I started taking drum lessons as an adult and Raphi is the best! I tried a few instructors before I found him, and he is patient, reliable, and makes learning fun. If you are looking for a fun music instructor, I highly recommend Raphi! read more

I've been taking guitar lessons for 2 years with Raphi and am having a great time! I was a total beginner and have progressed a lot. Raphi makes the lessons and learning fun. Could not recommend him more highly! read more

My son has been studying music with Raphi for over 6 years. He loves his drum lessons and even with a busy middle school schedule, he choses to continue because he has so much fun and learns so much. He can now read drum notation, mastered a series of rudiments and rock beats, and he even joined the school rock band! Raphi has helped him grow into a much stronger drummer, so has his confidence to perform which has been a delight to witness. Raphi is an amazing musician and teacher who encourages my kid to work hard to do his best. read more

I have been taking guitar lessons with Raphael for over 5 years and my daughter has been seeing him for over 10 years. He is a patient, accommodating teacher that has years of experience performing and teaching. read more

You know what? I found Raphi through Yelp - thanks Yelp! My daughter has been studying guitar with him since late 2015 and we are extremely happy across the board. His sessions with her are professional and productive, while simultaneously being fun, open and creative. Having experienced multiple types of extra-curricular classes, I recognize that this is a difficult balance for teachers and I appreciate him for being able to juggle it. I'm thankful that he's also game to learn the variety of pieces her dad and I ask him to teach her as well as how open he is to incorporate our goals for her musical education into his weekly lessons. Some highlights for me were: when he dissected and taught her a fairly complicated John Fahey composition, when he spent a month teaching her to be able to do spontaneous jamming, and when he slogs through teaching her to read music even though she's resistant :). He's shepherded her through a variety of music and techniques, many of them challenging for her skill-level and I'm always pleased with both the learning process and the final product. His spring showcases are always fun to attend and I love, love, love seeing the progression of his students, many of whom have been with him for years and years. At this next one, I'm excited to see a duet with my daughter and her dad, who also started taking lessons with Raphi last year. He's got a great teaching space with instruments for students to use, with plenty of parking in a great neighborhood (Laurel) to while away the time during lessons. Highly recommend him - 5 stars! read more

My son has been studying guitar with Raphi for about 3 1/2 years. He started in the first grade and is now heading into fifth. Raphi is an awesome instructor with the perfect balance of patience but persistent focus. Raphi makes sure my son is constantly challenged and learning new skills, all while letting my son's musical interests guide the choice in music he is working on. My son has grown to love guitar and we have not missed a beat (pun intended) with the COVID restrictions. Raphi's Zoom lessons don't feel much different from actual lessons. My son has actual just started getting classical guitar entirely on Zoom and he is more enthusiastic about guitar than he has ever been. With school being entirely online, it's been a smooth transition for us. If you are considering guitar, for your child, I would definitely recommend Raphi. It will be fun, and you will see impressive progress in a short time. read more

Two years later, and we're still with Raphi! Under Raphi's tutelage, our son has grown to love playing the guitar and happily picks it up to practice - without any nudging from us. Raphi has a great teaching style - while he is patient, easy-going and knowledgable, he also challenges and encourages the kids to try their best and to practice and not just "mail it in." He provides clear, concise instructions and helps break complicated parts into digestible chunks. He also makes sure his students learn music theory -- which has helped our son in his school's music class (his music teachers are impressed). He easily adjusts to his students' learning styles and music preferences which has helped our son stay engaged and continue to love playing. I would recommend him without reservation to anyone hoping to learn to play guitar. read more

I'm an intermediate drummer, and I signed up for drum lessons with Raphi last year, took ten lessons with him to take myself to the next level and learn some fundamentals. I really enjoyed my time with Raphi. He definitely takes a looser approach to teaching (at least for intermediate lessons) and we bounced around a little bit learning lots of different things. Some people may prefer a more regimented approach, some may not. I may lean towards more of a regimented approach but still really liked it. The coolest part of the lessons with Raphi (outside of Raphi being a great guy and also very affordable) is he plays with you on guitar while you're playing drums. Not only was it much funnier to play drums and basically just jam out, it definitely helps you get a feel for how that aspect of drumming could be used in an actual jam. Highly recommend going to Raphi if you're an intermediate drummer trying to get better. He gave me the tools to now succeed on my own, and we had a lot of fun along the way! read more

My teenage son has been taking drum lessons with Raphi for nearly a year now, and we couldn't be more pleased with Raphi's approach. Our son has some challenges with traditional teaching/learning, and Raphi had him playing riffs and jamming in no time. By making music *real* and playing along on his guitar, Raphi inspired our son to really get into music and his drumming. We were floored when he did his recital; all of the students, young and old, were impressive. But what came through on top of it all was Raphi's kindness, joy, and clear support for and connection with each and every one of his students. I can't recommend Raphi enough! read more

