I just recently learned about UMF and went through a "Vagaband" session with them which culminated…read moreafter 6 rehearsals in playing some of my favorite rock songs live at a local music venue. The whole experience was quite awesome. Our facilitator, Tom E. was great at giving us feedback to make us sound better, individually and together. The other musicians in the group were very focused and committed to practicing between sessions and being prepared for the next session. Everyone who represented UMF was super professional and welcoming throughout the initial registration to the final performance. Not only are they getting musicians together to play music, but they're creating an authentic community that I've felt welcomed into since day one! This was exactly what I needed to get my butt out and playing with other musicians and having fun at the same time. Oh, and two words for the guy who wrote a bad review saying the sound in the rehearsal room was too loud: "ear" and "plugs."

I relocated to Seattle about 18 months ago, and was once a upon a time an aspiring musician in my…read moreearly 20's. As a singer, finding a band was always exceptionally challenging, and eventually life gave way to a husband, kids, and a day job. I found UMF on craigslist when we first moved here, and stalked their website for nearly a year. I was interested in joint a Vagaband series, but my travel schedule is hectic, and makes it difficult to commit to anything- even 3-6 weeks. Just before Christmas, a series opened up that I HAD TO JOIN, and I happened to have the 6 weeks to commit to it. You are plunked into a group of people you have never met. You all have the same goal, and a setlist already assigned. The first rehearsal everyone came prepared, and the first song kind of takes your breath away. You just formed a band (albeit short term). The chemistry in my first Vagaband series was amazing, our show was packed, and I formed real friendships beyond the performance. Instant rock and roll fantasy. I'm now in my second series, and to say this is a business would be a gross inaccuracy. This is a community. I have been welcomed into it warmly, made to feel my talent is validated, and definitely see this community as a family of musicians I couldn't be happier to be a part of. What Tom and Matt created and nurture is so much more than a music lesson.

School of Rock made our shy girl play guitar like a pro and act like a rock star! The ability to…read moreplay her favorite songs, perform in a real club and make friends made an awesome experience.

Our son has been playing drums at School of Rock for over a year now, and we're all thrilled - even…read moremore so now that they've moved to our neighborhood! (Check out reviews from the old location on Lake City Way - same great folks, same great program, great new building.) He started playing snare drum in his elementary school, and after a year of that, he had some basic skills (Mary had a little lamb), but the amount of progress he made in his first few months at SOR completely blew that away - he was playing Beatles songs like Ringo, and Nirvana like Dave Grohl. Clearly, the School of Rock approach works wonders! For beginners and advanced students alike, School of Rock is a great place to learn to play an instrument, play with other musicians, and put on a show that rocks the audience.

I love supporting my local theater community!…read more Been a fan of taproot since I moved to Seattle 13 years ago. Well run, well managed and consistent. They are fantastic and everyone should go see more theater at this location. Currently too many older folks! It's bizarre, we need more ways to get regular/young people involved. I've been involved in east coast theater community in Toronto and we have a lot more diversity and easily more younger people involved in, volunteering for and attending theater shows than in Seattle where it looks like live theater is for the retired community. It is not! Everyone should have access to live theater. We need to change this pronto.

Very nice small theater. Not a bad seat at least down stairs. The production was very good and well…read moreacted and directed. The concessions at intermission were well executed. Nice you can take beverages into the theater.

The first time I saw Sarah Fletcher sing was at a fundraiser on the Hill. I WAS BLOWN AWAY. She has…read moreamazing ability and control over her voice that puts her in a special class of vocalist in my opinion. I am pleased to see that she is sharing her skill with others who could really benefit from her expertise and experience. I can not wait to see her perform again and am thinking about taking a voice class just for fun! lol

From the owner: Energize your voice through Yoga and Classical technique!…read more Yoga defines and harnesses one's ability to "control, yoke, and unite" the body, mind, and vital energy. Dive deeper into the vitality of your voice through postures and breathing exercises that specifically support healthy tone production. Lessons are fortified with Classical voice technique to support the most dedicated musicians. As an avid yogi and opera singer, I enjoy helping my students reach their full vocal potential through the music that motivates them. Any style/genre of singing can utilize the power of these ancient techniques, as can any age or experience level of singer.

