We have been so lucky to have Jennifer as Luke's piano teacher for the past two years. He is 7 now,…read moreand Jennifer has done a wonderful job fostering his growth, with a real focus on musicality and exploring a diverse range of music. As a parent, I really appreciate that she shares detailed notes after every class with specific practice instructions. It makes our daily practice sessions at home much more effective and manageable. The regular studio recitals every six months are also a highlight--they have been incredibly helpful for building Luke's confidence and performance experience. Highly recommended!

Ms. Lee is an outstanding piano teacher. My 9-year-old expressed interest in studying piano over…read moreone year ago, and Ms. Lee was the perfect first teacher! As a former piano minor in college, I was very picky. I had "tried out" several other piano teachers for my daughter. Ultimately, I chose Ms. Lee because of her warmth, her gentle, encouraging approach, and her attention to teaching the fundamentals (correct form, posture, theory, etc). My daughter loved her and looked forward to each lesson. Even though she played "simple" pieces, they were always fun and interesting. They kept her engaged and willing to practice. What I loved is that Ms. Lee also developed her musicality and her appreciation of music. I was impressed at how much my daughter advanced in a short period of time. Unfortunately, we moved out of the area, but she graciously continued her lessons virtually until we found a new teacher. As a parent, I loved how she was so communicative with the parents and how organized she was (e.g. Google doc notes for every lesson, online theory practice, easy invoicing for payments, studio classes, makeup lessons, and recitals). Not all teachers are so organized (I have three kids who all play instruments), and I appreciated how easy it was to work with her. And... Ms. Lee also still performs, too, with local Bay Area groups - she plays beautifully, always performing at the recitals. She's an amazing teacher, and my daughter (and I) were really sad to leave her. Thank you for everything, Ms. Lee!

Alex set the sound post and finely adjusted the bridge of my bass. He was fast, efficient, and…read morekind. He served me well and for a good price.

Absolutely gorgeous collection of uprights. Unassuming little shopfront, but after being greeted by…read morethe most gorgeous sight of rows of a variety of hardwood carved basses, it's almost impossible to ever leave the store. Great shop, nice guy, very responsive and willing to work with you regarding a time to meet as well as being genuinely knowledgeable and helpful. Ended up getting a Shwinn

Woohoo, my 100th review!!! :))…read more After looking at a bunch of rehearsal places, H.I.T. Wall was definitely my first choice: plenty of parking, good noise insulation, big windows to fresh air, well-built secure rooms with individual alarms, good vibe inside and out, and 24-hour access. The people I happened to run into all seem really nice, too. The studio is located in a relatively quiet area in SSF, and pretty safe to get in and out even at late hours. Both the front and back doors are locked at all times, and our studio also has its own alarm system for added security/safety. We've been renting the place for six months now and I find out why H.I.T. Wall has gotten the reputation in town. Just to give you a quick example: one of the outlets in the room got bent from stepping on an extension cord. Called to let them know - very responsive and was fixed the next day, IMPRESSIVE!!! Well, not to mention other things like forgetting my keys and calling one of the brothers (did I mention he is cute too!? LOL!!) to let me in my room. He came down from SF, very accommodating I have to say...... The owners, Mat and Will (two brothers), are responsible landlords and know their tenants well. They seem like they are in the recording industry for the right reasons--to keep the Bay Area music scene alive and make a solid place for bands to work on their crafts for years to come. H.I.T. Wall deserves a 5 star review for the following reasons: 1) noise insulation (soundproof), 2) cost (reasonable rent), 3) convenient location in the Peninsula, 4) lots of privacy, and most importantly, 5) GREAT SERVICE!!!

