Mark is a wonderful music teacher! He has kept my son interested in playing and progressing! Here is the review from my teen son: Mark does a good job keeping it fresh, incorporating new songs or adding new things to learn and do, while working around what I want to do like alternating ear training while also helping me build the basics and work my way up! read more

Mark has been teaching my son ukulele for the past 8 months. He is a phenomenal teacher, who is not only extremely talented but also very positive, encouraging, and patient. Mark tailors his teaching style to meet his students where they are at and is flexible in meeting different student needs, which has been such a gift. It's been so wonderful to see my son enjoy music so much, and his growth over the past 8 months has been truly remarkable. Seeing my son light up with excitement for his lessons each week says it all--we truly couldn't have asked for a more inspiring and dedicated teacher! read more

Mark has been an awesome guitar teacher for my son over the past year and I highly recommend him! He's worked with him on the fundamentals, but also keeps it fun, learning songs that my son likes. My son really looks forward to the lessons each week. Mark is also flexible on scheduling lessons over zoom, which has worked out great. read more

We hired Mark to help our teenage son learn how to play. His approach to teaching is effective. Learn some chords first. Then learn how to play a song using those chords. He's knowledgeable, patient, and encouraging. read more

I had been studying on my own for about a year before I decided to find a teacher, and I'm so glad that I did. Mark is extremely knowledgeable, easy to understand, and great at tailoring lessons to the needs of the student. This has been huge for me, because I have a lot of experience on the piano, so a foundation of music theory, but very little experience with the fundamentals of guitar. That made self-study challenging, as most material out there was either too basic or too advanced. There really is nothing like a dedicated, experienced teacher to help you move forward with a musical instrument. read more

Mark is an excellent teacher. He has brought my son's guitar playing further along in a short period than I could have imagined possible. He is very accommodating with song choices which helps my son stay motivated to play/practice often. Our son just did his 1st performance with Mark's support and encouragement and can't wait to do more. read more

Mark taught my daughter ukulele from 2019 to 2022 (10 to 13 years old) My daughter has taken both in-person home lessons and online lessons from Mark. He is always punctual, flexible with timing, and never cancels. I would highly recommend Mark for ukulele lessons. read more

I've been taking weekly lessons with Mark for almost a year now, and I am able to play a number of favorite songs, via finger picking which is what I've always wanted to learn how to play! I'm an adult beginner, and Mark has been nothing but patient, calm, and very attentive and helpful during our lessons. It's also very helpful that he lets me take a video of him playing the song I am "mastering" so I can listen and follow when I practice at home! (Also, he is an excellent guitar player! ) read more

I've been taking weekly, virtual ukulele lessons with Mark for about 6 months now. Prior to working with him, I had zero musical experience. I have learned so much in a relatively short period of time. Mark shows up on time each week, is always patient, is very knowledgeable and offers great tips to help me improve during my practicing between sessions. I would highly recommend Mark to anyone wanting to learn ukulele! read more

My daughter has been taking lessons with Mark for about 6 months. She started out as a beginner and she has been progressing quickly and we're really happy with how well Mark has helped her learn. Mark is very patient with her and he's always been very flexible with the scheduling of lessons. read more

Mark is a great teacher who has years of guitar playing experience. I used to take lessons with him back at the Jam Brothers guitar store years ago and then a couple years ago I started attending lessons with him at the Lamorinda music shop and he he has been helpful always. He allows you to choose songs you want to play and he also has existing tabs of many songs. Mark has encouraged me to continually build my skill and to enjoy the success of flawlessly playing a song. My dad decided to also take lessons with Mark after seeing his teaching style where it is very relaxed. He is understanding of the different learning paces of students and is always ready to help with a difficult scale pattern or song measure. read more

Mark is a patient, kind, and charming instructor. Once a week for a year, he'd come by my apartment and teach me the guitar. But what's more -- and more valuable to me -- is that he knows music. He's willing to talk music. He's willing to listen music. And that knowledge of music and the willingness to teach it and the passion to talk about it is what makes Mark such a pleasant instructor and good companion. I really enjoyed having him as my teacher, and I hope you will too. read more

