Matt is truly an exceptional teacher. I've been working with him for more than a year now... He pairs his deep expertise and experience with an incredible and personal teaching style. Not only is he remarkably patient, but he also knows exactly how to break down complex concepts into digestible, easy-to-learn chunks: I can't tell you how many times he's patiently broken down a riff or concept, helping me finally get it under my fingers. I cannot say enough good things about Matt and his school. If you are looking to learn guitar, drums, or bass, Matt and Music Lessons Arizona should be your first choice! read more

As a parent, I believe tuition, withdrawal, and refund policies should be clear from the beginning. Based on the owner's response, the agreement did not clearly explain how refunds and charges would be handled, which can create unnecessary confusion. I would recommend that parents ask detailed questions about cancellation and refund policies before enrolling. read more

I decided to take piano lessons because I was looking for something more enriching than my usual routine, something that would let me move away from just playing video games in my spare time. When I first walked into Music Lessons Arizona, I was a total beginner. I didn't know a thing about reading sheet music and didn't even own a piano or a keyboard. I was really starting from zero. The instructors were fantastic at guiding me through those first steps. They really emphasized why having a piano with weighted keys was important for building the right technique and finger strength, and they patiently taught me how to read music from the ground up. What I appreciated most was that they never made me feel rushed. They always made sure I understood each concept before moving on and offered practical tips that made learning enjoyable. I remember the first time I played at one of the school's workshops--it was incredibly exciting, and my instructor was right there cheering me on. In the end, I'd absolutely recommend Music Lessons Arizona to any adult who's thinking about learning piano. It's a really welcoming place, and the journey has been genuinely rewarding for me. I'm really glad I started here. read more

I was looking for vocal lessons for my 7 year old daughter and came across Music Lessons Arizona. We tried first 30 min lesson with Laura Cable and I realized this is the teacher we were looking for! We immediately extended the length of each lesson to 1 hour instead of 30 min. Laura is a true professional, she is attentive, sensible, playful, sincere, demanding and supportive! And overall the atmosphere in the school is warm and welcoming, it does not feel like studying. When we come there we learn and have fun in the same time! We are certainly to continue! read more

Three years ago, I was motivated to learn piano as a way to find a creative outlet and express my emotions. It quickly became a therapeutic practice that helped me feel more calm, and each time I completed a piece, I experienced a deep sense of accomplishment. My initial goal was simply to play complex songs and enjoy the process, but little did I know how transformative the journey would be. Before joining the school, I had no prior piano experience. However, after enrolling at MLA, I saw steady improvement in my skills. Under the expert guidance of Miss Yu, Miss Sherin, and Amberli, my abilities truly blossomed. I began my journey with Miss Yu and worked with her for over a year and a half. It was an incredible experience--she was always diligent, professional, and dedicated to helping me master each piece. She really helped make my learning such a fun experience. Miss Sherin taught me the value of music theory, emphasizing the importance of understanding the composer, the piece, and the subtle nuances of expression and dynamics. Amberli played a crucial role in refining my technical skills, phrasing, record videos, share her expertise, analogies and ensuring my consistency, even when I struggled with discipline. I wholeheartedly recommend this school. Miss Sherin and all of the teachers do an outstanding job of not only making piano learning enjoyable, but also creating a vibrant, supportive community. I've made lasting friendships, learned from adult students, and had the privilege of hearing beautiful performances. This has been, without a doubt, one of the best learning experiences of my life! read more

I'd recommend Music Lessons Arizona to anyone interested in piano. Years ago, I never thought I'd be able to play pieces like Für Elise. The instructors are excellent at breaking the music down and teaching the essential skills, such as music theory, needed to effectively learn piano. After getting to know you, they personalize your learning method through the techniques that work best for you. read more

MLA helped me better my sight reading in both piano and voice which made things like the Honors Regional Choir possible! I had so many wonderful opportunities to perform and give back to my community because of Ms. Amberli and Mrs. Sherin. read more

