Are you self-taught?

[inthedoghouse]

I think I'm completely self taught: Watched lots of local bands, went to friends' houses who could play a little bit, listened to records over and over and over and over again. No computers back then, no tabs, just lots of patience and buckets of frustration.

[Twincam]

I'm self taught. I started playing over 2 years ago as a bit of a laugh after getting a cheap bass in some sort of deal/trade with a mate.
And I've strived to learn things myself apart from the very basics, which has made waste a lot of time I feel, if I had lessons I could be much better. I am happy to carry on this way and see where the journey takes me I've (almost) learnt to accept my limitations and I do really love the feeling after I've learnt something or felt some progress.

[paul_5]

Mostly. I picked up most of the stuff I use everyday by listening to (and transcribing) LPs in the early 90s (Led Zep, Iron Maiden, Rush etc…) then delved into Jazz (had a few lessons in Jazz playing from some [i]very[/i] good teachers), but my 'money' playing is in heavy rock/metal.

[leschirons]

Not really self taught as I had lessons although my bass teacher (Andy Staples, seriously cool player) didn't actually show me much in the way of how to play stuff or how to get the best out of the instrument. This is in no way a criticism because what he did give me were options and, above all, taught me how to listen, how to hear what was going on in a piece of music, and why it was going on.

There were lessons where we did not play a note but the conversation was worth every penny. The end result being that my technique could do with a few fixes but, I can busk 95% of the gigs I get. Bearing in mind that I'm not a pro, the fact that I can learn a song in my head whilst driving to a gig without picking up an instrument is purely down to him and for that, I'm eternally grateful.

Edited July 14, 2015 by leschirons

[dadofsix]

Self learning, yes. Every instrument I play. But far from "taught."

<><Peace

[FuNkShUi]

Started playing at 14, and was "self taught" until i was 18.
Thought i was good enough and didnt need lessons.
Had my first lesson at 18, and it opened my eyes to how much i had left to learn.
Had lessons with Jon Caulfield in Cardiff once or twice a month until i was about 26, and i'd still be going today if it wasnt for work and family commitments.
My only regret is I wish id started earlier, when i would've had more time to practice.

[Adrenochrome]

Yes, self taught on guitar and bass. I did have a decent musical education beforehand though.

[interpol52]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1436797146' post='2820823']
If you've made the effort to find tuition via books and vids and you've done it off you're own bat, then I'd say you're self-taught. You interpret the information as you will and you decide if and when you do it, and when and for how long you practise, or not.
[/quote]

Yeah that is how I see it too. It has been interesting reading all of the comments on here. When I first started playing I think the most important things I did were to learn the name of every note on the fretboard and also to tune the bass by ear. Everything else just followed on from that.

I would say that the Internet, Scott Devine in particular, kickstarted the second phase of my bass playing. About 5 years ago I barely played the bass, I had been in loads of bands and got tired of it, I think I went for about 2 years without even picking a bass up. Then one video lesson reignited my whole interest in playing bass and expanding my musical knowledge. It is now a borderline obsession, I like it but I don't like the GAS that has accompanied it!

[Marvin]

I've taught myself all the diabolical habits, poor techniques and total lack of theory knowledge I could.
It's no surprise I'm no longer in a band really.

[super al]

Self taught here too I suppose. Started out with guitarists teaching me the bass parts and one band I used to sit opposite the lefty guitarist and he would teach me the bass parts so it was like I was following a mirror image (if you see what I mean?).
Only real lesson I've ever had was on guitar with Rob Caggiano (ex Anthrax) in a dressing room at the Brixton Academy! Taught me some good warm up exercises and he was supercool too!

[dmccombe7]

Took lessons once a week for approx a year and teacher said i had learned enough of the theory and should listen to as many types of music as possible and learn myself from there.
I went on to listen to Rock, Prog, Jazz Rock, Jazz, Funk and even Pop music.
I loved playing the Jazz Rock which was a great mix of what i enjoyed listening to.
I've kept up n my music reading altho not to a usable sight reading level. Just enough that i can use it to learn songs and discuss chord changes with other band members.
In recent years i have learned from TABS, Youtube and books and anything else that teaches me different and interesting bass lines.
There is no end to what you can learn and after 40yrs of playing i'm still finding new things to do and play.

Dave

[CHW]

I bought a VHS tape on beginners bass (introduced by Jools Holland and taught by a guy called Henry Thomas)

It taught me the basics of pick and finger style, gave me the major and minor triads and formed the basis of my playing for the early years.

I spent ages playing and replaying tapes to try to pick up riffs once i realised how error strewn expensive tab books were and I've picked up little bits from all over over the years. Never had a sit down lesson with a qualified teaching pro.

[jazzyvee]

I'm entirely self taught on bass, never had any lessons. I've worked out songs from records CD's by ear and from watching other bass players.
I do want to get more into the theory and reading though.

[discreet]

[quote name='interpol52' timestamp='1436863417' post='2821396']
When I first started playing I think the most important things I did were to learn the name of every note on the fretboard and also to tune the bass by ear. Everything else just followed on from that.
[/quote]

Ha! I know the names of the open strings and the notes at the fifth, seventh and twelfth frets and work everything else out from that (if I need to). I don't tune the bass by ear, either. I find theory gets in the way of feel and groove and everything I do is based entirely on learning pattern shapes. I'm not saying this is necessarily a good way to do it, but it's the way I've done it for nearly forty years and it works for me. I find music theory and practise of scales and so on is a massive downer, so I simply don't do them. To me if something becomes a chore, it's stone dead. YMMV, obviously.

