Valerie is a wonderful piano teacher. She is encouraging, supportive, and very organized. My…read moredaughter really enjoyed her lessons and appreciated the way Valerie challenged her to grow while also being mindful of her skill level and learning style. My daughter also looked forward to the fun and relaxed recitals. :-) We are grateful for the wonderful experience and would highly recommend Valerie to anyone looking for a dedicated piano teacher.

My daughter had the pleasure of having Valerie Alfonso as her piano teacher for the past five…read moreyears, and has been an excellent experience. Starting lessons at the age of 7, my daughter has gained confidence with performing in front of an audience, reading music and has an overall appreciation for music all thanks to Valerie's incredible teaching. From the very beginning, Valerie created a welcoming and nurturing environment that made learning fun and engaging (throughout Covid, too). Her patience and dedication, while also tailoring the experience to each of her students is unmatched. She provided just the right amount of challenge (and encouragement) to my daughter for her to move outside of her comfort zone and learn how to play the more complex pieces of music. Valerie not only excels in connecting with children, she makes each lesson enjoyable while at the same time instilling a strong foundation in music theory and technique. The recitals and performances organized by Valerie are always well-prepared, and each comes with a fun theme -- doing so makes the feelings of nervousness a student may be feeling (especially their first recital) lessened because Valerie doesn't put unnecessary pressure on her students and continually cultivates an environment of creativity and fun. I am immensely grateful for the positive impact that Valerie has had on my daughter's musical journey. It is because of the foundation Valerie created and cultivated over the last five years that my daughter felt the confidence to register for the middle school band. If you're looking for a piano teacher who is not only highly skilled but also kind, encouraging and passionate about teaching, look no further than Valerie Alfonso. Thank you Valerie, for five wonderful years of music education and memories!

My daughter has attended SOREG from just about the beginning. The staff has been great. She has…read morebeen through a few different instructors due to time conflicts, one instructor was traveling with his band, and we love how flexible they are. They are always willing to work with your schedule. From Cecilia(owner) to Matt, Jared, and two of the 3 Jasons that work there, they're all great. It has given my daughter a positive place to learn and foster her love for the guitar and Ukulele. They have new band performance groups every few months and that gives the students a way to explore different genres of music, as well as getting to know some of the other students there. The only thing that I would suggest is to allow the kids to suggest songs for the Performance groups that they sign up for to feel as if they have a little input on what they are playing. They'd probably be a lot more enthusiastic about having a say on what they will be performing on stage. If your child enjoys playing music or would love to learn how to, I highly recommend School of Rock Elk Grove.

Simply the best! A little pricey, but you get what you pay for, yeah? Our daughter has flourished…read morein the 5+ years she has been here! Voice lessons (thank you sooo much Stevie), guitar lessons (thank you Mike), and the innumerable group leaders in the Performance Bands Sophia has participated in. Our daughter, now 14, once shy, now fearlessly performed for her Middle School Awards Ceremony! You can't "buy" confidence & grace under pressure...unless maybe your child attends SOR! Thank you SOR Elk Grove! Rock on! As we leave for Tennessee, Sophia will continue at SOR (Knoxville). Again, thank you! :)

Absolutely love this music school! Our child started in the music explorers class and then began…read moreprivate drum lessons at 3 and half months. Watching his confidence, musicianship, and love for music grow has been amazing. Mr. Arden, Ms Mary, Mr. Michael, and the entire staff have been incredibly encouraging and supportive. The school has truly become a second home for him--a safe place where he can learn, grow, and explore his passion for music. The front office staff are also wonderful--always welcoming, kind, and helpful. We're so grateful to be part of this community!

Music classes for little kids. Is it chaotic? YUP. Is it noisy? YUP. Do the kids enjoy themselves…read moreand learn at least a little something about music? YUP. Look, for my experience (a just turned 4 year old), it is a good general exposure to music. Learn songs, sing, improvise, learn a bit about rhythm. All good. Is your kid going to walk out of here the next child prodigy? Well, maybe your kid is, but generally speaking, nah. But it will give them an introduction to music instruction that can be foundational for their next steps in development (piano lessons, anyone?). I believe that the school offers more than just the classes for the REALLY little ones, so maybe that transition to the next step can happen right here. The instructors are very patient, and boy, you need it with some of these kiddos. We'll keep going for a while, at least!

Teacher Liz at Music Yard has been wonderful for my daughter's piano lessons. She does such a great…read morejob building confidence while helping her learn and improve each week. Liz is patient, encouraging, and keeps my daughter motivated and on track with her progress. What we appreciate most is how she also helps guide us as parents so we know how to support our daughter's practice and learning at home. It really feels like she's invested in her success. We're very grateful for Teacher Liz and the positive learning environment she creates. Highly recommend her for anyone looking for a supportive and skilled piano teacher!

