I taught myself how to play the guitar when I was 11. It was pretty hard in the beginning, but within a couple of weeks, I really started loving it. My first guitar was a cheap acoustic, which sounded really good.

After about 3 years, I hit a dead end and couldn't advance any more without any specific help, so I started taking lessons at a local music shop. I improved a lot because of it.

I'm also self-taught at the piano/keyboard (I learned Light My Fire when I was 13) and the bass.

What about you guys?

Mainley self-taught from age of 12, I'm 48 now. Had pro guitar lessons at 21 for 6 months. my teacher said he could not teach me anymore[I thought he was mad at the time] and that it would be up to me from that point on.

I've learned a lot from playing with good musicians, things that you don't get in books etc.

BandAMP has helped a lot with my songwriting in general.

The main thing is to practice new things to improve, never be satisfied and you will always improve, you can never stop improving, so long as your brain and body parts are working....... LOL

Cheers

Denis

Self taught from 13 to 14 then started taking lessons from a Berklee (http://www.berklee.edu/) student.

You can learn *guitar* and *songwriting* by self-teaching...but I've never met anyonet hat was able to successfully learn large amount of *music theory* without some teach/mentor helping/guiding them. It's like, you can learn to be a good artist by imitation and experimentation...but you will never be one of the great painters without some teaching.

mmmm, i dunno.  i'm going to say that there are certainly room for exceptions.  Exceptions aren't the "normal" case, but they can still occur.  If somebody is only concerned with imitation, then sure, they'll never get anywhere, because they're only mimicking.  On the other hand, if a person is sharp enough, they won't be satisfied with just imitation, and they'll actually be defining others' work in his/her own terms and ways.  Eventually, s/he'll become his/her own unique artist that understands things well enough in their own mind that makes more sense than wordy professional terms, yet can achieve the same results or better.

that doesn't mean you shouldn't take advice though    entheon once said that formal education on the matter is the way to open the floodgate to allow yourself to be more effective at rendering your talents.  For many people, I think that that's the best way to put it.  Formal education will not define you as some unique style.  Far from it.  If you only stick to the formal education, you'll never get outside of the box.

k, anyway..

Myself?  I began piano lessons when I was young... like... 6 or 7, but my interest honestly didn't lie in that.  I quit, and then wanted to pick it back up at the age of 16 when I wanted to learn the FFX song "To Zanarkand".  I did it, and I continue to learn crazy fast complex songs, and I can't read music.  Well, I can , but far too slowly to be able to play a new piece of music in front of me.  I memorize the positioning of my hands and where they should move next.  Of the songs that I'm able to play on the piano, I can play them in a perfectly dark room, because it's all in my hands.  It has nothing to do with reading music or my sight.

And if I mess up, then I literally cannot just "keep going", because my hand positioning is off.  I have to make checkpoints in the song to allow myself to resume from those points, as I can't just pick up the song at some random point.  A limitation, for sure.

As for the guitar, I began teaching myself that beast when I was a little past 19.  My first song was Aspirations, which was originally entitled "Apathy Wants a Friend in You" and was a only merely more simplistic than my recorded version.  I just sat down and began playing things that sounded good.  I'm still wretched with the official chords of the trade.  I don't care though.  I'm playing what I hear in my head, not what somebody else is trying to teach me is "right".

   the end.

Learn what you can when you can.  If lessons are feasible...take them.  If that guy in your band can show you a few cool tricks...learn em!  If theres a cool web tutorial...give it a go. 

Really we are all self-taught...it just depends which route we took.

I personally took guitar lessons for 4 years when I first started, but then after joining a band and moving a round a bit I found that I picked up an equal amount form other guitarists/the internet/just practicing.  I also ended up picking up the drums from my drummer, though my technique shows that ive never had lessons. 

In FL Studio i am compltley self-taught.  Never taken piano lessons in my life so I just apply what I know from music theory on guitar to my keyboard (literally...my computer keyboard...I dont own a piano keyboard yet). 

As I say...we are all self taught really.

self taught on guitar, learned by playing the music I would hear in my head. When I was 13 I would play every note on my guitar until I found the one that fit the best, it was hard and I knew nothing of scales but i really benifit from it.

even though I started taking piano and basic theory from
the tender age of four...I have taught myself guitar since
I was 11yrs old.. my mum said I started playing tunes on
a harmonica at four... which, according to her included
a couple of church songs as well as a few numbers I had
heard off some of the albums she use to play on the big
stereo daddy had purchased her from sears and roebuck..
which were mainly mainstream popular music of the time
and older country & western songs..   that was when they
started me with piano lessons...  after I started driving, I
took maybe three or four guitar lessons from a guy across
the river.. but the most I ever got out of him was "Make
that little finger work" and he taught me the "Sailors Hornpike"
fiddler's tune...  it was a toughie, and still is for that manner!

as Kobeshi well stated!!  Get what you can when you can
and practice until you are sick of it and can preform it
while you are sleeping...  then you will be proud of yourself
for what you have learned!!! then and only then can you
speak with authority about it!


