Lessons or Self Taught?

DMFJ03 · Post by **DMFJ03** » Thursday Oct 21, 2004

I thought this would be an interesting thread.

How many of us out there took lessons to learn how to play our intruments, or how many just picked it up and made noise until they figured it out?

As for myself, I was self-taught. I took one lesson when I got my first bass. They guy showed me nothing more than name of my bass parts (head, frets, body, etc) and showed my a finger exercise to loosen my fingers up. At the end of the session, he tells me that he is going on vacation and will call me when he gets back - he never called me. So - I taught myself. Mother, and anyone who could hear me, hated my playings for about a year before I started to catch on. Fast forward to now, almost ten years later, - I think I'm doing alright for myself.

What about everyone else?

Banana Fandango · Post by **Banana Fandango** » Thursday Oct 21, 2004

isnt calling yourself self-taught the equivalent of tooting your own horn? haha

DMFJ03 · Post by **DMFJ03** » Thursday Oct 21, 2004

LMAO

Heh - how'd you know?

badreligion · Post by **badreligion** » Thursday Oct 21, 2004

I basically did the same thing as you...I took one or two lesson and then quit. So I guess I can say I'm a self taught bassist.

red · Post by **red** » Thursday Oct 21, 2004

Same here, self-taught. Almost 15 years on giutar, then 14 on bass. Just recently I have been taking theory lessons and I wish I would have been all along!! Once you know why one note or chord sounds good with another (even by accident) a whole new world opens up!! I would suggest a few theory lessons to everyone! It has changed my whole outlook on music

ToonaRockGuy · Post by **ToonaRockGuy** » Thursday Oct 21, 2004

As far as lessons go, I took violin lessons starting at age 4 and going through age 17.

Drumwise, I had a lesson here and there, but most of what I know for rudiments came from working out of an ancient Haskell Harr book, and drumming in jazz and marching bands.

Drumkit wise, I never took a lesson, just gravitated to it starting at age 4, then studied what major players were doing (Moon, Peart, Bruford, Bozzio), then tried it myself. I also always pay attention to the drummers when I catch a local show, I never fail to pick up something new to try to get my head around!

GUITARII · Post by **GUITARII** » Thursday Oct 21, 2004

I too am self taught.... obviously

Though now I wish I would've taken lessons.... can't read music, don't understand any of the theory, yet. If it wasn't for Mel Bay's beginners book of chords I'd a been screwed!

red · Post by **red** » Thursday Oct 21, 2004

Here is a site for free theory worksheets if anyone is interested!!!.....
www.practicespot.com/theorycenter.phtml

GUITARII · Post by **GUITARII** » Thursday Oct 21, 2004

red wrote:Here is a site for free theory worksheets if anyone is interested!!!.....
www.practicespot.com/theorycenter.phtml

AWESOME!!!! Thanks!!

Daxman · Post by **Daxman** » Friday Oct 22, 2004

Self taught here...And it shows!

Punkinhead · Post by **Punkinhead** » Saturday Oct 23, 2004

I took lessons for a few years after I was really playing...not normal lessons though...this dude that went to Berklee is a friend of mine and I'd just go to him with a question, say about harmonies or the melodic minor, super locrian, whatever...he gave me a shitload of info...

Most of my lessons now come from Bach/Paganini/Vivaldi....I get oodle of crap from playing there stuff, and it's way more fun than just running scales(which I still do anyways)....

facingwest · Post by **facingwest** » Wednesday Oct 27, 2004

Da..I pway da guitar and me teached myself.

Mackovyak · Post by **Mackovyak** » Wednesday Oct 27, 2004

Piano Lessons starting at Age 7 till 12 - I didn't fully connect the theory concepts until quite some time later in my college music theory class.

Bass Lessons - 12 - 17 - First from Eric Feisor at Oswalds, Then John Adams at Music Haven, then some guy named Steve back at Oswalds. Hell, that's when that store was in the Richland Mall!!!!!

Guitar - Self Taught sorta. I still can't play the damn thing, I just piece together the stuff using music theory and make my fingers do funny things to get the right notes.

Other: High School Chorus (good blow off class until I got kicked out for singing in falsetto all the time!), 3 music theory classes in College - That Mean lady at PSU Altoona that starts with a Z????, Recording Apprenticeship through Audacity Studios and then Otherworld Studios.