Wonderful people work here. I needed help with some of my tablas and these staff very friendly and…read moreaccommodating. Highly recommend...

I've been a musician my entire life and worked in the music industry in Nashville for many years. I…read morenow live in UT. I play many instruments and I have always wanted to pick up the Sitar since childhood and obsession over George Harrison. For whatever reason I waited many years and moved through many other instruments but now the time has come to explore sitar. I made a trip out to Berkeley specifically to get guidance in choosing a sitar and perhaps even deciding if the instrument was right for me. Upon visiting MM we met Ben who was more than happy to make introductions to the instrument and even an impromptu first lesson with a student sitar. There are a handful of places where one could obtain a Sitar online but I knew this instrument demanded a bit more care. Ben and the other folks at MM provided exactly that. Once we knew we were bringing a sitar home Ben helped us make the better choice of shipping the sitar instead of driving back with it. We also decided we needed a set of Tablas and Ben sifted through a surplus of them until we found the ones that spoke to us. He tuned them up and once again provided a level of care and expertise that IMO is just required for sophisticated nuanced instruments like sitar and tabla. This morning two giant boxes showed up at my door back home. I blew off work and spent the day getting more acquainted with our new instruments. By the end of the day I was actually making some sounds that qualified as "musical". After 30ish years of guitar, bass, piano, cello, synth, etc. etc. and feeling a bit uninspired I have to say that the sitar has me pretty excited about creating some new things that are really unique. By end of day I was mustering my way through some obvious pop sitar tunes (Paint it Black, Lebonese Blonde, Norwegian Wood). There's clearly a great deal to learn about this esoteric instrument but I was actually quite surprised and relieved to find that it wasn't quite as intimidating as I expected. I attribute this once again to Ben for spending the time to teach me proper posture for the instrument. Holding the sitar in a way that your left hand is free to move about the fretboard is a bit tricky to the uninitiated. Thanks to Bens instruction, I had this figured out pretty quickly. I could imagine wrestling with the sitar for days trying to figure out how to handle it. In addition to Bens help, the various tutorials on the MM website were also super helpful. I'm really really excited to see where the sitar takes us both in our kirtan music and in western pop music. Such a cool texture. I knew that the sitar would be really special and I wanted to make informed decisions and make sure I was getting a quality instrument and the knowledge to do it right. I purchased a harmonium for my girlfriend a couple years ago through an Amazon store. I won't go into all the details but suffice it to say the experience was subpar, I received a damaged used instrument that was supposed to be new and the store was unresponsive to my questions. Harmoniums, like sitars and tablas are delicate, nuanced instruments. You might save a few dollars rolling the dice on Amazon or similar but if you're serious at all about your instruments, just reach out to MM and get the right instrument, the right setup, and the right information. MM surpassed my expectations and as best I can tell is likely the most reputable source within the US for these special types of instruments. Truly a very special and super cool business with a genuine passion for eastern instruments. I just wish I lived closer so I could drop in there more often and maybe take some individual lessons. I'm sure we'll be back soon for more toys and maybe even that beautiful black pro sitar once I'm worthy of it ;). I highly recommend MM to anyone in the market for Indian/Eastern instruments, supplies, and education. Many thanks!

Conor at Acorn Music is a wonderful teacher! It's no exaggeration to say that he reignited my…read morepassion for music. I took music lessons on and off as a kid, but never stuck with it long enough to get good at any one instrument. I had no patience for music theory and practice always made me frustrated. I'm glad that I gave it another shot with Conor. What I like most about his approach is how fun and effortless it feels to learn under his guidance--his enthusiasm for playing and teaching are infectious. I'm excited for my lesson each week. I found Conor through a friend who knew I was looking to get back into guitar, and I've been taking weekly lessons with him for a year now. My original goal was to learn a few campfire songs, so he tailored his approach to this, but rather than simply showing me some chords, he makes sure that I understand the "why" behind what I'm doing. I actually started to get more interested in music theory as a result--Conor explains it all in context, making it easy to understand and apply. And he has a knack for identifying what's giving me trouble in a particular song or section, not just telling me what to do but showing me how to do it (it also helps that he's super patient). I've got a few songs under my belt now, but I'm definitely sticking with my lessons for the foreseeable future, and getting psyched about setting more ambitious goals for myself.

