I have been taking piano and vocal lessons with Katherine through the Sound Music School and the…read moreexperience has been fantastic! She has a wonderful grasp of how to present concepts in ways that are useful and easy to understand. Within weeks I could already see myself starting to make progress. She is also fantastic at communicating goals and working on material that is relevant and fun. I've been able to bring in music I'd like to work on, but I've also discovered new music that is thrilling to explore. My weekly lesson has become the highlight of my week! The booking process was incredibly fast and simple. My trial lesson was scheduled within the same week I submitted an inquiry, and by the following week I was already on the regular schedule. If you're in the area and looking to take music lessons, I can't recommend this school highly enough!

I hadn't ever played guitar before, so I decided to give it a try. I was a little nervous in the…read morelessons because my playing was so basic, but my instructor taught me to have patience with myself, practice songs I liked, and I grew week by week! I would 100% endorse this school!

I had a truly excellent experience with Classic Pianos and recommend them without reservation. I…read morecame in search of a rehearsal piano with very specific requirements: something suitable for a rental situation, capable of silent practice with headphones, yet--above all--an instrument with genuinely good action. As a pianist returning to conservatory-level study after years of gigging, proper action is not a luxury for me; it is the foundation upon which all serious work is built. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the hybrid pianos offered at Classic Pianos. The hammer action is responsive, musical, and deeply satisfying--impressively close to an acoustic experience. While nothing replaces a grand, this instrument is an outstanding solution for a renter needing rigorous daily practice and keeping one's technique in shape. Hui was a pleasure to work with throughout the process: knowledgeable, patient, and genuinely attentive. She made everything easy and stress-free from start to finish. Since the piano arrived, I've been playing far more than I intended--which may be the clearest sign that the right choice was made. Classic Pianos did such a good job that my neighbors may soon need to leave them a review as well.

Are you thinking of buying a piano? If so the best experience I've ever had is at Classic Pianos in…read moreBellevue. the store has a lovely feel to it, the staff is friendly and welcoming and it feels more like a visit to a wonderful world of music and pianos. We met Ben Klinger who has been helping people buy pianos for many years, in fact he authored a book on how to buy pianos. He is knowledgeable and funny and pleasant with never any notes of pressure. He plays guitar, piano, has a great ear both For music and listening to what you are looking for. You can visit as many times as you wish and are always welcomed. Ben will meet You where you are and find the best piano for your budget and needs. As you grow in your musical ability you can upgrade with great terms.

I took bass lessons from Eric this year and it was great. Eric is a very good teacher. I'm in my…read more50s and always wanted to learn bass, but came in cold. Eric catered to my needs and music preferences. He made it easy to learn quickly. Gave me homework to practice between weekly lessons, which helped my confidence increase quickly. I strongly recommend Eric.

I have been working with Eric for almost two years now. He is very talented and knowledgeable not…read moreto mention patient. He is a great teacher. When I look back to when I first started and the frustrations...and where I am now it is night and day (although I am no Jimmy Paige ...yet). Not only has Eric taught me the techniques - he has provided the encouragement to keep practicing and improving. I also like that we play what I want to play and he guides the process. He makes learning and practicing the guitar fun! I highly recommend.

I needed to rent an upright bass for a music video shoot with my band in Seattle. I live in San…read moreFrancisco so all communication was done online and over the phone. The sign-up process was super easy, and every staff member I talked to was extremely friendly and helpful. I explained what I was going for, and they were able to pick out a bass that suited my needs perfectly. With this being a short-term rental (3 days), the pick-up and drop-off process was very easy and convenient. Thank you Hammond Ashley for the beautiful instrument! Besides looking great on camera, it sounded amazing and was a dream to play. Highly recommend if you need to rent a classical instrument!

Worth the drive to Issaquah for string instrument rentals! Hammond Ashley has been around for…read moreawhile and while they carry a full range of stringed instruments, they do particularly well with cello and string bass. As a cellist, I appreciate the focus an when I needed a half-sized instrument for my daughter, they had quite a selection. While some stores may carry mass-produced instruments, the ones I tried here were a notch above, and after trying 3 instruments, it was difficult to pick one as all three had good qualities. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable and the store was spacious and well set up for trying out instruments. Highly recommended!

Nicest people, and extremely helpful. Had bought a keyboard with some minor volume issues and they…read moretook it in to fix no questions asked. Took the time to even fix minor cosmetic issues free or charge. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for great instruments and great insight.

Great shop built from the remnants of another great shop. These guys have more stock coming in all…read morethe time and they're super helpful. Don't forget to check out the drum room in the back.

I have taken singing lessons with Andy for many years, and it has brought me a lot of joy,…read morelearning, and growth both musical and personal. The combination of Andy's ability to help you grow in the technical and psychological aspects of improving your singing and his artful and skillful piano accompaniment (transposing on the fly into whatever key works best for you!), adds up to a great experience. I often push myself to go to a lesson, feeling tired after a long day at work, and leave feeling so much better physically and mentally. We laugh a lot while we work! I appreciate that Andy works with you to achieve your goals, and he will push you to stretch to make progress, but he's fundmentally there to hlep you get what you want from your lessons--the kind of music you want to sing, whether you want to perform, when you want to push yourself on technique and when you want to just relax and sing. And he realizes all that may change week to week and evolve over time. Perhaps the strongest proof of the trust I have in Andy and the growth I've experienced working with him over the years is that improvising is an incredbly vulnerable thing for me to do--mistakes, wrong notes, falling off the edge of the tune, eek! And I regularly improvise now at my lessons and it brings me a special kind of happiness to able to experiment, play, create beauty, and express myself. I'm grateful to be able to learn from and make music with Andy.

I've worked with Andy several times over the years including currently. He is very patient and kind…read morebut also ruthlessly honest in a good way about feedback on singing and technique. He has an incredible perception to how you are using your muscles , tongue, stomach etc by listening and watching and can diagnose what you're doing and how to improve. I have definitely noticed improvement over the years and have received positive feedback from others.

John's the best - love going to his place to see what's new in the listening room. He's always…read moretaken care of me and my Dad over the last 40 + years

The Audio Connection is one-of-a-kind. The proprietor, John, has been in the game for 45 years and…read moreit shows; he can assess what you are after quite quickly and you can enjoy the rest of your time there chatting with him. I brought my one of my Single-Ended Triode 300b mono-block tube amplifiers to have an issue addressed and Kevin had it sorted in no time. They have a diverse collection of audio gear for sale and a no-nonsense listening room to let one do just that, listen. They carry all sorts, but if you are a tubehead, you would have to be mental not to see what they have on offer.

Guitar lessons with Dan were my weekly retreat from a hectic workweek. Dan is super patient with…read moreyou every step of the way. Somehow he manages to urge you to practice (something I have trouble with) without being naggy or making you feel guilty. He listens to your concerns and musical tastes and incorporates them into each lesson. He lets you pick the genre and even songs that you'd like to play. His classical training means that you get experience in sight reading music and musical theory. I'm a bit of weird bird that I like blues and punk rock. He taught me the basics in both so I can have a great time just jamming out with him or with some of my talented friends. Overall, if you're looking to invest some money in lessons, Dan is the place to go.

Dan is great. Young guy, super fun and super talented. He explains things very clearly and never…read moregets frustrated. I'd gladly recommend him to anyone out there looking to learn how to play from the ground up. I've been taking weekly lessons now with Dan for about 3 months and can already see some real results. Pat