I've worked with Kaya for several years and highly recommend her as a vocal teacher, regardless of skill level or experience. She's patient, approachable, and brings a great deal of technical expertise to help ground our lessons. We've worked through all types of genres and she has helped me gain so much confidence while having tons of fun :) thank you Kaya and Songbird! read more

Blake Cline was the best! My son is an aspiring singer. Blake not only helped him improve his vocal skills / musicianship but also helped him build confidence as a performer and most importantly have fun while making music. Now the kid is off to Berklee college of music. Thanks Blake! You are the best!! read more

Songbird is a great place to learn singing! Leora is a fantastic teacher. I just started singing, and after 2 months, I already see dramatic improvements. My friends have complimented me on my new singing skills and are amazed that I just started lessons recently. It's great working with Leora since she's very patient and thoughtful. She personalizes every lesson to what I need to progress based on my voice and my current blockers. I look forward to taking lessons for a long time to come and to improving even more! read more

I've been coming to Songbird Studios at the start of this year as it was my New Year's resolution to finally take singing lessons that I've always wanted to take... and I'm so glad I finally did it! My goal was to be better at singing which was always something I enjoyed doing at amateur karaoke with my friends and though I have no other musical talent whatsoever, my vocal coach Christina Stogsdill makes these lessons so fun and easy to learn for a music newbie like me. She encourages me to let loose and though I always enter a lesson a bit nervous, I always leave it relaxed, refreshed, and confident, as if I've let my inner "singing diva" out and am now singing in ways I didn't know was possible for me. If you're looking to get the same feeling, I would highly recommend Christina and this studio! read more

I've been working with my voice teacher Blake for almost a year now, and I've loved every lesson with him. In addition to having an incredible depth of singing expertise, Blake shows a lot of genuine care for the success of his students and encourages you to do things you never thought you could. He helps you reach your potential while also making the journey a complete joy by being consistently friendly and kind! Before I started taking lessons with Blake, I had never performed in front of others before, and now I'm doing singing performances almost every month. If you're looking for a caring teacher who will help you improve, I highly recommend Blake! read more

Songbird is a great place to come and learn, for beginners and experienced singers alike. I had recently moved to the area and was looking for a new vocal coach - and Songbird set me up with Blake. It's going on 6 months strong with Blake and my singing has improved markedly. I'm learning the intricacies of a good performance, along with elements of stage presence, personality, and projection. Blake is an easy going, friendly guy and we've struck up a friendship. His prior experience in music and theater is an incredible plus. He pushes you to get out there and get on a stage somewhere, and puts together shows and gatherings of his students. Would recommend Songbird, they have a solid cast of teachers, they are pretty responsive and the pricing is reasonable, especially relative to other instructors in the city. read more

I started coming to Songbird Studio as a New Years Resolution and it was probably one of the best choices I've made this year. The friendly and accommodating staff, personable coach (Shout out to Jennifer!!), and an overall amazing atmosphere makes it an absolute blast. Even in a short while after a few lessons, I've made quite notable improvements and very happy with the progress :) read more

I have been working with Masha at Songbird for a few years now and she has been a great teacher! We have worked through so many elements of the voice together and she is always willing to listen to where I want to develop specifically. read more

Excellent singing lessons! I've been taking lessons at Songbird with Blake for about two years now and have seen a lot of improvement in my voice. He's been great about catering the teaching to my learning style and focusing on any specific areas I want to improve in. He has incorporated a lot of really cool tools and techniques in our lessons that have also made practicing on my own much more effective. I would highly recommend both Blake and Songbird! read more

My whole life I struggled to connect with voice teachers and find the right one that knew and understood what I wanted to do with my voice. It even turned me off from getting singing lessons for many many years. Then I found songbird and while my first teacher was great she soon found out that there was one teacher that could make me a happy singer by helping me sing the way I want to sing. That teacher was Christina. She was fully booked at the time but I made a request to take any slot of hers that opened. Then one day I get a call saying there was an opening for Friday evenings and I immediately jumped at the opportunity and my current teacher was very supportive. Christina changed everything for me. She has helped me change my voice where I can sing the way I've always wanted to sing. She's helping sing properly, she pushes me, and now I can hit some really high notes that I never could before. She's really fun and makes our classes fun. She's a blessing and is the reason I'm writing songs and singing again. Even during Covid, we've been able to work together online to improve my singing. One day we will be singing in the studio again! I really appreciate Songbird for having great classes, great studios, and how easy they've made online singing. I had my doubts on if it could work but the classes are great and they really equipped the teachers to make their classes continue to be engaging. I can't recommend them (and of course Christina) enough. read more

