Musical U Reviews 149

TrustScore 4.5 out of 5

4.3

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Rated 3 out of 5 stars

I reported a problem about an initial comment ai posted not appearing in the comments and a subsequent problem that a second comment I mad appearing under someone elses name. I received a reply tha... See more

Company replied

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

I bought the book, but the website is frustratingly unstable. I keep getting locked out and can't access my account. Logging in is impossible and there are numerous issues. There's no assistance avail... See more

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

What I like about Musical U is the structure of their courses assumes no prior knowledge. Also any issues I had were answered quickly. The community of like minded musicians is fabulous resource to be... See more

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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

My questions were answered promptly. The lessons are clear. My first time through them (2022)I saw results but found the sequence a bit hard to follow and keep straight. I was too anxious to ‘get thr... See more

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Company details

  1. Music School

About Musical U

Written by the company

Musical U is the home of musicality training online, providing courses, membership and personal coaching to help you reach your true musical potential.

Specialising in the inner skills of music, such as accelerated learning (a.k.a. "superlearning"), playing by ear, improvising, rhythm, singing, songwriting, collaborating and performing. Our products include Musical U membership, the Living Music program, Next Level coaching, and a range of standalone training courses.



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If you have ANY problems with a Musical U purchase, please don't hesitate to email us at support@musical-u.com and we'll be happy to help.

We respond to 95% of enquiries within 24 hours.

Occasionally emails will go astray and we want to make sure you're taken care of!

So if you haven't heard back within 24 hours please:


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4.3

Excellent

TrustScore 4.5 out of 5

149 reviews

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Replied to 100% of negative reviews

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Rated 1 out of 5 stars

My $10,000 Experience with Musical U Next Level Coaching

I enrolled in Musical U's Next Level Coaching after its promotional materials presented it as a high-value opportunity for growth through personalized guidance. The process included a questionnaire on investment level and commitment, leading to a 90-minute interview that ended with a $10,000 quote for one year. No pricing information was available publicly beforehand. No coach biographies or descriptions of expertise were given—only the "world-class coaches" banner. Promotional content referenced notable guest experts, but no clarification was given that core coaching would come from internal staff. Had these matters been plainly disclosed from the beginning, enrollment would not have occurred.
An email confirmed the cost and a two-month payment plan. No formal contract, cancellation terms, off-ramp, or refund policy was provided.
For due diligence, only three testimonials were shared: two relative beginners and one from a niche guitarist. A request for information about participants with orchestral instrument training received no response.
The promised invoice arrived four months late, as the first half of the 36 sessions were ending, referencing the $5,000 now due. They tracked paid sessions precisely for billing but did not follow their own stated schedule.
Coaches were assigned by internal staff without student input, reason, or explanation. I offered constructive feedback on the initial fit. A new coach stepped in, who dismissed the concerns, praised the original choice, and labeled me uncoachable in a session deleted from recordings. Guidance was mostly generic; some suggestions were counterproductive to established instrumental pedagogy. In the penultimate session (next-to-last), a practice recording—a spliced thumbnail intended by the coach to showcase my progress—was played back at 2x speed without permission. Of course it sounded cool—who doesn’t when sped up to chipmunk tempo? The acceleration covered imperfections in intonation, dynamics, phrasing and musical narrative that are only discernible at normal speed. I later listened at standard speed and analyzed it as a learning tool.
I participated in all 36 sessions (roughly $278 per session equivalent, plus 12 guest sessions resembling TED-style talks). The penultimate session (next-to-last) also included an upsell for continuation at a discount; the coach declared he had no knowledge of my original charge, confirming "individualized" pricing.
Due to review length, I omit platform issues and note that the $29/month DIY membership seemed to form the content foundation for much of the coaching. Coaches accepted outside material and were not terrible overall, but the sessions were middling, never world-class.
Despite these matters, the experience contained positive elements. I remained committed, drew on independent resources, and made substantial progress in my music. I’ve been fortunate to work with outstanding coaches before, so I know what high-caliber guidance feels like. I now choose where I invest my time and money with more care.
Note: The International Coaching Federation (ICF) Code of Ethics requires clear communication of financial arrangements and terms before coaching begins. Musical U is not affiliated with or a member of the ICF. Many music educators and coaches (e.g., ICF Master Certified Coach Hilary Oliver in performance-related coaching) uphold ICF standards or similar ethical codes from organizations such as MTNA or NATS. Practices such as undisclosed "individualized" pricing, absent formal agreements, opaque billing, lack of coach-matching transparency, and unpermitted altered playback in feedback fall short of such ethical benchmarks.
(1 star – Lack of upfront transparency on pricing, coach qualifications and assignment, and program realities, combined with billing discrepancies, inadequate handling of concerns, and questionable feedback practices, made this an unsatisfactory experience. I state these facts plainly, with a small tired smile, in the interest of truth for others.)

