I have been taking piano and vocal lessons with Katherine through the Sound Music School and the experience has been fantastic! She has a wonderful grasp of how to present concepts in ways that are useful and easy to understand. Within weeks I could already see myself starting to make progress. She is also fantastic at communicating goals and working on material that is relevant and fun. I've been able to bring in music I'd like to work on, but I've also discovered new music that is thrilling to explore. My weekly lesson has become the highlight of my week! The booking process was incredibly fast and simple. My trial lesson was scheduled within the same week I submitted an inquiry, and by the following week I was already on the regular schedule. If you're in the area and looking to take music lessons, I can't recommend this school highly enough! read more

I hadn't ever played guitar before, so I decided to give it a try. I was a little nervous in the lessons because my playing was so basic, but my instructor taught me to have patience with myself, practice songs I liked, and I grew week by week! I would 100% endorse this school! read more

I'm 35 and I was learning to play guitar on my own but I was getting nowhere overwhelmed by the amount of videos on the internet. I was very interested though, so I decided to look around for in-person lessons in the Seattle area. That's when I found Sound Music School. Carl has been my teacher for several months now and I couldn't be happier. I've learn music theory, I've gotten to know my guitar better and that has given me confidence. Carl can also play bass guitar and sometimes he'll play along with me which is always a blast. I'm always looking forward to my guitar lessons on Saturdays. read more

I am a singer who has always wanted to play the piano. I was a complete beginner and wanted to take lessons. I have been working with Maho for the past 2 months and have been amazed at my progress. I like the music book they use and facilities where they hold the lessons. Maho is very personable and great to work with. She is very patient and encouraging. Highly recommend! read more

The instructors at Sound Music School are amazing! I have been taking lessons now for several years here and can't speak highly enough about the professionalism and friendliness here. My lessons are something I look forward to now every week and I am always excited for what song or piece I'll be working on next! All styles are taught and I now have played everything from rock to country to blues to classical to hymnal. If you are wanting to learn a new instrument or hone skills on an existing one, I can't recommend them enough! 2020 update: Lessons have been adapted in the midst of our current COVID-19 pandemic, and I'm happy to say virtual lessons still provide a great experience! To have the ability to continue with such an important and familiar part of my routine is invaluable to me. Thank you for continuing to be here for us all! read more

I never thought I would spend money on guitar lessons given the number of free tutorials you can find online. Even as frugal as I am (extremely), after my trial lesson I knew lessons at the Mike Keeney Guitar School would be worth it. Lessons here are literally the only fun purchase I make room for in our budget. If I hadn't signed up, I'd probably still be playing the same few songs, watching random videos and not actually improving. Instead, each week we choose songs I want to learn that also introduce valuable concepts and skills. After a lesson, you leave feeling motivated, encouraged, and excited to practice a new song! If you want to actually progress beyond beginner, take lessons here!!! Can't recommend this place enough!!! read more

I highly recommend taking guitar lessons with Mike Keeney. I started lessons by taking advantage of his free trial lesson which was awesome for me. I've had instructors in the past who I realized weren't the best match for what I was I was trying to accomplish and the trial lesson gave me the space to feel out if Mike was going to be a good match for me! After the trial lesson I immediately knew Mike was going to be professional, skilled, easy to work with, and open-minded. I really appreciated that Mike was down to go outside of your standard lessons in music theory and cater my experience in a way that would fast track me to what I wanted to accomplish within my lessons. As a self-taught musician who has been playing in touring bands for about the last 4 years I had a lot of different strengths and weaknesses. Mike helped me hone in on areas that would allow me to boost my confidence in practices and live performances while developing skills to better communicate musically with my bandmates. I believe Mike is the perfect instructor for all skill levels and backgrounds. He is an extremely talented and versatile musician. In addition to his abilities as a musician and instructor, he is patient, easy to communicate with, motivating, and understanding. read more

My family gifted me a Groupon for ukulele lessons with Mike and I'm so glad they did! Mike is really friendly, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and encouraging. He knows just how to keep a beginner, like me, motivated and I'm sure he could help folks with experience improve upon their skills. He has worked with me on songs that I really love, which makes practice fun. The sessions are short, but he makes sure you get the most out of them. I'm even continuing with lessons after the Groupon period is over! read more