I hired Murl to play accordion for my wedding ceremony and it was absolutely perfect. Not only was…read morethe music beautiful, the sound of the accordion lent a little drama and old-world charm to the ceremony. Murl was a consummate professional to work with: he was extremely easy to communicate with and had many helpful ideas about songs and timing. His repertoire of songs is huge and he helped us find an accordion processional song that we loved. I couldn't recommend him more!

I have been taking Ukulele lessons from Johnny for about a year and a half. I was new to string…read moreinstruments and Johnny was knowledgeable and delightful. He encouraged and helped me find the path I wanted to develop in Ukulele technique. He exposed me to different music and has started working with me to sing to the music ( which is not as easy as it may seem) . I am a traditionally trained classical pianist and was stuck in some unhealthy musical blocks. Johnny had been working with me to overcome those blocks. He has been my " Biggest Cheerleader ".He is an outstanding teacher with an immense grasp of music theory, to guide a beginner or an advanced musician looking to expand. I can't recommend him enough. Kim Allen

My wife gifted me an introductory lesson with Jonny that I finally got around to using. As a…read morefledgling ukulele player, Jonny was quickly able to diagnose what my level was, and was able to tailor the brief lesson to giving me some useful and buildable skills to work on. I definitely recommend him - thanks Jonny!

I came in looking for a small travel size guitar. Hannah welcomed me with a smile and took time to…read morefind me exactly the guitar that would fit my needs. She (and Darren) gave me expert advice, and I ended up with a guitar that was great. They even did a pro set up on the guitar (awesome service BTW!!) Highly recommended!!!

Go here!!!! Very very helpful and friendly staff. They…read moregenuinely wanted to help me get the best deal and did not try to upsell me on anything, which was a relief. They weren't condescending to me as a beginner either, and gave me the information I needed. Great atmosphere, super chill and laidback. Incredible prices too. I got a fender amp for half the price of what it would be at other shops.

I have been working with Pascal for just over a year and I cannot speak highly enough of Pascal as…read morea guitar instructor. He is not only an exceptionally skilled musician but also an excellent teacher who has transformed my playing in just a short matter of time. Pascal can easily and clearly explain material and concepts, often approaching things from multiple angles to ensure complete understanding. Whether we're working on lead guitar techniques, rhythm guitar fundamentals, or diving into music theory, he maintains a strong balance that keeps lessons engaging and comprehensive. His teaching style is also approachable and professional, which has helped create an environment where I feel comfortable asking questions and pushing myself to improve (something I was nervous about, having never played guitar previously). Although I was at first hesitant about the commitment of in-person lessons, I have also really grown to appreciate the fact that lessons are in-person. Pascal has an eye for detail and a very well-trained ear, which allows him to provide real-time adjustments on everything from basic technique to nuanced elements like the way in which the pick is being held, thumb position, hand placement, and arm angles, etc. I believe these types of corrections that would be difficult to identify on my own (again, having no prior experience), and would likely not come through in most online/recorded lessons. These small refinements have made a large difference in my playing ability, to the point where even minor adjustments (like a slight adjustment to wrist angle) allow me to play a chord or a progression that I was struggling to play on my own during practice. As others have commented, I would also recommend double lessons, which I find to give me a great amount of items to work on before my next lesson. On a personal note, I genuinely look forward to my lessons with Pascal. Pascal's enthusiasm and encouragement have motivated me to practice consistently and focus on development in ways I do not believe I would have if I were learning independently. I also do not feel pressured if I have a busy week and have not been able to dedicate as much time to the material (although that rarely happens, as I enjoy the material so much). My wife has even commented on how much progress I've made in such a short time (she likes listening to me now). As someone who firmly believes you get what you pay for, I can say without hesitation that Pascal is worth every penny. If you're looking for a guitar instructor who will genuinely invest in your growth as a musician, Pascal is an excellent choice.

