We purchased our very first piano from here at the beginning of the pandemic. We figured that…read moresince we'd be staying home more often, why not purchase a real piano!? We made an appointment to come in and Ulysses helped us out. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and helped us through the process. He didn't rush us or pressure us to buy a piano, and he was patient in answering all our questions. We went home that same day to think about which piano we wanted to get and returned a week later to purchase a Yamaha upright piano. Overall, it was a great experience and we now have a beautiful piano!

Update: Gary responded to this review... and then deleted his response a day later…read more After reading it, I actually understand and respect the appointment-only business model. If customers want a private showroom experience, that's completely reasonable. Plenty of luxury businesses operate that way. The problem was never the appointment policy. The problem was how a potential customer was treated. I live next door and have been curious about this store for a long time. I finally saw you at the business and thought I'd ask about purchasing a piano. Instead of a simple, "We're appointment-only, but here's my card--I'd be happy to schedule you," I was dismissed while you waited for your DoorDash order. As someone who works in marketing and customer experience, this felt like a textbook example of turning a warm lead into a lost customer. Your original response then spent paragraphs explaining why I shouldn't have expected service, but not one sentence expressing regret that a genuinely interested buyer walked away with a bad experience. That said, I'm adjusting this to a 2-star rating because I did see some effort to acknowledge my post, even if it ultimately fell short. Businesses don't earn loyal customers by proving they're technically correct. They earn them by making people feel welcome. A 30-second conversation could have turned me into a customer. Instead, it turned me into someone who will be buying a piano elsewhere. If you already have an appointment, I'm sure the experience may be perfectly fine. But if you're hoping to stop in, ask a question, or get a feel for the place before committing, don't expect much hospitality. That's ultimately why I'm leaving this review--not because the business is appointment-only, but because customer service begins long before the appointment ever does.

Quick and easy stop for me today at the guitar Center on Van Ness in San Francisco …read more Just came to return a cable. It was an extra after an event last week. Brought the cable in with the receipt. In this case the cable had been purchased from the Hillsdale store. But I was in the area so I thought I'd return it to the San Francisco store. I stand for super helpful. Return was quick and easy. Well, guitar may not have the lowest prices they are super convenient. And their staff has been helpful in every case that I went in there. The guitar Center on Venice. It's no different. Give them a shot for your needs.

My son is taking vocals at the Dublin location. His instructor Alejandro is so amazing with him. We…read morelove going every week!!!

Recently drove to SF from the Peninsula because after lots of research this is the only store in…read morethe Bay Area worth visiting if you need to purchase a new or used classical guitar and want to benefit from a robust inventory of options at various price points. The attention we received over the course of two visits and the patience that allowed us to try many guitars and ask countless questions before we decided was simply incredible. The kind of service that I had forgotten even existed. I purchased a used classical guitar made in 1974 for myself and my son got a 7/8 Alhambra. We are both very very happy!

Best acoustic guitar selection in San Francisco. Nice guys…read moretoo. Stop in and spend some time trying out a bunch of beautiful guitars. Then buy one and take it home. Be happy.

Be prepared for a wait -- guy working behind the counter deserves a raise , I was there offhandedly…read morebecause my old flatmate left a ukulele when he moved out, which I decided to restring and learn to play from zero ukulele experience Arrived to the shop on Potrero Hill promptly at my 11:30am appt to 3 others outside and then more came ( lots of professional people with fancy pants Fender guitars , and I was there with my pineapple red ukulele ) , an hour later got my ukulele in and told to collect at 2:30 pm. Which was great to offer same day service , I appreciated that. Went back at 2:30pm and greeted by another 3-4 folk waiting with Fender guitars- when it was my turn to collect my ukulele after 3pm , the guy had already been inundated by guitars , he rushed to get mine restringed in 4 minutes, was very patient and attentive but was quite rushed understandably ---- 5 stars for the solo guy working who deserves to have at least 1-2 other people work, he was confident, professional and a total sound guy ......, but all I'm saying is be prepared for a wait on a Saturday !! Also , had no idea so many people have guitar issues --- it was a constant stream of people showing up with very fancy guitars , who knew , what an experience.

