Quick summary: extremely knowledgable, flexible, tailored to my specific needs, reasonable and…read moreaffordable pricing... a music teacher who really cares I feel super fortunate to have found Devin as my piano teacher. I was classically trained growing up but in recent years have been craving to learn jazz piano, especially wanting to improvise. It felt like a far-off dream, but through my few lessons with Devin I have been pleasantly surprised at my own ability, which he has helped me unlock. He truly is so knowledgable and delivers that knowledge skillfully -- as in, he doesn't overload you with irrelevant information, and only relays what is relevant to the current subject we are working on. Devine is encouraging but does not give empty praise -- he is very transparent with his feedback and this feels very effective. He keeps me super engaged -- there is a great balance of theory and explanation / allowing me to apply the theory through playing and answering questions on the spot. There have been moments, especially at the beginning, when I felt intimidated and nervous to improvise on the spot (as this is something I'd never really done before). Devin was understanding of these emotions and created a safe space for me to go out of my comfort zone. These moments of being challenged are super invaluable to me and his method of doing so really suits me. The lessons are paced well for me and feel very tailored to my needs. Devin always prioritizes my questions for each lesson, and based on those, creates a lesson plan on the spot to address them all. I really enjoy the fact that I can ask super specific questions and we can go on tangents about music theory and history. Speaking of music history, I also appreciate that Devin is so acknowledging of the fact that we are playing in the realm of Western music, which is only a small fraction of all the musical cultures that exist. As a person of color, this foundation of thinking is really important to me. I searched for a long time to find an in-person teacher because that was what I was used to, and I believed it would work best for me. However, I realized that the online lessons work perfectly well and I can't see any downsides of them. I think this is partially because I have enough background in technique, so I don't need him to be adjusting my hands / seeing my fingering and all the other physical stuff associated with piano. This being said, perhaps if you are a complete beginner, try to start with in-person lessons with Devin to make sure you have all the basic techniques locked in as this will affect your playing later on. I am used to more structure and rigidity -- my classical lessons always centered around learning a piece and playing it during lessons, with very clear homework. So it took some time to get used to the more flexible and free-form nature of learning jazz piano (and perhaps it is also his particular teaching style). I think it has been an excellent practice for me in self-discipline. However, if you benefit a lot from extreme structure, you can always ask Devin to provide that. I am personally enjoying the challenge of improvisation as my homework! Devin has offered me many tools and frameworks for thinking about piano and improvisation, all of which have made piano feel way more approachable and inviting than it used to. I also marvel at his ability to be so enthusiastic, engaged and creative for each and every lesson. I've had many music teachers in my life and he is one of the best!

Devin is an amazing music teacher. He's easy to work with, very knowledgeable and professional. It…read morehas been a great pleasure to study piano with him since September 2020. I've had many musical breakthroughs since then. Devin is a patient musical guide. His technicality and training helped me to achieve my dream of singing popular songs with full piano accompaniment. I have a deep appreciation for music and my prior music teachers were rigid in their approach, which didn't enable me to grow musically. Devin's flexible, caring approach helped me to immediately tap into my abilities at the keyboard. It has helped immensely that Devin offers remote lessons via Zoom, which make it highly convenient for students living further away. I look forward to more musical breakthroughs with Devin as my guide. Highly recommended!

I've been working on my original music with Don going on 7 years now and I will not go anywhere…read moreelse. What makes Don to me the best around is that he is also a world class musician, as well as producer, arranger and engineer. He is so easy to work with and gives all of himself in every song he works on. He and I have produced for Grammy winners such as Tony Lindsay (Santana) and Samuelle Prater (Club Nouveau). His input and expertise have definitely made the end product to my songs more than I could have ever imagined. He is truly amazing! JOAQUIN SOLORZANO

From the owner: DKS Productions is a full service music production facility located in the San Francisco Bay Area…read more Specializing in working one-on-one with artists and songwriters, from album concept and music preparation, to CD Mastering, Graphic Design and Packaging, and Manufacturing a final product. We have a reputation for personalized service in a relaxed atmosphere, and are constantly striving to offer a higher quality service that is simple and still affordable.

Ultra-talented, mega-meticulous, and incredibly reliable . . . a rare combo these days. Ask for…read moreChris ( aka Action Paxton ) and he will blow your mind with what he can do for your music . . . whatever your genre/sound flav is . . . whether it be a dialed mix, a thumpin' crystal ear clear master, or build you something from scratch with his talented team of prolific 'n proficient musicians and songwriters. And most of all . . . the warm good fun vibes with make it a pleasure for you to create within. -Rance Lane ( Jefe of The Dangaleros) ps. check out our song AZUL 65 for the quality of his craft.

This place and the staff are wonderful. Come here every time my drummer is in town and we need a…read morespot to rehearse. Honestly, wouldn't go anywhere else in Oakland or the east bay. This is where the "East Bay Bros" were born and thrive. Thanks to all the guys at Nexus for being great hosts!