9 December 2025
Unprompted review
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Reply from Musical U

Thank you for taking the time to post this detailed review of your Next Level experience.

We on the team are deeply disappointed that your year of coaching was not everything you hoped for.

I believe many of your points have already been discussed privately with you, and I will respond here for the sake of public clarity, with care so as not to violate the confidentiality of coaching sessions or risk causing any offence.

- Regarding our coaches being "world class": Musical U has led the way in both musicality training and accelerated learning techniques for musicians for well over a decade, and our coaching team are all thoroughly trained in both our core curriculum and our coaching methodology. While they may not all have big, flashy public profiles, I don't think there can be any doubt that they are among the best in the world at what they do.

- Regarding the 2x playback: That sounds very odd. Many on our team do have their video playback defaulting to 2x speed, as we are often reviewing spoken material in videos. I can't imagine it was intended to mislead you. And to object to it being played "without permission" in a private one-to-one coaching session, seems somewhat out of keeping with the spirit of being coachable.

- Regarding information provided about billing and program structure: our admissions process involves multiple lengthy one-to-one conversations, in which all details are provided and all questions are welcome. Our team, including the assigned coach and our program administrator, are available every day inside our private messaging platform, to provide any information or answer any questions during the program. We apologise for the delay in sending the first invoice. To be clear, pricing for the program is not "individualised", it is a set pricepoint. The terms of payment are set to accommodate each individual though, for example by splitting payment into two parts, or providing a payment plan.

- Regarding guest experts: To liken the guest coaching to a "TED Talk" is misrepresentative and frankly somewhat disrespectful to our guest experts. They provide a 3-hour group coaching session plus a 1-hour Q&A followup. Many of our Next Level clients highlight this as one of the most valuable and impactful parts of their Next Level experience.

- Regarding program fit: I think it's clear that this program was not a good fit for you, and I regret that our admissions process did not surface this before the commitment was made. With roughly 100 Next Level graduates now, I believe there have only been two or three cases where the program turned out not to be a good fit, and as our case studies illustrate ( https://secure.musical-u.com/nlc-casestudies ), it has worked well for a wide range of musicians. Still, any poor experience is unacceptable to us, and I am truly sorry we weren't able to make this work as expected for you.

Again, I apologise that your year in Next Level coaching was not a 5-star experience. We do our utmost throughout the program to ensure that each client's needs and desires are being met. Our ability to do this relies in large part on the attitude and behaviour of the client, and their willingness to share objections or concerns along the way. I believe we could have done more to help you adopt the spirit of coachability on which the program relies, and ensure open and honest conversation throughout.

Thank you again for taking the time to post your review.

We sincerely apologise for this poor experience, which is clearly far from the outcome we take pride in providing with the Next Level program.

We will learn from the feedback to improve the admissions process and the program going forwards.


Christopher Sutton
Director, Musical U

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Classes under continuos improvement

I was reviewing some classes and I noticed that some of them received good improvements, becoming more easy to understand, specially for those unfamiliar with musical perception.

