Teaching yourself?
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Category: Other music related lounges
Forum Name: Tech Talk
Forum Description: Discuss musical instruments, equipment, hi-fi, speakers, vinyl, gadgets,etc.
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4897
Printed Date: November 22 2024 at 18:12
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Topic: Teaching yourself?
Posted By: Dreamer
Subject: Teaching yourself?
Date Posted: April 05 2005 at 13:19
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has anyone taught himself an instrument? I have a keyboard laying around and would like to start practicing, and get to a playing level. my goal is to understand music and compose. Problem is i dont know how to start. Is there a good site you guys have? Is there a common book I could pick up? Is it even possible to learn the instrument to a pro level all by yourself? any help and tips would be appreciated. Thanks in advance ps: I play drums, with a teacher. I dont play anything else... |
Replies:
Posted By: Hangedman
Date Posted: April 05 2005 at 13:54
Im teaching myself to play the keyboard currently also. Just keep in mind that there are different sets of keys and the further left you go the deeper the sound gets  . But the best way to go would be lessons or a book, dont trust the internet.
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Posted By: Man With Hat
Date Posted: April 05 2005 at 18:01
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I have never had any professional training (with an instructor). All i had was what they teach in school (public school that is). So, i guess you could say i pretty much taught myself. Mind you, im not the best, i think i'm pretty good. I, as well, play drums. I can play the keyboard/piano/organ, but not to the degree of a pro. Just simple ordinary songs you would find in a common piano song book (ie. "When the Saints", "Silent Night", etc.) ------------- Dig me...But don't...Bury me I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect. |
Posted By: Cygnus X-2
Date Posted: April 05 2005 at 18:50
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I learned how to play the guitar by myself... well... my dad showed me a few chords when I was starting out, but that's it. Does that still count? ------------- 
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Posted By: Soulman
Date Posted: April 05 2005 at 20:59
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Oh yea, Most of everything I've learned while learning bass, guitar and keyboards, was self-taught.  My best advice for when teaching yourself is to find a good book to learn from and have a couple musically educated friends that you can ask questions to. Another good advice I can give you is to try to maintain your passion in your instrument (by listening to music or inspiring yourself in some way) , because unlike learning from a teacher, you're not forced to do anything. I can't quite think of a good "common" piano book to start out with. Though look for a book that will teach you music theory while learning to play piano, if you're kind of familiar with it. It is a big focus to playing piano, I believe. However, if you're totally new to this learning an instrument thing, just get a "For Dummies" book (it worked for me  .) |
Posted By: radiognome3
Date Posted: April 05 2005 at 22:33
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Since 1985, I have taught myself to play the guitar, synthesizer, basic piano, saxophone and the recorder (wind instrument). If I could afford them, I would like to try other renaissance instruments. I also taught myself to sight read and write music. Playing with other people is the best way to pick up an instrument. Short of that, play along with music you like, or even commercials on TV. There seems to be a bit more latitude with synthesizers, as long as you simply like sound. If you can read music, books help, too, of course. |
Posted By: James Lee
Date Posted: April 06 2005 at 07:29
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All I had for guitar instruction was one lesson from a friend of my older brother. Plus many, many books and exercises from guitar magazines. With bass, I didn't even have that; my bass education involves playing along with mp3s- with the player set to random, just to keep me guessing. And I can't even sit and watch TV without my acoustic in hand- playing along with just about any music that comes on, or trying out ideas of my own. It also keeps me from snacking or smoking too much. Of course, I'm not very good at any instrument...so I wouldn't recommend my method. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/sollipsist/?chartstyle=kaonashi"> 
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Posted By: Ben2112
Date Posted: April 07 2005 at 20:09
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Self-taught guitarist, bassist, & keyboardist here. OK, well, I really haven't played the keys much since i was about 15 (when I discovered guitar), but I can still plink out a tune or three.
