Who taught you?

[Mysterytrain]

What was the age of your first music lesson and from who? Where was it? Who else taught you?

For me, official guitar lessons started at 15 years old with Ken Earnest at Richies music store in Eldorado. I took lessons for about a year but Mel Bay books just weren't interesting to me at the time. I wanted to learn Freebird, smoke on the water and sweet home Alabama not Tom Dooley!

Also, at age 23 I took a series of lessons from Tony Harlan in Williamsport while I tried a semester of college. The guitar lessons worked but school didn't.

That's about it for me...

[UncleScabby]

I took lessons from Ken too. We always jammed on Roy Orbison and Johnny Rivers for the last few minutes of lessons. I'm pretty sure I still have the music he wrote out for me 15 years later.

[Tegamal]

I started taking lessons at Ogoreuc's Music Shop in Indiana, PA. After getting tired of playing "Mary had a little lamb" & "When the saints go marching in", I stopped taking lessons started teaching myself.

I still suck, btw...

[felix'apprentice]

Up until recently I had taught myself everything. Then i realized, i don't know enough about music. I went to Chris Kane in clearfield for about 5 months - i had to take a break recently though.

I still have a TON to learn, and i have learned a lot by other guitar players showing me a thing or two here and there. My best learning experience has been going to jam sessions and just gettin on stage. Thats where i've learned a lot the last two years.

- kayla.

[lynch1]

I started taking lessons at 16 from Sandy Cristman in Hollidaysburg. I took lessons for about 6 mos. Struggled through the Mel Bay book, but was playing Metallica etc just by listening to it. I wasn't practicing, my mom knew it and so did Sandy, so I stopped. I'm kickin' myself in the butt now, because, now if I get with "real musicians" that play a song in a different key I'm lost. I used to work at Ford Music when they were in the mall, it was funny because I would get parents coming in saying their child wants to learn to play guitar. I ask questions to see what guitar would be the best fit. Obviously the kid couldn't play and neither could the parents so they would ask to hear the guitar. I would play something and they would ask "how long was it before you played songs after you started?" Bad question. I played a song the first time I picked one up. My friend had a guitar laying around, I used to pick it up and noodle around. I hit a couple notes and realized that was the beginning to a song, with trial and error I figured out the rest of the song. Granted they were one noters, but still hashed it out. Definitely recommend lessons though for anyone.

[bassist_25]

Hmm...

- Trumpet lessons from MoValley Music Director John Feigh
- Piano lessons from Joan Rosenberg
- Advanced theory lessons from Tony Scaltz - the stuff I learned from Tony about jazz harmony has paid off in folds.

[Jim Price]

Accordion lessons from Mario Crocetti started for me around age 9 or 10. He used to give lessons out of his (sister's?) house along 7th or 9th Street in Altoona.

My older brother taught me a little bit of accordion back then, and also tried to teach me drums, but I didn't stick with the latter.

Now, I'm teaching myself ukulele using Hal Leonard method books, and Whitey at PA Musician gave me my first official uke lesson a few weeks ago. I'm also teaching myself acoustic guitar, also out of method books, although I'm considering taking guitar lessons soon once my finances permit.

And Jim Donovan of Rusted Root teaches about 50 of us hand drumming at St. Francis every Monday night...good times!

[floodcitybrass]

Guitar - people from uniontown,pa and Joe Negri from Pgh
horns - self taught however, I always recommend lessons from a a good teach to you do not develop bad habits

[whitedevilone]

Joe Robuck.The full meal deal and a real cat.

[RamRod 1]

When I wanted a guitar, my parents made me take piano lessons. Eventually my piano teacher told me to quit. Then my sister got a guitar and for the 1st year, we both only knew 3 chords, G, C, and Em but eventually I learned enough chords to be playing in bars when I was 15.

[Don Hughes]

I took piano from Pam Wertman for about a year at age 8, then took from Reed Larrimore from age 9 till high school.

[Mysterytrain]

I took piano from Pam Wertman for about a year at age 8, then took from Reed Larrimore from age 9 till high school.

Cool. My daughter is 6 years old and taking lessons from Mrs Benn in Bellwood. It's really neat to talk to her about sheet music because she can read music more than me.

I think piano players who start early seem to be able play well on other instruments later on. Look at Brett Fenelli for example. That freakin' dude can play anything you put in front of him.

[joltinjeff]

While a lot of great local talent has learned from someone else and I think that is a great thing...i never had the patience to pick something up and learn then when i wanted to i end up NOT being able to play....and yes I want to bad enough but physically unable...i digress...the one thing that we all have wether we were taught professional, through a friend, just pickin the instrument and learning on our own, we all have the talent to do what we do....for me...never had a professional singing lesson in my life, but learned while i was in high school....songsmith knows something about that too...