I've always wanted to learn to play the guitar. After 30+ years of "wanting" to learn, I finally decided to do something about it. I bought a guitar and originally started watching beginner videos on YouTube, but quickly realized I needed the support of an actual human being to know if I was doing things correctly. That's when I found Matt and have been taking lessons ever since. Matt is a phenomenal guitar teacher--he's patient, encouraging, supportive and always ensures you are successful. He breaks things down to meet your skill level, and then builds and expands upon that success. I never feel judged and leave each lesson feeling more inspired to keep playing. Aside from the fun and sense of accomplishment learning to play guitar has brought, it has also surprisingly contributed to deeper focus and mindfulness. I also love the cognitive challenge of learning music and as a lifelong learner, feel like I am doing something that I can enjoy and expand upon forever. If you are thinking about learning the guitar, or just want to further develop your skillset, look no further than Matt. I am confident he can support anyone in reaching their guitar playing goals. read more

I've been playing guitar for about 20 years, mostly trying to learn songs from YouTube videos and ultimate guitar tab websites. I was overwhelmed with the amount of information, there was no focus or structure, and playing guitar felt random and non-productive. I even stopped playing for about five years and almost quit entirely. Then, I went to an Eagles concert and got inspired to get back into playing guitar, but I knew I needed help from an instructor. That's when I found Matt and his lesson program at Music Lessons Arizona. One of the things that attracted me to his program was the opportunity to collaborate with Matt and other like-minded students in a coached band format. Participating in the group format made practicing more meaningful as I prepared to play tunes with the group. The group fosters creativity, builds improvisational skills, and makes the experience much more fun and beneficial than just 1:1 lessons. Since joining the program, my overall guitar skills have improved, my rhythm is way better, and my improvisation has significantly improved. I feel great about my progress and have overcome the initial plateau I experienced. I would highly recommend Matt and Music Lessons Arizona to anyone who has struggled to learn guitar on their own or via YouTube. If you're interested in improving your skills and collaborating with other like-minded music students who enjoy classic rock, modern rock, pop, and blues, this is the place for you! read more

I wholeheartedly recommend Music Lessons Arizona. When my daughter began to show interest in the family's piano, I immediately went looking for formal instruction from a professional who knew how to properly structure a curriculum for a complete beginner of her age. I wanted to foster her enthusiasm and curiosity for music, but also to help her overcome the natural childlike propensity to give up if a new activity does not yield immediate success or proficiency. MLA helped to build her confidence by slowly introducing musical concepts and playing techniques in bite-sized chunks. She was never overwhelmed or dissuaded by what she could not do, but rather encouraged by what she could play and the strides she was making weekly. In the brief time that she has been attending lessons, she went from completely uninitiated to knowing elements of music theory, such as the musical alphabet which forms each octave, various types of notes and each's length, how to delineate high and low sounds, what it means to play chromatically. Additionally, her confidence and self-esteem have improved as well. I remember, prior to enrolling at MLA, when our family observed a piano class there and my daughter was too intimidated to even touch the piano that day. Now, just a few months later, she was able to perform two short pieces in front of an audience at the school's winter recital. I'd recommend Music Lessons Arizona if your child has even a passing interest in music. They do a fantastic job of keeping the young students engaged and enthusiastic and building their confidence as well as playing ability. With their instruction, if you and your child can commit to just a moderate level of practice at home, you will see your child flourish. Lastly, I didn't want to neglect highlighting the individual instructor for our class and some of, what I consider, the great teaching methods employed. My daughter's instructor, Laura, has been phenomenal. Teaching anything to children this age is an exercise in testing's one's patience. Kids have short attention spans. They tend to get sidetracked. It makes teaching much more than just driving home theory and mechanics; it's also managing emotion, positive redirection, and employing exciting 'outside the box' strategies to make concepts memorable. Laura understands the assignment. She has been patient and attentive, gentle with redirection but also dedicated to keeping the lessons on track so as not to squander class time. Moreover, she understands that young students need learning to be fun. Outside of time on the piano bench, her instruction has included a variety of non-conventional activities to reinforce musical concepts: a large floor pad in the style of keyboard, which the kids could step on to make notes sound and learn the key letters, a Yahtzee-style dice game with notes of varying length printed on each side of the die, and small jars of putty which when squished made silly sounds to reinforce the playing mechanics of deeply pressing using fingertips. These supplementary activities, as much as playing time, have really helped my daughter's playing and kept her excited about class. Again, If you are looking for music lessons for your child (or yourself), please do yourself a favor and inquire with Music Lessons Arizona to see if the school is a good match for your needs. I think you'll be happy that you did. read more

