Enrolling in a music program as an adult can be intimidating. Having no prior knowledge of music…read moreoutside of the general, I embarked on my current expedition under the tutelage of Chris Murphy at the Black Tree School. Bear with me -- if you can read these few paragraphs of back-story -- otherwise, the present day review is in the bottom paragraph, so feel free to skip ahead. ------------------------ About eight months or so prior, I had seen Chris Murphy perform at the Santa Monica Farmers' Market with one of the bands from The Teahouse Company. It could have been The Blind Blakes or some configuration of The Devil's Box -- if I could describe it then, I would have said it was Celtic in origin, but it was also kind of rock and roll, and a little gypsy, I'm also thinking to myself that I could produce those sounds, but I would need some help. I took a card and pinned it up for about six months on my "vision board" of things I wanted to do in my lifetime, along with sewing, climbing a mountain, and learning French cooking, all of which require a certain amount of dedication and finesse. My piqued interest in the violin has always been particular to that instrument. The tonality of it, the physical interaction with the instrument or the passion, the immediate tactile payoff of using a bow, the social aspect of playing with a band, playing solo, the versatility in delivering a somber tune or celebratory reel-- all of these things appealed to me. About three weeks later, as luck, the universe, or the giant cheese in the sky would have it, I was sitting at work and my coworker, JC, said he was selling his violin. Taking this as a sign, I plunked down 700 bucks and bought it. It could have been a total piece of crap, so I was taking a risk, but to be honest, I didn't care because I had intention, and now I had the tool. I got it out every day and poked at it, even took one lesson from another teacher who will remain nameless -- her approach in 30 minutes was going over the first 2 pages of the Suzuki book, not explaining it. We didn't have time to go over the scales, beats, notes, or measures.. she left me more confused than we started. She didn't seem very interested in what I was trying to do and didn't ask any questions. I was impressed by her charismatic performances on Youtube, but her teaching style didn't leave me wanting more. Months passed. I was BRUTALLY fired from a TV show I was working on and feeling a little guilty because I realized it was the perfect time for me to pick up an instrument to take my mind off of what was happening. True story. Sent the email out, and ended up having a delightful first meeting with Chris, whose integrative approach was the opposite of Ms. Doolittle. We determined what skill sets I was bringing to the table to start. I explained my limited background in music and where I wanted to go, and we started right away to determine if I could follow a rhythm, if I could hear and reproduce pitch using my voice. I knew a few things -- The Do Re Mi scale( which I now tackle in solfégé forward and backward) that my mother sang with me in the bathtub, reverting back to 7th grade music class when we were learning scales, which I BARELY remembered. The studio setting is very safe, comfortable, and nonjudgmental; there's nothing to be scared of. It's growth and progress. If there is anything I am learning here, I am letting go of engaging myself in negative chatter when things go wrong and always MOVING ahead. The change in thinking is across the board. Fast forward to present day, three months into 3 hour lessons starting on the mandolin and fiddle in addition to vocal training and theory, twice a week. Every lesson presents a new struggle I'm not aware of, and at times these lessons are very painful. I struggle with my body not responding to what I hear in my head, my fingers want to quit on me with new aches and pains in my 3 and 4 fingers almost daily, yet I leave my lessons wanting to keep going. I hopped on YouTube last week and taught myself two basic songs, NOT Twinkle Twinkle... I had the melodies down after a few hours. I can write the notes out AND say the notes out loud as I am playing and added in some chords and techniques to go with it on my own, to the metronome... my brain, rewired, is working differently, musically, in just three months time. I know not everyone is the same, but I am very happy with the results I have experienced at The Black Tree School. I've just started group lessons - with two of us students, playing side by side -- working out issues as they come up, anticipating, visualizing what's next, breaking it all down. I leave you with this: Why repetitively invest money for 45 minute to an hour lessons that get you nowhere and so SLOWLY... instead, get started down the musical ninja path at Black Tree. You won't be sorry.

The Black Tree School is not your typical music school. Chris Murphy, the owner, is quite amazing…read moreat his craft, he encourages you to find your artist/music niché. Not only will he open your mind to new thoughts on music and help you find your sound, he will help you define it! He has inspired me musically...and in other artistic ways. He found out I loved to cook and encouraged me to look into the art of French cooking. I am now working through Julia Child's cookbook, Mastering French cooking. But seriously, don't miss an opportunity to learn from this school & Chris Murphy. Your mind will be blown wide open to your dreams of achieving your music/artistic life & goals! Highly recommend!