It's a little far to drive if you live in SF- but not that far for the price. My band has been…read morethere since Feb '06. We came from Rocker (which we only stayed in for a month because we couldn't hear each other talk!!!). Hitwall is sound proofed really well. the good parts: **sound proof no one ever talks about this but it's one of the 2 most important parts of a good practice space!!! there are 4 movable sound proofing baffles. we've never had a problem. we can play pretty loud (as loud as we want, whenever) and don't have to raise our voices to talk over our neighbors. i can sometimes hear/feel the bassline from the room below us but as soon as we start playing, it's drowned out. **secure you have a front door key and a room key. it's also out in an industrial district of ssf so you don't have a bunch of crack heads wandering in. also, our cars have never been broken into in the lot or out front. **lots of parking just don't leave it for more than 24 hours, they'll tow it. ie: don't leave your tour van here. **they let you paint/build shelves our room is huge but also came with 2 cubbie loft shelf spaces. i can't tell you how handy these are. **rent $700/month split 2 ways (that's $350/month) for a 13x22x20 room. i've seen a bunch of studios in sf and the sound proofing/security don't even come close to this for the price. (see: Rocker where the rats ate my cords/a crackhead was trying to open my door for 20 minutes) **in house recording studio their house engineer recorded the drums on the rouge wave album Out Of The Shadow here. it's really top quality and $35/hour for bands that rent a space at hitwall. analog and digital! **vending machines they've only been out of mountain dew once in a year and a half. ** the bathrooms aren't always dirty they're pretty clean most of the time and they have a never ending supply of TP- they're also unlocked so you don't have to stop the rest of the band from playing because you have to borrow a key from your guitar player if you have to pee mid-song. the not so great, but not bad parts: ** load out can be a pain if you're on the 2nd floor easy fix- have a lot of people in your band/a few extra friends to move all your crap and park right in front of the front or back door and carry things down the stairs. grow a pair. ** allotting time for traffic if you live in sf and are playing a show in sf or oakland, you have to make sure you'll make your load-in time, just in case there's a ton of traffic on hospital curve. easy fix- google map that shit! find some good back roads off an earlier exit. **"free alarm system" is not free they advertise "FREE Individual Alarm Systems. (Each room comes equipped with an illuminated key pad and motion sensor.)" to activate it, you have to set up a phone line in your room which could run you about $20/month. come on!

We have these guys play for our conference last year and I can't believe I haven't written in a…read morereview for them yet. The music was a lot of fun and they got everybody dancing. They had a great spirit. We're gonna try to hire them again this year.

VERY DISAPPOINTING EXPERIENCE with Jose Hernandez, per the contract their 'band leader', on a event…read moreheld of just last night. Booked them last December for a 70th BD party to be held May 2. Paid the deposit at the same time. Communicating with Jose the week prior I requested the trio set up an hour before the event started so no last minute sound checks etc. and the evening could start on time and go smooth. Needed a live mike so BD speeches could be made prior to their start time. He said not a problem. The BD started at 5 PM, still no trio. Dinner started at 6:15 PM, still no trio. Booked to play from 7 to 9 PM. Were they even going to show up ? No communication with either myself or the venue. Band showed up at 6:45ish to set up after the evening was in full swing. No apology yet (from Jose who I had negotiated the event with) and was told by Luis, the evenings lead, was all they knew they were hired to play from 7 to 9. TOTAL lack of professionalism in running your business and communicating with your client. Will NEVER recommend your business to any potential future clients. I would NEVER want my friends to go thru the same stress and anxiety we experienced last night.

Very easy transaction. We went in and they showed us The product. Went over thoroughly our options…read morefor lease to own, etc. it's a no frills, compact, simple store. Just has the necessities and I appreciate it.

Bronstein Music is a little off the beaten path. It's in the alleyway between Grand and Baden…read moreAvenues (enter off Linden). I was very impressed with the wide selection of books and learning resources for aspiring musicians. They also had many accessories at attractive prices (such as music stands, tuning instruments, books, capos, etc.). This part of the shop deserves 5 stars. I'm sorry to say my experience with having my old guitar worked on wasn't quite as good. Maybe I didn't communicate the situation properly. When I went to pick up my guitar, it still needed work. They did it, but it seemed like it took more effort than needed to communicate the problem. 5-stars for a store and people who care about music. 5-stars for the selection of learning resources. 3-stars for my experience with repairing my guitar. Overall 4-stars.

DJ ET is to blame for my wedding reception NOT going as planned…read more You see, in our planning, I had said, listen Ivy Hill, we are thrilled to be working with you as part of our event at Sand Rock Farm. We were excited to have a cellist playing as our guests got to mix and mingle. And yes, we were really looking forward to music being played as we ate and enjoyed our LONG awaited wedding reception (that had been postponed cuz...ya know...Covid.) But we said it repeatedly...There really was NOT going to be ANY dancing. There was dancing. Lots of it. And it is all DJ ET's fault. THANK GOODNESS!!!! Honestly, working with the entire team at Ivy Hill was a dream. Their selection of musical genres and musicians is nothing short of impressive. I will warn you now...that questionnaire is exhaustive...like it gets INTO the songs you like. But it is TOTALLY worth it. Matt reached out right before our reception just to check if we were good and to get us in touch with DJ ET. The cellist was AMAZING. And before you ask...YES...he can and WILL play a Game of Thrones medley. It was AMAZING. He also learned the music to my father's favorite hymn. When I heard him start to play it, I just started to cry because thanks to him, my father, who passed some time ago, was there...in that song...and in that cello. I can't recommend Ivy Hill Entertainment enough. They clearly have put in the work of bringing on the best of the best when it comes to musicians, performers and DJs. They take the headache and worry out of the planning and logistics. True pros in every sense. And my special nod to DJ ET who proved that the Mills Brothers and Blacksheep really DO belong on the same playlist.

