Anyone taught him/herself an instrument?

[Writer Selbe]

I want to teach myself piano and guitar, but I just don't know how. So, I was wondering if you guys could share your stories about how you learned.  

[AquaticOwls]

I remember in first grade my Mom got me my first instrument, a recorder xD That's how I started, I'm no pro at it (I kinda lost it and have no sheet music xD) I can play a few songs. I'm trying to learn piano but i only can practice at my Grandmas... I suggest getting a few starter books (Essential elements, and others in that section) and a fingering chart  

[squirrelly_girl_XD]

Basics books, finger charts and determination. I am self taught on a variety of wind instruments and this has always been the easiest way for me to go about it. Don't skip over the simple Mary Had a Little Lamb stuff, either.

Good luck!  

[starbolt22]

I'm sorta self-taught on piano. I can't actually play it all that well, but I know where the notes are and I can kinda sightread in treble clef(but that's cause, guess what, my first instrument is a treble clef instrument). So the things I DO know about piano are self-taught.

I'd say that it helps to apply things you know from other instruments to learning new instruments.  

[xiAmBlack_Heartx]

I played the clarinet for about four years. When i joined Jazz band, I played bass clarinet cause I couldn't get a hold of a saxophone. Then after our band trip, My teacher gave me one of the school tenors on friday. I went home, printed off a fingering chart, and learned about two of our songs and was playing sax in Jazz band the next Tuesday (damn the instrument is so easy it's aggravating I guess my middle school band teacher was right. "If you can play the clarinet, you can play anything.") So it's not really that hard. Guitar may require lessons. There's alot more goin' on then just fingerings.  

[Iris Shadow]

I've been playing the clarinet for 3 years in school so recently I decided to start playing the flute as well. I can't read in C Key so it goes without speaking that I'm learning simply by hearing the notes and remembering the fingerings. Since I play the clarinet, I'm able to compare the sounds of the notes on the flute to the notes on the clarinet to make sure I'm playing it right. Of course this only works when you're already playing one instrument.  

[Tuba_madness]

Self taught my self Tuba, Clarinet, and Saxophone...learned my scales on the woodwinds and went from there...with tuba my teacher helped a little gave me the fingerings but I mostly learned as I went..  

[KyoKondo]

I was seven when I taught myself to play piano. I had always been around music, and all of my older siblings had learned to play the piano,but my mom stopped with my sister who is just above me. So I "snuck" to the rarely used piano one day (I though I was being sneaky, but apparently I wasn't...) and I started messing around on it, until I had "mastered" "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star."


I guess one of my key pointers as to learning the piano is sing a song you know and fumble around with the notes. I know a lot of self-taught pianists who can't read bass clef to save their life, yet can play piano by ear.  

[threeatheart]

Guitar is relatively easier to pick up than piano. From experience, I find the fastest way to pick up an instrument, is to learn songs that you're interested in. Most pop songs have the same 4 chord progression and by learning these, you also familiarize yourself with guitar tablature.

The same goes for piano, if you learn songs that you're interested in, when you see the song coming together you'll get more satisfaction than you would learning Mary had a Little Lamb or whatever.

With that said, scales are a must for both instruments. Many of the people who I've taught, came in with 'stiff fingers'. You're fingers just adapt with more practice.

Good luck 4laugh  

[Elite Sapphire]

Piano is somewhat easy to pick up, however if you are wanting to learn to read music for it, that is a lot harder. I learned piano just by sitting down and playing what ever sounded good, and eventually listening to songs and playing them as I listen. But I realize that not everyone can do that.  

[auburntwilight]

Self teaching is difficult sometimes. Fingering charts make things a little easier but when working with piano, like most other instruments, your hands may not have the dexterity to work like they 'should.'

The best thing for piano is working out easy melodies with one hand, switching to the other, playing them together, and then working with scales and other technique things before moving on. If your fingers aren't taught what a scale feels like then it will be difficult to play actual pieces.

Guitar will challenge how your hand naturally moves. I have a hard time going from upright bass to electric bass because it feels different. Mostly, be patient. Take the time to teach your brain what your fingers are doing and they'll do it when your brain wants them to.  

[orcmeat]

I self taught myself flute. It wasn't very hard but sax is my main instrument so that was helpful.  

[_Swagnifacent_]

Writer Selbe

I want to teach myself piano and guitar, but I just don't know how. So, I was wondering if you guys could share your stories about how you learned.

I taught myself piano, I loved it and i thought that youtube really helped. I would just look up a song that i wanted to learn and BAM there it was. as i always say, youtube has everything :3  

[Niki Wolf]

I took guitar lessons and piano, but with Z my electric guitar I have to learn how to use him all by myself. YES electric is different than acoustic guitar.
I recommend youtube for learning guitar. It's very helpful.  

[Music Is My Kryptonite]

piano, alto sax, mellophone, flute, and percussion ^.^