Absolutely a horribly run school. Bobby, who books everything cannot pick up the phone and forces you to correspond via email, yet will not respond to half of the communication while what he does respond to is incomplete. He makes excuses, changes times last minute, and says he's going to fix the air condition in a stuffy warm room for several weeks now. There is one talented teacher (Jett) that I worked with but everything runs through Bobby and his email. You can hardly do anything on the website. I was so frustrated with his antics and interference that I donated the 100 credit I had because he was so clueless and difficult to work with. Do you think he took the time to thank me? Of course he did not. read more

We love Songsmith LA!! Over this past year we have had virtual piano lessons with Elizabeth. We adore her and Bobby too. Elizabeth is incredibly patient, kind and a fantastic teacher. It cannot be easy teaching virtually, so we have appreciated all of her efforts. Thank you Songsmith LA!! read more

I recently had the pleasure of working with and learning from Bobby for a big work-related project where I had to figure out the keys and chords to a song by ear in the space of my one hour with him before performing the song live literally the next day. Not only was Bobby able to accommodate my needs on very short notice, he was flexible enough to come in on his day off while being extremely fun and easy to work with. His expertise shone through as he was able to help me break the song down in less than an hour while even finding time to give me additional vocal coaching too. Bobby has a way of making you feel at ease right away and it just made the process all the more fun and productive. While I would have loved to have had many more days to practice with him, we made my very short timeframe work because of Bobby's diligence, talent and his great teaching ability that made me feel confident in the piece before I had to perform it. I would happily return to Songsmith and work with Bobby again in the future and only wish I had more time to actually dive back into playing more regularly and learning from him on a consistent basis. Thanks Bobby! read more

Songsmith is a great place, very friendly staff and great instruction, attended a few songsmith classes on song writing and musicianship really liked meeting bobby and the facility ended up signing up for a keyboard composition class for my daughter who plays piano... My daughter really liked the instructor dylan and bobby so i went ahead and signed both her and i up for piano classes My daughter has played piano for almost two years and started at sliverlake music conservatory which is a great place as well then left to take classes thru her middle school, after the middle school classes ended we considered returning to silverlake... Thru meetup groups i found and attended songsmiths songwriting class and attended... I was instantly impressed by the facility and by bobby it was a very low key high quality facility and i really liked it and showed up again for another class for with my daughter to see what she thought of songsmith and she felt like she had learned more here then at silverlake conservatory So with that i signed both her and i up for piano classes, i play bass guitar and drums and figured that piano can help me fit in the missing pieces and learn how to really compose music instead of just playing it... So with that we have been attending classes here and the experience has been five star... Plus i wanted to mention which was a good sign the first time i came to check out the place... They had for sale you are a bad ass book by jen sincero which is one of my favorite inspirational books right now... So with that now you know my story and my recommendation for songsmith LA read more

Unfortunately SongsmithLA didn't work out for me. I picked them only because I saw good reviews on yelp. Bobby Apperson, who was my singing instructor only cared about taking my money. That's it! During my first visit he made sure that I paid him on the spot and he pressured me that I pay for the upcoming week. It took about 20 minutes of what was supposed to be my training singing lessons, trying to figure out on how to send him the money. When we started, unfortunately, he didn't even know any of the songs I wanted to practice. He never even cared to ask me ahead of time what my style of singing was. After the exact hour went up he did his best to get me out as soon as possible. 2nd session because I had already paid for it, he started late. He just went on and on about his breakup and that he had to move out. "Well, Boohoo...Umm, hello I'm here to learn how to sing! Not to hear about your problems!! " Again he didn't know any of the songs that I mentioned the week prior. He never even looked them up. He tried looking them up during my rehearsal on his YouTube but his internet was down so I had to look them up myself. Bleh this was a waste of time. $60 an hour for this! N by the way this was his house I think that got turned in to a music studio! Idk Instruments were placed by the window display that the instructor had no idea on how to play. He didn't even know what kind of instruments they were. He had a little display of mediocre candles as soon as you walked in, that he probably never sold. This is a bad choice if you are serious about learning how to sing. read more

Bobby is a WONDERFUL piano teacher! He's patient, kind and makes you feel comfortable (which was paramount for this newbie). I can't wait to see the kind of sonnets I will compose from this awesome experience :) read more