Poor customer service. I took an instrument to them to be repaired, called them 6 weeks later and…read morethey did not know where my instrument was. Megan said they would call me back. I called them back later that day and the next day, the manager did not bother to get on the phone with me but was relaying messages to Megan on the phone. They assured me they would be calling me back. The next day. I received a text message letting me know it would be six more weeks and the manager would update me. I had yet to talk to a manager or receive an apology. I texted back that it was unacceptable since they already had it 6 weeks and they lost it. They said they would try to get it done as soon as possible. Two weeks later I was informed the manager would be picking up the instrument and would contact me. A week later Gabe contacted me and was very apologetic for the situation. This was the first apology that I had received. Gabe is the reason this review got one star. He went above and beyond to apologize, communicate and called me more than once. I did get the instrument back. However, when I went to go pick it up, Megan acted like she did not want to help me or recognize that I was in the store. I paid over $300 to have the instrument fixed and my daughter informed me not all the pads were replaced. Very disappointed in this music store and the customer service received. I will be using a different music store in the future

Raquela is very bESt Vocal Teacher in Northern California. She helps her students to go and…read morePerform. She is very positive and her teaching really takes the student to next level where they can shine on the Stage. Reviews are just snapshot of what she does, you really need to take her Vocal lesson to become Better Singer. Right Teacher always gives right direction and makes journey more efficient and productive. Here is proof of her one student to whom she assisted to shine. https://fox40.com/2017/11/14/12-year-old-musical-prodigy-plays-44-instruments-practices-6-hours-a-day/

I feel obligated to post this review because Raquela has personally helped me so much with my…read morevoice. I only wish I could have started lessons with her earlier. I've sung on teams for years at our church, but when I finally heard myself on YouTube I knew I needed professional help. LOL. What makes Raquela the consummate voice instructor? She has a true depth of understanding of what needs to come together in order to sing well-- the musculature, breathing, psyche. She is also extremely articulate, so she can explain these intricacies to me. An excellent observer, she truly listens to me and watches me sing, providing constructive criticism. Just a glimpse of the level of her expertise-- she was asked to teach lessons in breathing to her fellow Broadway singers!! She cares deeply and is fully committed to the growth of her students, personally invested for sure. Any student who listens to her and works hard will get to the next level. What's more, she's even tech savvy, so she hasn't missed a beat during COVID and is still teaching fabulous lessons through Zoom.

I am so glad I connected with Rachael! She is a pleasure to work with and obviously very…read moreknowledgeable. I wanted to learn to play again, so I took my very old, and somewhat abused, violin. It is perfect. I would say it looks like new, but it doesn't - that's not what I wanted! My violin had some structural issues, but mostly it was just old and need to be refurbished. You would never know that it had been repaired. Rachael is very detail oriented. She explains everything the violin needs in detail - including the expected cost. She came in right on budget. Honestly, I'm a bit verklempt to to have my violin back. I can not thank Rachael enough for her amazing work.

It was such a pleasure working with Rachael! I got Rachael's contact information from a local…read moreinstrument repair shop in Berkeley. The local repair shop I inquired with did not do work on violins and cellos specifically and so Rachael came highly recommended by this particular shop. I contacted Rachael and within a few days, she was able to meet me in person at a location close to my home. She was able to give me a quote on the spot, and took my cello with her to be repaired. A week or so later, she returned my instrument good as new. She actually charged me less than my initial quote, because she was able to get a better deal than anticipated on the strings. Since the repair, Rachael has checked in with my a few times to see if things are still going well with the instrument. She's also offered to come by and tune my cello if she's in the area. Rachael is a friendly, talented individual who has gone above and beyond to make sure my experience has been great! Bottom line is that I should have broken my cello sooner. It never sounded this good before the repair =) Thanks Rachael!

I wanted a nylon string of my own, and Trinidad helped me find one I am extremely happy with. After…read moretesting a few for their action, feel, and sound, he brought me a 1965 Model 900 Giannini that has aged surprisingly well. Trinidad even cleaned and restored the guitar whilst telling me more about its history. I am a proud owner and will do my best to preserve my beautiful guitar.

While the band was in California, I had to go to a Music Go Round. It's a store that sells used…read moregear. This one was somewhat small but there were some deals to be found. I just wanted to buy a keepsake to remember the trip. I found a used Hobo Drive that had been marked down. Got it for less than $60 and it usually goes for more. I did see a used Studio 3 - this is really old from the 90's. I used to work for the company that made it. Those were good times!

Expensive instrument rental. If you need an instrument go find someone to borrow from or go buy…read moreonline or something. I haven't played my trumpet since elementary school and I wanted lessons to re-learn the basics. The guy never answered my questions so I left. As for piano lessons, I'm pretty sure you can find someone in your neighborhood to teach you. There are a bunch of people out there who have the talent of piano playing.

Horrible customer service. The teacher is always sick and they make their son teach the lesson…read moreinstead. Very unprofessional.