I really don't understand why Yelp filtered this review. I contacted them and they said there is nothing they can do to unfilter.... Suffice it to say, I am a real person and a real student of Mark's. I have been taking lessons with Mark for over a year. As an adult learning how to play an instrument for the first time, I was pretty nervous. Mark's calm nature immediately put me at ease. I thought I was going to have to spend a good amount of time practicing chords and learning Mary Had a Little Lamb, so I was surprised when Mark started me right off working on playing songs I actually like. This definitely gave me more motivation. This is how we've done all our lessons. I'm pretty amazed at the breadth of songs that Mark knows and when I managed to find a few songs he didn't know he was able to pick them up quickly after listening to them on my MP3. He really makes the effort to help me learn to play the songs I pick. And somehow he also manages to sneak in lessons about music theory and tips on technique. As a professional, I don't have a consistent schedule and Mark is always flexible to meet my needs. Another big plus for me is the fact that Mark gives lessons at the Jam Brothers store which is extremely convenient. Bonus: whenever I've needed extra gear like a guitar strap, everything I need is right there. I've seen Mark with many different kinds of students, from kids to AARP members. He is a great teacher. I would recommend him to anyone who wants to learn to play guitar. So dust off that old guitar or bring in your little future rock star (while you grab a sub at Morucci's)! read more

I have been taking lessons with Mark for the last half of 2017. Mark is an outstanding instructor. He possesses a ton of patience and is a great listener. He gets that people come for instruction with different goals and with different starting points . Some of us just want to be able to strum some chords and play some simple songs Some of us bring our children so that they can learn about music and begin to learn an instrument. Some of us are trying to become guitar gods! He listens (and asks) what your goals are and is knowledgeable enough to put together a plan for whatever yours is. He has a real talent for teaching and also an extensive musical education and background to back it up. read more

After my teen daughter spent a year teaching herself acoustic guitar she decided she wanted to take lessons but she had had such negative experiences with piano lessons when she was a kid she was hesitant. What initially drew me to try Mark was he said he teaches music the student wants to learn. And THAT was such a selling point for my daughter. She will bring a piece she is working on to the lesson and they will go over it but then he will also weave technique and other skill improvement exercises into the lesson. She has now expanded to the electric guitar and bass and he lets her pick which one she wants to do her lesson on. I would highly recommend Mark especially if learning and playing songs you like will make you more inspired. read more

Mark, is very patient and knowledgable about music. He's good at explaining things. I highly recommend him. He will teach young kids too! He will give the theory and skills to be proficient to learn songs or play with other musicians. read more

I have been taking virtual lessons from Mark since May and have learned so much! I was trying to teach myself using youtube and was not getting anywhere. I had pretty much decided to give up when I found Mark. Mark started me out learning basic strumming patterns and chords that I practiced until I was comfortable enough to move on to songs. Now we are working through a beginner's song book. Mark has also offered to figure out chords and patterns he can teach me for songs that I like that are not in the book. It's great fun! I have found the virtual format to be quite smooth and have not had any problems with learning in this way (in fact, as a working mom, it's easier than having to drive somewhere). I highly recommend Mark to anyone wishing to learn ukulele or guitar! read more

My son has been taking guitar lessons with Mark for several months now and we have found him to be very kind and patient. He loves his craft. My son thoroughly enjoys his lessons, as a sophomore in high school and many after school commitments, he considers it the best part of his week. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Mark. read more

My 10 year old son has been taking lessons with Mark for a year now and it's been a great experience. Mark is patient and supportive but also emphasizes practice and focus. My son has progressed far more than what I would have expected at this point. Most importantly he's having fun and wants to continue. Mark has done a wonderful job! read more

I have had the great good fortune of finding a great guitar teacher. I have never played any instrument in my entire life, but at 58 decided, after thinking about it for quite a while, that I wanted to learn how to play the electric guitar. For the first month I had tried to learn how to play from a book. That didn't work out very well. I found Mark's post on Craig's List and after our initial email exchange, I decided that he was the type of teacher I wanted to provide me with my musical training. I have not been disappointed. Mark is a wonderful teacher. As talented as he is as a musician, you'd think that he would have an enormous ego. He doesn't. He is genuinely committed to conveying his love of music to his students. He is patient, thorough, and adapts his instructional techniques to the student, changing his teaching rhythm to suit the student's progress. For me he is laying a firm foundation in musical knowledge and technique that I believe will allow me to go as far as I can possibly go musically. Most importantly, he is helping me gain a well-founded confidence that I can actually learn to create beautiful music. Thank you, Mark! read more

