We love PMA! My older son who is 11 has had Sam as his drum teacher for the last few years and…read morereally loves him. Sam strikes a nice balance between being approachable and easygoing, but also knowing how to challenge and motivate my son. My younger 9 year old son just switched to Gabriel for piano because his previous teacher cut back her hours. As a pianist myself, I really appreciate how Gabriel breaks down how to practice a song to make it easier to learn. He also takes into account my son's interest when choosing a song. We strongly recommend PMA!

Only good things at PMA! My daughter began taking lessons in the late spring with Marcella and has…read moremade such tremendous progress, not only with her vocals but also stage presence and performance. A few weeks into lessons, Marcella recommended my daughter sign up for the recital. On the day of the recital our family was shocked at the progress made - she received a standing ovation! All thanks to Marcella! My daughter really enjoys having her as a vocal coach/instructor and looks forward to each session. She's patient, engaging and has built up my daughter's confidence, all while teaching technique, developing vocal skills. The front desk at PMA are also incredibly helpful and easy to contact, whether by phone, text or email. I appreciate how easy it is to book makeup lessons and change schedules online. My daughter also enjoys seeing Marcella's feedback and thoughtful comments posted after each lesson.

I was waiting at the front of the line for approximately 10 minutes without being acknowledged or…read moreoffered assistance. During that time, another family walked in and was immediately greeted by Mike, who asked how he could help them, even though I had been waiting there first. I found this treatment upsetting and felt overlooked and unfairly treated. I was also concerned to find used N95 masks inside the trumpet case of the instrument we rented, particularly because we had been assured that the trumpet had been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before rental. Finding used items inside the case made me question whether the instrument and case had actually been properly cleaned. Overall, this was a very disappointing experience. Based on what I experienced, I would not recommend or support this business.

Came here to buy a black folder for choral music after being referred by the Pasadena Conservatory…read more I called in advance to ask if they had any in stock and staff were prompt and professional in picking up to answer my request. Good variety of inventory from what I could see. Found out later my mom buys all her violin + piano sheet music here. It's tucked inside a strip mall off an out-of -the-way portion of Foothill. Would have loved to have seen this store in Old Town, but the current location is very convenient for quick in-and-out errands - and a short distance from the Conservatory. If I need to use something for music practice, I hate to buy online without knowing if it will work for me or not. Brick and mortar music stores like this are essential, and I'm glad Bertrands is so close by!

Richard, July 24, 2026: Fantastic Musical Instruments in Pasadena, CA is a real "bass shop". Tom…read moreKerr was very gracious to me when I was trying out basses a few years ago, even after I returned a fine bass I had on trial. I ended up buying a Pollmann Bass from another store. However, when I needed a set-up, , cleaning, and sound adjustment, I took my Pollmann to Tom. My bass now sounds better than ever, and he had a solid string recommendation. Also, just this week I bought a Kay Bass, circ, 1940 from Tom, for my bluegrass, gigs. It was reasonably priced and he did some work I requested for a minimal charge, adjustments to the bridge curvature, and a replacement tailpiece cable (I wanted a new Teflon version). I kept the original metal piece since it was part of the original bass. Thanks, Tom, for your expertise and gracious manner with me as a customer who needed some guidance.

I live in Altadena and went through the EATON FIRE. My 150 year-old cello was damaged and the…read morefingerboard warped from the heat. Tom and Nicky's repair work on my cello was astonishing. They straightened the fingerboard, fixed cracks and fitted pegs. But what was most incredible: my cello sounds better now than before the fire. I will never be able to thank them enough for this wonderful gift. Their knowledge, skill, artistry and kindness is unsurpassed.

Walked into Guitar Center Pasadena with my brother, our unleashed service animal, and a budget that…read moreclearly needed adult supervision. Things got off to a rocky start when there was some confusion about the dog, but Evan checked with his manager, got it sorted, and we all survived the great leash controversy of 2026. From there, Evan was awesome. Super cool, patient, and actually knew DJ gear because he DJs himself -- which is always better than someone confidently explaining equipment they've only met that morning. By the end, we were joking with him: "You really did everything you could to not sell to us... and somehow we still bought anyway." Funny start, great ending, and Evan helped us leave with a new DJ setup and speakers. Guitar Center almost fumbled the bag, but Evan recovered the sale like a pro. Shoutout Evan.

I get that they're understaffed and busy, but you have to try hard to be as unhelpful as they are…read more One gentleman kept rolling his eyes when I approached to ask a question. I made a purchase of a couple strings and an accessory that required me to take out my inhole sound pickup, so I asked if I could borrow a screwdriver (to literally turn the screws to the left a grand total of two times). He tells me "sorry, we don't usually loan tools out for use," which is totally understandable! So I ask if he can then just help me out and turn the screws himself if I'm not allowed to touch the screwdriver -- he audibly groans and looks at me, then finally turns, practically dragging his feet as he grabs the screwdriver to help me out. I was starting to be pretty stunned by this point. Then, when I was about to leave and putting my purchases in my gig bag outside pocket, the other guitar technician, Mike, starts staring daggers at me across the floor, then tells me to show my receipt to the guy at the door-- he thought I was stealing. After I'd been walking around the store for 2 hours and making multiple purchases. My jaw literally dropped. I don't know what's going on at this store, or if they treat every customer this way, or just me. I would speculate that because I dress quite basically (like a skateboarder, roughed up clothes, maybe?) they assumed I had no money/was poor to justify how they decided to interact with me. No matter who I am or what I might look like, staff should treat EVERY customer the same. I was considering buying a guitar from this store, the Yamaha AC1R specifically that they have in the acoustic guitar room, but now I don't ever want to come back.