Bobby is a patient, thoughtful, and fun teacher. As an older student, I was worried that piano might be too difficult for me to learn, but Bobby takes the time make sure I understand each building block before moving on. Plus, the space is full of light and very comfortable. If you are thinking of learning how to play piano, then Bobby is your man. read more

Songsmith LA - bobby at his piano in his studio. - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Los Angeles, California

A definite 5+ stars for Bobby Apperson & Songsmith LA. My (teenage) daughter began taking voice and songwriting lessons from Bobby Apperson at Songsmith LA this past spring. Megan is an experienced singer and has been taking lessons (from multiple teachers) for several years. We wanted someone who could help take her to the next level and we found that in Bobby! Not only does he have the technical knowledge we were seeking, he is also caring and supportive and we really enjoy working with him. As an added bonus (not including his dog Molly who is the cutest!), he hosts a songwriting workshop every couple of weeks which my daughter loves! We HIGHLY recommend Bobby & Songsmith LA. read more

Bobby is so fun to work with on all things music! He's very knowledgeable and has coached and encouraged me in how to adjust bad habits of for example not breathing right, tension and much more! I've worked with him on my own songs and he's helped me sing them better and with confidence so that when I go into the studio I nail it! Bobby is so supportive and talented, and I always look forward to our classes! :) read more

Had a great time with Bobby! He is a talented man with a lot to give. Bobby patiently guided me through the basics of piano. He answered every question calmly and thoughtfully, from the basic "where does my hand go again?" to "who invented the piano?" He tailored the lesson for me as we went and was a pleasure to be with. Not intimidating, but you still have a lot of respect for him and his craft. It's cathartic playing piano, since it's another way to connect your mind and body. I highly recommend taking lessons with him! I bet he'd work really well with kids too. read more

I found Bobby's patient, gentle approach to learning piano again after 20 years to be quite useful. After each lesson, I feel like I'm making real progress. He's a very supportive teacher; he offers only constructive help. All his policies are well-detailed and there are no surprises. I've been to some of his social gatherings where students elect to perform for each other and all the performers have clearly done very well learning with Bobby. In addition to piano, he also is a singing instructor. I've done a few lessons with him in which I felt I made great progress in breath support, projection, and vocal tone. He also teaches songwriting, but I've never done such a lesson with him. I have, however, heard some students singing and performing their own works, and they all sounded amazing. Bobby is definitely worth trying out as a music instructor. read more

I haven't played piano since I was a child and I was looking to refresh my skills. I'm so happy to have found Bobby Apperson. I get really shy playing in front of people and he put me at ease with his patient demeanor. He taught me techniques I've never learned from instructors before and helped me a lot with music theory. The space is beautiful, it makes you want to sit there all day playing piano. Great teacher! read more

My 7-year old begged for piano lessons for over a year until I relented. Honestly, as a musician myself, I wanted to make sure her introduction to formal lessons was a positive one where she wouldn't be riddled with anxiety by some high-strung Nazi teacher. You know what? We were BLESSED to find Bobby. It's plain and simple: BOBBY GETS IT. He makes these lessons relevant, fun, and incredibly educational. My daughter WANTS to practice (most nights ;)). I only wish I had a teacher like Bobby when I was young. Major additional kudos to him for soothing my inner tiger mother, worrying about her learning enough theory and chord progression. Bobby is the fairy godfather of music! read more

I couldn't have picked a better place to give my first review. I decided to take piano lessons to play for personal enjoyment and, as a beginner-level student, Bobby's studio definitely stoked that desire. What took me by surprise was how he asked me what my goals are and what kind of music I want to play, and how he steered our lessons in that chosen direction. Bobby's own taste in piano music is very eclectic, and his passion and methods show how very capable he is to teach virtually any genre you set your heart to. He is very encouraging and your progress (with practice) will be both audible and visible (He has a blackboard that recognizes your accomplishments, as no accomplishment is too small). Even if you've simply entertained the thought of learning or re-learning the piano (we're not getting any younger), you'll never know your potential unless you give it a shot. And Bobby is the best teacher to help you realize how wonderfully you can really play. read more

