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.

Richard, July 24, 2026: Fantastic Musical Instruments in Pasadena, CA is a real "bass shop". Tom…read moreKerr was very gracious to me when I was trying out basses a few years ago, even after I returned a fine bass I had on trial. I ended up buying a Pollmann Bass from another store. However, when I needed a set-up, , cleaning, and sound adjustment, I took my Pollmann to Tom. My bass now sounds better than ever, and he had a solid string recommendation. Also, just this week I bought a Kay Bass, circ, 1940 from Tom, for my bluegrass, gigs. It was reasonably priced and he did some work I requested for a minimal charge, adjustments to the bridge curvature, and a replacement tailpiece cable (I wanted a new Teflon version). I kept the original metal piece since it was part of the original bass. Thanks, Tom, for your expertise and gracious manner with me as a customer who needed some guidance.

What an absolute gem of an instrument shop that I feel so fortunate to have come across. I went in…read morebecause I'm potentially on the market for an upright bass, and I cannot express how glad I am I stopped by here. Not only do they have an incredible selection of beautiful instruments, but owners there are such phenomenal, down-to-earth, compassionate people. Nicky was in the store helping me out, and they spent so much time allowing me to try all the different instruments and talking me through them and answering my questions. The shop also has a rental option as well where 50% of the rent goes towards an instrument of your choice (doesn't have to be the rental). If you're looking for a high quality instrument with amazing service, this is the place to go. Could not recommend them more highly!

I was waiting at the front of the line for approximately 10 minutes without being acknowledged or…read moreoffered assistance. During that time, another family walked in and was immediately greeted by Mike, who asked how he could help them, even though I had been waiting there first. I found this treatment upsetting and felt overlooked and unfairly treated. I was also concerned to find used N95 masks inside the trumpet case of the instrument we rented, particularly because we had been assured that the trumpet had been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before rental. Finding used items inside the case made me question whether the instrument and case had actually been properly cleaned. Overall, this was a very disappointing experience. Based on what I experienced, I would not recommend or support this business.

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!

My son has taken a few classes here. He really enjoys them. The instructors are always very…read moreprofessional and inviting.

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...

Can't say enough nice things about Dr Santoso! She's been…read moreteaching my 2 kids for the last 2 years and it's amazing how much she has developed them in such a short time. She's patient, professional, prepared and always comforting to my kids. I highly recommend her lessons to anyone.

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.

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.

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.

I get that they're understaffed and busy, but you have to try hard to be as unhelpful as they are…read more One gentleman kept rolling his eyes when I approached to ask a question. I made a purchase of a couple strings and an accessory that required me to take out my inhole sound pickup, so I asked if I could borrow a screwdriver (to literally turn the screws to the left a grand total of two times). He tells me "sorry, we don't usually loan tools out for use," which is totally understandable! So I ask if he can then just help me out and turn the screws himself if I'm not allowed to touch the screwdriver -- he audibly groans and looks at me, then finally turns, practically dragging his feet as he grabs the screwdriver to help me out. I was starting to be pretty stunned by this point. Then, when I was about to leave and putting my purchases in my gig bag outside pocket, the other guitar technician, Mike, starts staring daggers at me across the floor, then tells me to show my receipt to the guy at the door-- he thought I was stealing. After I'd been walking around the store for 2 hours and making multiple purchases. My jaw literally dropped. I don't know what's going on at this store, or if they treat every customer this way, or just me. I would speculate that because I dress quite basically (like a skateboarder, roughed up clothes, maybe?) they assumed I had no money/was poor to justify how they decided to interact with me. No matter who I am or what I might look like, staff should treat EVERY customer the same. I was considering buying a guitar from this store, the Yamaha AC1R specifically that they have in the acoustic guitar room, but now I don't ever want to come back.

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

Recently I had my C melody serviced by Krys , he's very knowledgeable, 5 stars service, I wish I…read morefind him sooner

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!!!

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.

As the owner of a music studio, I'm very careful about where I refer my students when they need to…read morepurchase or upgrade an instrument. We've had a great business relationship with this string instrument shop, and our experience has always been excellent. The owner was a professional violinist with a symphony orchestra before retiring and opening his shop, so he truly knows violins and string instruments inside and out. He is very knowledgeable, honest, and always gives professional advice based on what is best for the student rather than simply trying to make a sale. We have referred many students and families to his shop, and they have always been very happy with both the instruments and the service they received. It's wonderful to have someone we can trust and confidently recommend to our students. Highly recommended!