28 January 2026
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Reply from Musical U

That's great to hear, Ande! Thanks for posting your review. We're always looking to improve our material, so please do let us know if you spot any opportunities to help smooth out your musical progress in future!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Encouragement needed & appreciated!

I really like how encouraging and acknowledging y'all are-- Thank You!

25 January 2026
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Reply from Musical U

Great to hear, Shekinah! Thanks for sharing your review :) Here's to your musical success! 🎶

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

I bought the book

I bought the book, but the website is frustratingly unstable. I keep getting locked out and can't access my account. Logging in is impossible and there are numerous issues. There's no assistance available. It feels like they're focused solely on the financial aspect, leaving you without the book or any way to get in.

22 January 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Musical U

So sorry to hear this didn't go smoothly for you! :(

We requested details via TrustPilot so that we could look into what went wrong but haven't heard back, so it's hard to know what happened or make sure it's been resolved for you.

Hopefully you've been well taken care of now, but if you do need any further assistance please don't hesitate to contact support@musical-u.com and we'll be happy to help!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Helping with mastery in doable little steps

Friendly and approachable experts.

Broad perspective and clear teaching.

Good feedback and advice - can always ask for another explanation.

Opportunities for learning through interaction in online meetings

12 January 2026
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Reply from Musical U

Thanks for posting your review, Angela, that's awesome to hear! We're glad to have the opportunity to support you in your musical growth! 🎉 🎶

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

A Life Changing Read

I'm reading the Musicality book I bought in

17 January 2026
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Reply from Musical U

We're so glad to hear you're enjoying the book, Mary! Thank you for posting your review :) Here's to your musical success!

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

Problem unsolved

I reported a problem about an initial comment ai posted not appearing in the comments and a subsequent problem that a second comment I mad appearing under someone elses name. I received a reply that did not deal with either problem satisfactorially. Please read my post carefully and action asap.

Ps i cannot find how to get back into my ear training can you please help. Thanks

6 January 2026
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Reply from Musical U

Hi Fiona, so sorry to hear about your difficulties. I'm asking our Support team to reach out to you ASAP to make sure you're taken care of!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Since our initial interaction

Since our initial interaction, Musical U has been incredibly welcoming and encouraging. Their constant stream of useful and insightful emails reassures me that I'm not on this journey alone. Assistance is always readily accessible, with swift responses in course discussions. The regular Zoom Q&A sessions introduce a personal touch, allowing me to converse with other members and the instructor, reinforcing the support system in place. The extensive selection of courses is impressive—there's so much to explore! The concise daily lessons are enjoyable, and I'm eager to dive into the bass instrument pack. It's an outstanding platform offering excellent value, and I highly endorse it.

6 January 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Musical U

That's so good to hear, Christy! We're really happy that you've felt welcome and well-supported at Musical U. Thank you for posting your review. It's great to have you with us!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Super cursus musical

Super cursus musical ! Partant de la base permettant une construction solide.

2 April 2025
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Reply from Musical U

Merci beaucoup, Loris! 🎉 Nous sommes ravis de t'avoir parmi nous à Musical U.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

Have purchased the book

Have purchased the book, but the site is unreliable. Lock me out. Cannot access. Cannot log in. All sorts of problems. No support. It seems they are only interested in the money, then they let you without the book or access.

1 December 2025
Unprompted review
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Reply from Musical U

So sorry for this trouble you encountered, Ricardo! We had a temporary issue with the members website this week, which is now resolved.

