Fantastic Musical Instruments

(111 reviews)

We love PMA! My older son who is 11 has had Sam as his drum teacher for the last few years and…read morereally loves him. Sam strikes a nice balance between being approachable and easygoing, but also knowing how to challenge and motivate my son. My younger 9 year old son just switched to Gabriel for piano because his previous teacher cut back her hours. As a pianist myself, I really appreciate how Gabriel breaks down how to practice a song to make it easier to learn. He also takes into account my son's interest when choosing a song. We strongly recommend PMA!

Only good things at PMA! My daughter began taking lessons in the late spring with Marcella and has…read moremade such tremendous progress, not only with her vocals but also stage presence and performance. A few weeks into lessons, Marcella recommended my daughter sign up for the recital. On the day of the recital our family was shocked at the progress made - she received a standing ovation! All thanks to Marcella! My daughter really enjoys having her as a vocal coach/instructor and looks forward to each session. She's patient, engaging and has built up my daughter's confidence, all while teaching technique, developing vocal skills. The front desk at PMA are also incredibly helpful and easy to contact, whether by phone, text or email. I appreciate how easy it is to book makeup lessons and change schedules online. My daughter also enjoys seeing Marcella's feedback and thoughtful comments posted after each lesson.

Bertrands Old Town Music

(39 reviews)

•$$$

Came here to buy a black folder for choral music after being referred by the Pasadena Conservatory…read more I called in advance to ask if they had any in stock and staff were prompt and professional in picking up to answer my request. Good variety of inventory from what I could see. Found out later my mom buys all her violin + piano sheet music here. It's tucked inside a strip mall off an out-of -the-way portion of Foothill. Would have loved to have seen this store in Old Town, but the current location is very convenient for quick in-and-out errands - and a short distance from the Conservatory. If I need to use something for music practice, I hate to buy online without knowing if it will work for me or not. Brick and mortar music stores like this are essential, and I'm glad Bertrands is so close by!

Very friendly and quick service. As soon as I stepped in to fix my daughter rented instrument, I…read moregot warm welcoming atmosphere and got the job done quickly Thank you all especially Gerard and Iris

Pasadena Conservatory of Music

4.8

(14 reviews)

This is a music conservatory where the high caliber teaching faculty is deadly serious about…read moreproducing high level musicians. It is a well run, efficient organization, and as the parent of a child who receives instruction there, I couldn't be happier with every aspect of the experience. The teaching is inspired, the environment is stimulating, performance opportunities are terrific, and the prices are very reasonable. What more can I say?!

A truly dedicated venue (as opposed to casual mom n me classes) for learning and appreciating…read moremusic. The overall experience was a step up from other local programs. For children closer to the 3 and a half year old range, in our experience one teacher was a miss (summer 2026)... While enthusiastic (but almost aggressively so), she had a very low threshold/low frustration tolerance if a child got off track in the slightest way. She would promptly single them out and suggest they sit in the "viewing area" (aka time out), effectively shaming the child and their parent by highlighting their inattentiveness etc. She may be a school teacher suitable for older kids, but also had an outdated style of excessively "managing" behavior which is not her domain, so long as the child is not majorly disrupting or in some way hurting others. I would also say she (not surprisingly) would play music too loudly and then claim some children are just more sensitive to noise without openness to her own contribution to the music volume. In sum, way too brusque to be teaching 3.5 year olds! Our care provider (who was herself a former preschool director) made the very same observations about this teacher that I had as a parent. Thank goodness this teacher left for vacation and her substitute was day/night more suitable for younger kids. So the experience can be rather teacher dependent...

Pasadena Music Institute

(2 reviews)

I took weekly lessons from Hillary for a year remotely. She's great! She was always well organized…read moreand quick to respond to any questions I had outside of lessons. I was always impressed by how she managed to hear any mistakes I made playing a piece over Zoom. She did a great job of balancing adding new material to keep things interesting with focusing on specific pieces as needed. I suspect that starting piano as an adult has unique challenges; Hillary got me off to a great start and helped me to really embrace the instrument.

I can't say enough good things about the top-tier piano instruction my son has received over the…read morepast five years. The level of detail and rigor in every lesson is remarkable - scales, sight-reading, and challenging repertoire are all taught with such precision. My son's technique and musicality have skyrocketed, allowing him to confidently tackle advanced pieces that many students his age haven't even heard of. What really sets this studio apart is the blend of professional expertise with genuine warmth and encouragement. If you're looking for serious, high-level piano education, Hillary is the person to study with.

