We wanted our son to learn an instrument, any instrument, so he chose the guitar. Kyle is an…read moreexperienced musician who gives guitar lessons from his home and he is great. He is very patient, flexible, and encouraging. He charges a flat monthly rate (even over holidays/vacations), but makes up for it by distributing lessons on missed weeks via email. Rather than teach from a book, Kyle creates his own lesson plans on the fly tuned directly to each student. When our son is curious about something, Kyle is often able to steer the lesson immediately in that direction.

I contacted Cameron probably about six months ago, looking to take bass lessons, after years of…read morehaving not touched an instrument (I played guitar for a few years during high school and dabbled a few times after that). I knew I wanted to take lessons this time around, since I had attempted to 'self teach' the first time, and felt as if that had been the wrong approach. After a bit of looking around online, I decided to go with Cameron, and I can definitely say it was a very smart choice! Cameron is awesome, simply put. He knows his stuff, he's patient, super laid back and a really nice guy to be around, on top of being a fantastic teacher. I love that he customizes his teaching approach and lesson to you specifically. I've never once felt 'pressured' to do anything I don't want to, and I really appreciate him allowing me to take my time and go at my own (often very slow) pace with my learning, and my sometimes weird schedule. He picks up on your quirks and tastes very quickly. Before taking lessons from him I was honestly pretty freaked out about music theory, and he has made it so much more approachable than I could ever imagine. I've learned so many things that not only put music theory into a much more understandable (and thus less scary) perspective, but are just plain cool! If you want to learn just songs, or mix up songs with technique, or go full on music theory; Cameron can do all of that. He likes to keep things fresh, and interesting for you, which I think goes so far in getting over that frustrating initial hump of learning a new instrument. I would ABSOLUTELY recommend Cameron/New Verse to anybody, beginner or experienced. I think his prices are very fair, and he will drive to your home (within reason I'd imagine) for a bit of extra cost, which is great. I can only speak from a bass lesson point of view, but I have no doubt whatsoever that Cameron rocks the guitar lessons as well, and that he's going to bring in some great talent to round out New Verse's instrument lesson choices. SO happy with my bass lessons. Looking for some of your own? Get in touch with Cameron!

I am a Bass Player for over 15+ years with lots of touring and studio experience. I consider…read moremyself a very creative and professional player always striving to make myself better. But alas, I've felt i've been on a plateau for years and wasn't really getting better. Even at times, I've felt I've gotten sloppy. I'm self thought and a student of the game. But with little instruction. My frustrations grew. That's when I reached out to Cameron from his Craigslist Ad. Of all the teachers I could have chosen, I felt his presentation and methods was what resonated with me the best. The main goal for me was improved efficiency and accuracy. Very observant and meticulous. We identified areas of opportunity and tailored a curriculum specifically for what I was looking for. Staying consistent and pro-active, I have felt and noticed a discernible difference in my bass playing and overall view of what it takes to be a professional musician. i also give Cameron high praise for his professional presentation and work ethic. I would recommend Cameron highly as your next instructor..

Jim is a true musician playing many types of stringed instruments from six-string guitar to harp…read moreguitar. (Yes, harp guitar!) I've had the opportunity to take classes from him. He's very patient and knows his music. I've also heard him perform. If anyone is looking for beautiful instrumental music for any gathering, Jim is the man.

Let me say this upfront: contact Amanda if you want to improve your singing. It's hard to imagine…read morefinding a better teacher. I've been singing for most of my life but have fallen off writing and performing in recent years. I decided to get back into it and improve my skills beyond where they'd been before. That's when I reached out to Amanda. I'd had some lessons as a teenager, which helped, even if I probably wasn't ready to take advantage of them, but at a certain point in my twenties, I stagnated and didn't know how to get better. In the past few weeks since taking lessons with Amanda, that's all changed. I've increased my range, improved my breathing, and am learning to project more. Every single lesson has been like a mini-breakthrough. I already feel like I'm singing better than I ever have. I can't believe how fast I've been improving. Amanda has done a great job assessing my existing skills and adapting each lesson to match that. How she explains the mechanics of using your voice as an instrument is understandable and actionable. Lastly, Amanda is an incredibly fun person to be around. Seeing her is already a highlight of my week. I always leave in a fantastic mood, excited to work on my voice over the week so I can come back and learn more.

Amanda is such a sweet soul! I've had so much fun learning new techniques. I wasn't sure I could…read moresing but this process with her has been incredibly powerful. Thank you Amanda!

