I had some basic music theory in grammar school. I learned note values, time signatures, notes of the staff, functions of sharps, flats, naturals, rests, etc.
I didn't care for it then, but it came in handy later when I picked up guitar.
So - with the few books out there at the time and the "PLAY GUITAR WITH THE VENTURES" records, I got some self-learning going.
I wanted to learn a little jazz theory later after that. I hooked up with a (wannabee) guitar teacher. He wrote several books on jazz guitar and lived in my town.
Only problem there - he wasn't a guitar player. He was a sax, clarinet, vibraphone player - anything but guitar. He was useless as far as picking and technique. He just knew theory and put lessons in books; lessons he could not play on guitar himself.

Having a math background, I adopted a "matrix" view of the fretboard. That has worked extremely well when I go into the many books I've collected in various guitar genre over the years.
All learning is self learning.
J Mo'

When I was a kid, my pop got stationed in Japan for a spell, and I begged him to bring me back an electric guitar. The 'rents said "OK, but you're going to have to take lessons." They signed me up with a local guitar teacher, an old guy who smelled like stale cigarettes and gym socks. He spent two lessons trying to get me to hold the guitar right, then asked me what kind of music I wanted to play. Why, the Ventures, of course! He then proceeded to write out the sheet music to Windy and Warm and a few others and told me to go home and practice. I was too embarrassed to mention that I didn't know how to read music. I got out my first Ventures album and learned the tune by ear as best I could, and played it at the next (and last) lesson. "Gee, Matt! That's very good!" as I played while pretending to look at sheet music. "But, you do realize that this should be a Bb, not B natural, don't you?" Uh, sure I do, thanks! That was and is the extent of my formal music training. (I've occasionally mused as I enter my dotage how my music "career" would have been different had I been able to sight read. While I have the utmost respect for those that can, I can't think of a situation where I missed out on a gig or session by being musically illiterate).

What's that old joke "How do you get a guitar player to turn down?" "Put sheet music in front of him!"

Last edited: Jan 24, 2022 01:43:48

Tikidog wrote:

Classical guitar lessons from age 10
jazz guitar lessons when i was 18
got a degree in jazz when i was 26

played in bands since i was 17 - punk, indie, rock, jazz and surf
turned pro with 21

been making a living playing and teaching guitar for 31 years...
learned some stuff from the lessons/musical education, but also lot from transcribing, playing and trying out stuff...

it never stops, right now I'm into Barney Kessel's chord concepts and Americana jazz like Jim Campilongo and Bill Frisell...
Still love and write surf music

www.thesurfguitarbook.com

For me it was all private lessons. Dale Bruning in Denver, a fine jazz teacher who, coincidentally, was teaching Bill Frisell at the same time. I also did some reading studies with another Denver guitarist by the name of Ozzie Carlson. Then I studied with Scott Fraser, and the Minneapolis area, who is a fine Jazz guitarist and has experience and training ranging from Classical to Chet Atkins’ style to Johnny Smith’s style. I taught for years, but chose to go into another field when I realized that there was little demand for the sort of Jazz I wanted to play.

These days, I have broadened by tastes and appreciate many genres. The Surf I heard as a kid is among my favorites. I also love some of the R&B flavored soft rock of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

Martin Schmidt’s Surf Guitar School)

Waikiki Makaki surf-rock band from Ukraine

https://linktr.ee/waikikimakaki

Lost Diver

https://lostdiver.bandcamp.com
https://soundcloud.com/vitaly-yakushin

Started when I was around 10 or 12 with a Sears Silvertone and my Dad's acoustic. He taught music on the side, but never got around to giving me lessons. Learned chords and song arrangements using a Beatles' song book and by dissecting chord patterns on the piano. Self taught at that point. Later took music theory for 3 semesters in college and got a lot of help from other musicians. Took guitar lessons for about a year, but that bored me, so I remained pretty much self taught on guitar. Studied chords, arrangements and songwriting and different genres in classes, books, videos and from trial and error. Learned alot of technique playing in wedding and tribute bands, but I'm an originals guy, so I still just kind of wing it.

Surfcat

MARCH OF THE DEAD SURFERS! (2024) - Agent Octopus
Wake up Jimmy! It's Christmastime! (2024) - Agent Octopus (Single)

YOUTUBE - Agent Octopus Surf

Private guitar lessons from Sid Margolis in Brooklyn. Sid played in the big band era with Frankie Carle and Benny Goodman among others and was staff guitarist at several New York TV studios in the 50's and 60's including with Arthur Godfrey. Google search found half a dozen pro guitarists crediting him. Then decades of autodidactics.

More quotidian were viola & orchestra classes in Jr High, piano lessons before that, and singing lessons ten years ago.

Insanitizers! http://www.insanitizers.com

I studied classical guitar quite seriously for several years - technique and theory. Other than that, had a few years of piano lessons as a kid and took guitar lessons from randos on & off as a teen/20-something.

--
Project: MAYHEM by Hypersonic Secret now available!

Oops...deleted

Jack Booth
(aka WoodyJ)

The Mariners (1964-68, 1996-2005)
The Hula Hounds (1996-current)
The X-Rays (1997-2004)
The Surge! (2004, 2011-2012)
Various non-surf bands that actually made money (1978-1990)

Last edited: Sep 16, 2022 07:29:45