We can't praise RMS enough. Both of our children (ages 10 and 6) take piano lessons with Peter…read moreFancovic through this well-run studio. They studied with two other teachers before Peter, one of whom was extremely laid back and never corrected technique. The other had taught for decades and was a little jaded, intent only on training a small army of concert pianists whom he expected to compete on the concert circuit. Peter strikes the perfect between those two extremes. Although he is very serious as an instructor (no back-slapping, no joke-telling), our children love him and are very responsive to his patient, precise teaching style. He assigns challenging (but not dishearteningly challenging) music that actually sounds good. As a result, our kids actually want to practice and learn new songs -- not because they want his praise or ours, and not because we crack a whip over their heads -- but because they genuinely enjoy making beautiful music. Peter is quite well decorated as a concert pianist (https://riversidemusicstudios.com/music-teacher-nyc/peter-fancovic/) and is probably ridiculously overqualified for the job in that respect. Sometimes that's inversely related to a teacher's patience for children. Not so in this case. We couldn't be happier with either Peter or RMS.

I am an adult piano student and have been taking lessons at Riverside Music Studios for 3 years…read morenow. It has been a very positive experience for me, and I can highly recommend RMS for any adult student. The studios seem to be very well run, in all this time there was not a single scheduling issue nor billing problem, in fact they are always very accommodating in terms of rescheduling lessons. The studio space itself is very pleasant, nicely decorated, and the pianos are all in good working order (they have baby grand pianos in every room). But most importantly, I think it is a privilege to be able to work with such wonderful teachers -- over the years I studied with Sergey Deytch and now with Dmitri, and I also had a few substitute lessons with other instructors, and they are all extremely good at what they do -- not just accomplished musicians but also excellent teachers. This obviously does not just happen, clearly the way they select and train their teachers plays a major role here and I do appreciate that. I will continue taking lessons there until I run out of money...

This is a bit out my usual track of restaurant reviews, however, I just had such a wonderful…read moreexperience with this shop that I needed to write about it somewhere! My first encounter with this shop was a total accident. I needed a new set of viola strings and did a GPS search for the nearest violin shop to my home. The GPS came up with Gregory Singer's shop, so I called and he told me to come on up. When I got there I got the strings, and Gregory asks me if I'm any good at viola. I tell him I'm decent, and the next thing I know I'm playing for him on one of his fiddles. Apparently I was sufficiently proficient, because the next thing I know he's inviting me to come by the following evening to read Schubert Octet with him and his friends. He comped me the strings. Since then he's done a terrific bow re-hair for me (also comped) read chamber with me a couple other times, and had me play in his orchestra for a 9/11 concert of Dvorak 9. He also hired a friend of mine to sing opera on a tour of China this winter. Tomorrow I plan to go in to try out his violas (mine was just stolen by a NYC cab driver. @$$H0L3.) and will be more than happy to make that rather large purchase from his wide selection if I find something good. Obviously, I had an unusual experience with this shop, but I consider this connection to be one of the luckiest I've made in years, so stop by with confidence, and hey, you never know!

This is a review I owe them for a long time. I have nothing but great words to say about this place…read moreand the owner. About a year ago, I went without an appointment because I didn't really know that they encourage appointments. Lucky I was, he still met with me. It was actually an impulse to get a new violin since I haven't been playing for around 10 years, and to be honest, I was only thinking to buy one and wanted only to try out. Gregory was very kind and patient with me, he let me try this very nice 3/4 violin (I have small hands) which I very soon fell in love with. This violin totally went beyond my budget and I didn't have that much cash with me. But then he offered me to just take the violin home and then come back later to pay him. How nice he was!!!!!! Actually 2 other amazing things happening in his store that I thought it was one of the best and warmest things I've ever encountered in NYC. It's so not like something that would happen in NYC at all!! But for the sake of his business, I probably shouldn't say much more about this - he's just soooo kind that he's not really running a business here, more like a place to help people who likes music! Anyway, when I get a chance, I'd love to visit the store again. But for anyone who wants to experience a warm humane way of getting a violin, this is definitely the place! I'm still playing my violin right now!! I just loooooooove the sound of it and I'm sure it's the best deal I could get anywhere! Thank you Gregory,

They are absolutely so cordial so helpful and so kind. I highly recommend them This is the placeread more

Whether you're in NYC or Alaska THIS is the ONLY place to bring your horn for repairs!!!! And they…read morehave an incredible array of new and collector's horns, mouthpieces, reeds, virtually anything you need. Honest, reliable, solid and technically proficient to the highest degree...Jon, Rachel, and the guys are the musical equivalent of NASA engineers!!!!

We love City Strings. Our 7-year-old daughter has been learning violin from Dominic and then Hannah…read moresince February 2016. She's grown tremendously skill-wise but is also so much more confident than before. She continues to love lessons and the twice a year recitals give her great exposure to playing for others. I'd highly recommend them. Also, we rent our violin from them so when it was time for our daughter to change sizes -- they brought the new violin and picked up the smaller one. Aside from being convenient, the teachers I have met are warm and welcoming.

My daughter has been learning to play the violin from City Strings for about 6 weeks now. Her…read moreteacher, Hannah, is wonderful. She is patient, gentle and very encouraging! The teacher comes to our place and teaches her in our home. A nice bonus is that we are able to rent a violin from them, instead of having to invest in one that she may our grow in the future. Recently they had a recital for all their students. It was great because all the kids played, no matter their age or skill, and I think it really gave the kids a goal to work towards and display how far they have come!