I've been taking guitar lessons with Conor at Acorn Music for 2 years. I can proudly say that I'd…read morenow actually consider myself a guitarist! I started out trying to teach myself, but like many people that go that road, I keep hitting roadblocks. When I began lessons, I could barely even play a few simple chords. Now I can write my own songs, jam with friends, improvise over many different chord progressions, read lead sheets and chord charts, and read music... it's pretty incredible what I've been able to accomplish in 2 years with Conor. He is a super talented musician and a great teacher - his approach clear, enjoyable and very effective. He's got a real knack for how to isolate my individual needs as a student and zero in on exactly what i need to practice to meet my goals. Most importantly, he provides me with skills that I can use to begin to "teach myself". Thanks to his guidance, I now get more out of a 30 minute practice than I used to get out of 2 hours. Not only have the lessons been super awesome, but the entire experience has been very "together". They provide in-home lessons and have really put a lot of work into the over all experience . All aspects of Acorn Music are well very professional - from the email communications to the website, scheduling, policies, billing, and invoicing. I can't recommend this business enough!

Viki is a wonderful instructor for all levels of players. I began taking lessons with her in…read moreSeptember 2021 and have enjoyed every session I've had. I was hesitant to learn an instrument as an adult but was referred to her through a friend who also plays the violin. I came in with no other goal than fulfilling a childhood dream, and she has displayed phenomenal kindness and patience in teaching me this brand new skill. She is quick to encourage a variety of perspectives to help me understand techniques and theory, while providing supplemental research material for my enjoyment whenever I get curious about different topics. Her hours are flexible and she offers both in person and online instruction.

I want able to use due to short notice but super friendly and helpful with referrals!read more

I've been taking piano lessons with Carrie for about 6 months and it has been amazing. She's fun…read moreand interesting. Huge knowledge of music and teaches me a great variety of composers and styles. She's always trying to get me to improve on my technique and is very patient with my learning. I highly recommend her!

I'd been looking for a voice teacher for a long time and Carrie was exactly the kind of teacher I…read morewas looking for. I took lessons with her for about 10 months and she helped me identify bad habits that I'd formed prior to studying with her. She greatly helped me to only to develop my vocal technique, but also incorporating more acting and expression to my performance. I really admired how well she was able to identify my mistakes and find solutions. She's extremely knowledgeable and performs beautifully, which inspires me to learn and sing more and more. I really enjoyed the repertoire we worked on together. There such a wonderful atmosphere whenever I had my lessons and she's really fun, patient, and easy to talk to. I'm really glad I had to opportunity to work with her.

I just finished my first 4 week School of the Get Down with Faye Carol and it felt life changing!…read moreAt the beginning of class, I was barely able to stand in front of the group and sing but by the end, I felt more relaxed and confident than I ever could have imagined. Faye created an atmosphere right from the start that was more welcoming and supportive than I have ever experienced. She focuses on the joy that making music brings, not all the things we were doing wrong. She just made everything we did so much fun! Consequently, I watched every person in the group grow as a singer and performer in ways I would not have imagined could happen in such a short time. I can't recommend Faye's workshop more highly for singers from beginners to professionals!

I have never taken a singing class before coming to the School of the Getdown. My only experience…read morewith singing had been in elementary school as a class, and singing in my car while commuting to and from work! I felt quite comfortable right from the start. Faye Carol will put you at ease and make you feel like an old friend. But she will also challenge you and help you discover your own abilities. She stresses that you do NOT need to try to be like any other singer. You just need to be you! You are not in competition with the other students. The other students are actually supportive. I was in class with other students that had been coming for months or years. It is like family! Always there with Faye is Joe Warner, a very accomplished and talented pianist. Whatever song you chose to bring for your solo, Joe will be able to master it very quickly. He will work with you and help you present your song as you wish or envision it, both to the other students and to family and friends who may come to witness the final recital. I felt the class was fun and challenging. I would certainly recommend it to my friends, and to those of you reading these reviews.

