Don is an awesome teacher. He has a deep knowledge of music and explains things super clearly…read more Lessons are tailored to my goals and style. Best music teacher I found!

From the owner: The main goal of learning any instrument should be to have fun and achieve the results that you…read moredesire whether you are a beginner or a professional looking to continue your skills. Our mindful approach to fretted instrument playing is simple...to offer friendly, professional coaching and advice for young people and adults – whether they are brand new to their instrument or seasoned pro's – wishing to embrace the spirit of their instrument, playing skill and musicianship, without the pressures of a formal music program. Acoustic or electric, Blues, Classical, Jazz, Rock, Reggae, Bluegrass, Country, Folk, Hawaiian; Guitar, Ukulele & Electric Bass are all offered as styles of musical development, as well as Songwriting.

So far so good! My son is in our trial month for piano lessons. His teacher is Akiko, and she's…read morebeen great so far! She's been fun and engaging, and very patient. The stickers help. :) To start, I had a phone consultation with Jamie, who was very sweet and we had a good conversation about our goals. She recommended Akiko and I think she was spot on. We're excited to continue!

My teenage son took lessons with Nish for three years and it has been a phenomenal learning…read moreexperience for him. He learned not just the mechanics of playing, but music theory, song writing, blending his style with other instruments and endless advice about guitar, music, and performing. Nish was able to guide my son through so many aspects of guitar and music, I'm truly impressed. We're moving, otherwise the lessons would continue.

Fast, friendly work at a value. I'll be bringing all of my current & future guitars here for setup…read moreand maintenance.

If there's no problem with the instrument, he'll tell you. Excellent advice, service and at a…read morereasonable price.

I just can't say enough positive things about Ozzy and his Music Academy. I am so grateful that my…read morechildren landed in such a welcoming and supportive container for them to explore and get comfortable with music and many different instruments. Ozzy is a true visionary in his way of teaching and somehow leads the kids to see the inner rock star inside of them, fearless and powerful. It has been a joy to see my kids perform and with Ozzy's guidance my daughter now writes songs and has even performed at Alameda's Got Talent! Her confidence is soaring~what a gift! I would say to any parent in the Alameda or Bay Area, treat your child to the best music school in the Bay, your child will learn a lot more than music, they will learn inner confidence, breathing techniques and gratitude. Thank you Ozzy and staff!

My son Kailo did the summer camp few weeks ago and he absolutely loove it!! Ozzy and the all team…read moreare amazing! The kids get to try so many instruments, the environment, the level of knowledge of the instructors create a phenomenal learning experience for the kids. We registered Kailo to the kids band classes twice a week and he comes home practicing naturally every night! Every morning he is asking me when he will go to class! He has new friends and we are so fascinated by how Kailo become so passionate about music !! We are so thankful and grateful to have met Ozzy!! He changed Kailo's life!! Thank you so much Ozzy and the all team we greatly appreciate your FUN and intense work!

I'm so pleased with the service I've received from this wonderful local shop. Adam ( the owner )…read moreset up my new Stratocaster and fixed my Martin so perfectly. I feel like I can play so much better now. It's nice to practice without the stress of knowing the guitar is just not right. Extremely happy!! The entire staff is friendly and very helpful. Definitely getting my next guitar from Mountain Music!! I know they will help me get the perfect guitar.

Craig and Gregory both so lovely and kind as I walked in and quickly bought a guitar to learn on,…read morenot even remembering which way to hold it ("are you left handed?" - Craig) Gently mentioning lessons, picks, etc... yes, please, and I promise I'll be back. A very cool space run by nice people who help, don't push, and don't make you feel dumb for not knowing anything. Love a local business too.

Honestly, I can't believe places like this still exist. In this economy...?…read more Knowledgeable, prompt and affordable. A beautifully kept shop space. I brought my silver flute in for a tune up and walked out with it playing better for less money than I imagined. All my blessings to the folks that make this shop what it is.

