Chris Martsolf
Drummer, pianist, and music producer with a Music degree from UCSC and a passion for multiple genres
Bio
Chris Martsolf is a drummer, pianist, and music producer experienced in various styles of music, ranging from jazz to hip hop to rock. He has been practicing music from a young age and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music from UC Santa Cruz, where he studied drums with a focus in jazz performance. Balancing his time between guiding students in music lessons and producing bands and solo artists in recording sessions, Chris brings his unwavering passion, innate musicality, and distinctive style to every interaction.
As a music educator, Chris’s greatest joy lies in inspiring and empowering students to explore diverse musical genres and nurture their own unique artistic expression. He firmly believes that playing music should be a gratifying and enriching experience, and he strives to foster a supportive and enjoyable environment for his students to learn and flourish. Regardless of skill level, Chris is committed to helping his students achieve their goals and discover the exhilaration and fulfillment that come with playing and creating music.
Learning an instrument with Chris is an exciting journey. He assists his students in developing their musical preferences, cultivating healthy practice habits, and nurturing an enthusiastic love for playing and listening to music. On drums, Chris works with students on developing an interest in groove, fluidity of motion, stick control, dynamics, reading skills, and improvisation. On piano, Chris emphasizes the importance of finger dexterity, technique, music theory, and melodic expression.
When it comes to music production, Chris is fluent in multiple digital audio workstations (DAWs), including Logic Pro X, Pro Tools, FL Studio, and Ableton. He guides his students in the creation of their own music, whether through live instruments, MIDI controllers, samples, loops, or any other means of self-expression through sound and audio. Chris’s lessons revolve around mastering the fundamentals of mixing, exploring the chosen program’s features, and honing the skills required to achieve the desired sonic outcome.
Schedule Lessons
STEP 1
BOOK
Choose your lesson from the list and pick a good day and time. You can even schedule recurring or multiple lessons and sync lesson times with your Google, iOS or Outlook calendar. Want to get some lessons for a friend or loved one? Private music lesson gift certificates are available here.
STEP 2
PAY
We accept all major credit and debit cards as well as PayPal. You can choose to pay as you go, buy multiple lessons in advance, or set up autopay – whichever works best.
STEP 3
PLAY
We’ll text you a couple of days before your lesson to remind you that it’s almost music time.
On lesson day, come to our studio in Lafayette or login to your remote music lessons from wherever. Your instructor will meet you right on time so you can dive into music right away. Before your lesson is up, we’ll make sure you have a handle on your practicing assignments and double check that you have everything you need to practice at home.
Have questions about anything? We’re here to help! Hit us up and we’ll figure it out together.
Reviews
We are the highest rated music studio in the Bay Area and maintain a 5-star rating on Yelp, Facebook, Google and Thumbtack. Check out what our students have to say about their experience at ModernTone.
Christopher Bean
ModernTone Studios is an amazing hub for musicians! Jacob Light and his team have worked meticulously to create a positive environment where people of all skill levels can learn, record, and chat all things music. I'm continually amazed at how supportive everyone at ModernTone... Read more
Xiaonan Chen
Our kids have been taking guitar and drum lessons for almost a year here. It’s a great studio for the kids. They both enjoy playing the instruments more and more. It’s great to see their improvement. The teachers are always super patient and fun. Highly recommend this studio!
Jackie Sergie
I have been working with Modern Tone Studio and Briget Boyle (vocal & song writing coach), for over a year now and we just wrapped on my first EP. As an adult returning to music after many years away and very intense training as a child, the experience was amazing and I'm... Read more
mike milmoe
MTS is the best Studio in the Bay! Jacob and his team deliver A+ results. Their dedication, creativity and professionalism is second to none. 🙌
Eva H.
Talented and professional musicians have gotten my son from zero to being asked to join a jazz band in a year! Friendly and flexible staff to help schedule... Read more
Ida P.
Our 8-year-old son has been taking drum lessons with Tim for 2 years, he enjoys the lessons and always looks forward to learn new techniques from Tim. Tim... Read more
Shaun D.
My sons and I have been taking lessons at the school over the past few months. My older boys on the piano with Will, my youngest on the drums with Tim and I'm enjoying my sessions on the guitar with Daniel. The teachers have all been very engaging and we usually look forward... Read more
Gary Finn
Real working musicians as instructors. Amazing pro-level facilities. Super convenient online scheduling (fantastic for busy family life). What's not to love? ModernTone is the best recording studio+music lessons in the East Bay, hands down.
Derk DeVries
School is so good that i have the following post that should be shared.... “When you’re in Dubai on your Honeymoon, and still want to practice before the next lesson.”
Drum Lessons Gift Certificate
Looking for a unique music gift that the drummer in your life will love? Get them lessons with a professional session drummer! Gift certificates are available for all types of drum lessons and are great for both experienced drummers and first timers.
More Info
ModernTone is located in the heart of downtown Lafayette at 1018-B Almanor Ln, Lafayette, CA 94549. We have a private parking lot and street parking is easy and plentiful. The studio’s location is right off the freeway so getting here from Walnut Creek, Orinda, Moraga, Martinez, Danville, San Ramon, Pleasant Hill and Concord is a fast and simple.
Lessons are $90 for a full hour and $55 for half-hour sessions. We recommend weekly lessons, but you are free to set the lesson frequency as you wish. We also offer monthly lesson plans designed for committed students who take lessons regularly. We respectfully request at least 24 hours notice for cancellations. No-shows and lessons cancelled less than 24 hours in advance will be charged in full.
- We believe in pushing our students to their full potential, but doing so in a positive, nurturing and encouraging way
- We believe that matching students with the right instructors help to form a better human connection between them and leads to better, happier students
- We believe that music should be learned in a soulful, inspiring, and comfortable environment, using hi-end professional gear.
Our teaching and recording studios have been built from the ground up with acoustics and soundproofing in mind. We designed the spaces to be ideal for music teaching and recording. We handpick all of our amps, instruments, and accessories, and pride ourselves with using high-quality equipment that is made in the USA.
Don’t take our word for it – read what our students have to say:
Let's Talk
Drop us a line and let us know what you are thinking. We typically respond in minutes, but it can take up to 24 hours when things are super busy.
