I wanted to home-record a doo-wop song as a gift to my father, singing all the backup parts. Since I have musical experience (keyboards) I thought it would be easy. Once I started I discovered I was out of my element and my first attempt sounded like crap. So I booked two lessons with Alyssa and that made all the difference. She had specific suggestions and tips that took my project to the next level. That was a lot of bang for the buck, and I'm grateful that Eastside Music and Alyssa were available to me. read more

I was a piano student at Eastside Music School for nearly 9 months. I joined the music school to find mentors to hold me accountable and keep me disciplined in my craft. I have never joined a music school before. My teacher at the music school was an incredible mentor. The music school is in the process of soundproofing some of their rooms, and the instructors schedule students back-to-back (which I'm aware is common). I voiced some frustrations when hearing a vocalist overpower the sound in my lesson. I expressed that it was difficult to focus as both me and my instructor were frustrated. I voiced frustrations about losing minutes when students are scheduled back-to-back. I have had minimal encounters with the owner, Alex, but my first impression of him was disappointing as he announced names at the recitals and completely butchered my name, calling me someone else. He responded to my email explaining that there will always be sounds in each room, which I can understand, and offered to speak with the instructor. In return, I asked him to allow for the person before me to have more time to transition out (built into her own lesson). She is new and her parents wanted a summary of the lesson at the end of each lesson. This somehow translated to him that I wanted him to change his entire business model and allow five minute breaks after each student. His solution was to cut my lesson time instead, which when asking for support on how to maximize my own time, felt like a slap in the face. When he asked me if that worked for me, I said no. His response was this: "Ok well. I'm not going to change my business model for you. I offered a compromise and you declined. At this point I think it's best to discontinue your lessons at Eastside Music School. I haven't charged you for May tuition. I won't charge you for yesterday to make up for all the time you didn't receive that you paid for. And I'll take you off the calendar moving forward. Best of luck to you." I immediately went to the music school to speak with him and his response was explaining that he had 300 students and 25 teachers and will not make any accommodations for me. His also stated that my instructor will be gone for two months anyway. As a person in a leadership role, mentoring students to be the best they can be, teaching others the importance of feedback, accountability, and compassion, I am so disappointed with my experience at Eastside Music. In his second response, he dismissed me, minimized my experience, and told me I'm the type of person who would be benefit from private lessons. Despite the mission statement "Find Your Voice," If you chose this school, do not voice any concerns or feedback to the owner unless you have a back up plan for lessons. Talk to the instructor directly. When I approached this, my intent was to feel heard and resolve a conflict that many students are experiencing, which at the time seemed like a simple fix. He took the opportunity to be a leader and mentor of one student that is enrolled at his school to learn and grow...1 of 300 he made clear.. to prioritize his own arrogance and disregard for students he does not know personally. Updating: adding screenshots. The first solution was talking to the instructor (which seemed like a solution I didn't even have the chance to accept since he was so quick to kick me out of the school), the second solution was reducing my time to accommodate the other students, and the third solution was terminating me from the music school. read more

Eastside Music School - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Austin, Texas

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We LOVE Eastside Music School! Everyone is positive, friendly, and supportive. A great place to go to get your kids excited about music and take it to the next level. We have seen great progress in skill after weekly lessons in a few short months. read more

I take weekly vocal lessons with Martin and he's fantastic to work with. I've been going here a few months now, and I have heard and noticed a huge difference in my abilities. I'm really only doing this for fun, and I have 0 experience with music so going into it I was worried that it would all be out of my reach, but lovely enough, everyone is super understanding and it's a fantastic environment to be in. So, if you're interested in music lessons (no matter your age) this is a wonderful place to go! read more

Great guy, great music teacher. I found East Side on one of those online coupon sites. I've been hacking and picking at a guitar since high school. Alex was able to take my rudimentary knowledge of music theory and guitar form and really elevate me to the next level. Price for private lessons was way cheap compared to the big music stores. I would very much recommend him. I suspect beginners would do well, as he's a very patient and easy going dude. But definitely for mid level players looking to move up. And very much so for suburban dads looking to reclaim their dreams of hair band glory from high school (*guilty). read more

We recently started going to East Side Music because my 9 yr old son will only see Eddy so even though we have to drive an hour each way, it is so worth it. The staff is very organized and Eddy is so talented and good with kids. We will probably continue to be students here unless we move to San Antonio or beyond. The school is downtown but they have free parking in a garage which is a major plus. read more

Update: My son had a voice lesson with Chris, which was just as great an experience as his guitar lessons. Chris is patient and energetic, and great with kids. Guitar lessons have continued to be great, especially how they cover the fundamentals, while also addressing the student's interests. My son has an electric, and wants to rock (like any red-blooded boy), so he gets the core stuff (working on proper positioning while playing Yankee Doodle Dandy), but also a sprinkling of rock songs and power chords to keep him excited. The core stuff could drive you (and the people you live with) crazy... think Jingle Bells in February, over and over, usually with mistakes. But, learning to play by watching You Tube and jamming to Iron Man won't make you a good guitarist, just another dude in his garage playing Iron Man. Eastside music gives your what you need, but ALSO what you want, and that is an important difference. read more