I've been taking ukelele lessons from Mark for a little over two months now (I'm an adult learner). He is extremely knowledgeable, kind, and patient, and he is extremely flexible working with me to accommodate my hectic work schedule. Whether you simply want to learn a few strumming patterns, chords, or if you're more interested in music theory or ear training, Mark can do it all. I've brought in some songs that I wanted to learn how to play on the ukelele, and Mark worked with me to determine the notes and melody. I really enjoy taking lessons with Mark... so much so that when I master the ukelele, I plan on taking guitar lessons from him next! read more

My 7-year old son started taking lessons nine months ago. Mark has been patient and flexible with our busy schedule, even working around our summer hiatus during swim team season. It's also great that he provides in-home private lessons. It's amazing to watch my son learn chords and notes. I'm not musical at all, but Mark is making sure my son is! read more

We take guitar and ukulele lessons from mark, for adult and child, respectively. He's patient and supportive and keeps things fun. So far, we're really loving it all! read more

I've studied guitar with Mark for many years. Starting when I lived in the East Bay and more recently since I've moved away, doing remote lessons via Skype. Mark has a knack for being able to flow with whatever song, riff, or skill you want to learn, yet usually infuses it with some cool trick to make it easier to play or understand. We've focused on songs, strumming and picking patterns, scales, theory, and also ear training which has allowed me to figure out songs on my own. He has no agenda other than that I enjoy what I am learning. His vast knowledge of music history helps greatly when learning songs by demonstrating how one song is like another hundred songs by using basic chord theory. I highly recommend Mark to anyone wishing an enlightened and fun learning process whether you are a raw beginner or a seasoned musician read more

If you want to learn guitar fast as well as challenge yourself go see Mark., He is very patient and can help you no matter what guitar level you are at. He is low pressure and he doesn't make you feel bad if skipped some practice the week before.. Mark is familiar with all kinds of music, Rock, folk, popular, etc. He is also an accomplished musician. He teaches you songs your want to learn to play as well as different techniques and music theory. I am an older guy that used to play guitar back in high school and college. After 35 plus years of not playing I finally decided to call Mark based on a few of the reviews I read on yelp. I always looked forward to my lessons with Mark, they were fun, challenging. The best part in just a month or two he had taught me how to play a fair amount of songs and some of my friends even thought I could actually play, ha ha. I myself will be back working with Mark again soon. read more

After playing guitar for many years, I realized I wasn't really improving, so I contacted mark through the local Jam Brothers guitar shop. For a couple of months now, I've worked with Mark on some basic picking and rhythm guitar skills. As a tutor, he's very attentive to detail and always has an alternate strategy to address difficulties, as they arise. Highly recommend Mark to help you with your guitar skills development. read more

Read reviews about Mark from Jam Brothers before I engaged with him, and they were right on. He's a great instructor. Very patient, (needs to be with me), and clearly very accomplished himself. He has a flexible way of teaching, meaning he seems to bend to what you need, versus what he thinks you should learn, whether it's good for you or not. So, if you want a non-pressured environment to learn a great instrument, Mark is your man. He's also just a great guy. read more

I highly recommend Mark. After years of telling myself I would one day learn to play guitar, I finally took the plunge and have been having weekly lessons with Mark for a few months. The lessons have all been online via Zoom, which has worked really well, and also allowed me to schedule them at times which are convenient and fit in with other commitments. I am an absolute beginner, and Mark has been really patient as I get to grips with the basics. My lessons have combined learning the basics with learning to play parts of my favorite songs which has been awesome. If you are looking for guitar lessons and thinking of doing them online, I definitely recommend contacting Mark. read more

We have had our 9 year old with Mark for the last year. He is very patient with our child. The progress made is quick because of the methods he uses that support learning and practice. He is flexible with scheduling and easy to work with. We highly recommend Mark if you are looking for guitar lessons. read more

I'm so happy I found Mark for guitar lessons. I had been struggling to try to teach myself, learn from friends, but nothing is better than the discipline of working with a teacher who can bend and flex to your needs. I've really enjoyed learning songs and simple basics like how to strum from Mark. He is very patient and his years of experience shows in the way that he can really adapt his teaching style to what I need. I highly recommend Mark ! read more

