Testimonials

I waited 44 years to learn to play the guitar I got when I turned 16. I scoured the Coachella Valley for someone worthy of my time, my energy, and my money. Someone with exceptional musical knowledge and skill. Someone extremely patient and approachable. And most of all, someone who respected MY musical goal, which is to play well enough to put a smile on the face of that 16 yr-old me.Based on my experience with Mikael, I’d say you can trust him with your musical dream. I did. And I’m smiling.

I have been taking lessons from Mikael for about seven years now. I have learned guitar, bass, keys, and ukulele. I have nothing but good things to say. The way he organizes his lessons and allows time for whatever you feel like you need to do in the lesson is great, and makes learning very fun and exciting.

Have you always wanted to learn to play a song, write a song, sing a song? Do you dream of learning the piano? The guitar? The drums? The bass? The ukulele? Or do you fancy yourself a DJ?Mikael Jacobson of BassLine Music is a myth-buster; a savant, of sorts, in many areas of music, he’s a teacher who both can do and teach others to do. A jack of most genres and master of many. It’s rare to find a good teacher who is at once accomplished and humble.Mikael possesses an engaging style; whether you’re the shiest person on the planet or the most confident, whether you’re a beginner, intermediate, or advanced player, he can help you achieve skills in music you hardly dared dream.  6 years ago, I lost my mother, my best friend. Both my parents were, at one time, working musicians. My mother, a jazz singer, had always wanted to learn piano and began lessons in her early 60’s. I decided to take a page out of her book and started taking piano lessons with Mikael shortly after she died. I had tried piano lessons earlier, with several local teachers, but I always wound up quitting because I’d felt they were trying to mold me into something I wasn’t, wanting to teach me what they wanted me to learn.Before I even arrived at my first lesson with Mikael, he asked me to bring in 5 songs that I wanted to learn. I’ve had many music teachers in many states during the course of my 50+  years, in both piano and guitar, and not once did any of them ask me what I wanted to learn, neither what I hoped to accomplish musically. And many were more than capable.Nearly 6 years on with BassLine Music finds me playing piano and drums (!), playing and singing in a band, learning a wide variety of types of songs, learning to read music and understand what goes into composition and making songs sing.Studying with Mikael is a true and pure joy I look forward to each week. May I live forever.Dreams I didn’t even know I had have come true. But those are my dreams.What are yours?

Mikael is a fun-loving, goofy, experienced, and serious musician. His knowledge of music is astounding and cuts across genres. Because he’s done so much from performing (classical, rock and everything between), coaching/teaching various instruments, teaching history of rock, recording/mixing sound, writing music for film, and collaborating with many musicians – he draws on deep experience when working directly with students.Most importantly, he brings his deep love of music and finds fun ways to engage his students. His students span from little ones to those discovering joy in learning and playing music later in life. Also, studying music has so many benefits for kids AND adults. Check him out and bring more music into your life!

Taking lessons from Mikael was one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life. I’m currently in my twenties and I took lessons from about 2007 till 2012. That’s important because I still play guitar every single day, and without Mikael’s guidance, I would not be at the level that I’m at today!I remember learning “More Than A Feeling” by Boston and playing it at the first ever recital that Mikael put on with his students, which was such a defining moment in my life. It gave me an immense amount of confidence at such a young age, that I’ve carried with me, whether it was writing music in my dorm and performing original songs for my dorm mates, or even putting on a presentation in front of executives at my current company, years later.Without that spark from Mikael, who knows where I would be today! Not only did he teach me guitar, but he taught my younger brother piano, so the next few recitals, you could catch us jamming out to some Journey. Once again, taking lessons from Mikael was one of the best things to ever happen to me!

His concerts give students something to be excited about–by looking forward to performing in front of their peers, they stay motivated all year long!

There is nowhere in the valley that you can take lessons and find a professional recording studio with a teacher and musician of Mikael’s caliber and experience!Thank you for making me a better guitar and bass player, I highly recommend you as a teacher to all my clients and associates!

Mikael is a very special music teacher. He will tailor students’ interests and motivate them to embrace music. My husband and I enjoy his students’ recitals very much. My children get to play the music they loved and Mikael also lets them be in part of other students’ performances. Love the different combinations of music all performed in the recitals. YOU ROCK, Mikael!

Mikael has taught me a lot. He is so nice and takes his time teaching me how to play piano. I love learning how to play piano from Mikael!

Mikael is the best music teacher in the valley. We have been using him for years. Cannot say enough about the results he gets.

Mikael helped me figure a few things out on the guitar while I was in town for a few weeks. He has a wide range of musical knowledge and is good at communicating it! I met him through my aunt who, with Mikael’s guidance, has become pretty great on drums and piano.

Mikael is by far the best music teacher in Palm Desert if you’re looking for Piano and Guitar lessons! His BassLine Music Concerts he holds for his students twice a year and his accommodations for teaching remote lessons using Zoom is far above and beyond any music teacher in the Coachella Valley! I highly recommend Mikael for any music student young or old.

Mikael makes learning acoustic guitar so much fun and challenging at the same time. The lessons are fit perfectly to my level, a total beginner, and my age, a super senior citizen 🙂 Mikael is patient, kind, supportive and flexible. Most important is the bi-annual recital/performance with all of Mikael’s students where we enjoy and share the local stage with our families, friends and community. I look forward to Mikael’s weekly classes both in person and virtual sessions, where there is no difference in quality. Thank you so much for being my music teacher. With respect and appreciation!