Henry started showing interest in music at a very young age and had wanted to learn piano since he was six. It is a creative outlet for him and he enjoys recreating some of the music he heard over the radio and internet. The biggest challenge is the eye and finger coordination and the amount of practice it takes to master a piece. The experience is a true attestation to "no pain, no gain". At MLA, the teachers focus on the individual student's needs and interests and help the students build confidence as they gradually improve their technical skills. The teachers often use games and other creative methods to make the class fun and enjoyable. Henry recently played Cannon in D at the holiday concert at the music school and played other pieces for his classmates at his elementary school. He continues to sharpen his site reading skill and started working on the expressive quality of the music in his performance. He will be sitting for the ABRSM Grade 2 Exam this spring. I highly recommend Music Lessons Arizona. The teachers are passionate about music education and focus on the students to create rewarding and memorable experiences. They help the students set individual goals and engage the parents in maximizing the learning experience for the students. read more

I took lessons with Matt for three years, the full package: $265/month for three 1-on-1 lessons and three studio classes, one jazz and two rock, each month. These lessons were the highlight of my week. I was under the impression I was one of his better students. So much so that he pitched me a new lesson plan, the Performing Artist Program -- a 9-month journey where we and other students form a band, write songs, record them in a "studio" (his lesson space), do rehearsals and a practice show at a beachside hotel in CA, and then the final performance at Tempe Arts Center. The cost? $25,000. He offered me a discount of $5,000 off, so $20,000 total. That worked out to a near-10x jump in my monthly cost, i.e., about $2,200/month. I said I could not swing this, and he harangued me for an hour on Zoom with the hardest sell I've ever experienced. He later apologized, but I could feel things had changed.    The rock classes turned into songwriting classes, i.e., students wrote songs to bring to the group. I was the first one to bring in a song, with guitar, bass, drums, and vocals all roughed out. The classes were enjoyable for a time, but then I asked if we could work on a Jeff Beck tune. I was told that he was "too busy with the Performing Artist Program," but if I would like to chart out the song and teach it to the group, that would be fine. Essentially, I was now getting less for the same $265/month I was paying him.  In this same conversation, he told me that he no longer "knew what to do with me" because I had "not gotten any better in three years" and that I "did not make use of the resources" I was given. He also compared me to a jazz student of his who, in the same time, was so improved that they were now helping him teach. This student is a teenager who lives at home and has no job, no kids, and is preparing for the jazz program at ASU. I am an adult with a job and family, and I devoted all my free time to preparing for my lessons, but it sounded like it was not enough for Matt.  I stopped taking lessons soon after this. I had considered Matt a friend, and still think he is a great teacher, but I can't help but feel betrayed. read more

My daughter started piano lessons with Sherin when she was 6 and has enjoyed the past year of learning the basics in a small group setting. Sherin provides a variety of learning methods to keep the students engaged, allowing them to move around, speaking in terms they'll understand at that age, and providing a fun, encouraging environment to keep them motivated. I would absolutely recommend this music studio to anyone trying to learn piano for the first time (or returning to it)! read more

I can't speak to the teaching but just to their financial practice. I called today to make an appointment for a first session for a guitar lesson and the owner requested I pay $550 up front for 2 months. I requested to pay upfront for just one lesson and even offered to pay more for that first lesson too just to check out the school and the teacher to make sure it was the right fit for my son. I told him if he enjoyed the lesson I would be happy to pay for the 2 months up front immediately after the lesson. He responded that I was the first person to ask to do that and that he was sure my son would like it and that was not their policy and then proceeded to ask if there was something wrong with my son. I find that very unusual and it seemed as if they are more focused about money than the actual student. We will look elsewhere! This is an update to the owner's response. He did forget to mention that I did offer to pay the 2 months right after the first lesson if I felt the fit was right. He responded to me that I was the only one that had ever asked to do this and would not accommodate my request. He also did offer a zoom consultation with himself but not with the actual teacher that would be teaching my son. That's a big difference and not helpful in my opinion. We did however find a great teacher at Brindley's in Chandler with Guitar Tommy and my son is loving it! read more