Years ago I took lessons from Richard, and it helps not only my doctoral defense tremendously, but…read morealso my lecturing in college-level classes in the long run. Thank you Richard!

I have been taking lessons from Richard for over a year, and during that time have seen a major…read moreimprovement in my singing. I love the way he structures my lessons; the first part includes exercises such as scales, work on vowel sounds, etc. Essential basic work. The second part involves a song or two that I'm working on, often a rock / pop song. What are the best ways to phrase a line? Where to take a breath? What's the emotional content of the song? How to keep the best tone happening all the time? To the best of my ability I pay attention and do what he tells me. I have to say, I can't tell you how many times I have stopped our lesson, saying "wow, I can't believe how good I'm sounding, my voice really shifted!" This is the truth. Richard has repeatedly shown me he understands how to GET RESULTS. Overall, I'd give Richard an A+. He's an easygoing guy who stays focused on making the lesson fun and productive. Plus, he gives you an mp3 of the lesson so you can review it at your leisure. This is quite valuable.

We recently moved to Rockridge and discovered Palaka music classes for our daughter. She took one…read moreclass and talked about it for weeks! We look forward to taking more classes!

From the owner: Fun, colorful, engaging music, piano, Filipino language, musical theater classes for babies,…read moretoddlers, preschoolers, & youth, using various curricula including Musicolor, Prodigies, & Wunderkeys. Run by musical theater & church musician Miss Heidi, who has various training as MPH Maternal & Child Health, PhD-DrPH(c) Community Health, and MA Music Education.

Responded quickly and politely. Ended up using a family friend but we'll keep him in mind for SATs.read more

[TL;DR Doug is an incredible tutor. He is engaged, knows the LSAT inside and out, helped me bring…read moremy score above 175, and is 100% worth the price.] I struggle with making decisions very badly, especially when they feel like particularly important decisions. I place importance upon two axes: how much the choice will cost me and how long the choice at hand may last into the future. For example, an inexpensive wine at Trader Joe's is nowhere near as difficult a choice as a $500-$1,000 mattress I will sleep on every night for the next 5-7 years. Naturally, based on these two criteria, picking an LSAT study strategy felt extremely important; not only was the price tag fairly high, but this choice could shape my career trajectory for the rest of my life. I considered a handful of different tutoring options...courses by popular providers like Blueprint, 7Sage, and Kaplan as well as tutoring by some smaller services. In these considerations, I also consulted a lot of different forums; reddit, yelp, and some independent tutor rating services. Ultimately, Doug seemed more qualified than the other sources I had consulted. I worked with Doug from early September up to a November LSAT administration, he was consistent, on time, engaged, communicative, and knew the LSAT questions inside and out. We were able to talk not only about what the right answer was, but also why other answer choices were wrong. He provided strategies and approaches for the exam, and correct approaches of mine that were not serving me. November was the first time I ever sat for the LSAT, and I ended with a score I was thrilled with. I know LSAT tutors can be expensive and this price tag can be intimidating, but I seriously cannot recommend the extra money enough--if you can afford it, which I recognize is a privilege. If starting off with individual sessions seems too expensive, I would also recommend trying a hybrid strategy by first exhausting free resources (shoutout to khan academy, which I used for ~6-8 months before working with Doug) and then working with a private tutor--Doug--who will actually help you achieve what you want through targeted, one-on-one help once your practice score plateaus and/or once your test date approaches. And remember, the law school you go to can/will have an impact on your career outcomes, and the money you spend on the LSAT could pay itself back within your first few months--or even weeks--of your career. Good luck out there to all of you LSAT prepping law school hopefuls reading this, and again, I cannot recommend Doug enough for those of you who really want to see the best results possible on your LSAT. Bonus: All of our tutoring sessions were completely virtual, which is great not only for the pandemic, but also for those who are located outside of Doug's Bay Area/Arizona locales but still looking for a highly-qualified tutor. Tutoring/learning over Zoom can be less than ideal for some, but Doug has enough virtual capabilities configured that learning over Zoom was no problem. He was able to share a virtual "paper" and draw out solutions and other visualizations that may be necessary to the learning process. The virtual aspect is all pro, no con.