Highly Recommended, Quality Entertainment: Wow - what a fantastic experience! Ivy Hill…read moreEntertainment truly is your "one stop music and entertainment shop." From working in events, I understand that heartfelt, professional, seamless entertainment is a key component to creating a memorable celebration. It brings people together, inspires guests, and sets the tone of your party. I've worked with some pretty cool musicians, but Ivy Hill Entertainment definitely stands out as the BEST. When it came time to plan the ultimate personal event - our wedding - we wanted a music-based celebration that stood apart from "typical wedding music". The idea was a multi-musical-styled evening showcasing classical music, New Orleans Big Band, a roaming violinist at dinner (Ivy Hill's gal, MJ, even played pop hits like Stayin' Alive and had everyone singing!), an intimate pub sing-along, and finally a rockin' reception. This was certainly an ambitious repertoire! I began researching bands/musicians and initially fell into a short panic. Most bands didn't seem to have the magical vibe, musical diversity, network, and professionalism (Can we count on the to show up for gods sake...) for me to book. In fact, none of the musicians resonated with our event's style.... and then I found Ivy Hill Entertainment. WOW. Game changer. From the moment of contact to the actual execution we had an amazing experience that was fun, stress free, collaborative, easy, and QUALITY. Ivy Hill has many options on how to book talent - actually super talent. You can hire anyone from a dope DJ to solo musician to the 9-musician "build-a-band" act we employed. My initial contact was Brian Bergeron who not only understood our vision, but encouraged us to make it happen. What an awesome guy. He was just as excited as we were! In fact, that's what stands out about Ivy Hill - their passion for music and events. They truly love what they do and understand the honor of being part of your event. Ivy Hill also offers such quality musicians! I couldn't believe we had all these cool people playing our wedding! It was great to see their musical backgrounds and sound samples from the website and resources. For our wedding, they supplied everything from the sound technician, musical equipment, speakers, musicians, and even an amazing Bandleader extraordinaire: Jon Devoto. Man, this guy was incredible! In addition to coordinating the musicians, he was also the lead singer, MC... and as a special request, include some mind-blowing tap dancing. Everyone loved him! I wish I could go through each of the musicians (Debbie Ilana, the New Classics, MJs Brass Boppers) because they brought so much flavor & style. It was like a mini-musical festival. The best part is that whatever you decide to book - whether it be an intimate musical vibe, dope DJ, or full-blown band - they deliver a memorable performance and professional experience. This team is full of talent and heart. They also have a big network of musicians and DJs so you don't need to worry about flaky musicians or no-shows. God forbid someone gets sick, they have the resources to ensure you are set. I trust them implicitly. I knew that I had nothing to worry about when booking them. The communication was clear and timely. We were in-line every step of the way. In fact, they are the only company I will use for future events. If you seek a top-notch service, this is the place for you. As you can see form their website, Ivy Hill Entertainment has a lot to offer. They exceeded our already high expectations. It is my pleasure to write this review and spread the word.

I've been playing guitar since I was 12 years old and have always changed the guitar strings…read moremyself, though admittedly, I don't re-string them the correct way. I play live shows with my band and in 2023/2024 I broke my strings onstage during two or three shows which is embarrassing! So late last year I decided to bring my guitars to Vibo to have them re-stringed the right way. I called Vibo and Kris answered, he told me to bring my two guitars and that he would be able to re-string them. Kris ended up getting them done the same day, super fast! When i got to the store he was very knowledgeable and professional, he definitely answered all of the questions I had regarding my guitars. I was happy as my guitars sounded brand new. During the summer this year I needed to re-string one of my guitars as I was about to head to the studio to record so i called Vibo. Kris took the call and he changed my strings again. He did an excellent job and was quick! I feel confident leaving my guitars for any work they require. I know my guitars are in good hands with Kris at Vibo!

