Student Reviews

…... Studying guitar with him has also motivated me to take vocal lessons with him as well. He really encourages his students to push themselves creatively. Sam infuses his students with support, love and kindness and thus, we can continue to learn with confidence. I have stopped telling myself “I can’t”, because I will always hear Sam’s voice in my head saying “You CAN and you will!”
I’ll never be able to thank Sam enough for the experience of learning with him, it’s changed my life. Thank you for giving me new skills, not just musically, but for life. Thank you for giving me a safe space to learn, and to actually enjoy the process. I love you, Sam! Your students all love you so much!!”

Kiana Madani

“Whether you just learned to play guitar last week, or whether you've been on the road touring for 20 years, he will help you...... I DEFINITELY RECOMMEND SAM'S WORKSHOPS!!!!!”

Meg Todd - www.megtodd.com
Songwriter / Performer / Recording Artist

“I have had the pleasure of taking these workshops for the past 6 years and I can say that they are single-handedly the reason I am working as a musician today.”

Nick Hinton - www.facebook.com/thebadwater
Lead Guitar / Badwater

"Meeting Sam and getting to learn from his many years of experience has truly been a godsend for me this year. Not only is he a skilled and learned instructor, he is also an all around amazing person. In my experience, an essential mark of a good teacher is someone who can inspire you to achieve results you never thought were possible. This is a talent Sam possesses in droves. I tend to have a hard time sticking with something if I don’t feel very enthusiastic about it but since beginning my lessons with Sam, I have never been more focused and committed to my progress. As a result, I have been absolutely blown away by how fast I have seen improvement. He is hands-down the best teacher I have ever studied with and is also an all around sweet and caring human being. I am enthusiastic about taking acting lessons as well (which I never thought I would be able do because I am quite shy and usually have trouble in social situations). The fact that I am now confident enough to act in front of people is simply mind blowing to me! I cannot overstate just how profound an impact he has had on me in the short 9 months I have known him and I just can’t thank him enough. If you are searching for someone who can unlock your potential and help you to be the best you can possibly be, congrats, you found him!"

Brandon Scott:

“Before going to Sam, I had absolutely no musical training or even experience playing any instrument outside of playing Rock Band.  I decided I wanted to learn to play guitar, so I asked a composer friend of mine if he had any recommendations.

   Sam has been working with me for 3 years now, teaching me everything from musical theory and why a song has the notes it does, to how to really perform up on stage and in front of friends. He's hired Grammy winning musicians to play in a band just to give me experience playing.  He went out shopping with me for my first guitar and my second... and probably my third.  He gave me free voice lessons on the side to make sure I was really prepared for my first show.

   He works with completely inexperienced people like me and with professional musicians who have been working for 30 years and just want more insight into how to make their show better.  He's fun and really cares about his students”. 

Chris Heidelberger
Engineer in Aerospace

There is not enough positive things I can say about Sam. He has changed my life in so many aspects. Sam showed me how to take my guitar playing to the next level countless times, and turned me onto the most advanced players that I never would have heard of had I not met him. Originally I came in for guitar lessons but he quickly showed me that singing can be taught and anyone can find their voice, and sound great. Sam revealed to me my own voice and showed me exactly what I have to do to keep improving. That took my musical ability to a place I never conceived of. Then to top it off, this man is a deeply experienced performance and acting/film director. He invited me to his workshops as he does with all of his students and gave me an audience to play in front of, and gives feedback for improvement each time so we can return even better than the last time. These workshops are so valuable and educational, I had no idea I would get this much out of working with him. Sam is one of the most friendly and intelligent people I have ever met and he has acquired a vast wealth of knowledge that he has put into a unique teaching program that he gives up to anyone who works with him so you can cut corners and learn from his wealth of experience saving time and lessons you would have never learned on your own or anywhere else. You just cannot find this anywhere else because of his extensive singing, acting, guitar mastery, and directing background. The confidence and life lessons he instills along with his teachings make him a well rounded master of his multifaceted program. He will not only change your performance ability and musical range but he will change your life and I deeply mean that. Nicky Zelig
College Student

I signed up for voice lessons with Sam to develop skills for speaking engagements and for leading songs in movement classes for babies.  I am a dancer and was comfortable moving but  not using my voice.  In three months of study with Sam my voice developed strength, I gained confidence to perform songs, and learned some of the theatrical nuances involved in connecting your voice to your audience.  I never would have believed I could make this much improvement in just over three months time.  Now, singing is another form of artistic expression that brings me joy (like dance).