Altadena Academy of Music & Arts

4.3

(6 reviews)

The business model is not good. While their teachers are fun and great, the business is run like a…read morescam. They stole 300 dollars from my card that was on file after all of our lessons had been completed and they refused to give it back. They are a scam of a business do not trust them ever. There are plenty of freelance piano teachers in the area, hell even contact their teachers directly but the Altadena Academy of Music is willing to steal from their customer base. BEWARE.

3 years ago I decided to look into a music class for my 5 yr old daughter. She loves to sing. In my…read moresearch, I uncovered a gem of a place, Altadena Academy of Music. My daughter was paired with a great teacher, Peter. Since day one he has helped Mia flourish and unleash her potential. He is a great teacher. During the same 30 mins she's singing, I'm practicing piano with Tyson. He's has been a great help in uncovering my passion for the ivories.

Guitar Center

3.2

(350 reviews)

Cheyenne and Perry were wonderful.I can't express enough of how much they went above and beyond to…read morehelp me. I was having technical difficulties. when I first got there, Cheyenne greeted me with a high welcome. How can I help you? I said, I was having some difficulties with my snare drum. She told me that drum tech was not in, but would be in the next day. I was desperate and I needed help on that day so she said I'll be back. Let me See what I can do ,so she brought another hired gun. This was perry the manager. he saw my snare and noticed it was as dead as Lazarus in the grave. 20 minutes later, Perry like a pro technician took care of my situation and my snare was purring like a fine tuned machine. Ps Don't go to Pasadena guitar center unless you want to be ambushed by some professional care and good old fashion hospitality . Love you Guys

Walked into Guitar Center Pasadena with my brother, our unleashed service animal, and a budget that…read moreclearly needed adult supervision. Things got off to a rocky start when there was some confusion about the dog, but Evan checked with his manager, got it sorted, and we all survived the great leash controversy of 2026. From there, Evan was awesome. Super cool, patient, and actually knew DJ gear because he DJs himself -- which is always better than someone confidently explaining equipment they've only met that morning. By the end, we were joking with him: "You really did everything you could to not sell to us... and somehow we still bought anyway." Funny start, great ending, and Evan helped us leave with a new DJ setup and speakers. Guitar Center almost fumbled the bag, but Evan recovered the sale like a pro. Shoutout Evan.

School of Rock

4.1

(17 reviews)

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If you're looking for a place that nourishes your children's creativity, this is the place. After…read morejust one week at SOR Pasadena, my daughter ramped up her motivation to learn about music 100%. AND this just isn't about music, it's about a community that you can trust -- the instructors & all the staff are just fantastic. I highly recommend getting involved with School of Rock Pasadena in one way or another.

I highly recommend School of Rock of Pasadena for your children or as an older adult like me. After…read moremany years saying I was going to learn guitar on my own, it did not happen until I signed up with School of Rock. The weekly one-on-one guitar lessons and band rehearsals kept me learning and ready for the performance. At the end of the season, you get to perform with your band mates, have great friendships, and have loads of fun too. The customer service is great. You get greeted by Johnnie, the Assistant General Manager, who memorizes your name. Don't know how he does it, because there are so many students. LOL

Pasadena Woodwind Repair

(28 reviews)

My saxophone needed an alignment after a couple years and I wanted to sell it in excellent…read morecondition. Kris was such a professional and a gentleman, he knew how to do the job quickly and gave me a discount because I was expecting my firstborn son very soon. I was unsure at first of how to hire a saxophone technician since this was my first time, but Kris handled our business very well and was kind enough to help me. He also identified my extra neck piece's value to help with the sale, and adjusted it to my saxophone for free!! He went above and beyond to help a new customer. Thank you Kris!!!

I reached out for service and although they couldn't help me with a repair due to their current…read moreworkload, they responded to my written inquiry and referred me to someone who could help in a timely manner.

Arcadia Music

4.1

(9 reviews)

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A friend recommended Arcadia Music and I'm so glad she did…read more I literally paying half of what I was at a different store for renting an instrument. The gentleman who helped us, (who I assume is the owner) took the time to properly measure my daughter for the correct size intrument as well as went over proper care. I recently renewed the instrument rental and it was so quick and easy. My daughter was even remeasured to make sure she has the correct size instrument. I was also told that if she happens to have a growth spurt, we can come back and change the size of the instrument at no additional charge. Payment is through Venmo or Zelle.