Songbird Studios is wonderful! My instructor is Masha, and she is an amazing teacher, with deep knowledge of how our whole bodies are involved in singing and coming up with clever, oblique ways to trick the muscles into singing the right way. I'm really happy to be learning new things and challenging myself in a warm and welcoming environment. read more

I've been taking voice lessons at Songbird with Dara for a little over half a year. Having been a musician for decades, I always felt I was incapable of singing well. Dara has been a wonderful teacher who is helping me discover and cultivate vocal strengths I did not know I had, by aligning me with my true voice. This has been a revelation as I had always struggled to conform to pop song expectations which didn't exactly match. Dara is every bit as talented a teacher as she is a singer! She is full of insight and new perspectives, uplifting in her encouragement, and her teaching style balances both playfulness and dedication. I appreciate the flexibility of Songbird Studios providing in-person or on-line lessons. I am grateful for Songbird Studios, and for my wonderful voice teacher! read more

I'm a beginner when it comes to singing lessons. Songbird is accessible and has tons of extra events and opportunities besides just your lessons. Lots of opportunities to connect with other people. Dara Ackerman is my coach and she's great. Super encouraging and positive with a lot of practical experience. It's been great working with her. read more

CHRISTINA IS THE BEST!!! No, seriously, she's the best voice teacher ever! I started out as someone with a shaky voice and could barely use my chest voice. After about two years of working with her, I'm belting all the Adele songs in my chest voice and hitting super high notes! Every week she comes with songs that she thinks I'd love, and she's always right! She also has a super funny and cool personality so we're always vibing lol. read more

I have been a student of Rachel Larsen at Songbird Studios since September 2019 when I had started a corporate band to participate in a charity event but hadn't realized how rusty my voice had become in the 20 years I hadn't really sung and I was feeling super upset and worried. Enter my teacher Rachel who is the most understanding and encouraging person. Her friendly manner immediately put me at ease because she could see how panicked I was. I immediately connected with her and completely felt open to showing how vulnerable I was feeling about singing in public. Rachel has many great techniques and exercises for getting the best of out of my voice and has really helped me rediscover my range and strength but has also helped me work through the cracks in my voice to have a smoother vocal range and transitions when I'm singing. She is always happy to try out new songs and will sing with me or have me sing alone depending on how I am feeling that day. During COVID Rachel seamlessly pivoted to online lessons and she's even put up with the odd appearance from my 5 year old daughter who has joined in a couple of my lessons and enjoyed it immensely. Rachel found some fun exercises for children and we changed the lesson there and then so my little one could join in - so fun!! Rachel is professional, full of amazing expertise but above and beyond that she is caring and empathetic. She always asks 'how are you feeling' and clearly very much values her relationships with her students. I hope she stays with Songbird forever because I really look forward to my lessons, they are a high point of my week which is full of meetings, work and family commitments on top of dealing with COVID and it's a time for myself which I really value. I honestly cannot recommend Rachel enough, she is awesome and a lovely person, I feel very lucky to be one of her students. You rock Rachel, thank you for all you do. read more

I have been a Songbird for just over a year and a half now. I started lessons in-person and have continued to my lessons virtually do to the COVID-19 pandemic. I had always wanted to get a vocal coach for myself and was looking for the perfect place to do lessons. I found Songbird just on a whim, and I am so glad that I did. When I was going for my lessons in-person, everyone there was so nice and welcoming, and the overall environment was just so friendly. Since the pandemic, their communication via email and social media have been amazing and they have been doing a sensational job at building community and still keeping folks connected by song. As for my vocal coach, I don't think it's possible to describe just how amazing Christina is. She is motivating, empowering, and I feel like I have grown significantly as a singer. Our lessons are the best 30 minutes of my week, and I am so grateful for her knowledge. Our energy is on the same wavelength, and I honestly feel like I've had the chance to have a great vocal coach and a great friend. Christina is awesome, and I am so glad to be a part of the Songbird family! read more

