I work with a young man who has Down syndrome. He LOVES music more than anything else and plays…read moredrums and guitars that he has at home. He has learned to play just from instinct and from watching other people, until now! Shawn and I checked out the Guitar Studio on a whim as we drove by. Matt the owner greeted us, explained what they do and gave us a tour. I spoke openly with him to find out if he thought they could teach someone like Shawn. Matt was honest and said they did not have anyone that specialized or had a degree in special needs but thought he had an instructor that would be a good fit. A week later Shawn was enrolled for his first guitar lesson at the Guitar Studio. Steve his teacher was very patient and understanding. After the 30 minute lesson I think Steve and Shawn were equally impressed with each other. Shawn has had his second and third lesson already and it seems like a perfect fit. In the waiting area we see people of all ages (teens to adults) who are at all different levels of ability and all getting better by the week. Thank you Matt for being so welcoming that first day. We look forward to many, many more lessons in your space!!

Matt Kearns played classical guitar at our wedding ceremony at South Ferry Church and it was…read moreamazing. As we walked out of the church Matt played "Sweet Caroline" and all of our guests chimed in. It was a memorable moment!! All of our guests raved about how good the music was and we wanted to take a moment to highly recommend him!

I highly recommend Providence Guitar Academy!!! Phil has the…read morerare talent of staying calm and patient while making the learning experience fun. It is obvious that he really enjoys teaching. Jake, 5 years old, looks forward lessons , practicing and showing off what he has learned. Finding the right music teacher is so important and we hit the jackpot with Phil.

Where do I start describing such a wonderful, amazing teacher! First of all, Phil is indeed an…read moreextremely gifted musician in his own right, and has a very deep knowledge of technique and music theory. You can tell that he has a true passion for music and his 10+ years of experience definitely show in much of his sage wisdom that comes across in the lessons. For a total beginner in guitar and music like myself, showing up to this talented fellow as a grown adult with my cheap acoustic and telling him that I just wanted to be able to strum along to Bob Marley or the Beatles could have been intimidating. Instead I felt that Phil was delighted to teach me and he calmly encouraged me at every step from then on. He first made a special effort to understand my background, the types of music I like, the parts of learning music that interest me, and the amount of time I could commit. Then he came up with an individualized, structured plan for me to reach my goals, which also changed as my whims and interests changed as months went on. I began taking one 30-minute lesson each week, which might not seem like much; yet Phil is such a professional that not a minute is wasted, and by the end of each lesson I had tons of exercises to practice and things to think about every day for the 6 days until my next lesson. I felt I made very fast progress under Phil, thanks to his incredible teaching technique. As time went on I was so happy with the lessons that I increased to two 30-minute lessons per week. My progress became even faster and more intense. Phil effortlessly helped me switch between learning chords and guitar technique and the somewhat separate subject matter of reading music and understanding music theory. He helped me play songs while also helping me understand the underlying patterns and connections that many songs are based off of. Had I not unfortunately moved away from Providence, I think Phil would have turned me not only into a good guitar player, but also a well-rounded musician! I would like to be very clear, his lessons are a steal at the price he offers them at. The teaching is first class and Phil is a great human being, and obtaining beautiful abilities like playing the guitar and understanding music might change your life like they did mine.

Review of Martin D35 Guitar, Sweetwater, and Dan's Music Center:…read moreI was a bit apprehensive when I decided to buy my first Martin D35 acoustic guitar online. After reading the posted reviews of the various online guitar stores, I settled on Sweetwater (Fort Wayne, IN). When I called, I got Jesse Duquette. Jesse had previously owned 50 guitars and it was comfortable speaking with him. He answered my questions and opened my eyes to other facts and styles I needed to consider with the guitar. Most important is that Jesse indicated that there is a 2-year warranty on the guitar, and that he and members of the Sweetwater team will be there anytime should I have a concern. When the guitar arrived, I had to wait 24 hours for the package to become acclimated to the temperature and humidity before taking out the guitar. When I finally opened the box, pulled out and tuned the guitar, I was absolutely delighted with the mellifluous sound of the Martin D35. The action was low, which I desired, but I had a vibration when I played the 5th (A) string. Jesse suggested I take the guitar to a luthier who could adjust the truss rod and that Sweetwater would reimburse me for the cost. I took my Martin D35 to Dan's Music Center (Warwick, RI) where I was greeted by Dan Ryder the owner and luthier. Dan was about to have a bite to eat but stopped, so he could assist me. Dan took the time to adjust the truss rod which cleared up the buzzing. Dan charged me nothing to fix the issue for I could tell he understood and respected the quality sound that comes with the Martin D35 guitar. In summary, although I had initial trepidation with the online purchase of my guitar, I was extremely happy with the service I received at Sweetwater (Fort Wayne, IN) and at Dan's Music Center (Warwick, RI) - and would recommend both companies without reservation. I also would highly recommend Jesse Duquette (of Sweetwater) and Dan Ryder - the owner and luthier of Dan's Music Center (Warwick, RI). Finally, thanks to Martin & Co for making my beautiful sounding Martin D35 guitar. Len in RI

This place is the "real deal." Dan is a superlative guitar player in his own right, and does…read morefirst-rate repairs and setups. His prices are excellent and he keeps a stock in the store that combines the expected high-volume (!) items with some lesser known gems. There is a nicely-curated selected of used guitar amps there with some superb treasures for those with a good eye. Dan does a great job listening to what you are looking for, guiding you to the "best fit," even if it is something he doesn't stock or sell -- he has the best interest of the customer in mind. I brought Dan a vintage Fender Jazzmaster (late 1960s) that has great sentimental value for me. One of the pickups had stopped working -- it turned out to be a break in the wire deep in the windings. Instead of doing the quick fix (swapping the pickup out for a new one), he arranged to have Lindy Fralin replace just the windings, keeping it as close to the original "vintage" as possible. Not as profitable for Dan as selling me a new pickup, but it was the right thing to do for the guitar. Like I said, this place is the "real deal"!