Donna Eshelman

Sam is hands down the best music teacher I've had, but we'll get to that in a minute, because he's so much more than that - he's also a mentor, therapist, and life coach. If you have musical goals, he will do everything in his power to ensure you're on track to reach them. If you have difficulty being expressive emotionally (as I do), he'll help you dig deep to find what's blocking you and face your fears. Sam teaches what is largely considered unteachable: the art of the performance. Whether it be singing, acting, playing guitar, or speaking, he invests in and takes pride in your progress. He sees your potential, he *believes* in you, and he reflects that back to you, which helps you to see your own potential and inspires you to work hard to reach it.

Now back to his teaching ability. Sam is a classically-trained singer and actor, as well as a rock-star guitar player; but most importantly, he's an extraordinary teacher. If you're doing something wrong, he'll spot it immediately, and give you an exercise to help remedy it. I'd been experiencing a lot of throat tightness when singing, and he was able to help me retrain my voice placement to get rid of the discomfort. I'm noticing improvements every week in my comfort, breath support, and emotional expression just by sticking to the practice routine he gave me. The lessons are always a good mix of challenging and fun, and I leave Sunpath each time with more confidence in my ability.

Sam takes on students of all levels, and becomes their teammate in accelerating their progress and getting them to the next level quickly. No matter how long you've been stuck, if you're ready to work hard, see results and hit those goals, Sunpath is the place!

Ivan Durst

As I've heard at a number of weddings, conferences, and occasions of various types "we're at the point where everything that needs to be said has been said, but not everyone has said it."

And I agree whole-heartedly with my fellow reviewers when they note that Sam is a first-rate instructor (he is), who cares deeply for his students (he does), and goes above and beyond for his pupils' learning and achievement of their musical goals (he will).

So I'll try and touch on a few points that perhaps haven't been covered in as much depth:

He is a teacher. Not a singer/songwriter/teacher, not a music student/teacher, just a teacher. His students aren't his way of making money while he pursues his singing and acting career. He's not teaching music to put himself through grad school. As someone who's had lessons with people who were teacher AND [insert other activity here], taking lessons from someone who teaches because that's what he wants to do makes a world of difference in the quality of instruction and experience as a student.

He's an especially great choice for beginners (of which I was one when I started lessons). I've now taken lessons with Sam for close to a year, and I want to point out how wonderful he is with students just starting their musical journey. Not only does he know the voice and the techniques to learn and improve it efficiently, but he is effective at helping students develop confidence to sing; which, to a lot of beginners (judging from my own experience) is as big a hurdle as actual technique.

I also had the pleasure of taking a few months of guitar lessons with Sam, and can say that my feedback above applies to both voice and guitar. I would recommend him wholeheartedly to anyone looking to start, or continue, learning to sing or play guitar.
Ben Kiel

“Sam Druckerman is without a doubt the BEST quality guitar teacher/performance coach in the LA area, and most likely all of California; and he's right here in Brentwood! I have paid for guitar lessons in the past, and NOTHING compares to the level of teaching that Sam can offer. He has even coached PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS on the stage at his workshops. What I'm saying is, Sam is more than capable of helping you reach your goals weather you're already an intermediate to advanced guitar player, or you just need help getting started, Sam is your best choice hands down.
1) Lessons are one on one-- he is completely devoted to you and your interests alone for the entire lesson.
2) You are not just a student to Sam. He truly cares about you; so it's not just like having a teacher, it's more like meeting up with your friend who's going to teach you some guitar =D
3) He has Lots of experience. Not just as a musician, but as a teacher. His techniques will help you reach your goals QUICKLY.
4) He teaches voice too! I actually had NO IDEA that I had a singing voice when i started with Sam. I went through a lot with it, but now I can sing AND play!! HOW HOT IS THAT?? Hahaha!
I can actually say that my experience with Sam Druckerman and SunPath Music has changed my life for the better, and I highly recommend him”.

Leonore Dunn
College Student

When I was 15 years old I began taking vocal lessons with Sam and the rest is history. I had always loved music and guitar playing but I thought singing was not for me, only the occasional energetic shout. Sam showed me that I do have a voice. Sam's excellent lessons shaped my musical interests and are a huge part of the fact that I will be studying at the Berklee School of Music in the fall. Sam is caring, encouraging, and extremely knowledgable about singing, performing, and music/the arts in general. I went from a guitar player to a singer who could command the stage with or without the guitar. I am grateful to Sam for the help he has given me over the years and I still attend his excellent workshops when I am in LA!

Gabe Krischer
College Studen

A few months ago I decided I wanted to learn how to sing, so I started taking vocal lessons with Sam. I've already learned a ton and seen tremendous improvement. Now I'm taking guitar lessons too!