[super al]

[quote name='CHW' timestamp='1436868659' post='2821457']
I bought a VHS tape on beginners bass (introduced by Jools Holland and taught by a guy called Henry Thomas)

It taught me the basics of pick and finger style, gave me the major and minor triads and formed the basis of my playing for the early years.

I spent ages playing and replaying tapes to try to pick up riffs once i realised how error strewn expensive tab books were and I've picked up little bits from all over over the years. Never had a sit down lesson with a qualified teaching pro.
[/quote]

THE Henry Thomas!!! I think he was the bassist in the BBC's rock school programme! I taped the series back in the late 80s/early 90s. Dare say some of it must've rubbed off on me but not much. Keyboard player looked Thomas Dolbyish.

Edited July 14, 2015 by super al

[Nicko]

I played 6 sting guitar for about 15 years before I had a few lessons and that's the basis for any musical theory knowledge I have. I learnt more in the 20 or so lessons than I'd learnt in the 15 years previous.

I never had a single lesson on bass technique or theory. I use some dodgy tabs to learn songs but never really looked at youtube tutorials. Not sure whether I learnt more from playing with a band in the six years or so of playing bass than I learnt at my lessons, or whether I'm getting by despite my appalling lack of technique..

[CHW]

[quote name='super al' timestamp='1436875297' post='2821533']
THE Henry Thomas!!! I think he was the bassist in the BBC's rock school programme! I taped the series back in the late 80s/early 90s. Dare say some of it must've rubbed off on me but not much. Keyboard player looked Thomas Dolbyish.
[/quote]

that's the dude

[mikebass84]

I've never had any formal lessons. Had a few jams/tip sharing sessions with a few fellow bassists but I would say I'm self taught

[interpol52]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1436869895' post='2821470']
Ha! I know the names of the open strings and the notes at the fifth, seventh and twelfth frets and work everything else out from that (if I need to). I don't tune the bass by ear, either. I find theory gets in the way of feel and groove and everything I do is based entirely on learning pattern shapes. I'm not saying this is necessarily a good way to do it, but it's the way I've done it for nearly forty years and it works for me. I find music theory and practise of scales and so on is a massive downer, so I simply don't do them. To me if something becomes a chore, it's stone dead. YMMV, obviously.
[/quote]

My playing is still 90% shapes and my tried and tested patterns. The trouble is, I am a nerd and I wanted to prove to myself that I could do the theory side of things too. The extra bit of theory has given me a few new shapes and also new ways to connect them all up. Every so often I wish I hadn't bothered though because if I am thinking about the theory too much I lose the groove and spontaneity.

Edited July 15, 2015 by interpol52

[BILL POSTERS]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1436869895' post='2821470']
Ha! I know the names of the open strings and the notes at the fifth, seventh and twelfth frets and work everything else out from that (if I need to). I don't tune the bass by ear, either. I find theory gets in the way of feel and groove and everything I do is based entirely on learning pattern shapes. I'm not saying this is necessarily a good way to do it, but it's the way I've done it for nearly forty years and it works for me. I find music theory and practise of scales and so on is a massive downer, so I simply don't do them. To me if something becomes a chore, it's stone dead. YMMV, obviously.
[/quote]

This. 100% agree.
Every word fits the way I do it. Apart from somebody saying " That string, that fret 4 times, and then that one 4 times" the first time I picked up a Bass, no one ever taught me anything. I picked up what technique I have by watching Bass Players in the bands I saw in the Railway and Barberellas.

Edited July 14, 2015 by BILL POSTERS

[Baxter]

Kind of self taught........
I said to my dad I fancied picking up the bass - he dug out the Hofner, I wouldn't get my hands on the Jazz for a while. He taught me how to tune it, hold it, and walking bass. He reckoned that if could do that then i'd be off to a good start.

Then it was years of playing along with records. Here, theres a thing, did anyone else play singles at 33 to learn them? I recall that one string up and two frets up held the tuning and it was a matter of replicating the pattern once you got the speed up...... did anyone else do that?

[Old Man Riva]

Pretty much self taught.

Had a few initial lessons from a local player and then it was up to me. Managed to blag my way into a really good covers band (the brother of Jonny the Notes of this parish was the guitarist) where the players were all slightly older than me and hugely better musicians (really top players) and held on for dear life. Practiced every morning before work and every night when I got home - I had to, just to keep in touching distance with the rest of them. It was the best learning experience I could have wished for.

Played along to the radio, whatever the song/genre as well as records - challenged myself to learn a song a day (properly), which I did for years. Picked up all sorts of different styles this way, which meant it was never boring.

The one thing I do regret is not learning how to read music - daft, really, as I played cello at junior school so had a basic grasp of it when I was a young kid. That would have certainly helped in later years.

[uncle psychosis]

Bass is not my first instrument so I already came to it knowing a lot of musical theory.

As far as bass guitar is concerned I'm 95% self taught but by far the most progress I've ever made was when I had half a dozen lessens with a great teacher (Jennifer Clark from Glasgow, who occasionally posts on here under the name Endorka. Hope you're well Jen). She really helped me sort out my hand position and solved a lot of problems I'd had for years in the space of weeks.

[ambient]

I was for the first 2 years. Then I started having lessons because I felt that I had hit a wall, and was no longer progressing. I then had to re-learn what I had done technique wise. I had lessons off the same guy on and off for about 4 years.

I then had more lessons when I switched to playing 6 string bass, these were off the guy who turned into my biggest bass playing influence, Steve Lawson. I had lessons from him for about 3 years.

I've since done a HND in popular music performance, and recently graduated with a BMus (hons).

[alyctes]

Not self-taught. But I'm so bad a student, I've forgotten it all. Apart from how to tune it.