The reviews don't lie. Reuben is the man! His technique is great. I knew nothing about guitars and he already has me playing my first song. I don't go in as much as I would like to, but the time I spend studying with Reuben is no time wasted. Any questions or help you need, Reuben has an answer and a solution, not to mention he has a great way of boosting up confidence. If you are looking for someone who knows his guitars, Reuben is it! If you are looking for someone who can teach anyone at any level or playing, even if that level is none, Reuben is it! If you are looking fora cool dude that is easy to talk to, Reuben is it! Reuben knows guitars and if you put in the time and practice like he says, you can play a guitar as well. Reuben wastes no time. I was surprised that he gave me a song to practice on the first lesson. I was preparing myself for boring regular studies, but boy was I wrong. Trust in Reuben and he will make sure you play well. Reuben looks at the way you hold the guitar, the way you switch chords, finger placement, strumming, etc... He will guide you until you get it right! Best part, he is flexible and always available to help. He always tells me to text him with questions, his response time is great. If his reply is late, be patient as he might be with a customer or just busy (he is human). I have never had a text or email ignored or delayed by Reuben. read more

You ever wanted to learn something so you googled it and tried to find someone who could teach you? And then paid a lot of money but instead of learning what you wanted to learn, you realize you have paid to learn a life lesson: that most of the time, things aren't what they seem and you can't believe everything people claim? Well, I live in LA so I'm pretty jaded and I saw Reuben's classes and decided I'd risk $50. I really wanted to learn to play guitar and had even tried before but never found the right teacher. Until now. I come from a family of educators and musicians. I know how rare it is to find a really good teacher. So rare that we all remember the very few good ones we've ever had in our lives. We mark time by them...we speak of them and give them credit for decades. I took a friend with me from Salvador who is just beginning to learn English and also wanted to learn guitar. Reuben told me he didn't speak Spanish but that he would wait for me to translate and not to worry...that he would teach us both how to play guitar. So we took our new guitars and went to Thud Studios in North Hollywood and there was Reuben, waiting for us at the door with a big smile. Inside the perfectly dimly-lit studio he had our music stands already set up with red folders and our lessons that he had prepared. All the nervousness we had felt faded as he talked and showed us new things and we relaxed into his world of knowledge and patience and encouragement and we knew we had found that thing we're all looking for but almost never find: someone who not only has the skills, but the ability to speak our language - whatever that language is - and share their gift with us! "The gift was ours to borrow!" We were terrible. We were so out of our depth. But somehow as Reuben guided us through chords and scales and techniques, we began to believe that we each had unique talents of our own. At times we even felt like one day we might be great, so genuine and enthusiastic was Reuben's response to our trying. He watched and listened to us - not just our playing, but our mentality about the process. He addressed the psychology of our learning in ways that no one except my parents have ever been sharp enough to realize. He called us out on our fears and then took them away. He pushed without nagging, encouraged without blowing smoke and taught with the fluidity of the moment...always observing and adjusting based on what we were doing. He told us early on that he didn't want to get us too dependent on him, so he would not teach us how to play guitar... he would teach us how to learn. And how to be musicians. One day I asked him how good he really was in the world of guitar players. He answered matter-of-factly and humbly that he was "competent." I couldn't help but remember once when Billy Joel was asked how he felt he stacked up against other piano players in the world, he responded that he was "merely competent" and that in this day and age, that really stood out. Reuben is not just competent. He's brilliant and we are already imitating him as we discover who we are as musicians. He's that teacher we'll be talking about when we're old. And we are so happy we found him...in an alley off of Vineland in North Hollywood. read more

