My child received lessons at Speed of Sound for a year or two. The owner is a great guy, very…read morefriendly and keenly interested in teaching music to the community (also plays at some of the local schools...). The piano teacher we were paired up with was great, my child loved the weekly lessons and the relationship established throughout the course of our patronage of Speed of Sound. We were, unfortunately, quite disappointed with the logistical side of the business. We repeatedly had lessons canceled or changed with as little as an hour or two notice. There were even a number of occasions where we arrived for a lesson to find that our teacher was not available, no replacement had been organized, and as a result the front desk attendant (a student at high school) would sit in on the "lesson" for which we still had to pay full price. We also received a number of emails from the owner notifying us that we were behind on our bills, when in fact the owner hadn't sent us a bill for multiple months (I have never been late on a bill in my life and have an 840 credit score). Towards the end of our time at Speed of Sound, the school transitioned to a timeslot-based system where students would receive a weekly timeslot rather than dedicated teacher. While this system may be helpful with logistical challenges for Speed of Sound, it resulted in a real lack of continuity for my child and many of the lessons were spent familiarizing with new, random teachers and revisiting material that had already been taught. The school also instituted a policy whereby clients were not able to cancel or change lessons due to scheduling conflicts; I can understand this for group lessons, but when you're paying $70 an hour for a private lesson the lack of flexibility and randomized teacher assignment proved too much for us... We ultimately decided to enlist a private teacher outside of Speed of Sound. and have been very happy with the choice.

Excellent experience with the owner. I think the negative reviews are because he is super busy, but…read moreseems to be hiring staff to help.

They have the knowledge, They have the experience,…read more They have the instruments, They have what you need to keep your music flowing. They can fix you stuff. They are friendly people. I recommend. Metta john

CLOSED! Unfortunately. Best music store ever for many decades. That's what we all get for buying…read moreAmazon instead of local.

i've been bringing my stringed instruments to Dave for many years. Always dependable, and…read morereasonably priced for all repairs and adjustments. He works on woodwinds and brass instruments too.

Alembic only crafts the finest hand made instruments and I am blessed to own two of their spoiler…read moremodels. As amazing as mine are, they pale in comparison to the works of art that are produced for the more serious and financially endowed players out there (Jerry Garcia, John Paul Jones, Stanley Clarke, Jack Cassidy, etc, etc...) Starting price to get in the club... About $5500 ranging upwards of $25k (and worth every penny). Did i mention I own two? They do tours on first month Wednesdays and by appointment.

Matt is an awesome drum teacher. I've had so much fun learning with him. He's patient (even with a…read moreslow learner like me:)), makes lessons fun and entertaining, and I've progressed so much and gained a lot of confidence - thanks to Matt. Definitely recommend him 200%!

I've been a fan of the guitar since a childhood so long passed I can scarcely remember it. The…read morefirst Guitar Player magazine I ever purchased read "Who is Eric Johnson and why is he on our cover?" because Ah Via Musicom had not even come out yet. Thousands of players and trillions of notes later I thought I had seen just about everything that there in this wide-necked world but I've never seen anything like Nate Lopez. We're going to have to break him down into pieces to even make sense of what's going on here: MUSICIAN You can tell that his roots are diverse and deep. The smell of smokey blues wafts from a towering house of jazz, and the backbeat of the funk can damage weak spines, but the ingredient that you can't quite identify is the time he spent studying at the Ali Akbar College of Music. Respect, dedication, knowledge, discipline. A musician's musician. I have seen him play with well-rehearsed ensembles and spur of the moment assemblages of one to eight other musicians with little more than a four count to get ready for an impromptu performance. He breathes through the instrument the way most people speak their native language. I've seen him do originals, pop tunes, classics, and covers that he has remade into something new altogether. (See "8 String Wizard" below). I've watched him get a room dancing and I've seen him melt into the background of a small event, completely out of consciousness. He has a gift for understanding the space, the role of the music, and reading the reaction of the audience. That's a special talent. 8 STRING WIZARD He has reportedly courted the drums, horns, and piano, but the stringed instruments own his heart. He loaned his upright bass to his mom, who gigs out with it often, but still plays the carbon fiber steel string he inherited from a beloved mentor with verve when he needs an instrument capable of standing up to inclement weather when he's playing an outdoor gig. He plays banjo, ukulele, banjolele, bass, guitar, an Indian slide guitar with sympathetic strings that I've never seen, and all varieties of bass and guitar, fretted and fretless. All this would be enough to merit applause but it is the 8 string guitar that sets him apart from anyone else I have ever witnessed. His earliest professional work reportedly was as a bassist. That role in the music suited him, but he found the range of the instrument limiting. His explorations on the six string opened up new vistas, but the loss of the bass clef was an acute injury. Like Jaco, Les, Eddie, and other innovators before him, he experimented with instruments that he modified himself, always tinkering, always trying, always searching. Then the hybrid guitar landed on him and everything changed. EAD bass strings over ADGBE guitar strings on the same neck give him sonic opportunities completely beyond possibility before. He virtually never plays with a pick, always finger style, so the hybrid guitar allows him to play both bass and guitar on one neck. The casual observer may or may not notice that there's just more music coming from the guitar player and drummer than can be explaned, but the musicians stop everything to stare in disbelief. TEACHER It can be very intimidating to approach someone so advanced. No one is born expert. Some are more talented than others, but everyone that's any good has years of dedicated study and practice behind them. I have seen, and have been, one of many who have come to Nate for guidance or lessons, in addition to all the pros who come to play with him as a peer, and I have never caught a whisper of the attitude that typically comes with this level of expertise. He delights in the achievement of everyone he plays with, on guitar, on other instruments, the most serious professional, and the kid who doesn't even know which way the neck goes yet. He just gets a quick read on where you are and what you want to achieve and he illuminates the path. That's something I've never heard of in any of the other greats before. Who am I? His most jealous fan. Thanks for the music and the lessons and the kindness, Nate. You make us all better players.

Walked into Heritage Public House about six months ago and discovered Nate and his 8 string guitar…read more So good! I have since caught him at a few venues across Santa Rosa and can highly recommend him.

I get humbled and pumped up every guitar lesson I have with Bill…read more I have some benchmark gear, but Bill is up on stage as a professional. His gear and guitar skills are light years away.

I've been going to Bill for over two years and I highly recommend him. Bill is very well versed in…read moremany different styles and breaks down songs that are easy to learn. I had friends and family use Bill and they have all been very happy with his professionalism. If you want to start Guitar or get better Bill is the best in Sonoma county.

This place is amazing. The owners are incredible people. The host a warm inviting environment…read morethat is open to all ages. We started here right when they opened and could not imagine our lives not including a visit here multiple times a week. If you are looking for the "next level" for you music student then give them a try. The confidence they have given my son is priceless.

Great haven for music lovers, enthusiasts, beginners, pros or people like me( musically…read more handicapped). I bring my kiddo for little wings class and he loves it. Great staff, you can feel and see how much they love what they do. Couldn't be happier with everything, definitely recommend.