This is one amazing music store, packed from floor to ceiling with musical instruments at very…read morecompetitive prices. My musical interests since 1981 has been on guitars and I have owned several acoustical brands- Castillo Concert, Yamaha Concert, Ibanez Parlor, Taylor Swift Baby Taylor, and Martin, to name the ones I remember. As I gradually moved up the scale of quality and expense I began to lean to Martins because I found I was having difficulty handling the larger models for size and was not terribly impressed with sound of the Parlor and Baby types, all to the physical changes called "aging". Last year I returned the Taylor to Sweetwater and traded in 3 of those brands listed above at Foggy Mountain for a Martin 000-10. I loved that guitar, but, as I mentioned above, I really needed something that was smaller that I could get my hands around, and still had the fretting and sound of the Martin. I started seriously looking at what was available, pricing, and models. I did research online and listened to professionals on Youtube talk about which ones they preferred compared to others, like the Taylor, Eastman, and even cheaper beginner brands. A huge majority said that the Martin all wood was the best. I called up Foggy Mountain, spoke to the very nice gentleman about their inventory, and they had one of the guitars I was leaning toward because of size, weight, fretting, nut distances, etc., and it was a Martin all wood with a Spruce top, and Sapele sides and back. I looked up the word "S A P E L E" to see what that was. Interestingly enough it is a very high quality hardwood from Africa that tends to be quite strong and also very similar to mahogany. In one of the videos discussing the use of that wood, it was mentioned that the sound and tones were not as "dusky" as the mahogany but did add a particular brilliance to the fret board, while maintaining the softer melodious depths of the music. Today I decided to go and see this guitar. The size is about 1/4 less in girth and length, and just a tad smaller on the fret board. See the pics to compare the Martin 000-10 to the Martin 000 Junior. The latter is definitely a more suited lighter weight travel guitar than the former. I played a few riffs and decided the size and all the features, including the built in electronic system and tuner, were exactly what I wanted. The trade in was almost equal to the value of both, and I offered to pay the tax plus $100 to cover the transfer. I brought the Martin Junior home, plugged in my small Laney amp and was tickled with joy that I had made the right decision. The moral of the story- 1) don't buy a cheap guitar called a "beginner" because they are poorly made and sound awful, in most cases. If you buy online, Amazon is NOT the place to buy- if you can't see it, touch it, or play it, it is a waste of money, a lot of the time. 2) Do your homework- some folks may not like AI, but I found it was the fastest way to glean information that provided suggestions and links to sites and videos. 3) If you are a beginner and are serious about playing excellent music, pony up the dough, and buy some serious instrument that will give the sound you want to produce, fits your body style, and then take lessons until you have a good understanding of what and how good music is produced. Use your noodle, try out different models and styles, and give yourself a day to ponder your findings. Then, buy the one you willing to pay for, practice like you would anything else that you want to excel in, daily and often. Practice could make perfect, if you stick to it.

This place was a staple during my teen band years. Sheet music, reeds, guitar strings and I had no…read moreidea they had only been open about a year at the time. It was as cozy then as now. Looking like it had been there for 200 years. I've popped in over the years when I'm in town for the usual. Last week it was to talk about freshening up my autoharp. As I walked in a clocked a hammered dulcimer in the corner. I've wanted one for years! After my autoharp questions were answered I asked about the hammered dulcimer. It was on consignment and had been for nearly a year. I asked how much it was and it could be in my price range. I was excited. They called the seller and we made a deal. So excited. It's a hammered dulcimer made in Nevada City. So special. No matter what you need in the music world this store has you covered even 50 years later. Everyone so friendly so helpful. Helped me carry my new instrument out to my car and gave me great ideas for my autoharp.

My daughter has been taking piano lessons with Dan for a year and a half and she has really enjoyed…read moreher time. He tailors his teaching for each student so that they get the best experience and knowledge for their individual goals. He is patient, encouraging and supportive. We highly recommend Dan if you are looking to learn to play piano!

Horrible! Dan…read morePool's words: "...I need to be able to expect a consistent income. It should be rare for you to miss a lesson. If all my students miss just one lesson and don't pay that adds up to a lot for me." Me: "I am talking more about make up lessons for lessons changed in advance. Any provisions? And what if your student falls ill?" Dan Pool: "If I am sick I will cancel the lesson and you will not have to pay. If the student is sick then yes, you have to pay. Something to consider: I do not teach on holidays and my students do not pay for those days although they themselves might still get paid from their employers." My response: "You know when you give provisions you are still paid but your clients give you in-advanced notice for the need to change the day and time for a lesson. Why do you think that you are above your clients that when you are sick you are ok to cancel on us like we are at your disposal and then when it is the other way around then you have no way out for your clients? No way we are taking you as my children's teacher! If all you care about is income not your clients that is why you are losing customers and now looking for new ones who would leave you very soon anyways."