All lesson options available both in-person and online. Send us a note or schedule a free consultation to get started.

Easy and Flexible

ModernTone Studios is open seven days a week and it’s really easy to schedule music lessons. Whether you learn in-person at our Lafayette, CA studio or online via video, manage your schedule from your laptop, desktop, phone or tablet. You can choose how and when you’d like your payments to go through and adjust your lesson times/frequency through our online system. Our dedicated studio coordinator is also available to help you with any scheduling needs.

Kick-Ass Studios

Learn like a pro where the pros play. Every room at ModernTone is acoustically treated, soundproofed, and optimized to inspire incredible performances – whether you’re an experienced player or a beginning music student. Play in a great-sounding space featuring hand-picked instruments, amps, and music accessories. Our ever-growing collection of gear is always available to you. Need help picking out a new instrument? We’re always down to talk about music, just ask!

Pro Teachers

Music is our love, our passion, and our trade. Learn music from teachers who play professionally and have decades of experience on stage and in the studio. When you take lessons with us at ModernTone, you’ll get our unique perspective on music, how to practice, and how to use your skills in the real world. We’ll create a custom lesson plan that includes your favorite songs, so you can reach your goals by learning the kind of music that excites you.

Local Community

Join ModernTone’s vibrant community of musicians located in the heart of the East Bay. Our students come from Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda, Walnut Creek, Martinez, Danville, San Ramon, Pleasant Hill, Concord, and all over the Bay Area. Get together with like-minded music lovers and form musical friendships in your neighborhood. Our music programs encourage you to play in a band, participate in recording sessions, and work with songwriters on original tunes.

Live Support

Do you need extra help with your practice routine? Stuck on some notes that aren’t quite clicking yet? Even between lessons, we’re here to help! Contact us by phone, text, direct message, or email for live support as you hone your new skills in-between lessons. If you have any scheduling difficulties, payment questions, or other issues, just hit us up. We always respond within 24 hours (usually way faster). We look forward to hearing from you.

Secret Ingredient

We just love music. There’s no other way to say it. From teaching, to recording, to passing on knowledge and learning new things ourselves – every day at ModernTone is an opportunity to immerse yourself in music of all styles. Sharing the gift of music is nothing short of a labor of love, which comes through in each and every lesson we teach. We can’t wait to collaborate with you and show you how to be the kind of musician you want to be. Let’s play!

Your Instructors

There’s a perfect songwriting teacher for you at ModernTone. Whether you’re working on your first set of lyrics and melodies or are a seasoned songwriter looking to expand your repertoire, we’ll show you how to reach your goals. Each instructor personalizes lesson plans to meet you where you are as a musician and push you to improve at your own pace, in your own time. Click or tap a photo below to get to know the pro who could change your life through music.

Songwriting Lessons at ModernTone

You can take private songwriting lessons at any age, level and understanding of music at ModernTone Studios. Choose between in-person sessions at our East Bay music studio or write in the comfort of your own space through live remote songwriting lessons. Wherever you want to be and however you want to learn, come unlock your full musical potential.

For in-person songwriting lessons we’d love to have you at our newly-renovated studio in Lafayette, CA. You can easily reach us from Highway 24 and parking is super easy. We’re also less than a mile from Lafayette BART so you can even walk or cycle to your lessons. The location is perfect for anyone looking for songwriting lessons in Walnut Creek, Moraga, Orinda, Martinez, Alamo, Danville, San Ramon, Pleasant Hill, Concord and the greater Bay Area.

If remote learning is more your speed, try online songwriting lessons with ModernTone. Join hundreds of students who learn to write music from anywhere. With our convenient remote learning system, connecting with your instructor is as easy as clicking a link on your phone or laptop. Join a live private lesson on any device and connect with your favorite instructor.

You’ve always wanted to write a song but never knew how to start. Maybe you’ve got a case of writer’s block or get melodies stuck in your head but can’t quite pair them up with lyrics yet. Songwriting may seem intimidating, but with a great teacher you’ll fly past your self doubt and start writing in no time. We’ll start off by discussing your goals as a songwriter and get you familiar with common song structures, look at any lyrics you may have, and start exercising those music-making muscles. By the end of your first lesson, you’ll be on your way to writing your own music. Most importantly, we will help you build your confidence and make sure you have loads of fun – because that’s what music is all about!

