[dpmphoto]

I thought it might be interesting to see how many of the great took guitar lessons, my guess is not very many,what do you think???

[bodiddley]

I believe most have at one time or another. It's rare for one to pick up an instrument and just take to it right away without a lot of blood, sweat,
and tears.

[willmusic]

I don't wanna sound too thinky about it but don't we all get lessons in one form or another?

[Pigpen]

Probably depends when they grew up. Jerry has said many times there weren't too many guitar players near him. It wasn't particularly respected. Im pretty sure John Cippolina did, maybe that was piano..

[caspersvapors]

Andres Segovia

Steve Vai

[XxRouninxX]

jimmy page

[IamDocWatson]

i dont remember the details but in the garcia book it said when jerry was in the army some one there thought him a thing or two to go on

[krzykat]

I'm sure that John Scofield took lessons, and for that matter lets not forget that Trey went to school for music so while there i would wager that he took a lesson or two or ten

[Tennessee Jedi]

Even Hendrix had Guitar Shorty( or was it Guitar Slim?) to show him stuff.
But back in the dark ages when there wasnt a Guitar Center everywhere,I think lessons might have been a little harder to find maybe?Maybe.
Jerry was Teacher,right?
Didnt Bob hunt down Rev.Gary Davis for some one on one?
People who make excuses for not taking some lessons are kidding themselves.
It can only make you better!
Believe it or not some people know more about guitar than you!
GASP!
Is it not cool to be smart?
Are people too proud to admit that sometimes you can learn from someone else?
I used to think that Jerry and the boys never practiced and always just made stuff up as they went along.Wrong-o,Dude.
I mean look at some of the questions poor Strum has to field lately-
Whats a 1-4-5?????
Its not the only way to learn.
There are good books Dvds cds this site and who knows what else out there.But why limit your self?You might be surprised by what lesson can unlock inside of you.
Go for it!
I know a ton of people who never took lessons in their lives and are great musicians.Effortless looking.
I dont think everyone can get away with that,though.
Guitar is our passion.The ends will justify the means!
This is meant as a pep talk not a lecture and I apologize for anything offensive.
Just an opinion.
Just keep rockin.....

[lostsailor8782]

Eddie Van Halen studied some under Joe Pass

[dahmbomb]

trey took lessons

[Mick]

People who make excuses for not taking some lessons are kidding themselves.
It can only make you better!
Believe it or not some people know more about guitar than you!
GASP!
Is it not cool to be smart?
Are people too proud to admit that sometimes you can learn from someone else?

Hey Jedi, do you think I should take some lessons? Seriously dude, don't hold back, just come right out and say it!

More seriously, I have not taken any lessons as of yet, although I am damn sure I would benefit greatly as a player from them. This doesn't stem from some arrogance of musical knowledge, just from what I want out of guitar at the moment. I don't like TV. I like sitting around my house playing guitar, preferably with my kids. Playing guitar is something I do with my leisure time, and I don't want any pressure, internal or external, to spend time doing it, that would kind of ruin it for me. If I was paying $50 for a lesson coming up on Monday, I would feel pressure to practice and be ready for it in order to get a reasonable amount out of it, so that I wouldn't feel like I had wasted my money. Given that, until I am ready to dedicate a significant amount of time each and every week to practicing and absorbing what is taught in the lesson, I feel taking them would be a disappointment for me.

I'm sure this sounds like nothing more than a rationalization, but I think it is important in anything to keep in mind what you are looking to get out of it, before deciding what to put into it.

[Pete B.]

Bobby took lessons from Jerry, right?
On the guitar lessons thing, I took some when first beginning, but quickly drifted to learning "by ear" and by bits and peices of "hey, can you show me that lick you just played" type of stuff from others I was playing with over the years. I have pretty much always been in a band or somewhat regular jamming situation since 10th grade ('78-ish), and also took sax and piano lessons in elementary school and jr high, playing sax in the school band (i think i smoked my first jay, bought Steel Your Face, and switched from sax to guitar, all in the same day, during the summer between 8th-9th grade).
Anyway... I jumped to Pedal Steel in 10th/11th grade and have since traveled to Nashville, St.Louis, Texas, CA, for private lessons from Pro players.
I didn't play much guitar from about '90-'05, but have gotten back into it in a big way.
I took lessons from a local guy who advertises on Craigslist specifically teaching "Jerry Style".
He quickly opened my eyes to the concept of "the more you learn, the more you learn how much there is to learn that you don't know (not sure that came out right).
Anyway... now some 30 years later (and bored stiff with the same bits and pieces of licks, box patterns, chords, etc, that i have been musically regurgitating into every song) I am finding it easy and fun to learn and apply the "official music theory stuff", the "CAGED stuff", tab from JDarks and others.
Learning to play new stuff if great fun!
I'm going to post a youtube of somy Bobby-isms for China/Rider ala CAGED, later this week (fwiw, I wouldn't be surprised to find out that Bobby and Jerry invented the CAGED method).
I think I have one distinct advantage, coming from the pedal steel world, and that is, the level of difficulty for playing guitar is so low compared to pedal steel, i feel like i can play really stongly and fluently, and learn and incorporate new stuff on guitar easily.
Remember, all the hardest licks you have ever heard were easy for the guys who played them, and guys who know how to do it.
For example, I didn't think I would ever be able to play Help/Slip, but now find it easy.
funn stuff!
Pete B.

[Tennessee Jedi]

Yo Mick Dude!
Happy new year!
Yeah man its all cool.
Dude,I'm 39,with a wife and a house,so I know sorta how you feel...
I'm real obsessed with the guitar.Its all the way or no way for me.
My comments were meant for the Dudes who are seeking a little more out of their passions;playing out,interacting with other musicians,etc.
Theres a little music shop that I go to that has this old guy who does set ups and gives lessons.Hes played with some cool cats like Roy Orbison.Man can that old guy chicken pick!Hes always telling me that if I want lessons,I got to put the time in and learn to read.Dont have the time right now.
Someday I hope to take him up on it.
My comments were meant to be taking in a positive way.Hope I didnt tick anyone off.
Peace TD

[Mick]

TN Jedi:

I was joking/being sarcastic with the first line in my post, you didn't tick me off at all.

Your post actually nailed the present difference between you and me, you said "I'm real obsessed with the guitar.Its all the way or no way for me." If I felt that way, I would definitely give some lessons at least a try. It's not a time thing, I have the time. In fact, some weeks I'm sure I spend 10-15 hours playing, which I think is more than enough to justify lessons. It is just that I would have to make the commitment to play at least 10 hours or so every week and I am not ready to do that at this time.

When you say "learn to read", I assume you mean learn to read scale? I took trumpet lessons from 4th-6th grades and learned to read scale then, I guess I never forgot it. Reading tab is a lot easier of course, but I find my way through scale slowly. Surprised the hell out of my wife though when I started playing, I clearly remember the night she looked at me practically in horror and said "YOU can read MUSIC?!?!?! How the HELL do YOU know how to read MUSIC?!?!?! Point being, if I could learn it as a 10 year old who wasn't very interested in trumpet, and still remember it thirty something years later, it can't be that hard! Literally one evening with a book will get you started. After that, the more you read it, the better you get with it.