How About Learning Some Fascinating Facts About the Viola Instrument?

The viola belongs to the violin or stringed instrument family. However, unlike its oh-so-famous brothers and sisters, not many of us are familiar with it. Are you interested in learning the viola, or are just curious about this musical instrument?

Without much ado, let us delve deeper into knowing this unique stringed cousin of the violin. However, before getting started, it is crucial to keep in mind that every viola owner should make sure to have an adequate amount of musical instrument insurance in place, no matter what.

History of Viola’s Origin

Let us start with leafing back through the pages of history when and how violas first saw the light on the Earth.

The present-day violas originated back in the mid-16th century. The viola was created and played for the first time in the Northern part of Italy. Although some conceptions about the viola are unclear, two people, Gaspare da Salo and Andrea Amati from Brescia and Cremona, respectively, contributed highly to the creation of violas.

You probably know that the names of the members of the string family are derived from the phrase viola da braccio. In Italian, it means on the arms. This phrase is used to differentiate between the viol and violin.

The Unique Way of Crafting the Viola

The process the artisans use to craft a traditional viola is still the same as before. The one thing that makes this musical instrument unique is - it needs different types of carefully selected pieces and materials to craft a viola to maximize the output and performance of the same.

●    The top of this musical gear is made using spruce wood.
●    The neck, rips, and back use maple or ebony wood because the variants of woods render a distinctive beauty to the viola while adding to its durability and sturdiness.
●    Before the string instrument is varnished, the pieces are made and attached together with the help of glue. Then, the strings (four in number), the bridge, the tailpiece, and the chinrest (optional) are added.

Strengthen Your Arms While Creating a Bright Career

Although the viola is a bit larger than the typical violins, there is a significant difference in the weights of these two musical instruments. As the former is also heavier than the latter, they are capable of strengthening your arms.

Moreover, the style of playing the viola is pretty intricate. So, it works wonders on your muscles, including wrists, triceps, biceps, and fingers. Therefore, a large number of parents encourage their kids to learn to play the viola.

However, still, it is one of the most underrated musical instruments. It has a plus side too. When the number of players is less, the competition will also be less. Right? Therefore, it is likely to offer a more promising career option. The most important thing - all viola players and owners must buy Viola Insurance for the safety and security of their musical instruments and, of course, their finances.

The middle ground pitches

Do you know what makes the viola stand out in the crowd of other stringed musical instruments? This musical gear has got a unique pitch. The pitch of the viola is around one octave higher than the cello. Therefore, it does not produce a mournful sound like the cello. Also, its pitch is one fifth below than the violin. So, its tone is also earthier. Therefore, many musicians consider the viola as the middle path.

The most expensive viola

If you are planning to purchase a viola, do remember that this cousin of the violin is slightly pricier than its counterparts. The reason? There go years of experience, care, eye for detail, and craftsmanship to carve out the viola. Do you know the price of the most expensive viola ever sold and who made it? One of the master luthiers of the world, Stradivarius MacDonald one, made the most expensive viola. It was sold for a whopping $45 million.

So, if you have purchased a viola, make sure to get it the comprehensive protection of a dedicated Viola Insurance plan.

Dear reader, a musical instrument insurance plan may seem unimportant in the first place. However, if, unfortunately, bad luck strikes, it would be the first thing to come to your rescue.

Do You Need Travel Insurance for Saxophone Instruments?

If you own a saxophone, regardless of what your professional standing may be - an amateur, a student with intermediate skill, or a high-end musician, you should be particular about safeguarding your instrument and investment.

Some of the best ways to do that are -

●    First of all, by installing a decent home security system in your home or recording studio
●    And, secondly, by purchasing a suitable Saxophone Insurance plan

Home or renter insurance plan

When deciding on the right insurance policy for your musical instruments and related accessories, the best stand, to begin with, is your home or renter insurance. Charity begins at home, you know. Jokes apart, your home insurance or renter protection policy is more likely to cover your gears if something unwanted happens to them inside your home.

Make sure to check with your insurance service provider if there exists a designated limit for each item. Do you understand what it means? With your home insurance plan, your saxophone might not be fully protected.

Another crucial thing to be aware of here is your homeowners' insurance policy is applicable only when the damage or loss is caused by one of the many perils, such as vandalism or fire. Issues as a result of earthquakes and floods are least likely to be covered.

Plus, you get coverage for your main musical instrument only. Home or renter insurance does not cover accessories. However, when it comes to musical instrument insurance plans, they offer all-risk cover. And, they also include your accessories.

