Did you all start music lessons on Guitar or other instrument?

[donlyn]

Did you all start music lessons on Guitar or other instrument?

Thing is, I never took lessons. Started out on guitar during the British Invasion, and kept at it. Later on, took a Music Theory class in college (from which I am still reaping benefits), but I am basically self-taught. I also cannot play by sight-reading the music. Nor can I do tabs.

But I am very happy where I am with it all now.

Don
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[foxo]

I was too shy in school to get involved in music stuff. Started teaching myself guitar at 28 as my first instrument. Never expected it would become such an important thing to me. Especially never would have guessed I would pluck up the courage to play live regularly.

[larryjoh814]

I can’t believe 30 posts in no one began with the accordion. Group lessons were offered cheaply in San Diego. While I enjoyed waltz time music, the Beatles showed up on Ed Sullivan and Ricky Nelson was on Ozzie and Harriet, and my guitar journey began in earnest.

[Mandobart]

I was 10 years old when I started violin, on my own volition (my parents encouraged me but did not push me - they never nagged me about practicing). I stuck with it all through high school, and branched into bluegrass fiddle the old-school way (by ear and watching my fiddle teacher).

At 13 I decided to try guitar too. Mostly self-taught there, but I did have a couple lessons. Then around 14 I took up electric bass in school jazz band. I really enjoyed being in school band and orchestra; wish I'd joined choir too.

After high school I joined the navy and didn't have much time for music for many years. Just picked acoustic guitar at home alone on and off. Then in 2001 I moved to my current place and started picking tunes on guitar with my neighbor informally. In 2008 I accidentally started playing mandolin, and it grabbed me like nothing else ever did.

I'm active in 3 acoustic music organizations now and have played a lot of gigs and contributed on several albums. I've found that regularly playing with others (like I did in school band and orchestra) has improved my playing and renewed my interest.

[DCCougar]

Messed around with piano since I was 5. Lessons later on in Jr. High. Had a great teacher who actually helped start a band with some classmates. He played sax. I never got into sight reading, but I can play out of a fake book. I also played some trumpet in Jr. High.

When I was younger my mother would bring home a variety of instruments she picked up at back yard sales - a C melody sax, a teakwood xylophone... I got the feeling I could play most anything. Not well, but hey! Some chick at college had a sitar. I sat down and played around with it for a while. She said "Oh, you know how to play that!" Well, no, but I could fake it!

In high school, a really good banjo/guitar player moved in next door. He taught me to fingerpick Freight Train. That's the extent of my guitar lessons, but knowing piano really opens that door. I consider myself a musician. Not a pro, but still....

[rjathon]

Originally Posted by larryjoh814

I can’t believe 30 posts in no one began with the accordion. Group lessons were offered cheaply in San Diego. While I enjoyed waltz time music, the Beatles showed up on Ed Sullivan and Ricky Nelson was on Ozzie and Harriet, and my guitar journey began in earnest.

Too funny.

I always viewed playing music as a huge waste of time comparable to playing pool or poker or bridge. Then I became afflicted with a neurological problem and found it to be great rehab. I learned from Denny Zager via the internet.

After discovering the Molly B Polka Show on RFD TV I became enamored with the accordion. My wife said that the guitar was misery enough for her and an accordion would be over the top.

If you ever get the chance to go to a Polish Polka dance go, it is so much fun!

Russ

[shakejfran]

Originally Posted by texaspicker

As for myself I started on violin as a kid.

...

Needless to say the violin interest disappeared and I found myself playing along to Beatle records and later as a teen Zeppelin, the Who, the Eagles and Aerosmith..

Same here. Started on violin when I was 5, took it for around 10 ish years and realized guitar sounded much 'full' than a violin.

Also the price kinda helped me out. A decent Martin D-28 costs around $3,000 nowadays, while a decent violin would laugh at that cost by not having another zero at the end of the number.

[Birchtop]

Although guitar was my first instrument, my first real music lessons started in the 5th grade with the violin.

Still play both today.

[The Bard Rocks]

I had lessons on sax for a few years. All my other instruments are self taught. Sax lessons taught me to read music and not be fraud fo it. but I learned lot more by being able to play chords.

[guitargabor]

My musical journey began with piano lessons at the age of 10.
Interest in guitar did not happen until I was about 18 years old and has continued since.

Looking back I had much more aptitude towards piano than guitar....which is still a work in progress after these many years...

[hopdemon]

I started on clarinet in grade school and played that until high school, but in1964 i heard The Beatles and wanted to be a drummer like Ringo so I saved up S&H greenstamps (Guess that dates me) and bought a drum set. I took some lessons and played for many years till I lost my leg in an accident in the 80's. Right after that I went to the first Rock in Rio concert and met some street musicians and picked up playing congas and brought a sweet set home with me.I played those In bands for years and only quit when my wife threw a fit over me playing out.Eventually divorced her, and tried to get my son interested in clarinet (he was 8) lol that didn't work ...he wanted bass lessons so got him a bass and lessons ....he quit, I got hooked and took lessons on upright and electric at the local college for years.I played bass for about 15 years and then sort of got bored, tried getting my son and daughter (3rd marriage and combined families) didn't work BUT I got hooked I've been taking lessons now for about a year and a half and love it The good part about all the other instruments is I can read music, charts ,tab and I learned some theory which is a real help All in all its been a fun journey and im lucky Im married to a woman who supports my hobbies and tells me to buy any instrument I want.

[Zandit75]

As my Dad was a country singer and guitar player, I was encouraged to learn guitar when I was a kid. In 3rd grade, they were offering group guitar lessons to those interested, but we were playing old full sized nylon stringed guitars that I could barely get my hand around. It didn't last long for me.
When I got to highschool, I had a fascination to the Trombone which was being demonstrated by the teacher, and I had to know how it worked!!

Mum and Dad were not happy!!!!

6yrs later, I'm still playing, and having won a number of state level solo competitions, I was influenced by hearing Tommy Emmanuel to look at guitar again.

This was 1992, and for several years I battled through several different tutors who all had circumstances change, and could no longer teach me.
I found out that I could sing, and surprised the hell out of my parents at a jam session being held at their house one night. I entered a few talent quests, wrote a few songs, but my level of playing was limited

Boredom set in because I didn't have the skills to learn new songs, and what I did already know became stagnant. The guitar sat in the corner for years, only occasionally being played.

Then along comes my niece just over 5yrs ago, asking if I'd be interested in singing for her bridal waltz, and the spark was re-ignited. Thanks to YouTube, I've been able to learn new chords, new songs, and also thanks to some new friends, I've expanded my repertoire beyond anything I imagined, and I'm now performing regularly around the area.


Oh, and the Trombone? I gave it up around '97-98, but almost 4yrs ago, my old Bandmaster passed away, and while I couldn't make it to the funeral, they held a memorial concert, and I put up my hand. Again, another fire was ignited, and I have been playing it ever since.
This photo was taken at Easter time two years ago, going through rehearsals for National Solo comps where I came 6th!!

[zeeway]

Another familiar story...my first roommate in college brought a guitar so he could learn how to play it. He never did...but I somehow figured it out. Now 60 years later, I am still playing...some gigs in nursing homes for free. Never had lessons, but I still am learning...

[TBman]

Piano (at about 5), then the viola in school for a bit, maybe one semester. I liked it though, don't know why I stopped. Then the guitar.

[jpd]