Really cool studio - fully equipped with tons of crazy gear - awesome outboard, every instrument…read moreyou could ever need. So many different mics - a lot of vintage ones too. Laid down vocals and 12-string guitar for a folky track. Danny B. the engineer I worked with was incredible - really flexible and meticulous with understanding my vision and making it happen. Did a three-mic setup for the guitar - and it sounds INCREDIBLE. Highly recommend for recording anything from simple folky acoustic all the way up to full band and everywhere in between. This place is straight up legit and captured my music in a way I'm not sure other studios could have. Again highly recommend working with Danny if you can. Prices are also pretty reasonable - will def be recording more here when I get the chance.

This review is specifically for Chris Paxton. I've had a great experience working with Chris in…read moremixing/mastering one of my latest house tracks. He's a fun and professional to collaborate with, and I'm beyond happy with how my song sounds as a finished product. I've been producing on Ableton for a few years, and I was specifically looking to work with someone in studio to learn and improve my mixes in general. I spent a few hours with Chris in his Oakland studio and learned so much during that time. It was one of the most informative sessions I've had since I started making music! Chris shared numerous different techniques and workflow tips with me while making suggestions and helping refine my track. It's clear that he's an expert in Ableton, but is also generous in sharing his knowledge. After our in-person session, we collaborated for another week or so via phone/e-mail through the mastering process. Throughout this process, he was thorough, patient, and gave invaluable feedback and recommendations - all while communicating effectively. Something I really appreciate about working with Chris is that he makes suggestions and gives honest feedback, but also makes sure that he respects the original vision for what the track should sound like. He makes suggestions but never pushes or makes it feel like you're straying or altering your original track. I look forward to working with Chris again! Highly recommend Mothership Studio.

Ah, John Honore. A…read moretrue triple threat. Composition, mixing and mastering... and he's fast, if you can afford him in turbo mode. Watch out for this guy. As I speed down the twisted career highway called the music industry, I always see him on the road, smiling at me as he takes the hairpin curves. He's mercurial. He's methodical. He's on his game, and to top it off, he brings the funny. He'll make you sound good, and will not be satisfied until the mix, master, or cue meets his own personal standard, which is nice and high. Yeah, being good is always kind of expected these days. If you can get this guy, he'll well exceed that expectation.

I've had John mix projects of mine and couldn't be happier. He always brings his best game to the…read moretable and delivers. He's full of enthusiasm and jokes to move any project right along. I would highly recommend him as a live, recording and mixing engineer for any genre.

Last minute Super Bowl LX w/e major brand restaurant takeover #Prubechu #Ortega ~r esponse time to…read moreinitial outreach was almost immediate, incredibly fair proposal, and effects added massive elevation to the environment of the event! Definitely recommend and look forward to collaborating again on future events...

Mark and his team were absolute professionals. The speaker set up for my wedding fell through 36…read morehours prior to the event and Mark swooped in with barely any notice and completely made the event with the sound. He arrived on time and made sure everything was set up and ready to go. Multiple people commented that the sound set up really brought so much life to our ceremony. We're so grateful for Mark and his team and would love to work with them again!!

Making music at Shine On Studios in Oakland, CA is fun! Take it from someone who has worked with…read morethis guy for decades. This review has been a long time coming. No matter what I say, I cannot do Shine On Dave enough justice. I met Dave 20 years ago, I'm guessing it was a Craigslist ad. I was building a recording studio in my home and needed guidance. Dave became that beacon. Since then, I have visited Shine On working with various projects many times over the years. As someone who is a 30+ years experienced vocalist, I have watched Dave grow for decades. He is and has always been, as far as I could see, completely dedicated. Dave's passion of being a well earned award winning recording engineer and studio is why Shine On Studios was awarded as best recording studio after many years of growth. I have witnessed him building 1st hand and his success is from hard work, taking on any project he could get in the early days. He can now pick his jobs as he has paid his dues many times over. If Dave is recording you, you must have something real good. Dave has established an awesome pro studio in Oakland. The sounds he is getting are great. The amps, mixing board and most importantly, Dave's ear are all excellent. Dave's interest in offering a comfortable working environment is obvious. The couches, his attitude and studio sounds are 2nd to none. Thank you Dave and Stef! You make a great team...

Bluhd I've been with Dave since 2010 and don't wanna go no where else, Shine On Studios for life.read more

I was so comfortable I wrote half a record and restyled my sound in four days, on the spot,…read morestarting from nothing..and it was real. Mikey pulls honesty out of an artist, and captures it. If you are a singer/songwriter with a few tunes, or have a full record planned with a band; check this spot out. And just in case you want to sing through a CB mic, or an old telephone...He makes them, and they are incredible. I really can't talk this place or him up enough, it's always a top recommendation for anyone who is looking to record.

Mike placed great value on my time, working very efficiently and effectively. His suggestions…read morewere always constructive and never impeded on my creative process. He's a great engineer, and I'm happy to have worked with him.