I'd been kicking around taking voice lessons for a while, and found a deal on one of the coupon sites so I decided to give Eastside Music School a try. I was able to schedule a time online, which was nice. The school is pretty great location, just off 35. The vocal instructor, Chris, is great. He's very knowledgeable and patient, and I like how he explains some of the science behind what you're doing. I was so pumped after my first voice lesson that I signed my kids up for piano lessons as well. They started with Don the next week, and love going. He's great with both of them, and they're excited to go back each week. I am super glad I decided to take a chance on that coupon. The whole family has been enjoying ourselves, and we're looking forward to working with Eastside Music for a long time. read more

John McClain is an excellent Drum instructor. He knows the technique and theory well, of course, but he also knows how inexperienced students think and learn best. After I moved away from Austin he even texted me to ask if I've been playing/improving recently! He really cares and is a super friendly dude. 10/10. read more

The thing I like about Alex's teaching style is his patience. When I walked into his hip east-side studio for my very first guitar lesson, I suddenly found myself nervous and unsure I could go through with this-- learning a new skill. That's the nice thing about growing up: unlike grade-school students, adults are not forced to do things they're not good at. (That C in seventh grade art class still haunts me.) But I wanted to learn guitar, so I bit the bullet-- and, wow, I'm so glad I did! Alex's gentle, easy-going manner immediately put me at ease, and he worked with me as slowly as I needed. At the same time, his dedication and passion for music inspired me to practice and improve despite the occasional frustrations. And while the thought of learning guitar in a pro recording studio was a bit intimidating at first, now it's empowering. Maybe I'll record here some day! Maybe not. But either way, under Alex's direction, I feel like a rock star. read more

Everyone is friendly, the environment is welcoming! My instructor Sarah was amazing, she is very engaging and I didn't feel pressured or felt like I was a newbie. She challenged me and pushed me out of my comfort zone. I will definitely be back! read more

Have been taking guitar lessons for a few months now. Absolutely love this place. Alex has an incredible gift to teach and encourage along the way. I highly recommend Eastside Music! read more

I love this place. I just started taking guitar lessons from Alex a few weeks ago after taking lessons with a previous instructor for about a month and a half. The reason I quit my lessons with my previous instructor was because the lessons consisted mostly of him just teaching me new chords and having me play the chords/various simple songs over and over at increasing speeds. I felt like I could've learned all of that on my own, and I felt totally uninspired after each lesson. With Alex, it's a whole different story. In our very first lesson, he emphasized to me the importance of learning the fretboard not just by memorizing different chord shapes, but also by understanding both conceptually and instinctively how each string is laid out and exactly what notes you're playing at all times (as well as which notes make up the chords you play, why they create the sound they do, etc.). He talked about how a lot of people will learn to play the guitar by learning a bunch of chord shapes, but then when asked to improvise or make their own song will only be able to play through the chords that they've memorized by rote. By learning the fretboard by heart, we can instead hear a tune or a certain sound in our head and play it immediately, rather than relying on muscle memory for all of our music-making. He gave me an EXTREMELY useful exercise for kicking off this process. Every single lesson with him is a great learning experience. The classes are loosely structured and he tends to ask me what I want to work on before each class. No matter what it is that I show him, he always gives me incredibly useful advice to make my playing sound smoother, add a little extra flair, etc. He's not the kind of instructor who just listens to me play, tells me it sounds fine, and moves on without offering anything useful. On top of all of that, Alex is honestly just an incredibly likable and positive guy. He's really fun to take lessons from and he's also really really good at guitar. Unlike my previous instructor, he doesn't hesitate at all to demonstrate things when I ask him to. He can pretty much hear any guitar song and play it instantly, often adding his own personal touch to it (well, he's been able to for the songs I've showed him thus far). He has a huge knowledge base and has learned tons of cool tricks from all of his years in music. I've left each lesson so far knowing I've learned something valuable and feeling really happy and inspired. read more

The people who work at Eastside music are wonderful!! I love Ann! She was teaching me voice lessons and is so talented, fun and dedicated to her work! She gives amazing advice, is honest and has the voice of a Goddess warrior! I give her five stars for sure!!! She was patient and listened to what I was really desiring with my lessons! Alex the owner was a delight to work with! He really listens to his clients and works with integrity to make you feel valued and respected!! I honor his commitment to working through challenges and providing excellent and honest communication. read more

We absolutely love Eastside Music! My daughters and several friends have been taking guitar lessons from Alex for a few years - first acoustic, and now one daughter is learning electric. Alex is so patient and encouraging. There have been days when my child is truly a challenge to teach, and Alex always keeps his cool and works to keep her on track. He also tries to find music that they like so they will stay interested. Their semester recitals are low-pressure, which really suits us. I would highly recommend Eastside to anyone wanting to inspire the love of music in their child (or in themselves!) read more

I've been playing guitar for most of my life, and I've taken lessons with a few different people over the years, and Joey at Eastside Music School has been the best teacher I've had. He always structures the lessons around what I'm trying to accomplish, which keeps me stoked to go back. Joey is also super positive, and even when I feel like I'm not playing as well as I want, he is always awesome at focusing on the stuff that I'm doing well, so I don't focus on the negative stuff. I would definitely recommend EMS to anyone looking to get into (or back into) playing. read more

Alex is an incredibly gifted teacher. He challenges me every single lesson, but not so much that I don't have fun. He's patient, extremely knowledgable and just a really nice guy. I'm not self conscious around him like I have been in other guitar classes. I can't recommend him highly enough!! read more