I came here wanting to learn how to play piano so I could jam with one of my friends on guitar. I wanted to develop my musical skill and understand how to express myself creatively on the piano as well as learn to read sheet music. I had some prior music experience playing bassoon and oboe in middle school (I'm post grad now). Matt set me up to take weekly lessons with Amberli. We started out learning proper playing positions and the basics of sheet music but we quickly progressed into learning songs, rhythm, and more advanced techniques. Amberli taught me a lot about music theory and how to bring notes together that sound good. The class was very fun and Amberli let me decide what we worked on. I started trying to play some of the theme songs from TV but I got obsessed with trying to play "Moonlight sonata." That piece was very difficult but Amberli broke it down and help guide my learning. Overall, MLA and specifically Amberli helped me achieve my goals of learning and playing the piano to the level which I watned. I took lessons for about 2.5 months before I ended up moving for a job. I learned so much in such a short amount of time and I am incredibly thankful for the information and skills I developed. Matt was also very friendly and easy to work with for getting me set up in classes. -Will Helmen read more

My daughter has been taking private piano lessons with Ms Sherin for about 10 months. Her inspiration and dedication gradually nurture my daughter's passion for music. We truly admire Ms Sherin as a great musician and teacher. Teaching itself is philosophically a subtle art. A teacher needs to be a great communicator. They need to be experts of particular subjects. Their tastes and encouragements provide an imprinted foundation for their students' development. Beyond all of these, they have a generous love for their students and a deep understanding of their special aptitudes. Ms Sherin sets up a perfect example of combining all above virtues. My daughter has a rather strong photographic type memory and yet a weak sense of rhythm. What I am grateful for is that Ms Sherin always finds a right piece for my daughter. It is never a good idea of simply taking all overly hard challenges or vainly enjoying easy work. The secret is to find the right edge balanced between them, where you can perfect your skills with ultimate efficiency. After my daughter finished her introductory training of finger skills, Ms Sherin chose a rearranged collaborative music piece, G.F. Handel's famous "Passacaglia". My daughter loves this profound piece very much. One reason was that through collaborating with Ms Sherin, my daughter completely weaved her imagination into a beautiful movie. When she practiced the piece at home, she almost burst into tears. She also told me that when playing with Ms Sherin, the ending chord Am6 sounded like a church bell traveling through the evening wind far far away and generated a long lasting echo. I was very surprised to see my daughter greatly improved her sense of rhythm and understood the beautiful combination of dynamics and emotions. This happened in my daughter's second month of private lessons. Later on, Ms Sherin gave my daughter a prima sonatina which specifically targeted her training in rhythm counting and skills in playing staccato and legato. At her 5th month learning, my daughter could play Minuet in G, BWV 114. Five months later, my daughter is stepping into early intermediate level. During the EVMTA piano competition, she is able to win a silver medal when competing with many other kids with 2 year learning experience. I was completely astonished at her improvement. Behind all these achievement, Ms Sherin's delicately choosing right pieces matching my daughter's learning ability is in particular crucial. Her caring and encouraging enhanced my daughter's love for music. Her systematic way of teaching solidifies the framework for my daughter's improvement. All these are the foundations of a great teacher. As for my principle of choosing piano teacher, the ability of calibrating students, the passion to love and encourage, the personality to build strong emotional bond and the responsiveness as a business owner are all crucial factors to consider. Ms Sherin simply shines on all these aspects. read more