I've been taking lessons from Mike for a few months now. It's great. He adapts himself well to my pace. There's a good balance between music theory, real world examples, and practice exercises in his lessons. I really feel I'm learning from someone who has an incredible amount of knowledge and experience. read more

I purchased a Groupon for four weeks of lessons and loved working with Mike so much that I continued weekly sessions with him after my Groupon expired! I am a beginner and Mike did an incredible job walking me through the basics but in a way that was still interesting - we chose songs that I actually wanted to learn and that made it much more fun to practice. He took advantage of every minute of the lesson and often times went over - really nice when you only have 30 minutes sessions. Plus he is hilarious! If you are thinking about taking lessons with Mike, no matter what level, do it! :) read more

Mike Keeney is a wonderful instructor and musician. He connects with people of all levels and is able to break down complicated ideas into more easily digestible pieces. read more

I was excited, but intimidated going in because I'm convinced I am musically-challenged. As a beginner, Mike made it easy not to get discouraged so early on. Mike covers a lot in 30 mins. I like that he gives a variety of things to work on, and provides ample feedback on ways to improve. This is perhaps the best Groupon I've ever found. read more

Mike has been teaching our 6 year old for about 6 months. He is reading music, playing chords, and even the Pokemon song. Mike is great encouraging him and keeping him engaged. read more

Mike is very knowledgable in the wide world of music and we can work from classical to rock to ambient! I started taking electric guitar lessons last year and connected immediately. Although I am adult beginner on electric, I did play classical in HS. This is the best mid-life crisis activity and I realize how much fun it is to have this diversion. Mike makes me feel like a rock star! If you ever thought about coming back to guitar or are new to the area, I think you will be very pleased! The location is also central and easy to get to. read more

Mike is an awesome teacher! I was thinking about starting lessons when I saw the sign in the window of his classroom, and reached out via email. He got back to me quickly and was always very quick with communication. He offers a free first trial lesson to see if it's a good fit and get a sense of what you're looking for. I reached out to a few different folks and this was really unique, and I think a really great part of his offer. Our first lesson went great and so did the rest. I was able to secure a time in the schedule that worked well for me, immediately. Mike is an awesome teacher who gears his lessons towards your goals. He is extremely knowledgable and I learned a lot in just a few short weeks. He taught me music I liked, and skills I could utilize almost immediately. His policies are clear, and well communicated, and it was a lot of FUN. Can't recommend the Mike Keeney Guitar School highly enough! read more

Mike Keeney is an awesome guitar teacher! I just recently started taking lessons with Mike and was immediately impressed with his talent and skills, passion, professionalism, and attitude. I have always been a bit shy about playing guitar but I feel at ease with Mike. I was also impressed with how quickly and competently he was able to assess my current skill level and provided specific exercises and tips to help me progress from exactly where I'm at today. I left my first lesson feeling empowered and inspired. I have worked with other guitar teachers in Seattle - some very awesome talented musicians and teachers - and I have to say, Mike Keeney is exceptional. Also, his fee's are very reasonable, and his office is comfortable and conveniently located on the south end of Aurora in Fremont. read more

I have been a student with Mike for about 6 months doing beginning acoustic guitar. I decided to try Mike based on the free trial lesson he offered, and am glad I did. Of all the music teachers I have had (previously I took piano lessons), I enjoy Mike's teaching style the most. He has taught me a good blend of theory and practice. This has kept lessons and practice interesting, while still letting me feel like I am learning all of the important fundamentals. Mike's flexibility with make up lessons is also appreciated. There have been times where my work schedule has been hectic, so I had to miss a lesson, and he was able to squeeze my lesson in later in the week. There have also been a few times where I have had follow up questions about a lesson, sent him an e-mail, and gotten a response within a few hours. I recently wanted to get an electric guitar, but had no idea what to look for, so I asked Mike for some recommendations. Instead of just giving me recommendations, he offered to go to a guitar store with me to try some out. We went and he helped me pick out a great beginner electric guitar! Mike is clearly passionate about music and willing to go above and beyond for his students. I highly recommend Mike to anyone who is thinking about taking guitar lessons. read more

My son has only recently started taking lessons from Mike, but we are all impressed! He is so kind, friendly, and encouraging of my energetic 7 year old and is able to keep him focused, motivated, and learning for the whole 30 minutes. Working with little kids isn't easy, but Mike is a natural. read more