For years I thought I had to give up on my singing dreams and accept that I'd become an "adult" with "responsibilities" (read: a day job) instead of magically ending up in my chosen field of music. I've stumbled into work in tech, which means in 2015 I moved to San Francisco from the east coast out of a job necessity and had some culture shock. I looked for music lessons online as I needed some sort of creative outlet. Lord knows what got into me when I had a trial lesson at Songbird and eventually matched with my voice teacher Alexandra, but it was a game-changer. Every week I would get excited to sing and learn new things about my voice in a new way - Alex coaxed out the pop/roots/rock sound that I had no idea how to approach after a decade+ of classical voice training left me formal and stiff. It was like the sun came out during my cloudy period. (I am not one for hyperbole, this is for real.) So I am new to town re-learning a skill-- a personal and physical one like singing -- which can be intimidating! However, Alex encouraged me during our lessons with gentle encouragement and guidance. Her cuing was always uplifting, even if I was feeling "off" or unable to understand how to attack a warmup technique well. I am happy to say that because of all of her positive reinforcement, I kept on singing and also re-picked up my guitar when she went on leave. (It wasn't the same, but it helped) Alex isn't just positive, but she also adds vocal anatomy, theory, and cool vocal techniques I never would have learned otherwise (I have even tried yodeling as an exercise for control)! She is always looking for more training in her pedagogical methods and brings her new education to our classes, which feels like we are learning together -- a really modern and friendly method. Importantly, I hear a VAST improvement in my singing with an ability to truly flow through and control my voice in a way that I haven't had since I was much younger. Even more importantly, there's been an improvement in my vocal confidence, as I am one of those singers who has always shied off from the mic at social events like karaoke. I needed these gentle nudges forward, and Alex provided many. I can't recommend her and Songbird enough (and I hope we can karaoke safely again sometime soon)! I moved back to NYC a few years ago and as a silver lining to this neverending pandemic, I still get to see Alex every week for encouragement and SO much learning. There's a voice teacher in every building in Manhattan it seems, but I didn't want to see anyone but Alex -- how could I when learning feels so friendly, safe, and just darn good? Thanks to Zoom and Songbird for your online lessons! read more

I am forever indebted to Songbird Studios and Christina for stepping my vocal game up. I signed up for a free intro session not knowing what to expect and I left incredibly excited and hopefully about my journey. Christina has such an amazing and magnetic personality. She is incredibly talented and breaks down vocal exercises and music theory in a way any lay woman or man can understand. Every time I finish a lesson it feels like I am singing and learning with a good, supportive friend. She pushes me in ways that help me grow and excel and encourages me to strive for the vision she has for me as a singer. Look, I drive out to my sessions all the way from the East Bay, so you know she is good! read more

One of the best things I've ever signed up for, and my instructor, Mana, is by far the best music teacher I've ever had. I am a former musician myself, but have never had the confidence to sing, and that is all starting to change. Mana is very patient and persistent in helping me develop both my voice and my confidence. read more

Melissa is a wonderful teacher! She's honest while being encouraging and extremely patient with me whenever I get into one of those "I don't think I can do it" moments. I've been taking classes with her since March and feel like I have learned/grown in ways I couldn't have imagined. I initially signed up for vocal lessons thinking it would be a fun exploratory thing while I'm on my 1-year break, but now I can't picture my life without singing lessons. I'm so excited because there's so much more to discover! read more

I am so glad to have found Songbird Studios! From the initial inquiry email to scheduling makeup classes, the team is always extremely responsive and professional. And they really knocked it out of the ballpark when they paired me with my coach Christina.  I came to Christina with a choral sounding voice, but I really wanted to sound more rock 'n' roll. In the few months that I have worked with her, she has helped me develop my personal style as a vocalist and given me the confidence to sing songs that I would have previously thought were out of my reach.  Christina is a natural born teacher, and her dynamic personality creates an encouraging learning environment where I always feel challenged. My weekly lessons with her have brought so much joy and color to my life that transcends the 30 minutes we spend together. I am really pleased with how far I have already come under the tutelage of Christina, and I cannot wait to see where this journey takes me! read more