sold me a music stand light that can only run from a wall outlet, which is patently ridiculous.read more

Midori was super easy to work with from start to finish. We found them through our wedding planner,…read moreand the whole process was very straightforward. They send over a sheet with their music selections, you fill out what you want, and send it back about a month before the wedding. One thing I'll say is that the music sounded even better in person than in the samples. So many of our guests commented on how cool it was and how much it added to the atmosphere. For our 2-hour City Hall wedding, it was honestly perfect. It really fills up the space and makes everything feel a lot more grand and special without feeling over the top. Based on their samples and advice from some of our musician friends, we decided to go with the trio for a fuller sound, and I'm really glad we did. Highly recommend going that route if it fits your budget.

We used Corelli Strings for our wedding ceremony at SF City Hall and we were absolutely blown away…read more The space would have felt so empty without music, and since speakers aren't allowed at City Hall, having live violin and cello was truly the perfect choice. Their performance added so much elegance, emotion, and romance to our ceremony. The sound filled the rotunda beautifully and created the exact atmosphere we were hoping for. So many of our guests came up to us afterward raving about how amazing they were and how much the music elevated the entire experience. If you're getting married at SF City Hall or hosting any special event and want live music that makes a lasting impression, Corelli Strings is the way to go. They truly enhanced one of the most important moments of our lives and we couldn't recommend them more highly!

Sunny and the Black Pack are absolutely incredible. Sunny has one of the most versatile voices…read moreI've ever heard live, booking and having them perform has been the utmost professional and seamless experience each and every time, Jake is so great to work with. The first time I worked with booked them by chance was for a charity event for the Rotary Club of Alameda. It was a dinner with 120 guests, of all ages. With a group like that your not sure what they'll like but Sunny and the Black Pack and their jams had the whole group loving it. The food was great and the event raised a goos amount of money for a great cause, but the amazing thing everyone kept talking about how amazing the band was and were asking how they could book them for future event Fast forward 2 years, my finance now wife, were planning our wedding we were considering having a live band or dj at our wedding. We reached out to Jake and asked if the band could play for us. Not only did they adapt our first dance, father daughter dance, and mother son dance incredibly; they killed it for all the guests for cocktail hour, but also dj'd the reception. Everyone loved it and really made it a special day for my wife, me, and our guests. And most recently I planned a surprise birthday for my sister and without a second thought I knew if Sunny and the Black Pack were available I had to have them there. Luckily they were able to be there and of course they exceeded everyones expectations. The venue had a private area for the party, but there was a public area for members of the club and people that weren't part of the party kept asking who was playing , they were digging the tunes too. If you are looking to host an amazing party or event and need live music, you need to book Sunny and the Black Pack

My husband and I had seen Black Pack perform a few times, and if you've ever heard Sunny sing, you…read morewould fall in love with them immediately! So when we were planning our wedding, we reached out to see what it would involve to have them perform. Jake, their Booking Manager was great to work with! Turns out, they're not only a live band with emcee services, but they also have dj capabilities! That saved us from hiring 2 vendors or trying to figure out our music selection for 5 hours! Our music needs included an outdoor ceremony, cocktail hour, and a reception. All three were on the same property, just three different areas. We elected to have live music during the ceremony and cocktail hour, but with limited members of the band. Then for the reception, we had a combination of the full band and DJ. It worked out very well! The entire Black Pack team was easy to work with. Easy to get in contact with. They even had music recommendations if i didn't already have something in mind. Highly recommend for your next event! Can't wait to see them perform again!

My 10 year old daughter has been learning from Ms. Clare for almost 3 years. She had no musical…read morebackground/knowledge prior but through Ms. Clare's guidance, she's learned (and still learning) piano theory and putting that into action! Ms. Clare is super patient and provides great constructive feedback with a positive attitude. She is very supportive and nurturing towards my daughter and I'm sure to her other students as well. She's willing to work with our schedule which I greatly appreciate as working parents with a busy schedule. I am so glad we found her (thru Yelp) and look forward to continue working with her in the coming years.

My two boys (14, 9) have been under Clare's guidance for 3 years. Clare is an amazing teacher. She…read moredelivers supreme quality music lessons in both piano and musical theory. Clare is talented, experienced and especially patients with her students. She is able to work professional with both younger and older children. My boys' piano skills have improved tremendously under her guidance. They are able to perform in solo during piano recital, arranged by Clare's studio, and passed their exams with flying colors. Thank you Clare for your effort, and for making me a proud mom!!!