I do not recommend this business for its expertise or its business practices. I requested a viola…read morerental per instructions from my son's school. The instrument we were given was determined by the music program's director and assistant to be, instead, a violin. I obtained a third opinion at Encore Music, and was informed by the teacher there as well that the instrument we had been given is (i.e., was strung as) a violin. I brought it back today for a refund of pro-rated rental fee (from what I had paid upfront). Note that I asked the assistant at the store to identify the instrument for me before telling him the problem; he identified it as a violin. When I explained the reason for the return, he then said that it is a viola, and brought it to the proprietor, who insisted that it was a viola all along. I insisted on the return, but they did not refund me the tax I pre-paid, and also charged me for a full 3 months' payment instead of the 2.5 months it has been. Overall, this has been a frustrating waste of time and money. There are many other options for instrument rentals in the area and I recommend you use a different one.

Marzz Guitarzz

(50 reviews)

Punctual! Great service! Quality luthier! Marzz will get you right! I've always been picky about…read morewho works on my basses and this guy knocked it out of the park. With the friendly enthusiastic service and quality expertise to back it up. Marzz exceeded my expectations! Give this dude your guitars and money oh and make sure you tip him well ;)

Found I had an older guitar in my basement. It needed some work, so I looked here for a highly…read morerated Guitar guy, and found Marcelo, here at Marzz Guitarzz. What a great find! When I showed him my guitar, we got into immediate communication and arrived quickly at my options. He also pointed out several features of the guitar I hadn't noticed. Got it back in a few days, beautifully restored and begging to be played. Very please with his craft and happy I found him.

Marzz Guitarzz

(50 reviews)

Punctual! Great service! Quality luthier! Marzz will get you right! I've always been picky about…read morewho works on my basses and this guy knocked it out of the park. With the friendly enthusiastic service and quality expertise to back it up. Marzz exceeded my expectations! Give this dude your guitars and money oh and make sure you tip him well ;)

Found I had an older guitar in my basement. It needed some work, so I looked here for a highly…read morerated Guitar guy, and found Marcelo, here at Marzz Guitarzz. What a great find! When I showed him my guitar, we got into immediate communication and arrived quickly at my options. He also pointed out several features of the guitar I hadn't noticed. Got it back in a few days, beautifully restored and begging to be played. Very please with his craft and happy I found him.

Nori's Piano Service

(102 reviews)

Nori is great at what he does and spends the time to do it right…read more I got my used piano from a dealer / technician thinking I was getting a great deal because the technician should be able to get a used piano in top shape, right? After 3+ visits, the technician could not address my problems and basically said that's the way it is, unless I spend more money for a better piano. Enter Nori, who made multiple trips to get the piano into a playable shape, and since then, he's come back six months later for a piano tuning. I would wholeheartedly trust him to tune up your piano because you can really tell he spends the time and care to make sure your piano is taken care of.

What a knowledgeable and interesting guy. My completely out of tune piano was made whole. It had…read morebeen 20 years and a couple of moves since it had been tuned. Nori was upfront as to the cost and we were billed after each visit. It took three. He enjoys explaining his craft and answering questions. Very prompt, neat, tidy, and polite. Can't say enough nice things about this young man. He has a passion for the piano for sure.

Paloma Vocals

(59 reviews)

I cannot recommend Paloma enough. I started working with her for muscle tension dysphonia, and she…read morehas been such a gift in this process. She's incredibly knowledgeable, patient, and thorough. The laryngeal massages and targeted vocal exercises she's guided me through have made such a difference in helping me understand my voice and reduce tension. What I appreciate most is how supported I feel during our sessions. She truly listens and tailors everything to what my voice needs that day. If you're struggling with vocal tension or MTD, Paloma is someone you absolutely want on your team.

I'm an actor currently based in New York, but I work with Paloma in LA as well, and she has helped…read moremy acting career tremendously. From mastering cadence and vocal technique to helping me find and replicate the voice of Malcolm X, she has an incredible understanding of the actor's instrument. She stays true to the fundamentals while bringing a real sensitivity to artistry, finding innovative ways to help you discover breath, voice, rhythm, and use your instrument to its fullest ability. I recently wrapped a TV show, have a Netflix film coming out next month, and we literally just finished another session today preparing for what's next. I'm grateful to have Paloma on my team, and anyone who gets to work with her is blessed to have her on theirs.

Aleks's Piano Movers