I have been taking voice lessons at Songbird with Blake for about a year now and it has been such an incredible experience! Blake creates a personalized teaching approach that is catered to your learning style - this is something I haven't been able to find with teachers in the past that has hugely contributed to my growth. He is so talented in voice, guitar, piano - you name it! It makes for a fun and informative session each time. Highly recommend Blake and the Songbird family! read more

Dara is an amazing teacher. I enjoy working with her, she is thoughtful, motivating and she always has a warm and welcoming energy. on top of all this, she has an incredible voice. read more

Jessica Fein has been my instructor for over a year now. She's helped me smooth out my vocal breaks, understand how to support my voice with my body/breathe, and emotionally connect with lyrics. I wouldn't be where I am today without her guidance. There is something about making strange sounds and squatting while singing that trains you to show up to class with an open-mind and a can-do attitude. This is only possible because of her warm personality and teaching aptitude. If you ever get a chance, I'd definitely recommend working with Jessica! read more

Songbird is great! My lessons are one of the highlights of my week. The whole team is incredibly welcoming regardless of skill level. Taking lessons here was my first real experience with singing, but every step of the way has been nothing but pure encouragement. Christina is PHENOMENAL! From day one, I could tell Christina is passionate about singing and truly wants to help others improve their relationship with music. She's opened a whole new world for me! Christina is unbelievably intuitive when it comes to helping me find songs that match my personality/emotion. They've been a perfect balance of pushing my limits, while also helping me define my voice. She's is truly gifted at taking complex music theories and breaking down into manageable/relevant/understandable pieces. I can't say enough about her attitude, It's absolutely contagious! The hour-long lessons flies by! Thank you, Christina, for being an incredible vocal coach. I don't think I could have gotten even remotely this far without your constant encouragement and guidance. read more

Amazing singing lessons for anyone at any stage in singing. Dara is my instructor and she has really helped me come out of my comfort zone, I feel more confident in my singing abilities since joining songbird. read more

I've been getting voice lessons now for a year and a half and it is something that makes me smile and breaks up my everyday routine in the best way possible. Once we had to switch to online lessons Christina even started to work with me on accompanying songs on the piano & guitar and I feel like I've grown a lot during that time. She is simply great, fun and bears with me when I didn't have the time to prepare something . Definitely recommend this Studio! read more

I've been taking lessons with Christina for the last 3 years. Songbird has been an amazing place for me to grow as a singer. Not only do they have fantastic one on one voice instructors, but they also provide multiple opportunities to learn and perform....informal performances (Singers' Circle), bi-annual Showcases (with a real live rock band), workshops and group classes (like the brand spanking new and totally fabulous "a cappella experience"), etc. Without these opportunities, not sure I would have had the confidence to branch out on my own. Christina is an amazing and extremely talented performer, as well as an awesome voice coach. She has truly inspired me to find my own voice, and given me the confidence to sing out loud. I never would have gotten as far as I have without her coaching and encouragement. Thanks Christina (and everyone at Songbird). You rock! read more

If you are looking to take voice lessons songbird studios is the way to go. I started taking lessons only about two or three months ago with Kendrick and have been thoroughly impressed with his ability to understand my learning style and provide intuitive yet easy to understand instruction. Kendrick has helped me not only find my voice, but tackle songs I have been itching to learn for years. I have been a lifelong lover and learner of music and to finally be able to use my voice in a meaningful way, only after a couple of months, is all thanks to Kendrick! Kendrick is also an excellent musician and his ability to understand the tone and feel of a song you are trying to learn is beyond impressive. Kendrick prepares students to perform and I have gained enormous confidence in my voice and musical ability. I always look forward to our lessons and learning something new every week. If you want to make concrete progress, bottom line, work with Kendrick. read more