Add-on or rider on home insurance

You can also schedule your musical gear. It means that you can purchase an add-on for your saxophone on your home or renter insurance plan. Although it may increase the extent of coverage a little, the protection will still not be all-encompassing.

Travel insurance plan

If you are worried about any kind of damage or loss during travel or transportation, you can choose another option, i.e., travel insurance. Travel insurance plans that come with baggage loss benefits are likely to pay for a lost, misplaced, or damaged musical instrument.

The reason - if you have bought a travel insurance plan that offers baggage loss benefits, all your bags, along with your instruments are likely to be covered. However, then it will depend on the type and price point of your musical instrument.

Do not forget to check the amount of coverage given on your coverage confirmation document. Remember, it is the maximum sum insured that your insurance company will pay you for a covered loss.

Dedicated musical instrument coverage

If your saxophone is high-end or if you want complete peace of mind, considering a standalone Saxophone Insurance plan is the best thing to do. Most musical instruments and accessories are likely to travel with you both long and short distances and domestically and internationally. It is especially for you if you are a touring artist. In such cases, having a comprehensive musical instrument insurance plan is vital.

Moreover, if you see the reports, you will find that most frequently, the losses or damages to musical gears are caused due to breakage. Although the instances of water damage, fire, etc., are not so frequent, they can end up being very severe and heavy on your wallet. Therefore, being prepared in advance is always a wise thing. Precaution is better than cure, after all.

Some tips to protect your saxophone while traveling

●    If you are traveling via air, make sure to keep your woodwind into the cabin. In case you are carrying large musical instruments like a cello, you may book an extra seat next to you.

●    Make sure not to leave your musical gear unattended, whether it is your car, a bus, a train, or any other vehicle or place.

●    Do not forget to take pictures of your saxophone before and after your journey. It will help you if you have filed a claim settlement case.

●    If your musical instrument is lost or damaged during transit, make sure to inform your airline and insurance provider within 24 hours of the accident.

Now that you have a fairly clear idea about the insurance options you have, you are wise enough to understand if or not you need travel insurance for your saxophone or get a comprehensive musical instrument insurance plan.

Specialist Musical Instruments Insurance Plans for Orchestras

Orchestras and musical bands are often exposed to a wide range of perils. And to handle and mitigate them single-handedly could be a tough feat for the band members. Therefore, specialist insurance coverage is crucial to take care of all these. Why specialist coverage when you already have general business protection?

Being a musical band, getting a general business insurance cover is not a big deal. You can get it from any decent insurance provider operating in your state. However, there are a plethora of good reasons to get standalone coverage for your business, an insurance policy that can understand the nature of your business.

Non-specialist vs. specialist insurance provider

When you are into performing art, you go on tours, manage events, and do a whole lot of things. So, when you choose a non-specialist insurance provider, they have pre-set notions and not-so-accurate ideas about the music industry. Therefore, they happen to charge more on premiums, and often the coverage is not adequate.

The same happens to people who simply rely on their home insurance for protecting their musical instruments - incomplete coverage against hefty premiums.

However, when you choose a comprehensive Orchestra Insurance plan, the insurer knows what you need and offers realistic coverage options.

Most non-specialist insurance providers have the least knowledge about musical instruments. Therefore, they fail to understand the connection you share with your musical instruments.

However, when you choose a specialized insurance provider, they understand musical instruments and their values in the market and your life too. So, they happen to provide comprehensive coverage.

As non-specialist insurance providers do not have much knowledge about musical instruments and their values in the market, claim settlement can be a hard nut to crack with them.

However, the scene is completely different with a specialized insurance provider who deals with musical instruments. 

Insurance benefits to avail

With a good musical instrument insurance provider, you can avail of the following insurance benefits:

Property insurance: It includes all your electronic and non-electronic instruments and equipment, mics, stands, cases, sheet music, hired gears, audio-visual gears, and programs, to name a few.

Loss of income cover: It protects your income flow in cases of technical or physical problems, including lighting and sound problems, telecommunication error, issues caused due to elements of nature, theft, and robbery.

Comprehensive public liability insurance: It pays for the payments you have incurred towards compensating a third party due to their physical injury or property damage caused by you.

Workman's compensation insurance: It covers freelancers, managers, and ticket sellers along with your temporary and permanent workers. Always remember, your goodwill in the music industry is not going to cover you for compensating a worker for an injury. However, a comprehensive Orchestra Insurance plan will.