They listed a Drawmer 1960 on Reverb and I went into the store to buy it. The sales rep was really…read morenice and did a great job packing up the compressor so I could carry it home. It works perfectly. Competitively priced gear.

I had a bad experience with Clark who repairs keyboards. In the end he made the condition of my…read morekeyboard worse and the reason why I'm giving two stars instead of one is that perhaps he could have fixed what he broke if I was willing to take it back, and I'd like to give the business itself the benefit of the doubt that their information and service in purchasing gear lives up to a very good reputation, *my* experience was with an old keyboard that was on the line of whether it could be fixed or couldn't, and Clark was honest that it was a risk. However, I brought the keyboard in with a power supply that wasn't its original power supply and although I hadn't had a problem with it Clark was extremely argumentative that there's no way it could have ever worked because it's "just physics." He had to be right, and wouldn't let me finish any of my statements or questions. Since he told me there was an 85% chance he could fix one key that was broken, I agreed to give a $40 deposit but a day or two later I found the same model at Guitar Center and wanted to take the keyboard back if he hadn't started to work on it. I left a message for him to call and let me know if he had started work on it and was told he'd call right after his cigarette break, I called again and couldn't get ahold of him and went back in person where he told me he had called me. However, days later there is still no record of any calls or messages, and I suspect he was not being honest. When I took the keyboard home I found that the key immediately next to the broken key was now very stiff and hard to play, so his diagnostic process with the $40 deposit resulted in worsening the condition of his keyboard. I would have gone back to ask him to fix this if he hadn't rubbed me so wrong in the overall communication. I disputed the charge with my American Express and my account was credited and I don't know if this was Rogue that agreed to refund me.

My friends who have children and live in New York have used Hey Joe Guitar to link up with…read moreprofessional and affordable music teachers - who come to their home. Joe Berger, Hey Joe Guitar's director took a personal interest in making sure that they had a positive experience. If you are looking for a high quality music teacher for your child, you owe it to yourself to call Hey Joe Guitar and speak with Joe directly. Joe has decades of experience as a music educator and will provide you with top flight personal attention. Whether or not you end up using his school, if you are interested in finding a music teach for your child, I think you will be glad you spoke with Joe.

My kids (now 9 & 11) have been taking from HJG for a couple of years now. One takes piano, the…read moreother takes guitar. Recently, we transitioned to online lessons due to the COVID-19 quarantine, and amazingly, my kids are just as enthusiastic about their lessons as ever. They are learning at the same rate and their instructors manage to maintain their attention throughout every session. We've tried other instructors in the past, but none have been as much fun, engaging, and educational as HJG. Cannot more highly recommend for kids - online or in-person!!!

Sometimes you stumble upon a gem of place that is world famous and you don't even realize it. Here…read moreI am 5 years on and realize just how amazing this store is! 2019 Was traveling around the 50 states and hopped into this place as I was passing by... Just blown away by the instruments they had! Not sure how long I was in there, but everything from droolworthy original D'Angelicos, original Epiphones and more... So much of music's history of the past to the present. After I get home and watching guitar videos I keep seeing this store pop up. Keep saying 'Hey, I was there!'... Do. yourself a favor and stop by. See the amazing selection of instruments they have on hand / display. The staff was super friendly and always willing to help when I asked. Thanks guys! Look forward to seeing you again!

Sometimes you stumble upon a gem of place that is world famous and you don't even realize it. Here…read moreI am 5 years on and realize just how amazing this store is! 2019 Was traveling around the 50 states and hopped into this place as I was passing by... Just blown away by the instruments they had! Not sure how long I was in there, but everything from droolworthy original D'Angelicos, original Epiphones and more... So much of music's history of the past to the present. After I get home and watching guitar videos I keep seeing this store pop up. Keep saying 'Hey, I was there!'... Do. yourself a favor and stop by. See the amazing selection of instruments they have on hand / display. The staff was super friendly and always willing to help when I asked. Thanks guys! Look forward to seeing you again!

I first went to David Segal's shop last Monday where I tried out bows for nearly two hours. It was…read morea lot of fun--I had never played on so many bows so it really blew my mind how different my violin sounded from bow to bow. I left with two bows to try at home for the week, going back earlier today to purchase one. I couldn't have been more thrilled with my experience at David Segal Violins. Diane's mix of friendliness and top-tier expertise made it such a fun, interesting, and educational experience. I wasn't rushed or pressured, if anything, quite the opposite! I have already recommended several people make appointments and will definitely be going back whenever I need anything. Make an appointment and go--you will not regret it!

I remember seeing Mr. Segal's interview on "The Dig" on CBS channel 2 and jotted their name down…read more Normally I do not leave feedback, but if I didn't write about my wonderful experience with David Segal Violins, I would never rest in peace. I had my Dad's violin that he had purchased in the mid-1930's and taught himself how to play and would enjoy entertaining friends, guests, and play at church functions. As the years went by, the violin was stored in a closet. It was like owning a beautiful pink elephant that had a lot of sentimental value. But we were totally clueless as to how to properly care and maintain the violin, let alone how to play the violin. In August 2024, I brought the violin to David Segal Violins to see if I could sell it, and had the lovely pleasure of meeting Diane and Nicky. Not only are they extremely knowledgeable and reliable, but extremely reputable and honest. Diane and Nicky, performed their magic and TLC and brought the violin back to its glory days. This April, Diane called and told me the violin had just been sold and sent me a check as quick as a bunny with an explanation of the sale. As I am a total novice in the world of violins, I truly appreciate their guidance, honesty, and feel very fortunate and blessed for my experience with David Segal Violins. They truly and honestly want and look out for the best deal for their sellers as well as their buyers.