Lessons with Jessica F. have been so good! I've been working with her for about a year and a half now, and have seen incredible progress. I started out as someone who couldn't find my way around even the most basic of songs (think "happy birthday"), I didn't begin with that natural singing talent. But through lessons and practice I can now tackle a very wide range of songs. Jessica specifically has been amazing. Super patient, always made me feel extremely comfortable even when there was some truly awful singing in the beginning, and she just generally has a great positive vibe that makes for great lessons. She also has a way of integrating visualization into your singing that helps your body find the right balance of firing and relaxing different muscles, and that has been incredibly helpful for me personally. Couldn't recommend her enough! Learning to sing had been a goal of mine for over 10 years by the time I started, I'd always felt like it would be too embarrassing to start down the path or that it was just out of reach. It turned out to be neither, and I'd expect the same outcome for anyone reading this review. Would highly encourage you to reach out for lessons, worth it! read more

I hit the jackpot of voice teachers with Blake. In my 1.5 years studying with him, my voice has grown immensely--and with it my confidence, my understanding of my voice as a physical instrument, and the amount of joy and expression I find each day in singing. Blake's energy and passion are palpable. He comes to lessons prepared with custom exercises and ideas tailored to the specifics of my voice. He understands the voice from first principles, and therefore does not fall sway to trends or confuse popular opinion with fact. And even with his impressive level of experience and authority, he continues to educate himself and share his learnings. Oh--and he's a hilarious, delightful, empathetic, and kind person all around. Cannot recommend enough. read more

I've been taking lessons with Rachel for ~7mos now and she's a joy to sing with and learn from every time! She gives you specific details about how to shape your voice and bring your best tone out, helps you understand the science behind the singing in how your muscles interact with your voice and makes you laugh + is your biggest hypewoman the entire way through! I can't recommmend her enough :) read more

I can't say enough good things about Songbird Studios!Before my first visit I was a complete vocal beginner and was incredibly nervous to sing in front other people, but after years of wanting to train vocals I decided to suck it up and I booked my first lesson. When I first put in a lesson request, they told me there was a waitlist, but I have to say that the Songbird team did an incredible job of trying to fit me in. Within a week, they sent me two different time options, and I was able to set up my first lesson much more quickly than I initially anticipated. Stepping into the Nob Hill location I was immediately put at ease by the relaxing feel of the decor and atmosphere. My lesson was set up with Kendrick, and I knew after our first lesson that not only was I going to learn a lot, but we were going to have fun along the way! Each lesson with Kendrick I always step away with new knowledge, or a different way to think about singing, and I'm learning that there is SO much that goes into vocal training than I could have imagined. In those 30 minutes we also manage to laugh and joke around, which makes singing way more fun and relaxing--a nice way to end my Fridays! Each lesson I feel challenged in the best way, because that means I'm learning more and getting better. I also want to note that I've had to reschedule a handful of lessons and have found it to be pretty easy to do so with the online portal. There's generally a good amount of time slots available, and "worst" case scenario, you can reschedule with another teacher. I've actually found that taking a class with a different vocal coach can be a great thing, as they can help give you a different perspective on the way you're singing. All in all, I'm SO happy to be a part of the Songbird family, and if you're at all on the fence, I'd say just try it--you have absolutely nothing to lose, and everything to gain! read more

I started seeing Christina Stogsdill almost 2 years ago, and am still happily taking lessons. Christina brings her playfulness and experience into the lesson to make a fun, engaging, and insightful singing session. When we started I saw fast personal improvements. Since we've worked together I've gone from feeling nervous singing in front of people to crushing it at open mic nights, recording my own music, and getting lots of complements from friends. Much gratitude to Christina and the Songbird team! read more

I have been a Songbird student for over a year and a half. I recommend Songbird over other studios because they have highly engaged coaches and quality experiences from the web experience, to the admins, to the events. My coach, Blake, has not only helped me with finding the SOUL in my voice but also understand music and song fundamentals. He encourages me to try new things like mastering a song that I performed it in front of other Songbird members in a group event. If you are looking for a hilarious, hard-working, and honest voice coach, set up a meeting with Blake today! ~ It's your time to shine! read more

