Love this sister of mine. I've known Sandy since I was very young. She is smart as hell and knows a lot about music. We both played trumpet together in junior high through high school and I had to work hard to compete with her mastery of music. Years later, she is still at it. I found out not too recently that Sandy has played many instruments and has taught them as well. I'm impressed by her ambition to teach those who yearn to learn. Got me excited enough to dust off the trumpet and give it a go. Got a musical itch to scratch? read more

sandy is such a thoughtful & engaging teacher!! really worked to understand my needs & build a tailored program. strongly recommend!

I mostly wanted a piano teacher so that I wouldn't have to worry about lesson planning, trying to self-manage my progress, accountability, etc. Sandy of course brilliantly provides all of that. But the invaluable and elusive thing she also provides is personalized feedback, explained in a way that is easy to understand. Without that regular feedback on technique, progress is likely to falter and bad habits can creep in -- which become harder and harder to remedy as time goes on. She also does a tremendous job at grounding the theory in history by sprinkling in just the right amount of context, which gives me a richer connection to the instrument as a whole. I am so glad I decided to take lessons with Sandy! Her prices are reasonable, she is super flexible with scheduling, and is a total delight to be around. read more

I took lessons from Sandy for about 1.5 years as a complete beginner. She's a very friendly and upbeat every lesson. She's extremely competent and can answer all the questions you have about music as you're learning. She goes in depth on theory and is very resourceful with tools and books to help facilitate. She has enough experience to know exactly where you stumble (even over video!). She'll meet you where you're at each lesson and bring you forward a few notches each visit. She's a very gifted teacher and I hope I can take more lessons with her in the future! read more

If you're considering picking up an instrument, I highly recommend Sandy Mix! I've been going to lessons with her for the last 4 1/2 years with no plans on stopping anytime soon. I seriously can't say enough good things. First of all, she's so good at teaching adults. I started with the piano and was really nervous to pick up something new at my age, but she made me feel completely comfortable - she never made me feel bad for not practicing (which took a while to get in the habit of) but gave me enough structure to help keep me progressing. And I've had the opportunity to practice playing at her annual sing-along parties, which again I was really nervous about the first couple of times, but it's the most accepting and encouraging group of people and I can mess up as many times as I want with no judgement - which I think has really helped me grow and learn how to stay calm (although my hands still tend to shake when I get started). I also appreciate how flexible and versatile Sandy is. My at-home electric piano shorted out and we were able to transition to the guitar for bit - and now have even found the ukulele! It's really fun to be able to mix it up if I want to - and Sandy is very accommodating with whatever I feel like doing on that day. Although lessons do tend to be better when I do practice, it's always fun and I leave in a much better mood than I came. And I now rarely miss a day of practice, which is a testament to how much I love it! Music really has become such a fun hobby and has enriched my life in so many ways - and I'm really so grateful that I found Sandy. It's never too late to start something new... read more

Sandy Mix Music - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - San Francisco, California

Sandy is the best piano teacher ever! She's fun, patient, creative, and even taught me to love counting-a true feat! Sandy would be a great fit for anyone looking to learn, or relearn, piano as an adult read more

I've been taking lessons with Sandy for 4 years and what a gift she's been! When I decided to take piano lessons (after a 25 year hiatus), I had no idea how much fun it would be to learn from Sandy. She creates the ideal environment for learning -- matching theory with practical application. Sandy does an exceptional job of tailoring lessons based on the songs you want to learn while encouraging you learn the basics. Anyone would be lucky to take lessons from Sandy. She's truly the best. read more

I've been taking piano lessons from Sandy for over three years now. I started off brand new to the piano and love how far/fast I've progressed thanks to her. Sandy has a very creative way of teaching you the right form, technique, and theory all at the same time. Plus you get a sticker for every song you master- how can you not love that even as an adult? While I really miss being able to see Sandy in person, she's been great at keeping me progressing virtually. My weekly sessions with her are fully online now and will continue to be until we can get past Covid. But the piano, and my lessons, are a great way to get through it! read more

Sandy is a fantastic teacher, I've been taking piano from her for 2 yrs now and I have no intention of stopping. I always feel good after a class with her, even when I'm having a bad day, even when I didn't practice, Sandy has an incredible way to support, encourage and challenge her students. I love it. So, I never set out to learn piano as an adult. I fell in love with a incredible Tom Waits song, I brought Sandy the sheet music and asked if she would teach me, a complete newby, to play this complex blues song. She was enthusiastic to try. Not only has she taught me to play this wonderful song, but she gently guided me towards actually becoming a piano player - knowledge and performance of chords and keys and all kinds of things I never thought I'd be able to do. I'm grateful. She's also very reasonably priced and is flexible with my crazy schedule. She's the whole package and I'm so very glad my friend recommended her. If you're looking for a great teacher, look no further, you've found her. read more