Can't say enough nice things about Dr Santoso! She's been…read moreteaching my 2 kids for the last 2 years and it's amazing how much she has developed them in such a short time. She's patient, professional, prepared and always comforting to my kids. I highly recommend her lessons to anyone.

I took weekly lessons from Hillary for a year remotely. She's great! She was always well organized…read moreand quick to respond to any questions I had outside of lessons. I was always impressed by how she managed to hear any mistakes I made playing a piece over Zoom. She did a great job of balancing adding new material to keep things interesting with focusing on specific pieces as needed. I suspect that starting piano as an adult has unique challenges; Hillary got me off to a great start and helped me to really embrace the instrument.

Sierra Madre Music is the ideal place for music lessons. Jessica and her husband are the owners and…read moreare awesome musicians. They have a great staff of instructors that are equally as talented but also know how to teach. What brought me to them was how Jessica quickly responded to my inquires for scheduling lessons for my son. She's friendly, organized and her willingness to help match your child with the right instructor. We appreciate all their efforts!

They've absolutely changed my son's life - he absolutely loves his lessons and has gained self…read moreesteem and confidence that will continue to serve him as he gets older. I love SMM! Highly recommend.

Great staff! The teachers are very professional and accommodating. Both my kids loved their…read moreteachers and their lessons. It was a wonderful experience!

We have been coming to 88 Keys ever since forever. My daughter is currently with Mr. Chris and she…read moreloves him. He's strict but knows how to have fun which is what she needs. She has improved a lot in her piano skills and actually loves playing the piano. Rescheduling is easy and he is responsive to our needs and requests. Office staff is also nice and accommodating.

A truly dedicated venue (as opposed to casual mom n me classes) for learning and appreciating…read moremusic. The overall experience was a step up from other local programs. For children closer to the 3 and a half year old range, in our experience one teacher was a miss (summer 2026)... While enthusiastic (but almost aggressively so), she had a very low threshold/low frustration tolerance if a child got off track in the slightest way. She would promptly single them out and suggest they sit in the "viewing area" (aka time out), effectively shaming the child and their parent by highlighting their inattentiveness etc. She may be a school teacher suitable for older kids, but also had an outdated style of excessively "managing" behavior which is not her domain, so long as the child is not majorly disrupting or in some way hurting others. I would also say she (not surprisingly) would play music too loudly and then claim some children are just more sensitive to noise without openness to her own contribution to the music volume. In sum, way too brusque to be teaching 3.5 year olds! Our care provider (who was herself a former preschool director) made the very same observations about this teacher that I had as a parent. Thank goodness this teacher left for vacation and her substitute was day/night more suitable for younger kids. So the experience can be rather teacher dependent...

Tonight, the second interlude of seasonal series, Pedagogues and Protégés by Nikolai…read moreRimsky-Korsakov was performed at the Barrett hall. Nothing short of mismerising performance. The sound and the vibe echoed throughout the hall was riveting to the bone. The duet by Mariné Ter-Kazaryan (soprano), and Gayane Simonyan (piano) was so surreal. The harmony between the two throughout the performance was seamless and truly a memorable event to be part of. This performance hall and venue is so unique and in par with the top performing halls elsewhere. The creator of the program is non other than Melissa Froehlich, the Director of Development at the center who meticulously produced tonight's flawless performance.

I'm an experienced guitarist who stopped playing for years. Marwan reignited my love of the…read moreinstrument and music in general. In just 3 sessions he has me unlocking the fretboard and putting theory and thought to improvising rather than fumbling around and playing by instinct. What I love about our sessions is that he is super kind and generous and has a great amount of knowledge on all things guitar, including equipment, tone, performance and playing with other people.

From the owner: Give a loved one the gift of music! For a limited time only, get your first lesson for FREE!…read more At Treehouse Music, our mission is to create an inspiring and supportive environment where students learn to love music through a blend of the songs they love and the essential building blocks of musical education. We are committed to fostering meaningful connections between teachers and students, nurturing self-confidence, and encouraging growth through the power of productive failure.

My son (8yo) has been learning drums with Jeremy since March, and we couldn't be happier. He wasn't…read morea complete beginner as I had tried many teachers at the local music academies for over 6 months and then had a different drum teacher for another 6 months. And I can say with complete confidence that Jeremy is the BEST teacher we found. I found that some drum teachers are better drummers than they are teachers. My son's former teacher never taught him to read music, for example, but would have him mimic the grooves and fills a little bit at a time. Jeremy, on the other hand, is so encouraging and upbeat, but still keeps my son to a high standard. My son is able to practice drum techniques, rhythms, and finally a song for each lesson. He uses a couple of a drum practice books each week, while also writing his own worksheets to help students thrive. Since March, I have seen my son's confidence grow in drums but also in himself. I see a smile creep onto his face when he's playing a complicated groove that he just got a handle on. Jeremy knows how to meet my son at the level he's at, encourage, and push at just the right pace that my son needs, and THAT's why I think he can't help but smile. It's like he's saying, "Wow, I can do it," to himself-- a lesson I hope transfers into all areas of his life. I highly recommend Jeremy Stacey Drum & Studio!

My kid decided he wanted to play drumset midway through high school. We were lucky enough to find…read morethis studio! Jeremy is a great teacher and my kid has improved steadily over the past 4 years. My kid now plays in college as a music major! One of my favorite things that is offered is periodic recital opportunities. It is great for the students to get a chance to perform and learn performance etiquette. I highly recommend Jeremy Stacey Drum Studio!