Our support team typically reply within 24 hours. If you need any more assistance please don't hesitate to get in touch. And again, our apologies that this wasn't a smooth start for you!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

A Very Valuable Resource for Your Musical Journey from Beginner to Pro

As a largely self taught, practicing and part time gigging musician, I found myself strongly desiring to better my skill set.
I play by ear in musical arenas of folk, blues, rock, experimental, modal jazz, world beat, and felt that my current skills were limiting what and how I wished to play.
In my search for resources, I discovered Musical U, which offers the view that everyone is inherently musical, and that high level musical skills are not at all about pure talent, but can be learned, in a reasonable amount of time, with a little dedicated focus and consistent effort.
As someone with a full time regular job and other responsibilities, I resonated with this Musical U philosophy and eventually became a member at a very affordable rate.
They not only offer an incredibly comprehensive set of musical skill building modules, but it’s all easy to follow, and with access to a supportive and friendly staff and musical community from which to get help or direction when needed.
If you’re looking to in anyway better your musical aptitude or any musical skill, or are starting from scratch, and have consistent desire or motivation, I suggest checking out Musical U.
I know I can progress in the areas I define as important at a rate I can manage, with really useful mindsets, learning tools and practical skill building modules.
I have found Musical U to be a small, friendly, fun organization of musicians, who are passionate about helping people becoming as musical as they are motivated to become, and who provide all the resources someone might need to accomplish this.
Please check them out.

17 November 2025
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Reply from Musical U

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences, Robbert! We're so glad to have the opportunity to support you in your musical journey! 🎉 🎶

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Outstanding Musical Education

I love the musicality content. They're respnsive when you have questions about the website or the learning modules.

13 November 2025
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Reply from Musical U

That's awesome to hear, Jill! Thanks for posting your review 😃 🎉 🎶

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

Good material, but…

Good material, but I found it frustrating when I always had to send them emails to unlock new sections that were passed the scheduled time to be unlocked. Little unprofessional.

6 November 2025
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Reply from Musical U

Hi Jacob,

Thanks for posting your review, and we're sorry to hear about this frustrating experience.

I've checked with the team, and it appears there was both a checkout glitch and a timezone issue which resulted in things not opening for you as expected. Please be assured this is not the normal experience we expect to provide! 😅

Our sincere apologies for the bumpy ride, and thank you for taking the time to share your experience here.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Excellent learning platform

Musical U has been so welcoming and supportive since first contact, with regular helpful and informative emails and now I have joined I feel that they are there with me every step of the way. Help is always just a click away and they are very quick to respond to course discussions. Regular zoom Q&A sessions brings in the human element where you can meet other members and the educator for general chit chat and queries so you know you are not alone on your musical journey. The amount of courses available is quite overwhelming - so much to learn, so little time! I’m loving the bite sized daily lessons and looking forward to getting my teeth into the bass instrument pack. Brilliant site, great value, highly recommend it.

9 November 2025
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Reply from Musical U

That's so great to hear, Mandy! Thank you for posting your review.

It's true that Musical U is vast! 😅 Please don't hesitate to reach out any time you need help, our team is on hand and glad to help guide your journey along the way!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

A wealth of training opportunities are…

A wealth of training opportunities are available and their online platform works very well. They are very responsive to questions and issues. I’m not a fan of their marketing style (a little heavy on the sales pitch), but if you look beyond that to their learning materials they are well done.

13 August 2025
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Reply from Musical U

Thanks, David! It's wonderful to hear you've been having a good experience at Musical U 🎉

Feedback noted re: marketing, thank you. We're always trying to find the right balance, so it's helpful to hear!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Mohammad was a good front person to…

Mohammad was a good front person to make me feel like what people were saying about the culture of Musical U is true. He made me feel like he genuinely cared about me and wanted to help me with the best plan for me and very easily and genuinely quickly helped solve my ordering problems and suggested a plan forward that would work best for me. I was very surprised and pleased. Thank you very much.

3 November 2025
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Reply from Musical U

That's great to hear, Diane! Thank you for sharing your experience.

We're excited to have you with us at Musical U! 🎶

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Excellent clear content

I’m taking the Foundations of a Musical Mind course - it’s an excellent step by step course that’s clearly explained and easy to follow. It’s also fun! The team are prompt and responsive with any queries raised, in my experience.

18 October 2025
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Reply from Musical U

That's wonderful to hear, Kathryn! 🎉

Thank you for posting your review. We're excited to continue supporting your musical growth! 🎶

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