If you want to be able to pick up a guitar and confidently turn the music in your head into…read morereality, Pascal will get you there. He has the experience, skill, and patience to tailor each of his lessons to provide meaningful and rewarding progress towards your musical goals and, in my case, beyond what I thought I was capable of. I started playing guitar as an adult, and had little idea of what I wanted to get out of the hobby. After years of sporadically learning pieces of songs from online lessons, I came around to the conclusion that I enjoyed guitar enough to take it more seriously. Initially, structured online lessons yield great results, but I quickly started hitting skill plateaus that forced me to move in a different direction to feel like I was making progress. After diversions into music theory, gear acquisition, and some in-person instruction, my interest in guitar was stronger than ever, but I just wasn't getting that much better at playing the thing. Then I found Pascal's website and thought he sounded like someone I should reach out to. The first lesson I had with Pascal completely changed my view of what I could get out of guitar in such a positive way. Biased by my previous experiences learning other instruments, I went in thinking that learning could either be structured and chore-like, or relaxed and fun, but unproductive. I was wrong. Pascal immediately put me on a track that was both structured and personal, and made me enjoy playing so much more. I wish I had hours every day to devote to practicing, but I struggle to find even minutes most days. Even with that constraint, the progress was immediately tangible. One of Pascal's greatest strengths is explaining why he's teaching something and laying out realistic expectations for progression. I became much more aware of the small increments of progress I was making and my basic skills improved dramatically. As lessons progressed, the connections between the lessons became more and more clear. The fretboard transitioned from being intimidating to comfortable, and the fear of getting "lost" started going away. At no point did I have to sit down and memorize anything to get to that place; it happened naturally with the lessons. I waited to write a review for a couple years because I wanted my recommendation to be credible for someone like me: a person whose interest in playing guitar has exceeded their skill and is looking for a teacher to bridge that gap. If that sounds like you, I wholeheartedly recommend reaching out to Pascal!

The best teacher ever! My son tried to start learning three…read moretimes with different teachers. All of these attempts were unsuccessful. Then we heard our friends' children play--we were absolutely delighted by their piano playing--and decided to come study with Nina. A miracle occurred! Our son now practices the piano with genuine passion. And he now loves to play everywhere and for everyone.

Nina is the best teacher that I met in my life! My daughter…read morestarted play piano and it became boring and she almost dropped playing at all. One on my friends showed to me his kids that playing one hour they personal concert every day! It was astonished! I came to Nina, she started teach my daughter and now my daughter plays every free moment! I deeply recommend Nina as the really gifted teacher for your children. Sandra

We hired this The Blue Wave Band back in late January to play at our Wedding. We chose to have 7…read moreBand members. They had to travel 5 hours for our event and we put all the members up at the Lodge. It was worth it! We cannot recommend this Band highly enough. To have a good Wedding Reception experience, You need to have good food, Beautiful Ambiance and Excellent music to get your guests up on the dance floor. The Cocktail hour was magical with having a band member play the Sweet Saxophone. When dinner was over, right out of the gate, everyone was getting out of their seats to dance. It was a great mixture of different Genres. So many comments from our guests. Best Wedding Ever! The Band was Awesome! We definitely will have them back for another special event in the future! Thank you for a Great Time! Tamara S.

I cannot recommend Blue Wave. Unfortunately, they lacked the preparation and professionalism…read moreexpected of a wedding band, and their behavior put a damper on what should have been a joyful day. They failed to uphold parts of our contract and even introduced new "policies" not stated anywhere in writing in an effort to charge additional fees. A few specific issues: Last-minute demands: On the morning of our wedding, the first thing I experience was our wedding planner knocking on our door to tell me that the band was refusing to play our pre- ceremony music. (!!) unless we paid extra--despite already being paid to run the ceremony sound, having received the timeline weeks earlier, and previously agreeing to do so. This was not the way I wanted to start my my wedding day. Missed cues: They failed to play the correct recessional song, and when asked, instead played music that was meant for our first dances and cake cutting. We had to send my brother-in-law to DJ the post-recessional music from his Sportify. Refusal to make announcements: They declined to do our wedding party announcement, again citing a "policy" about hours worked that wasn't in the contract. We had to draft one of our cousins to do this at last minute notice. Technical mistakes: They mishandled the start of the dancing--an especially disappointing moment since our extended family of 40+ had rehearsed a choreographed routine--simply because they didn't load the correct Spotify link we had sent in advance.