I found Scot through yelp three years ago while looking for a guitar teacher in LA. I'm grateful he…read moretook me under his wing and believed in me. When I started working with Scot I knew open chords but didn't have much confidence with the guitar or a good practice regimen. Every lesson with Scot gave me more insight than you could imagine. Scot offers metaphors that unlock and illuminate the fretboard, encourages individuality through the instrument and motivates musicians at any level. If you're in LA and love music, you should know Scot. He's really the best

Scot is great! I always wanted to learn how to play guitar and I finally decided to go for it. A…read morecoworker recommended Scot and it was a perfect match. He's patient and knowledgeable, he always makes a point to teach theory along with technique and he makes weekly videos to help his students practice at home. The class is divided into a more technical learning section, followed by a song section. He encourages his students to share a playlist with him so he can teach songs the student likes, but on top of that he'll also suggest songs that are at the student's skill level. He's a very thoughtful teacher and an overall great human being, I highly recommend him for anyone looking for customized, in-person guitar classes with a nice and caring teacher.

As a complete novice in guitar Cameron has really brought me along as a confident, proficient and…read moreskillful player over the last 3 years. Even when I moved out of LA for 1 of those years we kept our lessons going online. His personality and approach has made me feel so comfortable and as a shy person that has been so helpful not only musically but personally. I would highly recommend Cam to any adult or younger student looking to bring the fun into learning and being creative with music.

Meeting Cameron was a pivotal point in my music journey. I sought out lessons in general because I…read morewanted to develop proficiency on my instrument (guitar), but with Cam came so much more. We focused not only on building my skills, but also my own unique musical identity. I was encouraged to channel my own creativity, and Cam guided me through every step. And later when I wanted to start recording my own ideas and develop some production skills, he helped me choose the right gear and build the most practical setup for my needs. He even showed me how to use Pro Tools and shared a lot of production tips to help make my music sound pro. Thanks for everything Cam!

I used to see Drew Tretick at Disneywalk, the music was great and he was so charming and…read moreentertaining that I bought all of his cd's. I still listen to them to this very day. I have been a Disney pass holder and I miss going to Disney walk to see Drew perform. It was always a perfect end to look forward to before leaving for home. It was such a treat. I very much miss seeing this very talented man. Both young and old enjoyed his music. He was a crowd stopper and I miss those great evenings.

Khalil is a true professional in every sense of the word. As a drum instructor, he's unrivaled in…read morehis patience and ability to motivate his students

Khalil is a fantastic drummer, teacher and mentor! He guided my drumming journey from the start and…read morehelped me fuel my passion for the art of playing drums. He is incredibly patient and knowledgeable about all aspects of music, and you can tell that he loves sharing and teaching. It doesn't matter how old you are or where you come from, I guarantee that you will become a better drummer and a better musician in just a few lessons with Khalil!

Tamboura Baptiste, thank you…read more We were truly blessed to have such a beautiful violin performance at my beloved dog's memorial. The music brought a sense of peace, love, and deep emotion that words honestly couldn't capture. Every note felt intentional and heartfelt--it created a space where we could reflect, grieve, and celebrate Kilo's life all at once. Your talent is undeniable, but what stood out even more was the way you played with such compassion and sensitivity to the moment. You didn't just perform--you connected with all of us. Thank you for helping make Kilo's memorial so meaningful and unforgettable. Your music will stay with us

This guys is amazing for the price I was looking for…read moresomeone without Breaking the bank And he deliverer. He played everything something that caught my ear was he played the song from Aladdin Whole New World That was magical. We all know anything from Disney Is magic and that's what we got. Thank you

Rod is the real deal!…read more He can entertain any type of crowd and caters his magic to each one! I witnessed his talent up close and personal. You really can't see how he pulls off anything. Even basic card tricks come out with a twist (and flames!). What he creates is truly mind bending. He can do what other magicians can do but always do it with his own memorable signature. You'll never forget him. There is one thing he can't do: make someone disappear permanently. But he'll do anything else. Seriously, whether you need entertainment for a large crowd or an intimate gathering, Rod can deliver and make you comfortable and keep you entertained at the same time!

We hired him for my daughter's 9th birthday and let me tell you, his show was so much better than…read moreany of us expected from a magic show! First of all, he's very professional, showed up on time, and is very friendly. When he did his performance both the kids and adults were so entertained. He had us all laughing so much and amazed us with his tricks. Great for all ages. There was audience participation, great jokes feeding to the audience energy. The timing and flow of the show is great too, it didn't feel rushed at all, and in the end the kids got balloon animals. I highly recommend him!

I would highly recommend Darrell to anyone looking for a CPR certification course. He was very…read moreprofessional and the class was informative. He went above and beyond to drive to our location, set up and made sure we understood everything as we went along. He answered any questions we had and was pleasantly polite through it all. Thank you so much Darrell for everything. I'll recommend you to friends and family.

Darrell communicates well, he is very thorough and makes sure you understand everything. As new…read moreupcoming parents he took the time to really go over the infant cpr carefully. He had amazing energy and a good sense of humor. His equipment was in good shape and clean. He used proper COVID precautions. He made sure that I was not too tired as I'm pregnant and allowed me to rest. I would highly recommend Darrell to anyone wanting to learn CPR well. He also offered to allow me to borrow a mannequin if we need a refresher.