Sam has a lot of experience teaching and knows how to coax the best out of you. He makes it fun but also emboldens you to put in the time to really see improvements.

Kyle Gorelick

I love training with Sam! My experience with him has been excellent, and I highly recommend him to anyone who is looking to learn to play the guitar or improve their musical skill.  I have to say that, while Sam is an excellent musician, I think his approach to teaching is what really makes him special.  He teaches a wide range of students from skilled pros to straight-up beginners, and he does it with heart, faith, and skill.  He really cares about his students, their progress and their enjoyment, and he's able to tailor his teaching approach to the individual needs of each of his students. There's no cookie cutter approach here, and that's a really valuable thing because, often, people with such a high level of talent and skill have trouble conveying their knowledge in a way that makes sense and, importantly, is fun.  Sam excels at doing just that.  I've been training with Sam for less than a year and have made huge, HUGE strides in my playing.  What's more, Sam is an excellent acting and performance coach, and has introduced me to brand new ways of thinking about and performing music. That has brought such great joy to me. I'm so thankful I have the opportunity to work such a great teacher, and so excited that others have that opportunity as well. He's a 5/5, perfect 10, and I just can't recommend him highly enough!

Aaron Frank



I reached out to Sam at Sunpath Music several years ago. I had taught myself to play guitar and found that I was playing the same things over and over and not making any progress. Sam asked me about my musical interests and put together a course of action to help me reach my goals. I was quickly correcting bad habits, learning proper technique and music theory all while learning songs I had always wanted to play. Sam even helped me to write my first song.

I thought I just wanted help with the guitar but he soon had me singing and performing at his workshops.

I continue to work with Sam and to prepare and perform songs at his workshops.

I thought I just wanted to play guitar better but performing is one of the highlights of my life today.

Orin Lowe

I have had the pleasure of taking these workshops for the past 6 years and I can say that they are single handedly the reason I am working as a musician today.

    Quick background. I was a kid interested in learning how to play the guitar found a really good teacher, one thing lead to another and I started my first band in 2005. It was fun a way to hang out with my friends and have a blast. As time progressed I decided to make a real run for it. I had no idea what that entailed, so I called my mentor Sam. 

    He invited me to my first workshop, from that moment on I knew this is what I was going to do. It was no walk in the park, but the super friendly and comfortable environment was a perfect spring board to start playing in public. There were people of all talent levels there, from blistering pros to first timers and we were all in it together. Flash forward to 2012 and I am headlining the Viper Room tonight to a sold out crowd, enjoying my life as a professional musician. 

    I owe most of my success to Sam and these workshops, I still plan on going to keep myself sharp. I HIGHLY recommend these workshops to any player at any level of the game.”
Nick Hinton.
           Lead Guitar / Badwater
                     www.facebook.com/thebadwater

“Let me just start by saying that Sam Druckerman is an amazing vocal coach. He has not only taught me the fundamentals of singing and performing but also the determination and strength that it takes to improve both of those. When I first started taking vocal lessons from Sam I knew he meant business. I was so excited to be working with someone so determined to see me improve.  I learned so much from Sam.

   When I first started performing I was a nervous wreck. I loved to sing and play the guitar, but my stage presence was terrible and I knew it. Sam knew exactly what to say and how to help me out of that. I can't express how beneficial the performance workshops are. He is a very motivational teacher and he doesn't give up on you. I've taken so much from what Sam has taught me and use it still to this day. I now give vocal lessons of my own and I make a living singing/performing at least two times a week. I owe a lot of my success to Sam and I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to work with him”

Emily Smith - www.youtube.com/watch?v=louwAvi_oSM
Song Writer, Vocalist / Rewined

“I met Sam at one of my gigs after I had just started singing. I'd already been a touring guitarist for years and had an all instrumental CD to my name, but I was feeling unsatisfied with my early attempts at singing. Taking vocal lessons with Sam gave me the confidence to let 'er rip. Sam stresses breath control and placement, with very specific exercises (to do with him and on your own) to improve, not just some "c'mon, try harder" mumbo jumbo. It's hard to imagine a better teacher than Sam. I'm about to release my fourth vocal CD this summer, a direct result of Sam's teaching methods. I've also taken part in a few of Sam's performance workshops and have seen the incredible improvement his guitar and voice students have made. It's inspiring to see students, whether they're absolute beginners or pro's, grow so fast. Oh, and Sam makes it fun too! Highly recommended”

Rick Holmstrom - www.rickholmstrom.com
Songwriter, Vocalist, Guitar Slinger,
Recording Artist, Producer

“I have been working with sam for about a year now and my guitar playing has rapidly improved. Every time I show up theres something new to learn--the right way. At first I was hesitant to even play someone a song, now he has me playing,singing and performing with not half of the anxiety and nervousness I would get performing for anyone. I have had a lot of teachers, most were great players but they simply could not teach it. Sam is not only a great player, but he is a master teacher. I highly recommend you work with him if you are serious, or just want to learn it the right way”.

