Strad Magazine

June 2, 2007 at 02:27 PM · ASTA started a Strad subscription deal. ASTA members pay $81.10 a year, 20% off the regular price of $101.35. A two year subscription is $136.80, 25% off the regular price of $182.40.

Of course, my ASTA dues are $96.00 a year. And of course, they start this promo right after I renew my yearly subscription...

June 2, 2007 at 03:06 PM · I saw a promo for VSA members, too. I've been annoyed the last few years, as have many of my colleagues, by the small size of the Strad's print these days. Does anyone else here feel that way?

June 2, 2007 at 04:42 PM · Not only has The Strad's print size gotten smaller, but the ink color is pale. Really pale.

Anyone else notice that the articles are getting shorter?

And has anyone else had problems trying to renew their subscription?

OK, enough grouchiness. Despite The Strad's imperfections, it is still my favorite music magazine. Oh Happy Day, when The Strad arrives in the mail!

June 2, 2007 at 08:49 PM · What everyone who doesn't like what the magazine has done with its' size and ink color is to e-mail them and complain. Unless they hear complaints nothing is going to change. They're doing this, like our local newspaper, to save money at the expense of quality and readership.

June 3, 2007 at 01:11 AM · Isn't it worth it to you to spend 7 minutes a month skimming at a newsstand to save $100 a year? "Strings" magazine on the other hand, that's where the authoritative quotes are.

June 3, 2007 at 12:44 PM · I don't like to compare Strings and The Strad because I think they serve different purposes. The Strad covers Classical Music, and Strings covers Classical and many other types of music.

I subscribe to both, and I keep back issues of both. Because my own field is Classical Music, The Strad holds more interest for me.

June 3, 2007 at 01:09 PM · Yes, a large number of people really do need to complain - as I have. The Strad is notoriously unresponsive to issues like this, as well as other complaints. It's like the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. A few years ago they had a book sale. I ordered one and it never came, though I had the cancelled check to prove it. I can't tell you how many times I complained, and how many different depatments I was shunted to - over a period of many weeks. Finally I got two copies in the mail! This happened a couple of times in the past with missing issues when I had a subscription. No, or little response - then two duplicates!

BTW, as a professional in my particular niches, I usually relate more to the Strad, than Strings - overall. But there are exceptions, depending on the particular issue. I also love the Journal of the Violin Society of America (VSA). It only comes out 2-3 times a year, but is book size, and goes into greater depth about issues relating to set-up, varnish, etc. I feel that all these publications compliment one another.

June 3, 2007 at 01:44 PM · The small, pale, sans serif type, combined with gloss, light-reflective pages, make the Strad a challenge to read. And my copy reaches me 1 1/2 to 2 months after it supposedly appears on the newsstands. But I doubt that complaining will do any good.

June 3, 2007 at 11:29 PM · Ask local teachers.. I got my subscription for $66 plus 3 free posters using a code my teacher had... they tend to send out "Special for you and your students!" postcards to college teachers...

On the subject of Strings v. Strad... they both are on my shelf with the ASTA journal and the VSA publication...

June 4, 2007 at 02:09 AM · Wonder what that code is? I thought I had one, but I was wrong.

June 5, 2007 at 05:34 PM · I agree about readability. The worst pieces in the Strad are those printed in pretty colours. I find myself having to use a magnifying glass.

June 5, 2007 at 07:54 PM · Just a question is the biggest beef about readability or legibility?

June 6, 2007 at 04:28 AM · Greetings,

risibility is important too,

Cheers,

Buri

June 7, 2007 at 02:23 PM · Let's just say visibility.