I found that being pregnant with my second child left me no free time, so I decided to do something JUST for me. Going to Bobby for voice lessons was the best decision. He has been great! He is so patient, friendly and knowledgeable. He has a stylish studio space and a modern music taste that made me feel very comfortable - like I was hanging out with one of my friends. I was worried about being nervous to sing in front of him, or overwhelmed by required practice time, but there has been none of that with him. I do what I can manage and he gently guides me through the rest. I can't wait to go back to my lessons once my maternity leave is over (and I can finally breathe again). I honestly wish I hadn't waited so long to start doing this. So I would tell others: don't be shy. Just start singing with Bobby! read more

I played the piano when I was very young and the cello as a teenager. After years of going without playing an instrument, I really missed the experience. I contacted Bobby and let him know that I was able to plunk out tunes on the keyboard by reading note by note, but that I wanted to understand music better and wanted to understand chords--what's that about?! Right from the start, he worked with me as an experienced pianist, there was no start from the beginning, but he picked up with the knowledge I already had. I can already tell I'm learning much more that I thought I could and I can tell where I'm improving. It's the kind of reflection that makes me wish I had him as my teacher when I was a kid--maybe I would've stuck with it! Sometimes he talks a little too fast about the chords and how notes relate and it's a bit like a foreign language, but I just say "huh?" and he goes over it again. And, to be honest, I need to study up on it a bit more. On the day of my most recent lesson, I was having such a bad day that when I pulled up to my lesson, I sat in my car and thought, THANK GOODNESS! Because I knew it would be a rewarding 45 minutes that would be a happy interlude to the day. That's what I missed about music, it's a great breath away from the rest of the day and I'm so happy that Bobby is throwing me right into music that's fun to play and takes me away from those crappy days! read more

I was nervous to take piano. Having sausage fingers and almost know understanding of music theory, I was happy to find Bobby. His teaching approach is very relaxed and FUN. He works with my learning pace yet challenges me to keep me moving forward. I'm amazed at how far I've come already! And to think, the idea of playing piano intrigued me and scared me at the same time, but now it just intrigues me! If you're considering learning piano, Bobby is the best option. And I love his studio. Very bright and airy, perfect learning environment. Oh and he's easy to make laugh - makes me feel like a comedian. (Added bonus) read more

Bobby is a non judgmental voice coach. I am simply enjoying improving my skills for my own joy and entertainment and I am thrilled to work with him on this leg of the journey. read more

Bobby teaches my 7 year old daughter. Her first teacher moved so finding a teacher that she felt comfortable with was very important. Although she preferred a female teacher, after meeting Bobby she was okay and now looks forward to her lessons. Bobby is very passionate about what he does and really cares and takes the time with his students. He is very patient with my daughter and always is encouraging and finds ways to keep the lesson fun and interesting. She is improving by every lesson. Bobby is a talented teacher and a gentleman. We are really glad we found him to teach our daughter piano. read more

My daughter 9 years old has been taking piano lessons with Elizabeth for the last 6 months she is an amazing instructor very patient and so pleasant. My daughter looks forward to every class meeting. We have taken lessons elsewhere before finding songsmith LA and nothing compares. Love the environment and staff! read more

Bobby is a wonderful person and a terrific teacher! As an adult returning to the piano, Bobby helped me start at the very beginning of music reading without making me feel like a child. Bobby is patient, kind and motivating! His policies and prices are extremely fair and the studio is clean, bright and full of cheerful energy. He also hosts events for his students outside of the studio which makes for fun, social opportunities. I've recommended Bobby to several of my friends looking to explore music again. I also think it's great that he teaches youth music camps from time to time. I can't express how much music influenced me as a child and made for a happy upbringing- anyone that is willing and able to share their talent to benefit children, to me, is a very special kind of person! read more

Bobby is amazing! I've been seeing him for singing lessons and he's helped me so much with so many aspects of it. He's been helping me with overall vocal technique as well as songs that I have been working on. I always feel like I learn a lot in our lessons and can see improvements straight away. Highly recommend! read more