I took drum lessons from Tom, the owner of Oasis, for a number of years. I've purchased over a…read moredozen instruments from Oasis, and absolutely love the store. Everyone there is friendly - Tom becomes good friends with his customers, and has a strong base of regulars because they've learned that Oasis is the best place to shop for music instruments. The selection is small, but the prices are always competitive, and Tom is the most honest business person in the state. I can't recommend drum lessons from Oasis highly enough - he is great with kids, and adult, and has a true love of music. It's a fun shop, and really one of the hidden gems of the Rhode Island music scene. A MUST for any music lover.

Cool little shop. Tom is a cool guy and always welcoming to his customers. The selection is…read morelimited, because it's a tiny store, but the great customer service makes up for it. I bought a drum set there when I was younger, a guitar or two, and even took a couple of lessons. Check it out.

We love Johnny! He's an awesome piano teacher who adapts to kids' interest and really sparks their…read moreexcitement in learning all aspects of playing--not just reading music (though that too), but working on rhythm, learning to sing and play and the same time, and having lots of fun in the process! His teaching results in great progress on the piano while also building confidence and letting kids have fun while they learn.

Scott is the man! Fixed my 335 back to its glory. Has a full professional studio and everything.read more

Scott is not only a great guitar player himself, but an incredibly gifted teacher. He really takes…read morethe effort to find out how to best help each individual student learn. I came to him as a casual player who wanted to improve my rock/blues playing. He quickly noticed what parts of my playing were holding me back, and showed me how to improve in those areas. Before taking lessons, I had learned a lot from Youtube and some college friends. I still think Youtube is a great tool, but nothing compares to having a good teacher in front of you. He came up with a personalized plan to help me improve my chops, as well as add to my guitar vocabulary. At the same time, he easily adapted by changing the day's lesson if I had something specific in mind. His lessons added much more structure to my practicing that I didn't have beforehand, which helped to improve my playing in many ways. Also, thanks to his lessons, I was confident when I played a short acoustic piece at my sister's wedding this summer. Scott has knowledge of many different aspects of guitar playing, so as I thought of different things I wanted to learn (from finger picking to pinch harmonics to setting up my guitar) he was always able to teach me. He's also a very informed gear-head. So as I was looking for a new electric guitar, and a couple of pedals, he had many good suggestions for me. I had taken lessons from someone else before finding Guitar Strength, and I can definitely say the difference was huge. Scott is clearly passionate about all things guitar, and he really enjoys helping others learn. Also, some of my favorite bands were recommended to me by him. I am in my mid-twenties, but I know Scott has students of all ages. I saw many younger students who had lessons before mine who were clearly enjoying themselves. I would definitely recommend Guitar Strength to anyone who is serious about improving themselves as a guitar (or bass) player, and as a musician in general. Whether you're a complete beginner, or have been playing in a band for years, a good teacher can help bring you to the next level.

Butch is great! Easy to work with, knowledgeable and professional. I have been back to him multiple…read moretimes for my speaker repairs. Although he can be tough to get ahold of, he can repair equipment fast, and properly and cost effectivly. Overall I would highly recommend RI music service to anyone who needs to get speakers or mixers fixed.

Butch Balzano is the most competent tube amp tech I have found in Providence-- he quickly fixed…read moreproblems in two unusual amps that other more prominent local techs had failed to identify or repair. He seems to have plenty of business, but because he also finds and fixes what is wrong quickly your equipment does not sit for months in his shop. His shop is unmarked, in a strip mall, and although he is sometimes hard to reach, and he may need prodding to inspire him to return to a tough diagnosis, he is honest and pleasant to deal with. He doesn't take credit cards, and his prices are moderate, but he is worth it. Highly recommended--I will never go back to his better-advertised competitors.

My kids have been going to Ms. Lindsay's classes for four years, and it's their favorite time of…read morethe week. She is so lovely, all the kids (and their parents!) adore her. The classes are so enjoyable for everyone, and her infectious joy and musicality has everyone happily singing and dancing along. The kids get so excited about the themes that appear each week- Halloween and Valentine's, Nutcracker season, fall and winter and spring, and many others. The kids are exposed to so many different genres of music, so many instruments, and so many different ways of enjoying music. We've attended so many classes, music and otherwise, over the years... if we only had time for one, this would be it, and it would be an easy decision. I only wish her classes continued beyond the 9-year-old class!

I can't say enough to show my appreciation for Mrs. Lindsay Meehan who has brought the joy of music…read moreto the both of my boys for years and has them notes and the joy of picking up with the " Pick it Pick it Pick it Pick It UP" song which we use still at home. Mrs. Lindsay sings and plays every instrument and has such a magical voice and remembers everyone's name and is so great with make up classes. Every week is a new theme and she is always introducing new versions of familiar songs. No music class compares and we have been to dozens!!!!