We all have a God given ability to sing, play music....that my friends is a very special gift...

[Colton]

The Devil at the crossroads. He's white, as white as you folks, with empty eyes and a big hollow voice. He loves to travel around with a mean old hound. That's right.

[KeithReynolds]

Ive taught myself how to suck at everything I do.

[Dan Lukens]

I don't remember what age I was anymore but my 1st lessons were given by Mike Wise (Emily's Toybox/Blaz-On)

[Little Debbie]

Kenny "old skool" Murdick of bad daZe taught me the basics of guitar. Had to take a small hiatus due to school and 2 jobs. Hopefully I will get to learn the rest of our song before I forget how to play !! Not only is he talented, but also a great teacher!

[onegunguitar]

I took lessons from a guy when I was in North Carolina for a month,then bought Doug Marks' Metal Method cassette tapes and videos. After that, just alot of hard work and determination. Watching other players,whether local or professional, helped alot too. After playing guitar for 20 plus years,switching over to the bass created some new learning experiences and challenges.I got some great advice on playing bass in a rock/metal band from Chad Straw

[Hawk]

My Dad, drums. Followed by about 7 years with Tom Petro (starting in about the third grade) and Sister Regious at St. Mary's School, then John Blair. Every guy from our drum get togethers. And my son Shawn.

My Mom, piano, then Richard Kiawa.

[lonewolf]

My 1st unofficial piano lesson was at 3 from my father who was a concert pianist at the time; however, he was more of a performer than a teacher, so that was not really formal training. I started taking trumpet lessons from my Grandfather at 5. Some of you may remember Nelson Renner from the 4 He's & A She. For his musical contributions to the community, the Hicks Memorial Methodist Church in Duncansville has an "eternal flame" in his memory.

Those lessons continued until I picked up my first guitar at 12. I applied my trumpet training to guitar for awhile and it wasn't long before my Pap introduced me to his old buddy Ed McGuire. I studied under Ed for several years and was all prepped to study music in college when I decided to take engineering. That's when I put down the staff paper and picked up the soldering iron. A pragmatist at heart, I chose food on the table.

[RFBuck]

I taught myself when I first started, then went to see a guy in Mundy's Corner named George Byich (I think I spelled that right). I could barely play parts of a few songs, and the first time I go there he's playing Yngwei's "trilogy opus suite" over top of the neck! I wasn't impressed...I was intimidated! I was like "Why does this dude wanna teach ME?" I almost left. But I stuck it out awhile and eventually I just kinda faded away and went back to jamming with friends and teaching myself again.
A year or two ago, I started lessons again in Indiana but just wasn't getting anything out of it so I stopped. I'd like to get more into theory but have yet to find anyone who can lay it out to where I understand it...I'm a little dense at times when it comes to that.

[songsmith]

I had a single drum lesson in 6th grade, and that's the extent of my formal training. I have always listened and watched local guys like a thief, though, and have learned bits and pieces from Jeff Wallack, Felix Kos, Greg Larrimore, Bob DeArmitt, Jim Mosey, Randy Rutherford, and a million guys on the radio and TV.--->JMS

[Charltor]

then bought Doug Marks' Metal Method cassette tapes and videos.

Did you buy the companion aqua net to style your hair like his too???

Hellyeah bushy did the Metal Method as well, it was hilarious how they edited the takes , one second his hair would be up then down then up again!!

[onegunguitar]

then bought Doug Marks' Metal Method cassette tapes and videos.

Did you buy the companion aqua net to style your hair like his too???

Hellyeah bushy did the Metal Method as well, it was hilarious how they edited the takes , one second his hair would be up then down then up again!!

Hahaha-no,I had short hair back then

[Atomic Jim]

The Ventures, Larry Lykens of the Thunderbolts (Tyrone). I was 15 when I went to my first dance. The band was Bill Jones and the Blairmonts, and that was really my inspiration to play. Then I heard The Ventures' Walk, Don't Run, and I was hooked. I spent hours trying to play along with Ventures' records (still have them on my IPod.)

I started to go to dances where the Thunderbolts were playing; I would just sit and watch Larry Likens play. He did a lot of Ventures' tunes. Then I would go home and try to play what he played. I remember he had a white Jazz Master and a Bandmaster amp, and eventually I got the same rig.

I always say that that someday I should send Larry a check for all the guitar lessons he gave me.