Tima skipped foundational steps in vocal training, completely omitting core basics like…read morediaphragmatic breathing before rushing into singing. Without these essential mechanics, singing is barely manageable. It felt like she was using our paid time to gain teaching experience rather than delivering proper instruction. To make matters worse, she abruptly quit without providing any explanation. I thought our sessions were progressing well, but I suddenly received a phone call from her supervisor instructing me not to return, with no reason given for the sudden cancellation.

I have been taking lessons at the John Payne Music Center (JPMC) for thirty years and have always…read moredeeply enjoyed it. I started at the JPMC as an adult in my thirties with no musical experience. My regular lesson with John Payne has been one of the highlights of my week for many years. Through these lessons I have learned to play the alto sax and to improvise -- something I barely dared imagine I could ever do. And, as a result of experience learning and playing the alto sax, I hear music differently than I did before -- and enjoy it even more I have loved playing in the sax choir wtih Duncan Martin and as part of an ensemble with two different teachers. All of my teachers there have been outstanding: excellent musicians and warm, caring, supportive teachers. They are very good with both adults and children -- and believe fimly that adults with no previous musical experience can learn to play, to perform and enjoy it. JPMC provides a safe environment in which you can learn alone; learn to play as part of group; and, perform! John Payne is not only an inpiring teacher a wonderful human being, but is also a superb musician who plays some of the best jazz and blues you will hear anywhere. Playing in the sax choir means you get to perform onstage with John and his professional band -- one of the peak experiences of my life! I recommend the John Payne music center to anyone who wants to learn to play jazz, blues or a wide variety of other types of music.

amazing selection of pedals, guitars, basses, amps, general equipment and more…read more staff know their stuff and are more than willing to help you out. everything is reasonably priced but they need to make a living will be my go to music store for the foreseeable future

You folks are as kind as kind can be. You reunited me with my beloved guitar! AND you were very…read morehelpful in terms of cables, picks, AND most importantly, a used distortion pedal. A bit of, more than obvious, info- hey bozo, don't leave your guitar in your car! I'm extremely thankful, the other Mark White

They did a wonderful job re-hairing my bow. I was able to drop it off and pick it up the same day…read more They have a small parking lot, and there's also a city lot a block away, so it's very convenient.

Called to see if they could repair a book I of mine. They don't work on violins that they don't…read moresell which is totally understandable. But when I asked who they might recommend they also said they won't give out recommendations either. So I am stuck with them not being able to repair but also no idea who to use for a repair either.

Terrific work on a vintage French alto saxophone and tenor saxophone. They were fast, and their…read morerates were very reasonable. It was also helpful to be able to try out a case for the tenor in the shop and see that it was a good fit.

Great people. Was looking for some trumpet accessories. Amazing collection of antique instruments…read more Very accommodating.

By how busy Mark is -- seems that he doesn't need Yelp... Been going to him for years for my…read morebasses. From routine setups that are great, to him taking one look at a new bass and instantly saying, "return it" (neck was indeed bad) to heating a vintage 60's neck to get the back bow out, while beautifully restoring its cracked binding and a cracked block/surrounding wood, to most recently installing side dots that you would think were factory. He's been great for me.

Mark is an ace. There is no better guitar tech around. He has taken my hopeless 97 MIA jazz bass…read moreand brought it back to playability. Also my MIJ strat setup was great.not to mention past setups of my 63 precision and 67 fretlessed precision bass. Ridiculously knowledgable. Will take the time to explain anything. Very easy to park and drop off/ pickup w lots of on street parking in Brookline village. Highly recommended. Steve K JP, MA

I just wanted to thank you SO SO much for fixing my Gibson Les Paul. You did SUCH a good job that…read moreit sounds like it did when it was brand new nearly 20 years ago, NO ONE has done such a great job as you have. A thousand thank yous, I got completely lost in the moment playing it and it's been years since I experience that unless I was onstage in the zone. I'm thrilled my step father found you, your going to be my forever go to for anything regarding fixing my guitars. Price was VERY reasonable- in a world where everything is to much, you certainly are priced fair. Thank you.

I walked into Mike's, because I was in the market for an electric and live in the neighborhood…read more This was my first electric, but I knew I wanted something decent with good tone. I told the store owner what I was looking for, and he showed me what was in my price range. He also very kindly told me that I was welcome to try any of the guitars--even though I very clearly could not afford them! I thought that was cool! He left me alone to play the guitars. I was able to take my time--as I didn't really know what I was looking for. I was so happy with one of them, that I went ahead and bought it! I've had it for about 2 or 3 years now, and I still love it!

