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!

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.

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.

The staff is super knowledgeable and patient even on the phone during high times. The process of…read morebuying a violin is easy

Rented instrument for my kid. Insurance was not offered. Instrument broke (which was normal) and…read moreended up having to pay full price. The 2nd rental they asked for more money because they made a mistake in billing. One time they billed me 2x and I had to call to get it reversed. Avoid this place.

This is going to be one of those odd reviews. I've never been to the store or had anything…read morerepaired. I called and had a conversation with Jack. He proceeded to take quite a bit of time on the phone giving me advice on how to go about troubleshooting or attempting to fix an issue and giving me general advice that seemed super honest. THIS is the sort of business I can get behind. This is what will make me call here when I need something. It feels like a business that actually cares about synths and their customers.

Jack helped me and was super kind. Definitely check out this spot for your guitar needs!read more

The business model is not good. While their teachers are fun and great, the business is run like a…read morescam. They stole 300 dollars from my card that was on file after all of our lessons had been completed and they refused to give it back. They are a scam of a business do not trust them ever. There are plenty of freelance piano teachers in the area, hell even contact their teachers directly but the Altadena Academy of Music is willing to steal from their customer base. BEWARE.

3 years ago I decided to look into a music class for my 5 yr old daughter. She loves to sing. In my…read moresearch, I uncovered a gem of a place, Altadena Academy of Music. My daughter was paired with a great teacher, Peter. Since day one he has helped Mia flourish and unleash her potential. He is a great teacher. During the same 30 mins she's singing, I'm practicing piano with Tyson. He's has been a great help in uncovering my passion for the ivories.

Grayson is an excellent neighborhood music shop with top quality gear, a wide variety of brands and…read moremodels to choose from, and most importantly, a knowledgeable, helpful, and service-oriented staff. Plus, my preferred guitar tech works here. His name is Sal. He is the only man I trust to work on my instruments. Grayson's is a fantastic option to shop and definitely a worthy place to spend your money in. Can't recommend them enough.

Just brought my headless 8 string guitar in to have new pickups installed and setup for a very low,…read morealternative tuning. The staff were super friendly and helpful. They went above and beyond to get my guitar setup exactly how I wanted it. They're very fairly priced as well. A good friend recommended them to me. I'll be a regular customer for all my guitar needs.

This review is an experience event. Thank you Thuy! For granting my wish to have a taste of what it…read morefeels like to play a violin! Mr. Greg is such a people person, especially encouraging to future young musicians. He's teaching method is methodical to achieve preciseness. For instance, the instruments were tuned prior to class and beat maker is pretty much on throughout the class. Toward end of the class, the parent can listen to what was learned from the lesson. I can definitely tell the difference, I am able to make (not so irritated) notes and play some patterns after 1 hour. Highly recommend this friendly environment in this nice community.

My son has been taking lessons at Encore Music for about 3 years. During that time, we've had some…read morereally wonderful teachers, and he has made some progress. However, over time, we felt that he had become a little too comfortable, and his learning had plateaued. We had already been considering making some changes, and a recent experience with the front desk ultimately pushed us to make that decision. Several months ago, I brought up the fact that one of the cameras in the lesson rooms was not working. Unfortunately, instead of the issue being resolved, it has gotten worse. When I brought it up again last week, I found that multiple cameras were now malfunctioning. When I asked about it, the response I received from the front desk was rude and came with an unnecessary attitude. I was essentially told that I was welcome to go into the lesson room with my child. Parents being asked to accompany their children into the lesson room should not be the long-term solution to a problem that has been ongoing for months. If cameras are provided for a reason, they should be functioning, particularly when lessons involve an adult teacher alone in a room with a child. What bothered me the most was not simply that the cameras were not working, but the attitude I received when I raised a concern. The fact that the situation went from one malfunctioning camera months ago to multiple malfunctioning cameras, with no apparent resolution, was concerning enough. Being met with that kind of attitude when I brought up the issue was the final push for me. Feeling comfortable with the environment and knowing that legitimate concerns will be taken seriously is important. This experience made me realize that Encore Music may no longer be the right place for my son.

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.

What an absolute gem of an instrument shop that I feel so fortunate to have come across. I went in…read morebecause I'm potentially on the market for an upright bass, and I cannot express how glad I am I stopped by here. Not only do they have an incredible selection of beautiful instruments, but owners there are such phenomenal, down-to-earth, compassionate people. Nicky was in the store helping me out, and they spent so much time allowing me to try all the different instruments and talking me through them and answering my questions. The shop also has a rental option as well where 50% of the rent goes towards an instrument of your choice (doesn't have to be the rental). If you're looking for a high quality instrument with amazing service, this is the place to go. Could not recommend them more highly!

Kelly is excellent! She is engaging and patient with my 4yo every step of the way. I'm completely…read moreconvinced that Suzuki violin is the way to go with young children. She knows how to encourage him, how to correct him and how to wait and wait and wait until he is ready for the next step. Her patience is truly admirable and is so key to teaching young children to play an instrument as complicated and precise as the violin. She also fosters his creativity through improv, such a key component to the artistic endeavor of learning an instrument. Today my son chose a prize from the "practice prize box" for filling in 50 stars for each time he practiced. He told me that once he had filled out enough star sheets he would probably be good enough to play in an orchestra. Thank you Kelly for keeping him engaged and excited about learning the violin!

Kelly makes the lessons fun and my daughter really learned a lot from her. We in Portland really…read moremiss her.