Be prepared for a wait -- guy working behind the counter deserves a raise , I was there…read moreoffhandedly because my old flatmate left a ukulele when he moved out, which I decided to restring and learn to play from zero ukulele experience Arrived to the shop on Potrero Hill promptly at my 11:30am appt to 3 others outside and then more came ( lots of professional people with fancy pants Fender guitars , and I was there with my pineapple red ukulele ) , an hour later got my ukulele in and told to collect at 2:30 pm. Which was great to offer same day service , I appreciated that. Went back at 2:30pm and greeted by another 3-4 folk waiting with Fender guitars- when it was my turn to collect my ukulele after 3pm , the guy had already been inundated by guitars , he rushed to get mine restringed in 4 minutes, was very patient and attentive but was quite rushed understandably ---- 5 stars for the solo guy working who deserves to have at least 1-2 other people work, he was confident, professional and a total sound guy ......, but all I'm saying is be prepared for a wait on a Saturday !! Also , had no idea so many people have guitar issues --- it was a constant stream of people showing up with very fancy guitars , who knew , what an experience.

My son has been studying piano here with various instructors for a little over three years now. I'm…read morevery happy with his progress. In fact, I'm writing this review while he is practicing "Scarborough Fair." He's come a long way since playing early pieces without chords. :) The owner hires excellent instructors. That's one of the advantages of going to a studio instead of trying to find someone on your own. He's had the same main teacher for his whole time here, but every substitute teacher that he's had has been very good with kids. That's another advantage of a studio: weekly lessons whether or not your main instructor can make it. If you want to make progress at an instrument, you need to make a weekly commitment. The system of instruction seems to be well-thought out. I like the main set of piano books that they use, and they also add other types of pieces--jazz, some pop tunes--so that he is learning more than just the classical style. The teachers have also been willing to work with my son's interests. When he expressed an interest in playing Master of Puppets (not my idea ...) and Pinball Wizard, they found suitable music for his level so that he could give the pieces a shot. Everything is really well organized. The shift to online instruction with COVID was handled very well. It's been easy to get online with the music teachers. We also get emails after the lesson detailing what he needs to cover in the following week. I think the class makeup policy is completely fair. It is simply unreasonable to allow students to reschedule classes. For one, there is no space for it in a teacher's schedule, and it is unfair to ask teachers to reserve a couple hours a week for makeup slots that might be filled or might not be filled, effectively denying them compensation for those hours in their week. A teacher should not be robbed of income just because a family can't make a regularly scheduled time slot. And the makeup lessons they do offer are fine--they kept my son on track with his musical development, which is what I really want to see. By the way, this is not just a studio for kids who love to practice and do so without being asked. My son is not always enthusiastic about practicing, but the teachers have done a great job of keeping him motivated and working with him on those days when he hasn't done enough or is feeling a little unmotivated. Also, the studio does a great job of using a rewards system to motivate kids to keep practicing regularly. Getting music lessons can be a tremendous benefit for your child's mind and spirit. If you are thinking about music lessons for your child, but hesitant about the investment, take a look at the research that shows how music benefits cognition, memory, and mood. For a few hundred dollars a month you can potentially help your child get more out of school, as well as open up new worlds of possibility for career and social life. Amabile is a great place to make that happen. Our family is very, very happy with how we have seen our son progress.

My daughter has been a piano student and we have been very happy with the teachers and the overall…read moreservice. We had some disagreements with the school about scheduling and they hung in with us and we worked it out. It's nice that there's a person (in our case, Cheri) at the other end of every email who is quick to respond to our concerns, flexible and has partnered well with us on solving problems.

They have sheet Music from entry to intermediate level for different instruments, including pops,…read morejazz and classical music. They also have instrument supplies. Everything is well-organized. Super friendly stuff, too!!

Sweet store..Jerry Thomas ran the store and then Evelyn M runs this store..and I asked to work here…read more20 years ago haha..I am a music teacher that would a good use of time and then I moved to Japan too..hahahahaah so I got some sheet music like Burt Bacharach, Evita(Andrew Lloyd Webber), and I also picked I left my heart in San Francisco because I left my Heart in Joe DiMaggio haha I got another metronome because it's missing and it belongs to the family and the guy who could figure out how to use it tick tock tick tock tick tock metronomes are fascinating..from Germany hahah There are ukeleles and guitar..and gifts stickers and shakers..old-fashioned store ..because it's my job too Yelp Back to the Future edition