I have been taking lessons with Matt for nearly 2 years. He is one of the best teachers (yes, including high school, college, and post-grad!) that I have ever had. First of all, he and his fiance and co-owner Sherin (classically-trained piano teacher) are the only teachers I've seen who have a user-friendly website with loads of helpful information. At our first meeting, Matt asked me what my goals were and what my schedule is like. He took so many notes; I knew that my education was going to be important to him. As an adult learner, this was key. I told him about my erratic work schedule and he helped me devise a plan for practicing. (You will not be just another random student like at a formal music store, for example.) I started off with an old acoustic guitar that I had purchased years ago. He looked at my guitar and put me in contact with someone who could do a set up for new strings/adjusting the action, etc.. As I progressed, he gave me tips on finding a good electric guitar. (I never knew the electric guitar was actually easier for beginners than acoustic!). He films lessons on his digital camera which he keeps on a tripod in the corner. He then emails me the lessons so I can review them later. He has also given me access to lessons of other students (you can't see the student so he maintains privacy). This is especially nice if I have to miss a lesson due to a work conflict or illness because he can send me that video so I can practice on my own. We started off with a standard music book, but after a while, we used songs to learn technique. This has been so fun! Rather than assigning scales and technique drills, he showed me how I can improvise and use an online backing track or app. That made practicing so much more chill than boring scales. He starts off every lesson with.. "So what did you want to work on today?" As an adult who has bosses and responsibilities (like we all do), that is so refreshing. There is a huge component of his teaching that actually sets him FAR APART from other teachers; he coordinates regular weekly workshops and studio classes on weekends and weeknights (both adult sessions and separate teen sessions). I was new to the area and didn't know a single person outside of work and this was a cool way to meet new people and see that there are other adults out there who are learning a new instrument just like me! Some have been doing this a while, but others are newbies and Matt has done an exceptional job keeping it light, professional, warm, non-judgmental, open, and friendly. In these "group lessons", we give each other props and kudos and also encourage the newer guitarists to improvise and do solos. It's a "safe space", far away from work/politics/current events, where you can just relax. Matt is a gifted musician. In addition to guitar, he also plays the drums and bass and offers lessons to teens and older children. He has even had professional buddies (including singers) come to some of our studio classes to round out the band. Sherin is a wonderful teacher, as well! Although I did not take lessons with her, she is so friendly and kind. She patiently guides her students, both small children to adults, and helps them with recitals. She also occasionally plays the piano at our jam sessions, which is cool. I recently found out that I had to move out of state for my job and the first thing I thought was, "What about my guitar lessons and workshops?!" If you have any doubt about signing up for lessons for yourself or your child, put your worries aside. You will be in great hands with Matt. He is skilled, calm, really friendly, and takes pride in his small business. I will miss him dearly. read more

Great teacher! My six-year-old started piano lessons with Miss Sherin 9 months ago and has made great progress. He just got superior honor for his ASP level 2 test last week. Miss Sherin is very encouraging and patient. She is not only teaching my son how to play piano correctly, but also helps him foster a love of music. She is there for my son for his every recital and answers all my questions promptly. My son is always excited about his piano lesson every week, because it is so much fun and has so much to learn. I would highly recommend her as anyone's piano teacher. read more

Miss Sherin has been such an amazing piano teacher for my daughter. Ava has been with her for 3 years and has learned so much. Miss Sherin is so kind and has allot of patience. I would recommend using her! read more

Music Lessons Arizona is the very BEST place to participate in music lessons (guitar, piano, drum and maybe other types of instruments), for sure! I have been taking group guitar lessons from Matt Friedland, the co-owner since late February, 2020. Soon after I began, the owners began online learning classes because COVID safety is a huge priority to them. Matt went to work to create quality ZOOM classes and organized them so that students with varying degrees of competence could progress at their own rate. He really cares about his students and goes out of his way to learn what each of us is most interested in learning, how we best learn and is always willing to give individual support as needed. Not long into the pandemic, Matt wanted to create a way for his students to play music together and found jamkazam, an online group music app, and began encouraging his students to take the necessary steps to become "jamkazam ready". Because I'm not a techie (by a long shot), and felt much trepidation about the whole process, I didn't respond to his suggestions. Finally, he approached me and offered to help me on his own time (and it took a lot of it) to order the equipment, install the equipment and more. He has gone way above and beyond the norm to help me navigate all the glitches that came up and I'm now able to participate in the group jamming sessions. Matt's partner, Sherin, is an accomplished pianist and works with students who are super motivated by her mode of teaching. Both owners of Music Lessons Arizona are the best of the best when it comes to being such accomplished musicians themselves, knowing how to teach, and caring deeply for their students. Matt and Sherin give from their hearts joyfully every day! Music Lessons Arizona rocks big time!!!! read more