Christina is the vocal instructor that my voice has been looking for. And there she is, right at Songbird Studios... doing her thang! I'm so grateful to have found her. Let me tell you a little story, mmkurr? Usually I have a fast and sweaty uphill 12 minute bike ride from my office at Market/Van Ness to my voice lessons, but I was at home today in Oakland. So, on this 100 degree day, I had a three hour round trip to get a 13 minute voice lesson with Christina (buses running late, BART delays, okay also a stop at Daiso to get some $2 visors but that was on my way home). I was cranky. I was overheated. The pre-menstruals were butting in. Not the highest functioning day for me. A reasonable human probably would have cancelled given all the facts I have thus shared, but the thing is, it was worth it. Those 13 minutes were packed full of golden feedback that I immediately put into use when I got back home, which facilitated more breakthroughs. For realz. Christina's teaching methods, insights, feedback, and her enthusiastic investment in my voice (not to mention her radiant, punchy energy and our overlapping aesthetic, belty vocal styles, and queerness) has propelled my vocal development to new levels (I just need to open my mouth more and let the vowels resonate and move through the different houses and really tell the story of my lyrics, right boss?). My band is recording a new album and she's gone above and beyond in providing detailed, constructive guidance on my vocals for our songs. I really trust her feedback... which is rare for me. She gets me and she has a vision for what my voice can sound like, beyond what I can see (or believe). Having her in my corner has given me a huge boost of confidence and has inspired me to invest in my own voice and step it up! I've also had the pleasure of working with a few different instructors at Songbird Studios over the last few years. Whitney and Lindy have worked with me for long stretches of time and helped raise my voice from diapers to at least toddler 3T age (definitely through the terrible twos)... they were both the bomb, giving me incredible feedback and guidance -- Lindy guiding me through the land of jazz vocals and supporting my music improv songmaking absurdities up until her little babeh took over... So many great instructors at Songbird. Big props to Whitney for growing it into the successful venture it has become! read more

I've been coming to Songbird for about 5 months now and recently switched to Christina. She's brought a lot more soul and emotion to my singing, not to mention she's really funny and makes class fun! read more

I'm an amateur singer-songwriter and came to Songbird to improve my performance of my own music. You can pick a vocal coach that will teach the specific vocal style you want to learn. Based on their website, Christina seemed like a good fit for me. "Good fit" turned out to be an understatement. From the very first lesson, I could tell Christina was an absolute perfect fit as a coach for me. Yes, she does all the important stuff great, like teaching breathing/tone techniques and explaining concepts clearly. But most important to me, she sets aside time every lesson to workshop my own songs. She's so unbelievably supportive and really makes it a safe space where I can learn and improve and grow. This has really brought my material to the next level. Hell, it's even *changed* how I've written songs because my voice is so much stronger and can do so much more. It's been a year since I started going to Songbird, and I sound like a completely different singer in the best possible way. Pros: - Great teachers (I've had some rescheduled lessons with other teachers and didn't feel like it impeded my development) - Easy online scheduling (I don't like having to call/talk to people) - Evening lesson times (I don't work in the city) - Multiple locations Cons: - A little expensive (but seems to be at market average) read more

I've been taking weekly lessons with Christina since September and cannot speak highly enough about how much I've loved being a part of Songbird. I've been a hobbyist singer my whole life, but finally decided that I wanted to see how much better I could make my voice (and also not end every karaoke session sounding like Kathleen Turner). Before you even take a lesson, Songbird matches you up with a coach who fits your style and goals. In your consultation, you get to elaborate on who you are as a singer and see if your coach is a good fit. They also host multiple group events outside of lessons. Christina was perfect for me so I can't speak to what happens if the coach isn't a fit. She has been consistent in challenging me to get to my goals (better ad-libbing, bigger range, stronger breathing/tone techniques, etc.) but always makes it fun along the way. I can already tell a huge difference in who I am as a singer/performer. My fun/work with Christina has given me more confidence to try things I wouldn't have initially and a more (positively) critical ear when listening to my past lessons (Each lesson is recorded and uploaded it to Dropbox for you). I'm moving out of the Bay Area this summer and I'm genuinely bummed I can't take Christina and Songbird with me. :hearteyes: read more

I've always enjoyed singing as a hobby and enjoy a range of soul/pop/alt rock music. I joined Songbird about two years ago. This was my first time taking singing lessons (I was in my late 20s..) and I loved the experience! My coach Christina is fantastic. She has helped me improve my technique, showed me how to create cover songs and encouraged me to get out of my comfort zone (eg participating in open mic events). She's also super energetic, which has made our lessons a ton of fun! Would highly recommend. read more