As far as guitar goes, I learned most of what I know from obsessively buying every guitar magazine on the rack for about 5 years, and just playing along with albums & noodling around by myself. |
Posted By: Dreamer
Date Posted: April 08 2005 at 12:08
| how do you figure out the chords and all that? I know the major chords, but minor and seventh is whats really confusing me. |
Posted By: Hierophant
Date Posted: April 09 2005 at 02:50
I taught myself to play the drums and to a certain degree - keyboard and guitar 
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Posted By: arcer
Date Posted: April 09 2005 at 12:35
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Totally self-taught on all the instruments I noodle
with and after 20 years on guitar I can play all the notes in the Smoke on the Water riff
seriously, I'm self-taught on guitar, mandolin, bass, keyboards though guitar is really the only one I'm any good at. I started with a bunch of books with chord windows of my favourite (easy to play) songs and went from there. My best advice would be to expose yourself (not that way) to as many different styles of music as possible (funk, rock, prog, folk, blues, classical, jazz) all will give you different techniques you can employ in your own music. A salutary lesson for me was playing with a jazz-funk band in the mid-90s - it taught me completely different disciplines and techniques which broadened my playing massively. IMO opinion there's nothing worse than hearing a player who's technically great but utterly locked into a single manner of playing. Other advice? Explore your instrument (not that way ) I mean don't be afraid to make stuff up. Try
framing chords different ways, put you fingers on the frets in unfamiliar ways. Don't be afraid to experiement with articulations you've never seen in a book. I don't know the name of most of the stuff I play, I just play what sounds melodious and 'good' couldn't tell you if it was diminished, augmented or whatever. Self-taught often means more willing to break rules for me. I once knew a classically pianist who could play beautifully but could not compose because her teaching was so rigid that she was unable to express herself unless it was by playing music printed on sheets - terrible. Get a bunch of chord window books, start practising the tunes and within a year I guarantee you'll be trying to figure out your own voicings... go for it |
Posted By: sigod
Date Posted: April 12 2005 at 10:14
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I have being playing with myself for many years now.... ------------- I must remind the right honourable gentleman that a monologue is not a decision. - Clement Atlee, on Winston Churchill |
Posted By: Dreamer
Date Posted: April 12 2005 at 12:23
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But how do I start, a basic songs type of book would do? or a chord book? I am not very musically educated, so I dont understand alot of what "scales" and different variations are. A soon as i get it started Ill do fine, but getting started is always the hardest part for me, and i dont know how to approach it. |
Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: April 16 2005 at 12:28
| taught myself keys, bass, guitar, and drum(machine) as well as all the theory i know. if yu can read yu can do anything yu wish. one book is usually as good as another, flip thru some at barnes and noble til yu find one yu can readily understand. start with a small one intended for beginners bfore yu overwhelm yurself with one attacking the entire scope of an instrument. the very best part of teaching yurself is, as previously stated, avoiding being just like everyone else. people think if they can play sweet home alabama theyre great, but then they couldnt riff around a lawn chair without someone showing them how. the greatest gift of self-tuition is the assurance of unique and personal development. have fun and make sure yu practice new things half the time and rehash stuff yu know the other half. that keeps yu interested and will help yu to not forget. |
Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: April 16 2005 at 12:32
| p.s. i would not begin with song books no matter what one may tell yu. many times it is too frustrating hearing a song in yur head , having a book showing yu how to play it and still not being able to. get chord books for piano and guitar and just practice playing those chords. once yu can play individual chords start putting them together to build a progression you find harmonic. from there the sky's the limit. good luck |
Posted By: bearfairy
Date Posted: April 16 2005 at 14:41
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i'm trying to teach myself bass guitar .... so im sortof asking the same thing , does anyone know any good websites that teach you ? or where can i start . xxxxx
------------- the linoleum floor the linoleum floor your lyrics are dumb like the linoleum floor |
Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: April 16 2005 at 21:05
| go to cyberfret.com for bass |
Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: April 16 2005 at 21:06
| im sorry its cyberfretbass.com |