*
banner

Advert: Music Tools Direct

Generate some extra income for yourself or your band!

Music tools
 

www.musictoolsdirect.com Offers downloadable exam accompaniment in mp3 format, to students of both the ABRSM and Trinity Guildhall syllabuses. The website launched recently with a catalogue of pieces from both examining bodies.

Register

You or your band can register with musictools direct, as an affiliate, this will generate an affiliate code that is unique to you. Give the code to students studying grade exams and ask them to enter it when purchasing mp3s from the site.

For every download (where applicable) associated with your affiliate code musictools direct will give you 20p!

Many schools, music teachers, brass bands and other organisations have already signed up for their affiliate code and are enjoying the financial benefits of recommending musictools to their studentsmusictoolsdirect

Quick and easy

www.musictoolsdirect.com is a well thought out website, designed to make it easy for users to find exactly what they are looking for quickly and easily. With mp3s organised into instrument, exam board, grade and list, the navigation becomes familiar very quickly.

The brainchild of Steve Walker (pro trumpet player and brass teacher) and Jason Mountford (graphic designer and musician). The website was born when the pair recognised a need for the service.

Steve Walker told 4BR: "As music teachers across the country are aware, it is not always possible to provide peripatetic instrumental music lessons in a dedicated music room with keyboard facilities, we believe that having access to our recordings would be a valuable teaching aid. Teachers with limited keyboard skills are also finding our accompaniments useful."

Valuable resource

Brass students across the country are finding the site to be a valuble resource.

Something that co-creator Jason Mountford has first hand knowledge of – "I started to play trumpet again recently after a break of about sixteen years, starting from the begining I began to practise some early grade pieces, I spoke to Steve about creating some recorded accompaniment for the pieces I was practising."

Jason added: "I found that my playing came on leaps and bounds, not only was I able to practise with piano accompaniment whenever I liked, but I actually felt like I was making real music' a sentiment now shared by many students across the country."

Log on

Many schools, music teachers, brass bands and other organisations have already signed up for their affiliate code and are enjoying the financial benefits of recommending musictools to their students.

Log on to www.musictoolsdirect.com/affiliates to get your code today!

Become a supporter and help make our future secure.

4barsrest continues to be a proudly independent voice. There are no paywalls to overcome to be able to enjoy what we do to keep our journalism at the heart of the brass banding world. Support us with a one-off donation or subscribe from just £2.50 per month.

Support us    


Youth Champs

Birmingham hosts National Youth Championships

March 28 • If you are anywhere near Birmingham today, get along and enjoy plenty of fantastic brass band performers.


Withington

Withington returns to Grimethorpe

March 28 • Allan Withington will lead Grimethorpe Colliery at the British Open and Albert Hall National Final, as contesting connection with Carlton Main comes to an end.


Adams

Trombone stars add to Adams artist line-up

March 28 • Tom Challinor and Jonathan Pippen have become Adams Artists.


Welcome

Warm welcome for Lawson at Welsh champion

March 28 • It's a been a long journey to get to his first rehearsal for Kyle Lawson at Cory — and its straight into concert action too.


Brass Bands England - 2026 National Youth Brass Band Championships

Saturday 28 March • King Edward's School, Edgbaston Park Road, Birmingham B15 2UA


The Hepworth Band - Slaithwaite Philharmonic Orchestra

Saturday 18 April • Huddersfield Town Hall HD1 2TA


Contest: Whit Friday March Contests

Friday 29 May • Saddleworth & Tameside OL3


The Hepworth Band - Brassband Burgermusik Luzern

Saturday 30 May • Dewsbury Minster, Vicarage Road, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire WF12 8DD


Contest: Norwegian National Brass Band Championships

Friday 5 February • Grieghallen, Bergen, N-5015 N-5015


Chinnor Silver

March 27 • We are a friendly progressive 1st Section band who need a couple of seats filled.. Bb BASS and PERCUSSIONIST are on our wanted list so if you are looking for a new banding challenge get in contact. We rehearse on Wednesdays and have good realistic diary.


Newport Borough Brass Band

March 27 • After a respectable 4th place in the 2nd Section at the Welsh Area Contest, we are looking for FRONT ROW CORNET (position negotiable) 1st BARITONE, 2ND TROMBONE and Bb BASS players to come and join us on our journey under the baton of Martin McHale BEM.


East London Brass

March 27 • PERCUSSION - ELB are the look out for a percussionist to complement our existing section. We have a sensible diary of contests and concerts and are ambitious to keep progressing as a band.


James McLeod

BMus (hons)
Euphonium Soloist, Teacher and Conductor


               

 © 2026 4barsrest.com Ltd