Raphi is an amazing teacher. And I know this because I'm a teacher, too; third grade in OUSD. I started guitar lessons because I was hoping to incorporate music into my classroom. My wife gifted me a lesson to make sure I was into it, and here I am, multiple ten class packages later. I have learned enough that I am able to explore music independently, but the classes are still a helpful tool thanks to Raphi's knowledge and expertise. Strongly recommend his classes wether you are looking for an option for a kid or an adult. read more

My son has taken guitar lessons with Raphie for over two years. Raphie is a wonderful, patient, inspiring and fun teacher. We highly recommend him! read more

Raphi is a great guitar teacher for my nine-year-old daughter. She's been with him for a little over a year now and is reading music and playing both note- and chord-based songs, fun ones like the folk classic "Midnight Special" (with drawl), a dreamy "Free Fallin'", and a bouncy "Eight Days A Week", which she particularly loves to do. And not just one verse and chorus, but the whole 2:44, with intro and outro. She belts it out. At tempo. It's a cover. Raphi's warm and casual, so she's comfortable asking questions, and they make the song choices together. He doesn't nitpick and his fun, improvisational accompaniments to her sometimes halting first week's attempts keep her from feeling small and lonely, under a spotlight. He's just very mindful of preserving her innate joy for music. We do ask her to practice each day, but for only 15 minutes or so. It's just something she does before dinner or soccer or TV. But Raphi doesn't pressure her, so she's not often frustrated. If it doesn't come yet, fine, try again tomorrow, next week. Lessons with Raphi so far have been all I could ask for. She practices. She's learning. She loves Raphi. And she's having fun with it. She's making music. She comes out of each lesson with a smile on her face. read more

Raphi has been teaching my 11 year old son guitar for about a year and a half. He has always been so easy to work with, and that did not change when we had to switch in-person lessons over to Zoom during shelter-in-place. Before starting lessons with Raphi, my son had wanted to quit guitar completely. Raphi is such a wonderful teacher, and I'm grateful for the way he approaches things - he started by working on songs my son enjoyed and also knew when to push him towards different styles that were new to him. Now, he's working on classical guitar because Raphi could see that was a fit for him. I am so happy with the progress my son has made, and I'm grateful we have not had to drop out of guitar lessons during this season because Raphi has made Zoom lessons available. read more

I can't count the number of adults that I have talked to who wanted to learn how to play guitar, but after buying all the equipment, found out that it was just too frustrating and hard to learn. Thousands of dollars in equipment end up in the basement with the Olympic weight set and treadmill. Or at the urging of our significant other, it ends on E-bay for pennies on the $... That was almost me. I got a beautiful guitar and amp for Christmas 8 years ago. I had visions of being "Slash" or "Eddie Van Halen" by the end of Christmas break. But that was not to be. Through various tries at lessons (4 or 5 different teachers), I was no better on Christmas morning 2017 than I was seven years earlier. Then my Christmas gift for 2017 was, you guessed it, guitar lessons. Oh no, not again!!! My son had been taking drum lessons from Raphi. My wife liked his style and thought it might work for me. A year later I have six songs that I am able to play all the way through (not well, but improving). I can't wait to get home from work and play. Guitar is fun, rewarding and at 58 years old, I really feel that there is a chance that I can be a decent guitar player. Raphi has accomplished something with me that I thought was not possible. He has made me want to practice so I am prepared to learn something new each lesson. I highly recommend Raphi, even if you have tried and failed....he will help get you to the other side. Thank you Raphi. read more

It doesn't get better than this - Raphi is a superb musician, and also a sensitive and skilled teacher.

Raphi is an gifted musician AND incredible natural teacher--patient, kind and totally adjusts the lessons with great skill. I can't believe how much I've learned from him, not just about guitar, but about music in general. I started taking lessons with Raphi as a 50 year old birthday present to myself and every lesson It has been mind-blowing. I cannot recommend him highly enough. He also taught my daughter drums and they had a terrific time jamming each week. He is the REAL deal. read more

I started playing guitar 5 years ago when my Dad forced me to take Raphi's lessons and I have to say it was the best thing that my father has ever forced me to do. Raphi was friendly and patient with me, clearly and concisely explaining the basics of playing guitar. Always giving helpful feedback and then encouragement to practice more and more. As my music taste evolved the years, Raphi was able to adapt our lessons to provide insights on the new types of music I wanted to play. One of my favorite times each year is when Raphi holds his annual guitar and drum recitial which not only gives his students a chance to showcase what they have been working on but also teaches each student how to properly prepare for a performance. So yes, I can recommend Raphi's guitar and drum lesson. read more

I started taking Guitar lessons this summer with Raphi. I was fortunate enough to meet him through my tween-aged niece, who has been taking lessons from him for a few years. She is an awesome player. I was able to overcome my reservations regarding learning new musical instrument at the age of 47 when observing his interactions with his students at her guitar concert last year. He is excellent at adjusting to his students' learning styles and music preferences. I would recommend him without reservation to anyone hoping to learn to play guitar read more

Raphi has been teaching my daughter guitar for about eight months and I couldn't be happier with his instruction. He blends kindness and rigor and the result is progress in technique *and* enthusiasm. In addition to technique, he builds context and musicianship by exploring the history and different versions of the songs he's working on with his students. Pacing of the lessons is great and he understands how to work with shy mild mannered kids as well. read more