My daughter has been learning piano with Ms. Sherin for 2 years, and she has made great progress in this process!! Ms. Sherin does not only do an amazing job on teaching techniques and skills, the most important thing is that she also inspires my daughter regarding how to understand music. When my daughter learns a new piece of music, Ms. Sherin always talks about the background of composing the music, and she provides examples using child language from child perspective in terms of how to understand the dynamic of the piece. For example, when my child learn a piece that has emotion comparison, Ms. Sherin connected the story of "Little red riding hood" with the music. Then my daughter easily got the point. I am very grateful that now my child learns how to develop story based on a piece of music and then to express the feelings/emotions she got through her playing. Because of the pandemic, about half of my daughter's classes were conducted online. We really appreciate that Ms. Sherin used various and creative teaching methods for the online classes. The good use of technology helps my daughter learn piano easily, and sometimes it makes the illustration more intuitive. Ms. Sherin is so patient and nice!! She always understands the challenges and feelings my daughter has and encourages my daughter during her learning!! My daughter likes Ms. Sherin a lot! We feel very lucky to have such a wonderful teacher as my daughter's piano teacher! read more

Ms. Sherin has been an amazing piano instructor for our child. Ms. Sherin is very attentive and continuously seeks ways to improve our daughter through piano lessons. She helps with involvement (practice at home), overcoming challenges (learning new a new skill), and provides positive reinforcement and accountability; all of these elements are important in shaping a young child and have transferred into other areas her life. Ms. Sherin is very accommodating, thoughtful, and fair. She is great at providing feedback and assessing the needs of her students and ensures they are in the right atmosphere the best suits their learning style. We feel very fortunate to have her in our community, teaching, influencing and motivating our daughter. We highly recommend Ms. Sherin, and I have no doubt you will feel the same after trusting your child's instruction with her. Thank you, Ms. Sherin, for all you do! read more

I have taken lessons from Mrs. Sherin for about 5 or 6 years now. She has taught me various techniques on how to make the pieces sound better and bring out more musicality. Mrs. Sherin is an excellent teacher who helped me pass my ABRSM piano exams with merit and distinction! She is very caring and patient with her students and also gives the students feedbacks after every lesson! I would highly recommend to any student who wants to learn piano. read more

My daughter has been taking private piano lesson with Ms. Sherin for over a year and my son is taking drum lessons from Matt at the same time. They are both amazing teachers, highly knowledgeable and professional, being patient with the kids yet skillfully guiding them through music learning. The kids love the lessons and I see their improvements over the time. Highly recommend Sherin and Matt! read more

If you are looking for a guitar instructor in the East Valley, I would highly recommend Matt Friedland at Music Lessons Arizona. I was looking for an instructor for my teenage son when we found Matt. My son really enjoyed his lessons and progressed rapidly under Matt's instruction. He always kept the lessons fun by taking the music that my son wanted to learn and turning it into lessons. So much better than just learning from instructional books. Thanks Matt! read more

Ms. Sherin is a great teacher! She has great expertise in the art of playing the piano. Ms. Sherin also cares a lot about her students. During the time I was her student, I participated in the Arizona Study Program every year and earned the superior honors award. Since I am in high school, I am very busy and will have to drop my piano lessons. I hate to leave but I am glad that I have had a very pleasant experience learning from Miss Sherin. read more

Over the past year of taking piano lessons from Sherin I've seen a vast improvement in my playing. She is a talented, knowledgeable musician, easy to work with, and extremely patient. I highly recommend her as a piano teacher. read more

I've been having lessons with Miss Sherin for about 6 years, and I am having a great experience. She is an expert in piano technique, music theory, and history. When playing, she makes sure to fine tune your pieces to fix even the smallest details. I have learned a lot about piano, including theory and how to bring out the musicality in piano pieces. She's also very patient and cares about her students. Because of Miss Sherin's great teaching, I've gotten good scores on Arizona Study Program all 6 years. I would highly recommend her to anyone who wants to learn piano. read more