Nicky Zelig
College Student

"I’ve known Sam for several years and I can say without hesitation that he is both a wonderful teacher and a great friend.  Sam’s tremendous passion for music is infectious and continued to inspire me throughout my time as his student.  He is the rare teacher who ensures that his students understand music theory and guitar technique but also have a great time learning their favorite songs.  I credit Sam with awakening my passion for blues and guitar improvisation.  I would say that Sam’s greatest trait is his seemingly boundless supply of positivity.  I remember several times throughout my adolescence when I felt inadequate, especially when it came to performing a song on stage in front of people. ..........................

..........    Sam’s persistence and reassurance, as well as his knowledge of performance techniques, were instrumental in my growth as a performer.  Without Sam and his workshops, I doubt that I would have worked up the courage to perform and I especially doubt that I could have improved those skills as much as I did.  I know that the guitar will occupy a special place in my life going forward, and I give Sam much of the credit of that fact.  I do not know what more one can ask of a teacher."  

Seth Goldman.     Song Writer, Vocalist, Guitar Slinger  / And Recent Graduate of the London School of Economics & Journalism

“Learning the guitar is not just learning an instrument for Sam Druckerman. The guitar is a journey. Sam takes you on a tour to understand its roots and soul, in addition to the technical aspects of playing.  Over the last 5 years, Sam has taught me to respect the heritage of the guitar as I move up in skills along the never ending path of love for this instrument. I learned to call this the ‘Sunpath’ in recognition of the fire that Sam inspires in all of his students.”
Mark Pimentel MD, FRCPC.    Director, GI Motility Program Cedars-Sinai
    www.cedars-sinai.edu/Bios---Physician/P-Z/Mark-Pimentel-MD-FRCPC.aspx

“If you want music to be part of your life, Sam should be part of yours.   Sam isn't just a guitar teacher or something like that. Sam is an ambassador to the multifaceted world of music.   

   I found Sam looking for a guitar teacher, next thing you know he's teaching me how to sing.   After that he's teaching me music Theory, after that we're learning the process of a great performance. 
If you want to learn to play guitar for your kids, go see Sam.   If you want to start a rock band and "start a revolution from your bed," go see Sam”.  
Albert Meggers.   Real Estate Franchise Owner

I have had the pleasure of taking these workshops for the past 6 years and I can say that they are single handedly the reason I am working as a musician today.

    Quick background. I was a kid interested in learning how to play the guitar found a really good teacher, one thing lead to another and I started my first band in 2005. It was fun a way to hang out with my friends and have a blast. As time progressed I decided to make a real run for it. I had no idea what that entailed, so I called my mentor Sam. 

    He invited me to my first workshop, from that moment on I knew this is what I was going to do. It was no walk in the park, but the super friendly and comfortable environment was a perfect spring board to start playing in public. There were people of all talent levels there, from blistering pros to first timers and we were all in it together. Flash forward to 2012 and I am headlining the Viper Room tonight to a sold out crowd, enjoying my life as a professional musician. 

    I owe most of my success to Sam and these workshops, I still plan on going to keep myself sharp. I HIGHLY recommend these workshops to any player at any level of the game.”
Nick Hinton.
           Lead Guitar / Badwater
                     www.facebook.com/thebadwater

“I took lessons from Sam for years andattended a number of his workshops. He's very positive and there's something about his teaching style that enabled me to learn and remember complex songs quickly. This is a great opportunity for LA locals.”

Lou Thomas.   Supervising Sound Editor at Warner Bros.
           Owner: FX PEDAL.com
                          www.fxpedal.com

“If your tool of choice is an ax, guitar hero, then do I have the guy for you. Sam's been my guitar instructor for almost two years now, and he's always been patient and customizes the lessons to my level of preparedness (or unpreparedness, as the case may be).