I have been taking clarinet lesson with Bob. All I can say is he is a great instructors. I had a…read morecouple instructors when I was young but I feel I have finally found the teacher I can enjoy lessons with. He has taught me how to enjoy it. After the lesson, I always feel GREAT. I often see he and other instructors talk to younger students. They seem to like the teachers a lot. They seem to enjoy talk to teachers. And instructors are always cheerful and friendly to kids. I love seeing them talking to each other. I have 2 years old son and want him to start some instruments from next year. Too bad this place does not take small kids. I want my son to be in this nice and friendly environment, and learn music.

Growing up, I learned to play classical flute. But I always wanted to learn to improvise on the…read moretenor saxophone. Thanks to Bob Brenner at Music Maker Studios, I have learned to do so on the tenor, alto and soprano saxophones (and sometimes even on the flute)! Even better, it has been fun to learn. I've made good friends playing in an ensemble, and I've even been able to play gigs for money. I will be grateful to Music Maker Studios for keeping music in my life for a long time to come.

I have been a member of Musicians Playground for over 5 and half years! I joined with the goal of…read morelearning piano while balancing a busy career, after having a taken a year of piano lessons many years ago. I had a passion for music and I just really hoped I could find a way to make it all work out with the rest of life. MP surely facilitated that. I started with group lessons and after several months transitioned to private lessons which better fit my work schedule. I have loved the entire journey, having had a handful of talented instructors along the way, each who taught me something I didn't know. I joined as a beginner pianist and in a couple weeks I will play a more complicated, 8 page song than I had ever imagined - I can truly reflect on how much my I've grown as a piano player while at MP. Alyssa, the founder, has cultivated an amazing community. She is always there for you when you need help. Rarely, if the schedule is not working or an instructor doesn't fit your personality, she'll quickly find the time to talk things through with you and suggest a solution to get things back on track for you. Learning an instrument isn't always easy, but you can always count on her being your biggest cheerleader on the musical journey to reach your goals. The Happy Hour performance nights happen every two months. These are a highlight of the MP experience. These evenings are so inspiring, whether you are a spectator or performing. I find that wanting to perform at Happy Hour and share my music motivates me to practice almost daily and continue to grow as a musician. You meet a number of interesting people who may just have started learning or may be superstars continuing to take lessons. Plus, the studio environment fosters your overall musical journey - how cool is it to spend your evening taking a lesson, while there are 4 other private lessons and a group session happening on the same floor. Indeed, learning piano at MP has been a huge part of my life - and I hope that this experience can hold true for you as well!

There are not a lot of recent reviews, so I thought I would add my experience in case it helps…read morepeople find what they need. I was excited to try piano lessons here but my experience was not client-centered. First, the person who connected with me about discussing what I need was going to call me on the phone but was inconsistent about scheduling. Then, although everybody was polite (if you discount my instructor asking me "no, but where are you *really* from"), the instructor I was matched with definitely did not start with where I was at and imposed their own perspective and agenda on me for how we would be learning because it's what they were familiar with. Also, during the lesson, the space was loud because people could be overheard singing. So, it was very difficult to hear the instructor and concentrate. Looking back, I think the person that I initially connected with to discuss what I was hoping for probably just wanted to make a sale instead of being straight up that perhaps what they had to offer did not match my needs.

As a beginner guitar player wanting to move onto their first nice guitar this was about as perfect…read moreof an experience I could have asked for. John the manager linked me up with Aiden who was beyond knowledge about guitars and the particular one I was interested in. He gave me in depth knowledge and honesty that made the process easy and I never felt in any way pressured to purchase. I could tell he really cared about making sure I had the right guitar for me, and spent a lot of time making sure that I knew the best ways to care for it and ensure it did everything I wanted it to. The store itself is the nicest guitar center I have been to and all of the departments were well stocked and welcoming. 10/10 recommend, the manager John was fantastic and Aiden was the best I could ask for!

Guess who got a new guitar for their birthday? The hubs!!! And good timing too as they were having…read morea Guitar-a-thon i.e. sale on select guitars. This store is huge with lots of selection of wide ranging guitars. You can try them - they have these plugin amp stations. The gentleman Glenno who helped us was great! He showed us the guitars that the hubs wanted to try out. He explained relevant things. We got to talking about music and playing in bands and he said he plays in a band called The Pitches - great name btw and that they were going to be playing a show in the near future. Anyway the hubs needed a second guitar and chose a beautiful teal-ish colored one. We also asked about a case and straps. They had a bag not case but the bag actually turned out to be pretty good and much better than we expected. Good quality and has backpack straps so it's easy to carry. We also picked out a strap - there were a lot to choose from - hubs chose a simple black one. Overall we were very satisfied with the store, the amazing selection of guitars and the friendly customer service! Glenno knew what he was talking about! We'll be back in case we need any other guitar supplies for sure!