I have been taking piano lessons with Ernie for a few years now and I'd highly recommend him as a teacher, especially if you are beginning to learn an instrument in adulthood as I have. He's very knowledgable, insightful, and most importantly, a very supportive and friendly instructor. He's also full of stories from a life lived in music and has a helpful anecdote for every occasion. Ernie is always reliable and punctual about lesson dates and times but always understanding if I need to reschedule, given the proper notice in accordance with his posted policies. I look forward to continuing my lessons with Ernie and I'm grateful for his instruction. read more

I have known Ernie for about 5 years. His passion is music and he is very talented! When I hear Ernie play, I get goose bumps. He knows how to hit the notes that create emotion. I like his music a lot. Ernie shares his talent with people of all ages. He teaches piano, guitar, flute and clarinet. He also helps people learn composition and arranging. It is never to late to learn a musical instrument! And with Ernie as a teacher, you will have a lot of fun too! read more

A colleague in my office decided to learn the piano and was, unwisely, "self-medicating" (ie: teaching herself). As a former musician, I became her favorite target and was inundated with questions on a daily basis. I soon realized that while she was very talented at work, I had mistakenly confused her enthusiasm for natural ability. An intervention was required. I strongly suggested that she call Ernie Mansfield, of Mansfield Music, and get some professional help. I had heard from a number of friends that Ernie had the 'touch'. It apparently was a great match because the questions went away and she actually started to make some music. Seriously, my colleague was very happy with Ernie and his ability to adapt to her needs rather than force feeding a regimented learning system ...and I got kudos for the referral. read more

I have known Ernie Mansfield for at least 20 years. He recorded a wonderful album at my studio called "Color Drops". He is an outstanding musician and composer. Since that time he has found his life's calling as a music teacher and has opened a studio teaching several different instruments. I know how passionate he is about teaching from a wonderful interview I did with him on my podcast show, "Priscilla's Podcast". I highly recommend him as a dedicated teacher who makes learning music fun! read more

Ernie is not only a masterful teacher & musician, he is very well know in the Bay Area music world and can pull together a top notch band for any occasion. Mansfield Music created a wonderful jazz band as part of my mother's 80th birthday party. We enjoyed dinner jazz, dance music & beautiful jazz solos performed by world class, local musicians. Thank you Ernie for adding a very special touch to a beautiful family event and being such an integral part of the Bay Area music community. read more

Besides being a great teacher of many instruments (piano, guitar, flute, sax, clarinet), Ernie Mansfield is also a great performer. I hired him to play at a large Business Mixer and it was a great success. Ernie Mansfield (of Mansfield Music) works with both children and adults, and he's versatile and can operate with many different types of musical tastes: classical, jazz, folk, and pop. I've recommended Ernie over the years as a personal teacher as well as referred him to perform at events and parties all over the Bay Area. His rates are very competitive - i.e. GOOD! - and the ease he puts his students to is commendable. I've seen much progress occur in more than one youth that Ernie's worked with that helped build confidence in general for the rest of their lives. read more

Ernie is an excellent teacher of children (that's my only experience with him). He loves what he does and always treats the kids with respect and patience, and he has a way of interacting with my eccentric son that makes me feel very comfortable. My son is not the easiest person to teach anything to, and Ernie works wonders with him during piano lessons, handling his attentional issues very gently and well. I am extremely impressed with the progress he's made in only one year. I highly recommend Ernie as a teacher of children, even those who may not be thrilled about lessons. FYI: if you want to know how your child is doing, you will need to ask him - he doesn't offer feedback unsolicited. read more

Ernie is a brilliant music teacher who knows how to make "learning music" fun. My son, who is very discerning, truly enjoyed the experience with Ernie and still talks about him. Ernie is intelligent, patient and loves sharing his knowledge with his students. Children or adults, Ernie loves to teach them all. read more

Ernie Mansfield is a real gem! Not only is he an incredible musician, performing on a number of instruments (extremely well, I might add), but he is a patient and crystal clear instructor. I've been playing guitar for quite a few years but have always needed to use grids or tablature to read music... sitting down and painstakingly figuring out where to put my fingers, etc. and then working and working to get the song up to speed. Ernie made reading music extremely easy and comprehensive. He has incredible patience and is a great teacher for kids as well. If you want to learn an instrument, Ernie is the guy to see. Not only that, he's really close to BART and other public transit! read more

Ernie Mansfield is one of those rare folks who is both a superb musician and a wonderful music teacher. The scope of his skills is tremendous, as he plays and teaches sax, flute, clarinet, piano and more. In the more than 11 years that I've known Erie, I've had the pleasure of hearing him play many times ( he played at my daughter's wedding ), as well as being a student. I recommend him whole heartedly! read more

I went to Ernie for a guitar lesson to try it out and was extermeley pleased by the ease and comfort I felt with him as a teacher. He was very laid back and supportive. I liked that he gave a good mix of theory with playing, which is something I had never thought of before. I am excited to start lessons with him and would highly recommend him to anyone else looking for a music teacher. read more

As a child I took 3 years of piano lessons then stopped. Moved on to guitar, ukulele and singing in church and school choirs. Two years at Glide Church singing gospel music was a wonderful experience! But something was missing. I could not play piano. Last year, I looked for a piano teacher. I was lucky to find Ernie Mansfield. He asked, "What do you want to learn Doug?" "Sight reading, music theory, improvising, and I want to play piano without looking at my fingers" Ernie paused then asked, "Where do you want to start, Doug." "At the beginning." I look forward to my weekly piano lessons with Ernie Mansfield. He can PLAY music and TEACH music. Not every musician can do BOTH. I have enjoyed learning with Ernie. I am 60 years old and I waited too many years to take piano lessons again. I highly recommend Ernie Mansfield! Douglas Beckstein read more

Mansfield Music has been a great benefit to my daughters musical interest and growth. We sent her there initially because they were recommended as pretty good private music instruction and we wanted to give our kids the opportunity to try music. As it turns out Ernie, her teacher, has lead her to not only get quite good at one instrument in a short time but to want to add another to her range. She has blossomed under Mansfield music instruction and bi-annual performances. If you are looking for a caring instructor who does not just teach the classics of centuries ago I strongly suggest you give them a try! read more

I'm twenty-six and started practicing guitar on my own when I realized I needed a teacher. Ernie did a great job of helping me understanding better technique, and how to spare my fingers from wasted movements and barre chords! He's able to answer questions very well, and plays in a way that's effective, so you can quickly learn how to do so, too! read more

I've been taking guitar lessons with Ernie for about two years and could not be more happy with what I've learned from him and the progress that I've made. I've been playing the guitar for about six years in all. Ernie is far more knowledgable, patient, and organized than any of the other instructors that I've had. He is a great teacher and a genuinely nice person. As a career musician, he has a lot of experience to draw on and interesting stories to tell. His schedule is very convenient for adult students with day jobs. If you're thinking about taking music lessons, you should take them from him. read more