   Lessons with Sam are always about learning while having fun and, unlike some other "teachers" who has nowhere near the experience Sam has in teaching but are probably just doing this "on the side" to supplement their gig at the music store, Sam makes his living doing this. He's played in bands and knows his music. Most importantly, he cares about his students and just LOVES to teach, even going so far as to putting together workshops where he will rent out a studio and allow people to try out their performance skills”.
George Tseng.    Attorney / Loza & Loza  
              www.lozaip.com/attorney-profiles/george-tseng.html

“I have been a professional musician and songwriter for many years. I found that I was singing more and more, and slowly getting better, but I wasn't enjoying it as much as I wanted to, because I didn't feel very confident about my singing, and I didn't really know what I was doing. I started going to Sam Druckerman for voice lessons and things really began to open up for me. I started to love singing, and began to feel confident even when I was working with much more experienced singers. Sam makes his students work hard on supporting their voice and putting the note where it's supposed to be. Sam uses simple concepts to help you achieve a big, vibrant tone, and intense exercises to increase stamina and improve intonation. As a consequence, my confidence and enjoyment have increased, and I have been able to deliver to my full potential. I heartily recommend Sam”

Jeff Turmes - www.jeffturmes.com
Songwriter, Vocalist, Musician, Recording Artist

"Sam is outstanding. He takes the time to understand what you want out of the lessons, and really tailors it to help you get there more quickly, while keeping it fun and interesting. He also goes way beyond just the guitar too, coachingsongwriting, performing, equipment, vocals and just tying everything together in a way that gave me even greater appreciation for the music I love. And, he's just such a good dude.  Seriously one of the most genuinely great guys I know." 

 Trent Overholt.   Vice President, Sustainability Solutions  
                  www.linkedin.com/in/trentoverholtlosangeles

“Before going to Sam, I had absolutely no musical training or even experience playing any instrument outside of playing Rock Band.  I decided I wanted to learn to play guitar, so I asked a composer friend of mine if he had any recommendations.

   Sam has been working with me for 3 years now, teaching me everything from musical theory and why a song has the notes it does, to how to really perform up on stage and in front of friends. He's hired Grammy winning musicians to play in a band just to give me experience playing.  He went out shopping with me for my first guitar and my second... and probably my third.  He gave me free voice lessons on the side to make sure I was really prepared for my first show.

   He works with completely inexperienced people like me and with professional musicians who have been working for 30 years and just want more insight into how to make their show better.  He's fun and really cares about his students”.
Chris Heidelberger.    Engineer in Aerospace

“Sam Druckerman's performance workshops are by far the most powerful and effective tool for improving performance techniques that I have ever come across!! Whether you just learned to play guitar last week, or whether you've been on the road touring for 20 years, he will help you. 
I started going to the workshops over a year ago, and it has really opened my eyes and my mind as far as my performance techniques while on stage.I've always focused mostly on the music - songs, guitar playing and my voice, but sometimes you  let your performance take a hit, and lose the engagement of your audience. It's very important that a performer conveys the right emotions and intensity on stage in order to captivate his/her audience. Sam has an incredible gift for teaching just this.
He's an all-around expert. He'll help you step up your game with your performance as well as guitar  and vocal technique (he's a classically trained vocal coach and an incredibly seasoned guitar coach). He will teach you how to engage your audience and convey the real emotion in the music you are playing. He has an incredible insight into what you need to reach your goals, and he'll be very honest (yet kind) in telling you just how you can get there.

    This is a very unique opportunity if you're a musician/performer. I don't normally write yelp reviews but I wanted to share this because I am blessed to have come across Sam. The workshops allow you to break barriers while performing infront of a small, supportive audience. Each member of the workshop improves so drastically.. it is amazing to be a part of the process, and to see first hand the difference even a little training makes! Los Angeles is a competitive, cut-throat city and these workshops will teach you how to stand out amongst the crowd. 

I DEFINITELY RECOMMEND SAM'S WORKSHOPS!!!!!”
Meg Todd.  
        Song Writer, Recording Artist, Vocalist, Musician.
                   www.megtodd.com

I've been a student of Sam Druckerman for four years and my voice, guitar playing, and all-around performance skills have improved vastly. Sam doesn't just teach you how to play music. He teaches you how to be an artist. His background in theater brings a deeper dimension than you will find with other instructors. One lesson with Sam and you will discover that teaching is his top priority. The combination of private lessons, performance workshop coaching, and support in "real world" open-mic performances make Sam an awesome choice for guitarists, vocalists, songwriters, or any combination thereof."  

Christopher Anderson Bazzoli.

                Composer.   

                            www.posthornmusic.com

“I studied guitar with Sam over 20 years ago and I'm still using stuff that he taught me today! ”
 Jon Lee.   Multimedia Artist

              www.thejonleehighjinx.com