Our 7 year old son absolutely loves his weekly piano lesson from Bobby at Songsmith LA. And we love taking him there as well. The space is warm and inviting. Molly the dog is friendly and adorable. Above all, Bobby is a pleasure to work with. He has an excellent way with kids -- thoughtful, encouraging, and enthusiastic. The lessons are well-prepared, yet feel improvisational and playful. After a long day of first grade, more instructional time can be a real challenge. At Songsmith, however, it feels more like playtime than another class. We're so thrilled we found this awesome place and plan to continue here for a long time to come. read more

Bobby is one talented, skilled man, and he's a really effective teacher who can see clearly what you individually need. Most importantly, he truly cares about his clients, and he's passionate about music. I would call myself an intermediate player (solid with chords, but never made true friends with the dots and lines). He set me up with some exercises and methods that are already improving my sight reading ability and theory understanding. He's also helping me in some areas of technique/relaxation/position that are yielding great results. You will love working with Bobby, and you will love Bobby. Call him! read more

I have been wanting to go back to piano lessons for years and trusted the time would come when the right teacher was there for me to learn from. Sure enough the right teacher has come along at the right time. Bobby is easy going, yet methodical in his approach. He naturally makes you feel comfortable in the learning process. He is also really good at knowing what I need to pay attention to and helps me stay focused er he guides me in those areas. At the same time he is encouraging and always leaves me feeling that I can accomplish my goals when it comes to playing the piano. Up until taking lessons with Bobby I have not played in years. In just a couple of weeks, I am already feeling reconnected to the piano and have progressed much further than I had ever thought I would in such a short time. I couldn't be more pleased with Bobby! read more

Bobby is so helpful and kind! From knowing very little about piano, Bobby worked with me to make sure I understood the fundamentals of theory. After only a few months I felt comfortable playing some of my favorite songs that once seemed so difficult. The best part of working with him is that he helped improve my voice as well as my piano playing. As a songwriter and performer, he had so many tips on how to better those areas as well. You won't find a more patient and positive teacher! read more

I took a voice/songwriting lesson with Lindsay and she made me feel very comfortable and very clear that I should ask questions if I had any. She introduced me to new techniques such as breath roadmaps and gave me songwriting exercises to improve my originals. Overall, I connected with her right away and will be going back soon! read more

I took lessons with Bobby for four months, but due to time and budget constraints, I will not be able to continue until next year--which, quite frankly, sucks major balls. I really looked forward to coming over to his ultra chic studio and singing! Bobby fosters a fun, encouraging environment where you can just relax, let go, and work on being extraordinary. He has not only elevated my skills, but also my self-confidence as a singer. Bobby was also able to deconstruct my style of singing and figure out what's working, and what needs improvement. As it turns out, I have tongue tension, which is something my previous voice instructors failed to look at--it speaks great volumes about his knowledge and attention to detail. I can't wait to come back and take lessons again! read more

Bobby is fun, funny and flexible--just what I wanted in a voice teacher. We tried different songs I was interested in and I learned a lot in a short span. I'm a grownup with a day job, not looking to break into the biz, but to feel the flood of joy and relief that happens when I sing. Bobby helped me remember some old choir techniques and helped me start to improve on pitchy habits. His studio is garden patio adjacent and comes with tail-wagging dogs if you like. Try a class or ten and enjoy! read more

Bobby was really responsive in setting us up with a teacher and Melaena Cadiz is really wonderful. She's so nice and really talented. Our daughter loves music, but was hesitant to take lessons, maybe didn't want to do the work. Even when she was resistant to taking a lesson, by the time we left the class she was having fun and enjoying herself. I asked Melaena to try and teach her lyrics and songwriting, and she seems to really connect with my daughter and so far after two lessons they've written one song each class. Sure it's early stages, but it's super cute and special to see these baby steps. read more

Great piano teacher! He is very patient and talented!