I've been taking guitar from Sandy after years of avoiding stringed instruments of any kind (and CLASSES of any kind) and she knows exactly how to deal with my insecurites and reluctance. I'm now practicing two different songs as I write this review. I can't guarantee that I practice EVERY single day, and one week I was so sick that my muscles were in no condition to practice, and Sandy used the lesson as a chance to get me back up to speed. I highly recommend her to anyone wanting to learn an instrument or just about music in general. read more

First things first. Sandy Mix is an amazing teacher. She really can teach an old dog new tricks. Read on for details... Encountering the piano as an adult can be a daunting task. I had tried books and multimedia and I even took a class at a school (just one). The problem is that it seemed so public and almost like waiting in the doctor's office. Enter Sandy Mix. The simple fact that she teaches out of her own private home sweetens the deal. It's comfortable and also in a convenient location. I could say this or that about her techniques. I'm no expert. I never learned piano as a child. What I do know is that she makes it fun and approachable and eventually you find you can play "Minuet in G Major". I love it. It feels adult. And it's "me time". And I have a new skill I can improve and a healthy pastime. My goals are my own. Sandy is there to facilitate. Oh! And a block from Castro MUNI! read more

I have been taking piano lessons from Sandy for three years. She has been the perfect teacher for my busy lifestyle. Sometimes I can make a lot of time to practice and then Sandy is always ready to help me get to the next level. Other times when I don't have as much time, Sandy helps me use my lesson time to make continuous progress. I would highly recommend Sandy to any adult wanting to give a learning an instrument a try. read more

Sandy is an excellent music teacher. I have been taking piano lessons from her for several years and I'm very happy with my progression. One of the things I like best about her teaching is that she immediately identifies areas of concern and knows how to work with me to overcome challenges. I always look forward to my lesson with Sandy which is not something commonly heard from music students. Highly recommend Sandy Mix Music! read more

Sandy is simply amazing. She's not only a fantastic instructor, but a truly genuine person who wants you to succeed. I have never played the piano before, and she totally will work at whatever pace you want. She's patient, flexible and just overall a great person. You can tell she loves what she does which makes each lesson worth while. I look forward to continuing lessons with her! read more

I've been learning trumpet from scratch with Sandra for about a year and a half. She's a great, understanding and thoughtful teacher and would highly recommend her. read more

I've been taking piano lessons from Sandy for about a year and I honestly feel I'm a better person for the whole experience of it. Sandy is clearly well versed in musical theory, musical history, and in playing music - but all the more critical are Sandy's great teaching skills and her overall passion for the subject and for life. Sandy smoothly incorporates anecdotes about Alexander Borodin into her lessons but is unwaveringly patient with me when it's clear I haven't practiced. Recently, my daughter started attending lessons with Sandy, too, and it's a really lovely experience. I feel so grateful to have found Sandy and to be taking piano lessons from her! read more

Sandy is just an amazing teacher. She has the incredibly rare combination of professional and casual that I was looking for in a teacher, and seems to be able to figure out how I learn even if I don't know myself. She's fantastic at finding fun and interesting ways to teach and motivate, too. I had previously studied music (on another instrument) before taking piano lessons with Sandy, but I can say that with her help and guidance, I've gained a much stronger understanding and better appreciation for music and music theory. Whether you're looking to learn how to just "jam" on your instrument, learn contemporary music, or take a more classical approach, Sandy can accommodate and make it fun all the while. I really cannot give a high enough recommendation. If you're looking for a smart, funny, professional teacher who will work with you, you can't do any better than Sandy. read more

I've been studying the trumpet with Sandy for a few months now. I get so much more than I signed up for! Not only did she teach me how to play from the ground up (I can now manage a ton of scales and figure out how to play along with most songs I like), she also managed to teach me a lot of music theory. This has had great side effects on my guitar playing! Finally, she is just really nice and smart, so I always leave our classes feeling happier and in a great mood. If you need a great music teacher in San Francisco, you'd be hard pressed to find a better one! read more

I've been taking piano lessons from Sandy now for over a year. I cannot say enough about how wonderful of a teacher Sandy is. Early on she was able to hone in on the type of learner I am and shape our lessons to accommodate. Her passion for music and music history is infectious. If you are looking for a patient, passionate, supportive, fun music teacher- Sandy is your person!! read more

I've taken lessons from Sandy for about three years, after studying as a child. She is, in a word, amazing. Sandy has a way of helping me recognize and build on my strengths, while being incredibly flexible and patient in adapting her lesson plans to my busy work life. I've progressed more under Sandy's guidance than I'd ever thought possible. Even when I find myself coming into a lesson feeling unprepared, she leaves me feeling invigorated and inspired. After having "tried out" a number of other instructors, I feel like I'm at home with Sandy. I recommend without reservation that anyone with a passion for learning to play, or who is more experienced and looking to advance his/her craft, try working with Sandy. read more