Brought in my bari sax to be repaired - several tone holes were damaged when my student knocked my…read morehorn over. Shawn and I inspected the horn together and he assured me he could fix it but he sounded a little reticent. I called the next day to make sure he was up to the job - he said he was. We talked about a tool which would make the job easier but the repair was not contingent on that. A week goes by and Shawn calls me to say he can't repair my horn. Apparently he felt he needed this tool after all. Ok, I'm not dinging him for not being able to fix it. I am dinging him for not recognizing his limitations and being honest about what he can and can't do. And it would have saved me an additional trip, gas, bridge fare and my time.

Love the shop. I do my best to shop here when I am in the east bay…read more Good mix of old and new guitars, nice amps. They have a work bench for repairs. Staff are friendly and accommodating. Since Leo's and Starving went out of business, shops like this need and deserve support. It's better than doom scrolling Reverb. I can usually pick up an interesting and used pedal for a few bucks. Instant fun!

As others have said, this is a great little shop. Nice selection of guitars, fairly priced, as…read morewell as amps, pedals and all the accessories you would need. Johnny is cool and will answer all your questions and let you try out anything that interests you. They do great setup and repair work as well. Johnny gets rave reviews for his skills and knowledge. I wanted to give props to their excellent amp repair tech, Steve "Doc" Boyd. Amp repair is tricky. There aren't that many places you can go without traveling some distance. Nobody can give you much info over the phone. You often have to make the calculation as to whether the amp is worth repairing or not. You often have no idea as to the cost involved and the time required to fix it. With these guys, you leave your amp at the store and Steve usually gets to it within a few days and calls, texts or emails you pretty quickly with his assessment of the problem. He will give you your options in an honest and straightforward manor. He's a very personable and friendly guy who is really easy to work with. This was my experience: I brought a very nice small Swart hand wired tube amp in with a problem with some crackling and popping as well as the reverb not working. I had checked and replaced the tubes, cables, and the reverb tank and still not fixed the problem. Uh, Oh, this was way above my skill level and involved detailed knowledge of the circuitry and soldering skills that wouldn't make things a real mess. Steve has extensive experience at testing amps and he diagnosed the problems, stayed in touch with me on the repairs and returned the amp to me very quickly for what I felt was a very fair price. They also have a guy who takes smaller amp enclosures and mods them into great little practice and small gigging amps that are thoroughly checked out if that's what you might be looking for. These guys are local Oakland guys with a commitment to the community and they deserve our support. I was totally happy with their service and will continue to be a returning customer. Highly recommend! Tom F

Stewart stopped answering my calls after he fixed my guitar and never answered my email…read more I used another phone to call him and he answered. He blocked my number. How good is the warranty for one year if he stops communicating. He is a nice guy but for my new guitar I decided to go the Mountain Music on Piedmont Ave Oakland. Adam did a great job on my new Cordoba My name is Garfield

Stellar workmanship and a totally nice guy. He brought down the action in my 1918 L3 to a highly…read moreplayable level without sacrificing bass - not an easy job. There's nobody else on his level in the east bay as far as I know.

I can't recommend Myles highly enough as a guitar teacher. He's a deeply knowledgeable musician…read morewith a real talent for assessing where you are as a learner and tailoring lessons to your goals. From the start, he took the time to understand what I wanted to achieve and structured our sessions accordingly. Myles is friendly, patient, and explains concepts in a way that actually makes them stick. He has a great ability to break down complex ideas into clear, manageable steps, which significantly accelerated my understanding of the fretboard. I always left lessons feeling more confident and motivated, with practical tools I could immediately apply. If you're looking for an instructor who combines technical expertise with an approachable teaching style and a genuine investment in your progress, Myles is an excellent choice--for beginners and more experienced players alike.

I sort of stumbled onto Melodies for Life after a poorly researched internet search for guitar…read morelessons in Alameda. What a great find! Myles keeps my goals in mind better than I do. He teaches to my level. He knows what it takes for me to be a better musician and guitar player. I would recommend him to anyone looking for an lessons on any rock band type instrument or vocals. He might teach other instruments, too. He seems to be able to play anything. I signed up my wife a for a month of vocal lessons for a gift. Now she sings better. Win win