Barbican Chimes
Cromwell Tower
Silk Street
Barbican
London
EC2Y 8DD

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7588 9242
Email: [email protected]

Opening Hours

Monday to Friday 10:00 to 17:30
Saturday 09:00 to 17:00
Sunday 12:00 to 17:00

Bank Holiday Hours may differ.

Chimes Music has been serving musicians (budding or otherwise!) for over 60 years. We are proud to continue the tradition, in an ever-changing world, of supplying all things musical to our customers near and far. It has recently been said of the shop:

‘ …the idiosyncratic … Barbican Chimes Music … is the Guildhall School of Music's quirky neighbour'

“It's old-fashioned and the people in there are sweet. Nobody goes to music shops anymore. But they've got sheet music in there, and ukeleles' and … it's a complete anachronism. I love it.”

About us

Barbican Chimes opened in 1985 and holds a prime location in the heart of the historic City of London, adjacent to the Barbican Arts Centre and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, as well as LSO St Luke's and the headquarters of the ABRSM. The shop is also centred in the Culture Mile and, when we come into the shop we really do walk past – and over – ancient sections of the Roman London Wall, the site of the origin of the Great Fire of London and have seen film or photography crews at work for Harry Styles As It Were, the James Bond, Harry Potter and Star Wars franchises as well as BBC and Apple TV Productions to name but a few. Read more about Barbican Chimes in the City of London.

We have a large selection of printed music (not just for graded examinations!), offer downloaded sheet music in PDF format via our digital page, as well as books, instruments and accessories for all musicians from the absolute beginner to the concert professional. Barbican Chimes has a selection of CDs and Vinyl with everything from Baroque through to Jazz Blues.

If you're after a specific item, please check availability on this website. The system is live and linked directly to stock at both branches. If you need an item urgently, or if you wish to collect your order, please call either 'Barbican' or 'Kensington'. Staff will be happy to reserve any publication for you.

Find us

City Mapper, Transport for London, Google Maps or What3Words

The shop is only a short walk from Barbican, Farringdon & Moorgate stations with Liverpool Street and St Paul's only a few minutes further away. The location is well served by rail & underground services (Elizabeth, Circle, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan, Central, Thameslink) as well as numerous bus services (4, 43, 55, 76, 100 and 153 all stop nearby)

Our Staff

The key to our specialist service is our staff, who are all qualified musicians. Yes, they too have forgotten or lost their part just before a rehearsal (or a concert or exam!), snapped a string and didn't have a spare, only have money for a single reed (not a box) or have punctured a tire on their bike (we have a bike pump!) and have years of experience and knowledge of others doing so too!

Looking for an organ version of Europe's The Final Countdown for a wedding (or funeral)? Chimes will make sure that whatever it is you're looking for, they'll find it and get it to you.

Please do get in touch with us if you can't find what you need on our website – our help is only an email or a phone call away or see what we're up to on Instagram.

This is where we differ from other faceless suppliers on the internet. If you've ever wondered about the history of Chimes, see our timeline.