Blessings,

Bluey - Dan

I respect your opinion but I find that tools although great for expanding technique don't always translate into really bringing out the true colors of inner expression(I think at times following the traditional teachings can place you in a box sort of thinking as oppose to an out of the box approach)...I guess what I'm saying is that this is such an  individual thing, theres no perfect formula for artist to communicate there art.So by saying you'll never amount to be a great_____ by not having teachings is very far from the truth IMHO...Many of extremely great songwriters achieve this level with out a concept of what theory even means..Except maybe on its most basic form and mostly by word of moth and not schooling..anyways..
By the way I'm self taught and still at it and have been for years..Both in classical and electric guitar..But I did register in UALR for a masters in Jazz just so I can be a music teacher ...

very well put..  you know how I value your opinion
and input!!!  Marino, you are truly a sage.. I just hope
the amp never looses you and lisa around here!!


blessings,

Bluey

"You can learn *guitar* and *songwriting* by self-teaching...but I've never met anyonet hat was able to successfully learn large amount of *music theory* without some teach/mentor helping/guiding them."

^^^^

I just said that it is hard to learn **music theory** by yourself. And that there are still exceptions to that rule.

Here let me help you!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autodidact#Notable_autodidacts
Frank Zappa ring a bell??

Also read what an autodidact is!!!!Hope that clarifies stuff.

imho it is up to the individual , what works best for you.  Some work well with the structured strict teacher leaning thing. Other do will with a more relaxed teacher /student  relationship.   The thing is really a great teacher can take you where you want to go in a faster time frame (usually) because he can help you skirt the pitfalls and problems that arise when trying to perfect a craft.

 On the other side of that , someone who is highly motivated, determined and has great work ethic , can become a master at his craft (guitar, keys, stonemason, carpentry. whatever it is) .


Regardless of whether you take lessons, or learn on your own, to become great at what you do , takes time,. lots of work, and passion.

I started age 3 or 4 just loving listening to music
then about 10 got a shot at playing Cello ................. why i dont know...........failed
watched my dad and uncles playing keys............but no lessons.........
could hammer out 3 chord trick though.........
12
got trombone at school ............ lessons and stuck to it like glue........ till 18

also picked up guitar and bass ............ played these more but no lessons

18 off to Music College ............ hate to say it but i knew very little but could play a storm!!!!!!!!!!

stuff at college classsical i wasnt into it much ...........

4 yrs later still playin a storm

but real education later thru playin with friends and some greats...........

listening to everything

say no more ..............

practice and do it ................... its the doing that does it!!!!!!!!!!

lol

the fish

Hmmm, lessons - now there's a thing!

I was taught violin from the age of 7 until about 12 at school, also recorder (not to be forgotten).  While I can't say that I learned to be a virtuoso in either of those instruments, the tuition at least taught me to read music at a very basic level. 

Then at 12 I picked up a guitar and am completely self taught in that - at times it's been really hard to progress, and even now (in my advanced years) I still think that a lesson or 5 may be handy.

At 18 I got a flute, and had about a years worth of lessons - that was my Jethro Tull period! (Actually I still like them, and still have the flute although I don't play it that much any more).

Four or five years ago, someone gave me a blues harp.  I've now got a full set, and use them very occasionally on a couple of songs I play with my band - I don't enjoy playing it live (as a three-piece, it means I have to have a holder, because I still have to play guitar), but have put it on a couple of backing tracks.  Again no lessons there.

I'm now considering a couple of singing lessons - my voice doesn't always come out to my satisfaction when performing live, and it may be that a vocal coach could point me in the right direction.

I'm very much an advocate of learning while you play, and that serious improvement comes through playing with others (especially in a live setting, which is worth about 10 rehearsals!) - but really think that a combination of professional tuition and self learning and development is the way to go as far as creating an original sound.

I started playing the guitar six or so years ago, putting me at about 15.  I've never had a lesson; sometimes I wish I had, but for the most part I am happy the way it is.  Learning theory was very tough, and I'm still weak in a lot of the more advanced areas, but again, I'm self taught in that area too.  I improved by playing.  The first month I had my guitar I clocked in about 250-300 hours of play-time.  I had to change strings every three or four days because they were caked in blood.

As a result of poor self-teaching and lack of general discipline, the traditionally more difficult guitar styles are where I am weak: my rasguedo is ragged at high speed, my jazz is amateurish.

I've also taught myself how to play the bass, mandolin, ukulele, harmonica, hand percussion and to some extent, sing.  I can hammer poorly on a piano/keyboard.

I would absolutely love to be able to play the piano as well as I can play the guitar.