Every year at some point in autumn, to the delight of Shanghai’s local musicians, a gargantuan 4-day music exhibition arrives at Pudong’s expo center. Called simply “prolight and sound”, the music expo features 12,000 square meters of exhibition space and expects to attract at least 12,000 visitors this year. Instrument manufacturers from around China all show up, as well as international makers and dealers of instruments. Every kind of instrument is represented, from classical Chinese instruments to multi-colored trumpets, and everything that goes with music as well like instrument cases, stands, sheet music, electronic music gear of every possible kind, sound systems, lighting systems, and on and on. The expo is open to the public, at least the times that I’ve gone it always has been; and on the last day of the expo it’s possible to get some great bargains on instruments (as it means that it’s one more instrument they don’t have to cart back home) and other equipment. So if you’ve been holding out to buy a new instrument, check it out on the last day and you might get lucky and find just what you need for a great price. It starts tomorrow and runs through Saturday (Oct 17-20) and is held at the new expo center in Pudong. More information on the Prolight and sound website.