Insurance against omissions and errors: This cover is especially important when you belong to the professional world of music. It will protect you against the allegations of copyright infringement, slander, breach of confidentiality, and similar problems.

So, these are some of the crucial coverage options that you are likely to get with a dedicated insurance plan designed for orchestras, musical bands, and ensembles. Make sure to check these out when buying an insurance plan.

Finding a trustworthy insurance provider

So, you have finally decided to buy a dedicated musical instrument insurance plan for your orchestra. Now it is time to choose a reliable insurance provider. Choosing a good service provider is crucial because it decides how your policy will end up helping you at the time of need. Although you will find many insurance providers in the market, finding a reputable option might feel like a challenge to you. However, there is nothing to worry about. Just follow the steps given below, be careful, and that’s it! Let’s take a look at the pointers given below:

●    Search the World Wide Web with relevant keywords, and you will find a list of insurance providers operating in your state.

●    Once you have the list handy, visit their websites one by one and collect all the useful information, such as the types of policies they offer, the extent of coverage you may likely expect, etc. Then, you should ask for price quotes from each one of them, compare them, and then decide on a plan.

●    Make sure to choose a licensed and certified insurance provider.

Once you have the assurance of a dedicated insurance plan, you can take a sigh of relief.

How is a Cello Insurance Plan the Best Buddy of a Cellist?

Why do you insure your car? Yes, car insurance is mandatory by law in almost all states of America. Besides this, what is the other reason? It is probably to protect your 4-wheeler and, of course, your savings from scenarios that could possibly go wrong. Right? The same reason people insure their homes and health.

Then why not corroborate this concept in the case of protecting musical instruments? At the end of the day, these are also valuable, both in terms of your bond with them and the investment. Isn't it?

What if your home insurance is your go-to choice?

A majority of people who own musical instruments are happy and satisfied with their home insurance cover. The reason - most of them have included their musical gear in their home belongings and think that they are safe.

Although home insurance policies offer some amount of protection to musical equipment, it is less likely to be adequate for them. Home insurance plans lag behind in many cases pertaining to musical instruments, such as cello, violin, clarinet, piccolo, and other strings, woodwinds, and keyboard. These include:

●    If you take your cello outside your home, your home insurance plan will not be responsible for covering it if something happens to it. Even if your gear is damaged beyond repair or stolen from inside your home, your home insurance is most likely to compensate for a small portion of the replacement cost. However, it is not the case with a Cello Insurance plan, as it will cover you inside-out against all risks.

●    No matter how much you spend on paying the premiums of your home insurance plan, it is the least likely to cover accidental damages. However, instrument-specific insurance plans do cover accidental damage. So, you can be at peace and focus on your music when you have the assurance of a dedicated musical instrument insurance plan. 

●    If you are involved in a case of public liability, and the third party files a lawsuit in your name while asking for medical bill compensation, your home insurance will not cover it. However, a standalone musical instrument insurance plan will act as a protective shield and take care of all the expenses.

●    If you have to relocate to a new place or your upcoming gig is set to happen in another state or country, your home insurance will not play any role here. However, a comprehensive Cello Insurance plan will make sure that your gear and finances are safe even in a foreign land. A musical instrument insurance plan with a reliable insurance carrier will cover transportation damage and all relevant expenses.

●    If your cello is lost or damaged while disrupting your life and livelihood, you cannot count on your home insurance plan. However, you can always depend on your musical instrument insurance plan because it covers loss of income. Now, what does it mean? It means that if you are unable to perform because you have lost or damaged your gear, your insurance policy will compensate you until you get your gear back or according to the terms and conditions of the plan you have.

Hopefully, now you might have understood the difference between a home insurance plan and a comprehensive and specialized musical instrument insurance plan. Due to all these reasons, musical instrument owners should not take any chances and get a separate plan for the gears.

What all does a musical instrument insurance plan not cover?

Starting from all types of risks, public liability, accidental damage, worldwide cover, to transportation damage, a dedicated insurance policy for musical gears covers almost every aspect related to musical instruments. Is there any scenario that it excludes from the coverage? Although the exclusions might vary from one service provider to the other, some standard and common exclusions include the following:

●    Any kind of intentional damage to your cello
●    Regular wear and tear that happens over time

However, in spite of knowing about these exclusions, every musical instrument owner should buy a dedicated cover because the inclusions outperform the exclusions. When it comes to buying a cello protection plan, the best place to go is the World Wide Web. Here you will find all crucial information about insurance companies and policies and choose one, as per your needs.