragement, and recommendations delivered right to your phone. 📱

09/21/2026

We are so proud to have been voted the Best Music Store of 2026 in The News-Gazette People's Choice Awards! Thank you to everyone who voted and supported us. Your encouragement keeps us in tune! 🎶🌟

09/18/2026

Introducing SHRED FEST 🎸🌟 Our biggest guitar sale of the year!

-Over 350 guitars on sale
-Get a free gig bag with every guitar purchase
-Buy 3 strings, get 1 free (mix and match!)
-40% off Rapco cables
-Giveaways and freebies all week long

Get the best prices on guitars and gear plus giveaways and free clinics with some of our area’s best guitar pros. Visit the🔗 in the first comment for more info and to register for a clinic TODAY!

09/16/2026

New for 2026 🚨 The Student Musician Success (SMS) Club from The Music Shoppe is rolling out for select instrument rentals! Get practice tips, instrument-specific educational videos, helpful info, and encouragement for the band parent journey delivered directly to your phone. If you play:

-Flute
-Clarinet
-Alto Sax
-Trumpet
-Trombone

Sign up for the TMS SMS club today using the 🔗 in the first comment!

08/31/2023

If you've always wanted to learn piano, now is your opportunity: Join our first-ever group piano class, led by Dr. Afrim Shabani!

Dr. Shabani has recently been recognized as a Teacher of Distinction by The Royal Conservatory, and he is a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music in Piano by the Music Teachers National Association.

Through this year-long course, high school and adult beginners alike will unlock their piano potential!

Learn more at

Group Piano Lessons

08/22/2023

It's never too late to learn piano! Join our first-ever group piano class, led by Dr. Afrim Shabani-- starting this Saturday, August 26.

This class is designed to help high school students and adult beginners alike. You'll be amazed at how much you can achieve in just a short time!

Learn more and reserve your spot at the link below!

Group Piano Lessons

08/12/2023

Join our first-ever group piano class led by Dr. Afrim Shabani!

Geared toward adult beginners, this year-long course will take you from the basics to complete proficiency.

Learn more and reserve your spot at the link below!

Group Piano Lessons

10/27/2022

Holiday shopping just got a lot easier!

The Music Shoppe carries Taylor Guitars exclusively at our Normal, Illinois location. Check out our full selection of Taylor Guitars here: https://www.themusicshoppe.com/category/569/taylor-guitars

04/07/2021

Do you know a student who would benefit from private music lessons but who is restricted by finances?

The Pratt Music Foundation’s mission is to provide talented youth an opportunity to enhance their musical ability through private lessons. Music lessons are expensive and simply not an option for some children and families: this is where the Pratt Music Foundation comes in. The Foundation grants annual music lesson scholarships through the Illinois Wesleyan University Music Preparatory Program.

🎻 Instruction is available in piano or strings (violin, viola, cello).

🏫 Our scholarships are awarded to area children each spring in grades from 2 through 12, and are based on financial need, motivation, and talent.

📆 Applications are due by or before May 1.

👩‍🏫 Each scholarship covers one school year of instruction, starting in the fall (2021-2022) and includes summer lessons (2022).

📚 Free music books are supplied by The Music Shoppe in Normal.

Downloadable applications are available: Go to www.PrattMusicFoundation.com

For questions or to request an application by mail, call 309-827-5534, or email [email protected]

Pratt Music Foundation

02/26/2021

What an excellent performance- congrats to everyone who participated! 🎉

Watch out for that guitar player, Erik...he's also a private teacher at the Shoppe! 😄

Presented by Illinois State University School of Music faculty

06/24/2020

If you see these flyers floating around the store, take one home because someone you know may want to come to Traffic Jams!

Traffic Jams is a free ukulele play-along concert led by Developing Melodies Music Therapy Center and happening this Saturday at The Music Shoppe of Normal. Join the Facebook event for all the details! 🙌

http://ow.ly/WmPJ50AgW1I

08/29/2019

Evans Drumheads Promark

08/22/2019

STICK with good equipment.....
(Sorry 😂)
Evans Drumheads Promark