My seven year old has been taking piano lessons with Elizabeth since February. We feel like we hit the jackpot in terms of finding a professional teacher who is also fun, patient, and extremely experienced. Within the first three weeks our child was reading and composing music. The pace is just right. There is "homework" each week (what to practice daily), but it is absolutely age-appropriate. We are so thrilled that our children can learn music from a "real" musician, someone who lives through example. Thank you Elizabeth, Bobby, and Songsmith LA! read more

Both my kids have been taking lessons with Bobby for a few months and they really enjoy it. My son (age 6) is taking piano lessons and my daughter (age 9) is taking voice lessons. Bobby has a soft yet effective style of teaching. He brings out the kids' love of music and I couldn't be happier. In fact, my daughter recently added piano lessons and my son wants to add drum lessons with Sam, another teacher. I highly recommend Bobby and Songsmith LA if you want your kids to learn music in a nurturing environment. read more

I looove this place! The atmosphere is perfect and as an adult getting into piano seemed very daunting and Bobby has definitely helped change my mind! I love being able to choose what direction I want my lessons to go and work on piano and voice together. Bobby is so helpful figuring out ways to approach songs that will fit my voice and style. Can't wait to see more improvements in my music! read more

Highest recommendation for Justin Levinson! I've been taking piano lessons from him, and he's made being an adult beginner fun. Super approachable and flexible in his teaching. If you've been thinking of taking lessons, then ask for Justin. read more

Bobby is a fantastic music teacher and a fun and sweet person. Each lesson provided me with tons of new knowledge. I hadn't taken a piano lesson since I was a kid so I was apprehensive to begin again, and working with Bobby was the best possible way to reconnect with the piano after all these years. I highly recommend Bobby Apperson. read more

I have been taking piano lessons with Bobby for over two years now. I love working with Bobby! He is super easygoing and an extremely talented teacher offering multiple fun and creative solutions and drills to get your fingers moving in the right direction. He even makes chords and scales seem like a tropical vacation. What I always wanted to do was sing and play piano, but struggled putting it all together. Bobby has a way of explaining and demonstrating that just makes sense. He has also taught me enough at this point that I can take any song from the radio, look up the chords, and sing and play along. We also work together on my vocal range and it has definitely improved due to his insider tips and exercises. One of the best experiences I have had and am currently enjoying is participating in his song writing group. This is an extremely unique group that meets every couple of weeks. I have never written a song in my life prior to joining in, now I have about five songs under my belt. I have also learned so much about composing and recording using simple and available music software. Because of Bobby's heart and passion for teaching, my life has been enriched with music once again. read more

Working with Bobby is truly the highlight of my week. He is an exceptional teacher, a brilliant musician, and an all-around lovely person. I've been playing piano and other instruments on and off since I was 4 years old. This means that 1) I have worked with many, many different instructors in my lifetime, none of whom have particularly inspired me to want to continue; and 2) I came to Bobby with a whole pile of bad habits that my previous teachers never bothered to correct. What I love about Bobby is that he is both wonderfully supportive/encouraging and meticulous; when I think I've done something almost perfectly (GO ME!), he'll come back with ways I could do even better--but his teaching is never pedantic or deflating. Bobby makes me want to try harder and as a result, my piano playing is improving by leaps and bounds. Perhaps more importantly, he's given me a sense of joy I've never experienced for the instrument. I started taking piano again just so I could accompany myself singing pop songs, but I find myself wanting to learn to play all kinds of music--classical, jazz, even Hanon! I could not recommend Bobby more. I hope our relationship continues for many years as I continue to improve as a musician with his excellent instruction. He's like a paid BFF! read more

I have always wanted to get into singing musical theatre songs, but never really had the voice or range. I used to be very self-conscious about my singing voice and never sang in front of anybody. Now, after taking lessons from Bobby, I can sing better than before and I'm not as embarrassed to sing! I even audition for musicals and am a member of a musical theatre vocal group at my school now! He has helped me sing higher and better than I ever have before. And Bobby is really nice too! He is amazing!! read more

I used to think that songwriting and composition was beyond me, that it was a gift only some people had and I wasn't one of the lucky ones. I mean, I had sung in chorus some and had taken piano as a kid, but I couldn't crack the code. When I started piano back up again as a lark with Bobby and then expressed my interest in songwriting, I wasn't expecting much from myself to be honest. After all, who was I kidding? But, Bobby really helped to decrypt the structure of songwriting for me and little by little, I started to really get the hang of it. From just the basic four chord pop tune to adding in some more unexpected choices, I'm totally that singer-songwriter I always embarrassingly envisioned in my head. And, he's been great with the vocals as well, helping me to know what works for my body and providing concrete tips for the kind of singing I want to do. Top-notch guy, definitely check him out. read more