Mark is a talented instructor. He assesses your capabilities and interests to develop a custom lesson plan designed to meet your needs. End result is a curriculum that is fun but challenging. I look forward to every lesson. read more

Mark is an excellent, patient, friendly teacher, and fantastic guitar player. I've been playing guitar for decades but have never taken lessons up until now. I feel like each lesson unlocks a different secret of electric rock and blues guitar for me: pentatonic scales, palm mutes, tapping, bends, power chords, arpeggios, pinch harmonics and other techniques that I have yet to learn. He has also explained tablature to me, which has opened up a whole new world. I show up each lesson with some ideas that I'd like covered, or a song that I'd like to learn. Mark understands what I'm trying to do, makes it look easy, and then, amazingly, makes it easy for me to do to the way he explains it and shows it. He then goes on to write out exercises in tablature for me to work on. It has been a positively motivating experience to practice during the week, knowing that I'll have a lesson with Mark on the weekend to review what I've been working on. If you'd like to treat yourself to something good, and quickly improve your playing, I'd recommend taking lessons from Mark. read more

I took guitar lessons from Mark about 13 years ago and just found out he had a yelp page so felt it necessary to share my experience. I came to Mark as a 15 year old looking to improve my chops playing punk rock and ska, but quickly learned there was more to music than catchy 3 chord songs and crunchy solos. Before long Mark was teaching me complex chords, modes, and elements of music theory that I had no idea existed. All this while helping me learn my favorite songs! I would literally come into my lesson with a CD and mark would teach me the songs on the spot while explaining the theory behind them. Fast forward 15 years and I'm still playing music using the same knowledge that Mark instilled in me at a young age. Every time I pick l up a guitar I remember the awesomeness of playing as a young kid, and every time I strum a minor 7th chord I think of Mark Benjamin. If you're looking for an instructor to help you rock out and inspire you Mark is your man. read more

My son has been taking electric guitar with Mark for the past few months and is really enjoying himself and learning a lot. Mark is patient and designs his lessons around my son's musical preferences. I'm happy to recommend Mark. read more

I've been taking lessons from Mark at The Jam Brothers for almost a year now, and I'm having a great time! I'd been away from guitar for over 30 years, and Mark has made it fun to get back into it. There are a few obligatory drills and scales, but mostly Mark teaches skills by teaching you songs, so your practice actually sounds like something. He perks up lessons with interesting stories about bands, artists, musical styles, and his own experiences performing. His students are male and female, young and old. Parking at Jam Bros. is easy, but if the shop hours don't work for your schedule, he'll sometimes come to your house as well. Highly recommended- I'm having fun! read more

I have been taking lessons with Mark for over a year, he is an excellent teacher. He is very patient and is able to employ a variety of teaching approaches to best fit your learning style. He works with you to understand your playing style, music tastes, and technical ability and develops a plan best suited to your needs. I was able to increase my technical proficiency but also start learning the songs I love right away. Learning guitar has been challenging, but Mark has made it possible. I would absolutely recommend him to any beginning, intermediate, or advanced player. read more

Mark is an extremely qualified, patient teacher and works at the student's Level to make lessons interesting, fun and encouraging. He tries to help his students feel motivated and successful as they make progress on their musical path. read more

My husband, Aaron Simon, tells me that Mark Benjamin (who I refer to as Mark "Been-Jamin" ;-), is a terrific ukulele and guitar instructor. His knowledge of both instruments is vast and his temperament is inspirational. Aaron would highly recommend him for students of all ages. Aaron has learned a great deal under his tutelage. read more

I have been studying guitar with Mark for 6 months. Mark has a nice personality, is patient, and adapts to each student's interest and ability to teach them the songs and musical styles that they are interested in playing. He has developed an organized teaching method and supplies all lesson materials. The materials include basic right hand strumming patterns and rhythms and left hand exercises for scales, chords and chord patterns, and fingering techniques that help prepare you to play popular songs in various styles. Mark also provides guitar tabs for songs that you are interested in playing. He can teach and help students of any skill or experience level, and can also teach music theory to students who don't have a musical background. Lessons are given at a convenient location in Walnut Creek and Mark does his best to coordinate lessons times with your schedule. read more

Mark clearly knows a lot about music and the guitar and he has been good about gauging where I am at in my progression. Very patient and flexible yet he offers challenges to help with stretching my abilities. I would recommend giving him a call if you are in the market for guitar lessons. read more