I decided two years ago to learn acoustic guitar. One of my good friends recommended that I work with Raphi through private lessons. He has been instrumental (ha) in helping me overcome challenges with new songs, chords, and strum patterns that trip me up in the process of learning how to play guitar. He listens to what I am trying to accomplish with guitar, and recommends ways to learn songs that fits with the amount of time I am able to allocate to guitar. I briefly took a group lesson this past year with some friends. The instructor was impressed with my finger positioning on a few chords and asked who taught me. I told her Raphi's name, and she asked for his contact info, funny. All in all, he is a very talented musician, a patient coach/teacher, and a fun guy to spend an hour with a few times a month. I highly recommend Raphi as a guitar instructor. read more

Raphi is an extremely talented musician who is also a great teacher. Those two qualities do not always come together, but when they do, MAGIC! Raphi taught me classical and acoustic rock guitar. He taught my preteen daughter jazz drums. Great lessons, patient teaching, excellent musical knowledge. I highly recommend him for your guitar or drum lesson needs. read more

Raphi is an incredibly knowledgeable, multi-instrument musician, a patient and warm teacher and an all-around wonderful human being. Raphi spent every Sunday with me (36yr-old picking music back up) and my son (8yr-old true beginner) and we'd still be going strong if we didn't move away... A little background... I decided that I wanted to pick up drums and that it would be a fun thing to do with my son (4yrs at the time.) I found Raphi through a cold lead, contacted him, checked a few references and hoped for the best. We found Raphi to be just what we needed - challenging and fun for me (my ears and tastes are more advanced than my music skills) and engaging and supportive of my son. Through the years, we rocked out to punk rock, country, metal and jazz while my son alternated between skills development and drumming along to songs he loves. The lessons went so well that we added guitar for my son along the way and Raphi never skipped a beat. I'd note that Raphi is adept at developing a curriculum if structure is what the student needs or just winging it for the more casual, adventurous student. Both were appreciated... Not to undermine the incredible teaching skills that Raphi demonstrates, it is worth sharing that my son cried after our last lesson with Raphi (before our move) and that I came to think of Raphi more as my friend that taught me music than a teacher. So yea. The highest of recommendations. Conversant in many instruments, types of music and incredibly talented at communicated and teaching. We miss you Raphi! read more

Raphi taught guitar to my 6 year old son. He is a great teacher- fun and engaging and very patient!

I am glad that Raphi Gottesman has a Yelp page so that I have a forum to rave about him. He is a very proficient and professional guitar instructor. I recommend him for any aspiring guitar player - of any age, any level of experience, and having any range of musical taste or exposure. I am in my mid-thirties and have a hectic work life. Raphi is the perfect instructor for my lifestyle. He comes to my home for the lessons, about three or four times a month. He is immensely patient and nonjudgmental when I haven't had an opportunity to practice during the prior week. I treasure the lesson time with him to unwind, talk and learn about music culture and theory, and decipher the chords (usually by ear since accurate chords are rarely available online) for songs I have always loved or that he introduces me to. He has good intuition, so I am confident that he tailors his lessons to meet a particular student's needs or preferences -- for example, finding the right balance between theory and jamming together on the guitar. read more

In my six or so months of taking guitar lessons with Raphi, I learned more than I ever anticipated. I went from being a complete beginner to being able to strum a variety of songs, and do a little bit of finger picking as well. I have enjoyed every minute of my lessons with him and am extremely happy that I decided to take lessons from him. Raphi is a great teacher and a great person. read more

Raphi is outstanding. He has been teaching drums to our 12 year-old daughter for the past year and thanks to his patience and great skill, she has become a terrific drummer, confident in herself and excited about drumming. She has learned so much this past year - the progress she has made is truly outstanding. Raphi really has a way with young people - knowing just what to do to engage and motivate them to become accomplished musicians. Our daughter looks forward to her lessons and the fact that Raphi comes to our house is a huge bonus! I can't imagine a better teacher. read more

Raphi is a great find. If you can get into his schedule, you should do it!! We are so thrilled to have him working with our 10 year old daughter on guitar and our 6 year old son on drums. What luck to have such a skilled musician and teacher who knows both instruments! Our kids have blossomed as musicians while working with Raphi. He allows the kids to have a lot of input into what they play - this means the kids are really invested in what they are learning. The kids don't complain about practicing and are really into their instruments in large part because of Raphi's approach. He is also great on the business end of things: organized, punctual, communicative, etc. Raphi is a real pleasure on all fronts. We highly recommend him!! read more

We've used Raphi for guitar lessons, both for my two kids (age 11 and 13, beginners) and for me (50ish, novice). Raphi has a great way of connecting with the kids, making them feel comfortable and getting them excited about playing the music they're interested in. He's always giving me tips on proper technique and has great advice on what's important musically and what's not. Raphi can accomodate a wide variety of muical tastes too. I definitely highly recommend Raphi as a guitar instructor! read more