Can a musician missing their instrument at home visit music shops purely to play in-store, not to buy?

score:6

Accepted answer

If you don't play "Stairway to Heaven", and you're good, you should be fine...

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Image from Wayne's World

More seriously, if you play well (don't use it as a practice room!), and are friendly and sensitive to what's going on around you, this is usually fine in independent music shops staffed by actual musicians who know it's in their long term interest to have musicians from all over thinking well of them and possibly in future recommending them to others touring or visiting their town. This sort of networking is part of the business.

Of course, there will always be some who for whatever reason don't welcome it (maybe too many people locally do this, maybe they're having a bad day, maybe you're not playing nearly as well as you think...!) - if it feels like you're overstaying your welcome at all, or if it's busy, or you might be getting in the way of actual customers, move on. And if they do treat you well don't forget to give something back by leaving a positive online review somewhere like Yelp or Google Maps or any musician forums or communities you frequent, as well as buying something small - and remember them if a musician you know plans to go to that town.

It's likely to be less welcome in corporate/chain music shops, but they're also unlikely to bother kicking you out unless it's busy or you really push it too far, and some staff may be friendly networking musicians themselves. But there's no reason not to play for a few minutes on the different instruments they have on display. Even if you know you won't buy today you genuinely are finding out how good their stock is, and you might meet someone looking to buy a keyboard or piano here and you can tell them knowledgeably whether this shop is one they should visit.

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