Our daughter has loved music at home since she was small, so when she turned 3, we decided it was…read moretime to enroll her in formal classes. We initially tried private piano lessons at another studio for two months, but she just wasn't enjoying the one-on-one setup. ​Everything changed when we ran into Exploring Music's booth at the Autumn Moon Festival and met Betty. They were offering a trial class, so we decided to give it a shot. From the moment we stepped into the trial, we knew this was the perfect fit--our daughter was instantly so much more engaged in a group environment! ​We signed up for their 3-month weekly session for the 3-5 age group, and it has been a complete game-changer. Teacher Nicole is phenomenal--she is so patient, knowledgeable, and genuinely cares about her students while maintaining great professionalism. Under her guidance, our daughter looks forward to going every single week, and we've watched her transform from being shy to confident week after week. ​You can tell right away that Exploring Music is a true neighborhood favorite. People are constantly walking in just to chat, connect, and hang out--it's such a warm, friendly community hub. They even place a piano outside on the sidewalk for passersby to play and explore their curiosity, which is such a lovely touch for the street! ​On a personal note, when I was looking to purchase a gong for work, they were able to source one for me using their industry connections and deep music knowledge. I've truly enjoyed every single conversation with everyone on their team. ​Exploring Music played a huge role in helping our daughter blossom, and we couldn't be more grateful to Betty, Teacher Nicole, and the entire team. Highly recommend!

Super cute music store! They have way more than what you think. I went in on a whim to see if they…read morehad harmonicas, and they had three different types to choose from! I didn't even know there were that many options, but the employee was very knowledgeable, helpful, and nice! Will be back once I've mastered the C-scale harmonica

I will be honest: the idea of taking piano lessons for the first time as an adult was both an…read moreexhilarating and frightening prospect. Luckily for me, one of my good friends recommended that I check out the Community Music Center, and overall, I had an excellent experience! My instructor was Erick Peralta, and he covered both music theory and piano technique with patience and great skill. I thought that he paced the classes well, and the only reason I stopped working with him is due to leaving the Bay Area. I also appreciated how he integrated and referenced modern pop music while also making sure I learned piano standards. Finding practice piano rooms can be a challenge during peak instruction periods, but more often than not, I could find an open piano to practice right before my early afternoon classes. There were also some minor communication snafus when I tried to register for classes, but generally, staff at the center were welcoming and friendly.

We've been involved with CMC during various phases in our family. My kids took lessons here but…read moreare not aspiring musicians and one quit after middle school and the other way earlier that that. It's expensive to pay for piano lessons if your child is really not interested and we could've used that money towards kinetic activities which was more in line with what they preferred. Not all the teachers were patient with the kids and our youngest had a bad attitude and went through 3 teachers. The first instructor was a brilliant musician but was curt and impatient with him most of the time. The second instructor, another brilliant musician, asked us not to bring him back on a couple of visits. The 3rd instructor was the most patient with him but it really wasn't his cup of tea and we finally agreed there was no purpose served to keep trying to enlighten him. I have been taking adult choir lessons 4.5 years now with a CMC instructor, Ms. Wilmurt, who is just fabulous and everyone in our group classes adore and love her. She also teaches a young children's choir and the kids love her too. No instructor wants a student who is unmotivated, lacks commitment and is uncooperative. So judge carefully if you think your child or yourself are suited to take music classes. It is a big commitment but well worth the time and effort if you're truly engaged and open-minded to learn music.

This is a great store, run by musicians for musicians. I bought a mouthpiece for my sax, and they…read morewere very helpful (and patient!) with me. I also rented a trumpet for my son, who was very impressed when the owner (a professional trumpet player) tried it for him. They also have real books, reeds, rehearsal rooms and a great staff.

Brought an inexpensive alto sax in to see if it needed work. Katia was so helpful. We chatted and…read moreshe did a diagnostic on my sax and found some leaks. Wouldn't take my money. I'd go back here again!!

We've been with Inspire Music for many years. I'm kind of glad our previous music school didn't…read morework out! We came here for voice lesson with Victor. He's very good with kids both strict and patience! He will make recommendations for our kids to do certain things for the best interest of them. Very honest, friendly and humble guy! We love him! Also, the front desk people are very friendly with families. Easy to do registration over the phone or making payments. They are good about reminding parents of what, when is due! This music center teaches and rent instruments to students of all ages. Victor also leads a choir group named Hip Kids. It has been around for sometime. Some kids we meet has been in the program since they were little until they graduated from middle school! Lot of great kids in the program. I'm happy that my kids are meeting good friends!

Wow! I'm thankful that Inspire Music exists and is here in the city. I was looking for a place to…read moreincrease my vocal skills and produce my own music. I found both of these here. If you are looking for a place to learn musicianship by those who do it then make inspire your choice. Thank you Victor and team!