I joined School of Rock as an adult…
I joined School of Rock as an adult student expecting a structured learning environment combined with band practice. Unfortunately, my experience didn’t meet even basic expectations.
There are two main subscription types for adults : individual lessons or individual lesson with band practice. I chose the second option and basically wasted my money.
The main issue was a complete lack of communication. I was expected to participate in band rehearsals without ever being clearly informed of the setlist in advance. As a result, I was told I could only play for about ten minutes because I “didn’t know the songs” — songs I was never given. There was no preparation material, no guidance, and no explanation of expectations beforehand. This made the experience frustrating and disorienting rather than educational.
They don't tell you in advance that every band have multiple musicians for each instrument and with the drums case I didn't even have an instrument at all. So you receive half of the experience at best for the same price.
The individual drum lessons lacked structure and pedagogical progression. Fundamental techniques such as stroke control, positioning, and dynamics were not explained, yet I was asked to play louder despite not feeling technically comfortable. When I explained that playing louder caused mistakes because the rhythm wasn’t secure yet, the response was essentially that mistakes were “fine,” without addressing the underlying technical issue. This felt like skipping foundational learning steps.
The vocal lesson was the most concerning. Around 20 minutes of a 45-minute lesson were spent talking rather than singing. The exercises provided were minimal and poorly explained (e.g., repeating “ha, ho, he, hi” without any explanation of purpose or technique). Singing into a microphone felt uncomfortable, and no guidance was given on microphone technique or vocal placement. The teacher mentioned having learned singing through choir experience, which reflected the lack of technical vocal training. By the end of the lesson, my throat felt strained rather than supported.
Across instruments, the experience depended entirely on luck: which teacher you get, who else is in the band, and how much structure they personally decide to provide. There was very little emphasis on technique, theory, rhythm, or pedagogy. Instead, everything seemed focused on “preparing for a show,” even when students clearly lacked the technical foundation to do so properly.
As an adult student genuinely interested in learning music, the environment felt more like a social club than a music school. There also seemed to be a core group of recurring students who were prioritized, making it difficult for newcomers to integrate or progress seriously.
If you are a child or teenager looking for a fun, performance-based experience and don’t mind limited technical instruction, School of Rock may be enjoyable.
If you are an adult expecting clear communication, structured teaching, and professional instruction, I would strongly recommend looking elsewhere.
Conclusion: strong branding, inconsistent teaching quality, weak pedagogy, and poor communication. I decided not to continue.