what ever happened to neighborhood guitar shops?…read more nothing really, they're still there. you just started going to mars and chuck levin's superstores as soon as you were old enough to drive. wandering the aisles of shiny guitars with glossy five-figure price tags and salesmen working for commission slowly degraded your music store experience to only a fragment of a step above buying new socks at walmart. but that neighborhood guitar shop is still there, even though you stopped going. and that crusty old dude who convinced you to drop your lawn-mowing money on a beat up fender, told you the secret about how it will always sound better than that shiny factory-fresh one at the superstore, and gave you your first few lessons, pretenting to believe you when you said you practiced your arpeggios; well, he's still there too. chances are you're not going to find exactly what you came in looking for, but shops like this are the only place you'll get what you really need, even some kid looking at what you asked for and says "ugh, you don't want one of those, here, try this, it's cheaper and i like it better..."

I just purchased a guitar from Jerry's Music and I'm in California. Jerry really knows his stuff…read more He has a music degree in guitar. He really knows all types of guitars. His prices are much more competitive than the Big Box music stores and the service is much better. Honestly, I'm going to refer my West Coast friends to Jerry's.

I'm pressed for time, full review later, but this studio hits the sweet spot of relaxed cool and…read moreseriousness-of-purpose. My son has thrived under the supervision of his instructor of three years and is motivated to practice on his own to prepare for his 30 minute lessons. GIGS is a pearl of artistic vitality.

Marianne is a wonderful piano teacher! She meets you where you are at in terms of music theory and…read morepiano skills and helps you create manageable goals for practicing and improving.

I found Marianne through Yelp and am so pleased to now have my (slightly) neglected piano now in…read moreher care. With regular tunings by Marianne, my lucky piano will no longer suffer from neglect. Marianne worked assiduously for two hours on my piano, and tuned it twice, in fact. (It had been so long since the last tuning that, alas, that was necessary.) I trust Marianne to know what's best for a piano so readily agreed to another visit in three (instead of the customary six or 12) months because she knows these instruments well. In addition to being punctual, diligent, and very reasonable, she is a friendly soul with whom you can discuss music, dogs, and probably a lot more.

Have to support these small music shops. Victor Litz has a lot to offer from types of instruments,…read moreelectronics, lessons, used gear, you name it. I was especially impressed with their selection of ukuleles. Never have I seen so many in MD in one place! Definitely more than what Guitar center offers. They have an acoustic room in the back to try their acoustic/classical guitars. I had the chance to buy one of their used guitars at an amazing price. I appreciate the staff working with me on the price and even holding the instrument for a day when they could have easily sold it to next customer. Shows that they care about customer satisfaction more than just making a sale. I was able to spend a good amount of time trying out the instrument and they also helped tweak the intonation before I decided to take it home with me. The only few downsides I could see was some of the staff were not particularly knowledgeable about certain guitar models that they were selling, but much better than say Guitar Center. The humidification in the acoustic room basically only controlled by a residential type humidifier, so not very precise. Compared to other small guitar shops in the DMV, I don't think I would feel comfortable getting my guitar worked on here just based on the level of expertise I surmounted from the conversations I had. But a good place to buy gear nonetheless if you know what you are looking for. Parking is just a little challenging since it is in the middle of old town Gaithersburg. But in the past I have come on the weekends and there is some parking across the street at the museum.

Amazing store and staff - it's been around forever - nice guy Charlie always helps me w/ my vinyl…read morerecord selections

Doris Mattingly is an exceptional piano teacher, in part because she is an exceptional person. I…read morefirst got to know her when she was teaching my daughter, and I later began taking lessons, too, which I have done now for many years. I look forward to my lessons, and as an educator myself, I always come away with insights about teaching. I know her adult students are big fans of hers, since she has us get together several times a year. And in addition to my own daughter's fondness for Doris, I recently ran into another of Doris's high school students, who feels the same way. Doris's studio is delightful, and I value my time there.

From the owner: In addition to offering piano studies to school-aged students, The Mattingly Piano Studio…read morespecializes in lessons for adults of all ages and levels. Additionally, a casual adult Piano Club has formed promoting workshops, listening skills, performance confidence and socializing. We have a great Studio!

I started taking voice lessons with Grace Gori in February 2015 because I wanted to prepare to…read moreaudition for choral groups by the Fall. I hadn't taken lessons or been singing regularly for over ten years but Grace helped me tremendously. I took weekly lessons and now I sing with the National Philharmonic Chorale. Grace is an excellent instructor who helps vocalists strengthen and hone their voices AND she is extremely professional and personable. She has a holistic approach to teaching, which includes focusing on the physical aspect of singing (proper body alignment, breath, various muscle constructs/support, etc.), all of which positively impacts a student's ability to create sound. I have really benefited from her teaching approach by embracing and practicing her techniques and it has made all the difference. I highly recommend Grace and Gori Voice Studios.

From the owner: At Gori Voice Studios, we believe every voice deserves to be heard -- including yours. We're Grace…read moreand Aurelius Gori, pro singer-teachers whose own vocal journeys have brought us through frustration, bullying, physical tensions, paralyzing stage fright, and the forced silence and isolation of vocal injuries. Through our 40+ years of doing this, we've learned and are committed to learning more. Now we're serious about sharing what we've learned with you. We serve singers ages 8 to 88 who want to release old experiences that told them they couldn't or shouldn't sing. Our studio helps singers find confidence through competence: We teach you the skills you need so that you can create the sounds you desire. We do this through functional pedagogy and cross-training in a nurturing environment that allows you to explore your unique voice. Creative collaboration. Artistic empowerment. Vocal freedom. This is what we're all about: the opportunity to sing the truest version of your unique song.

Excellent lesson program and great retail selection. PRS, Yamaha, Fender, Martin, and much more!read more

Much higher quality and atmosphere compared to guitar center. The choices available at the store no…read morematter what musical category, its quality.

Everything about my piano buying experience at Jordan Kitt's was positive, from the first email to…read morethe delivery. Randy was always responsive to my questions and low pressure, even as I kept putting off my visit to the store because of travel then a bad cold. Jordan Kitt's took away my old piano and gave me some money on a trade. This had been a stumbling block to my piano shopping because I didn't know what I was going to do with a piano that I suspected had little value. Final price was what I expected based on some internet research. I love my digital piano because I can practice with headphones and not disturb others in the household.

I just bought the Roland GP609 from Andy in Rockville. What a great experience from the very start…read moreto the perfect delivery! Thank you!!!