Mr. Ben is freak'n awesome! Nothing better than watching your little loved one on stage…read moreparticipating in a dance class with live music and instruction - blast off! I have had "take me to the moon... 5,4,3,2,1 - blast off" stuck in my head for two days now. Even though my niece just turned in circles and forgot to actually "blast off." Baby girl is a few days shy of 2 years old, so she has plenty of time to work on her 2 step. But in terms of singing, she has down-pat hits like "twinkle twinkle," "abc - z" and "1-10!" BEN SINGS THE HITS IN PUBLIC As I understand it, Mr. Ben plays for kids every Monday at Mississippi Pizza at 5pm. He doesn't charge a fee here but accepts donations. On Tuesdays you can catch him at Milagros Boutique - a little community clothing store for babies and expecting moms. You might have seen him at Posies Cafe or hanging out with Dave Matthews Band. To be honest, I don't know his whole schedule or history, but I know Mr. Ben gets around town and my niece and baby nephew really enjoy his music - very catchy "take me to the stars... 5,4,3,2,1 - blast off!" So cute! Next time I come out, we are bringing the whole tribe to see him - including my oldest two god-babies and the 3 year old twins. They all know what a ukulele and guitar are so I'm super excited. WHAT HE OFFERS IN ADDITION TO THIS SCENE group/public/ private: early music education, and guitar and ukelele instruction. All of the details are on his website for you to read. I'm in the process of coordinating my schedule with my little loved ones to make sure they all get a chance to be "Singers and Stompers" [for infant to 4 years old]. NOTE: he also offers a range of music lessons for adults and simple guitar lessons for those 16 and up. ALSO, YOU MIGHT SPOT HIM AT Branch and Birdie EcoBabyGear Mississippi Treehouse Curious Comedy Theater Multnomah County Libraries Portland Children's Museum Green Frog Toys Warehouse Cafe I'll update this with more info after the next show.

Mr Ben is so great! I went to a birthday party recently where Mr Ben performed. There must have…read morebeen thirty kids there ages 0-6-ish and they were all completely entranced by this upbeat guy and his fantastic music. It was kind of amazing to see how transfixed all the kids were with Mr Ben and his music (which took the pressure off the 30+ parents having to do crowd management with so many kids). The music was great and I was amazed to just watch him connect with each and every little kid there. Looking forward to checking Mr Ben's concerts out around town. My 3.5 year old daughter is a big fan following that party. And it's kid music that won't drive the parent nuts either, which is no easy feat.

I started with Daniel just over a year ago, and he has helped me access parts of my voice I didn't…read moreknow existed. A few months ago, I literally felt a back room in my voice I had never accessed before. Without fail, either through lack of sleep, dehydration, the weather, yelling, or earlier bad habits, my voice has always found a way to be thrown off-balance. But those worries are now in the past. I've found a rehabilitation center, in the 45-minute weekly lesson, where my voice enters the hands of a vocal surgeon. I enter with a voice tensed up and short on range, and leave with an instrument I can be proud of. On top of all that, It doesn't hurt that Daniel's an all-around great guy, making lessons not only instructive, but enjoyable. 5 Stars. Highly Recommend.

I've been doing Skype lessons all summer with Daniel and have to say that my voice has made a huge…read moreimprovement. I sing with a lot more confidence and have genuinely enjoyed doing my daily exercises, which he sends me in an audio file after each lesson. He's a very good teacher: patient, efficient and has specific, substantive skills to offer. Rather than trying to teach me a specific style, he's helping me get my voice muscles trained up so that I'm more capable of singing in the style that I'm interested in. It's sort of like Physical Therapy for your voice. I've had a lot of music teachers over the years, and I really think Daniel has a strong gift for teaching!

I began training with Estelle after a few years of being mainly self-taught. I'd reached a point…read morewhere I knew enough to play, but I could not achieve the sound that I wanted. Estelle immediately saw what my issues were - there were multiple problems with my 'hand mechanics' - and she has worked with me for over two years now while i gradually un-learn bad habits and ingrain new ones. Estelle's technical knowledge, her kindness, patience, and deep love of music comes through in every session. Our classes together continue to be enjoyable, extremely productive, and are the highlight of my week. I cannot recommend her too highly.

I've been practicing with Jed for a little under a year now and cannot recommend him more as an…read moreinstructor! When I first started began, I didn't know anything about form, scales, arpeggios, nothing. Since then I've learned enough and gained the confidence to play in live jam sessions! Jed is an amazing bassist, a great coach, and able to identify very specific areas in my play style that need improvement. He's also put me on a pace that is challenging but not overwhelming, and always keeps things light and fun. Jed has a great music selection when it comes to assigning songs to learn, from Earth Wind and Fire to Smino. I have a lot of fun practicing on my own and every song he assigns is meant to solidify the drills we're currently working on. Jed also keeps our sessions organized and focused; he's always communicative and follows up every sessions with notes and assignments. I know I have a long way to go, but I wouldn't have this perspective without Jed's ability to play, teach, and create a plan that has set me up with a very strong foundation.

Having played drums for four decades, I finally took the plunge to learn bass and, without having…read morehad any expectations for my progress, wow I am impressed! My teacher, Ben, who luckily happens to be a drummer and bassist, is simply phenomenal at his job. Speaking from experience as a decades-long teacher myself, I can say Ben is inspiring in every way. He is encouraging, has a lesson plan to progress in skill and musicality, offers useful technical feedback, and most importantly delights in music. Lesson with Ben are consistently inspiring and helpful. I look forward to them every week and they prompt me to practice much more intensively than I'd imagined I might. Thank you, Ben!