You’ve been writing songs for a while and have a pretty good understanding of your songwriting process, but want to take your music to the next level. Maybe you feel stuck and aren’t sure how to get better. Don’t worry, this is super common and easy to fix. Songwriting lessons with us are designed to take your writing from “eh” to “awesome.” Whether you’ve written songs by yourself or collaborated with co-writers, we can help you streamline and expand your skills. Work with a seasoned pro who can identify the gaps in your musical knowledge and design a custom lesson plan to get you where you want to go. We’ll use your favorite songs as a jumping-off point while introducing you to new ways to write. Try some songwriting lessons and become the songwriter you always wanted to be.

You’re a musician on a mission. You’ve been around and know your stuff, maybe you’ve recorded your original compositions, but you know you can make more out of your music. Invest in your craft. It’s time to take songwriting lessons for keeps. Polish up your skills and learn insider secrets from music industry professionals with decades of knowledge to share. We’ll focus on the subjects that matter the most to you, introduce you to top-level exercises, and teach you how to develop an original sound. We know you can speak the language of music pretty well, but taking songwriting lessons at an advanced level can help you become truly fluent. Discover the secrets behind some of your favorite songs and learn how to write and structure music like a pro, so you can unlock your full potential as an artist.

Reviews

We are the highest rated music studio in the Bay Area and maintain a 5-star rating on Yelp, Facebook, and Google. Check out what students like you have to say about their experience at ModernTone.

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.

If you look at the schedule and don’t see a time that works, shoot us a note or give us a call. We’re usually able to find something that fits.

FAQ

While the studios are open every day of the week, we can’t all be there all the time. However, most of us are available for lessons on multiple days throughout the week. Our quick online booking process matches your schedule with your instructor’s availability and helps you find the best day and time for your lesson. Want to reserve that day and time every week? Click the “recurring” tab after choosing a day and time. Prefer to book a different date every time? Be our guest. You can even book multiple lessons in advance, each at a different day and time.

Your instrument, a notebook, and a will to rock and roll! A list of songs you like is also a great idea.

We sure can! Introducing you to new ideas, techniques, methods, scales and musical concepts, will help you break out of your rut and regain your long lost enthusiasm. In addition to that, we will make sure you improve gradually from week to week and help you establish a proper practicing regimen. We’ll teach you how to be meticulous about your playing and maybe even show you a secret trick or two ;)

You can definitely borrow, just make sure that you are free to keep it for a while because you will need it to practice at home between lessons. However, in the long run, it’s probably best to own your instrument.

Monthly Lesson Plans

Our monthly lesson plans are designed for committed students who take lessons regularly and would like to reserve the same day and time with their favorite instructor. Missed a lesson? Couldn’t make it this month? No worries! Your unused lessons roll-over from month to month so you will never be charged for lessons that you did not attend (just don’t forget to let us know 48 hours in advance).

2 lessons

60 min. each, every other week
$180 per month

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4 lessons

60 min. each, once a week
$360 per month

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8 lessons

60 min. each, twice a week
$720 per month

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Lesson Plans for Kids

While we strongly recommend 1-hour lessons for aspiring musicians of any age, we appreciate that some kids have a hard time focusing for a full hour, especially the younger ones. To help, we offer 30-min lessons for children under the age of 10.

2 lessons

30 min. each, every other week
$110 per month

Sign up

4 lessons

30 min. each, once a week
$220 per month

Sign Up

8 lessons

30 min. each, twice a week
$440 per month

Sign up

Music Lessons Gift Certificate

Looking for a unique music gift that the musician in your life will love? Get them lessons with a professional! Gift certificates are available for all types of music lessons and are great for both current players and first timers.

Learn More

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:

Reviews on Yelp
Reviews on Google

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.

ModernTone Studios
1018-B Almanor Ln.
Lafayette, CA 94549

7 days a week, 10am-8pm