Here's a quick and easy read on why Reuben is Your guy for guitar lessons. I was 38 years old and never played a guitar. Reuben "had Me playing tunes in no time" as He promised and I've never regretted one minute of it. I've been taking lessons with him for over a year, and here's what's so awesome about this guy: 1. Extremely flexible. You will never miss a lesson because of Reuben. He will bend over backwards to accommodate You. 2. It's more than just a guitar lesson. Reuben has taught Me so much about music, learning to trust myself, the music business itself, and just about life in general. He is a wealth of knowledge. 3. He goes out of his way to help You any way He can, such as if You need help picking out a guitar, equipment, teaching Me how to change my guitar strings etc. He's even offered Me help when I go to pick out a MacBook Pro. 4. He doesn't watch the time. Many times my lesson has gone over 60 minutes if no one else is waiting. He never makes Me feel rushed. 5. He makes himself available for questions via email and responds promptly. Reuben has a "no question is a bad question" policy. Great communication! 6. He's super patient and takes the mystery out of playing a guitar with easy to read handouts, music etc. to keep You interested, making playing guitar fun and inspiring. Reuben is an inspiration and I could probably write for hours adding to the list of reasons why Reuben meets every need under the sun for someone looking to learn guitar, but You'd probably just get halfway down the list before You contacted him anyway to schedule a lesson on Your own. ;) You won't regret it! read more

Reuben has been a great teacher going on three years. I have seen my skills on guitar and bass dramatically improve. Working with him has given me the confidence to first play out with a cover band, then get going with experienced musicians in an original band. Theory is making sense, I'm applying what I know to the songs and parts I'm playing with other people-the info is being applied. Huge relief as I can communicate and create with confidence. Highly recommend! read more

After researching a bunch of guitar teachers, and having no luck, I found Rueben's site where he gave a few free lessons. I liked them so I took a chance and signed up. Turns out, he is an amazing teacher. I had been playing around with the guitar for a while, without any real direction so I wasn't really advancing, after a few lessons I was not just playing the scales and some pink floyd leads, but actually starting understand the guitar. He broke down the guitar to help take the mystery out of it. On top of it all, he is legitimately a cool person and very possitive. I was actually pretty nervous in the beginning, being in my late 30's and taking lessons, but it is a great experience. read more

Reuben is a great guitar teacher. He's very positive and encouraging all the while challenging you to higher levels. After you learn a song,the professional-sounding recordings you make in his studio will impress your friends. It's obvious he has a vast knowledge of music and I look forward to my lessons each week. read more

Reuben is really good! No joke. For us, the best music teacher we came across! The right personality, awesome talent, vast knowledge and good humor! My two kids have progressed at a very fast pace at playing lead/bass for the past three years. Prior to Reuben we've seen two other guitar instructors (one with Guitar Center) and several piano instructors. Nowadays Reuben is producing my kids band's songs. We live on the West side of the Valley. If you're looking for a guitar home, this is it! read more

Um. Ruben is simply the best. Period. I have been playing guitar a little bit for years now and was never able to get my bar chords down. I have taken lessons elsewhere, but I have never progressed as good as I did with Ruben. After years of trying off and on- within two months- I got my bar chords down! He makes it fun- I actually look forward to practicing and I'm playing songs that I love and have always wanted to play. This guy is the best! Thank you Ruben!!! read more

I've been taking lessons with Rueben for a few weeks now and it's amazing. I basically knew nothing before I started and I have been progressing by leaps and bounds even in the short amount of time I've been going to him. He's a great teacher. He's very knowledgeable and positive. He encourages you to ask questions. You can even email or call him with questions and he'll respond in a timely fashion. He provides a great environment and a bunch of innovative tools to learn and get your jam on. I totally recommend going to him for lessons. read more

I'm a 30yr old man who has played guitar very casually for a short time and I was apprehensive about finding a teacher that would give me the same lesson plan they give every new 8 year old that walks through the door. I tried Rueben based on the reviews on yelp. I've now been with Rueben for a little more than a month, but his commitment and dedication to me is amazing. From day one he tailored his lessons to me. He wanted to know my experience level and the style of music I preferred to incorporate it within the lesson. He's made the guitar fun and the progress has followed. Even at my skill level we're building on music theory which will I know (I'm a singer) will serve me well in understanding the instrument more as I progress. His prices are fair, he doesn't watch the clock (I don't think I've ever gone for just an hour ... I've often thought I was taking advantage of him), and he met me at Guitar Center (no affiliation) to pick out a guitar with me when I needed a new one. Please if you're looking for a teacher give him a shot. read more