Hi ya everyone.

From a young age I was taught recorder by Mum, and then she taught me flute and helped me with my other instruments (who I was taught by teachers at school or music school). I never had a problem with this, but other people find it really hard to be taught by their family, as the lesson just land up in a row.

I then started to teach myself the saxophone, as I didn't have time for lessons and my Mum didn't know anymore about it than I did.

Do you think there is anything to be lost or gained from being taught by someone you know well or a family member and who isn't just your teacher? And is self teaching a good idea in the long run, even if you then go on to get a real teacher?

In the past I didn't have especially good teachers but now I really appreciate the teacher I have now. She is amazing and I wouldn't have gained confidence, a better sound or any other skills if I had been self taught or by a relation. My teacher has helped me from just having done grade 5 to me doing grade 7 pieces in a year, so yes, I definitely think someone who can spot your errors and who knows lots of knowledge about your instrument - in my case the flute also.

I taught myself for a couple of years. Trust me when I say this: there is so much you can't learn on your own or from books. Even if you end up learning a few things, you'll still lack technique, which I think is the most important thing when playing an instrument.

I have a professional teacher now. He's very good. I'm his only student, though, because he's a performer. I don't know about having family members teach you. My family is the least musical family you'll ever find. But I imagine it's quite convenient having a teacher around all the time, with the bonus of not feeling extremely nervous everytime you have a lesson.

Take my advise; get a teacher for all the instruments your mother can't teach you.

i have a teacher for the violin and flute, and I am teaching myself to play the descant and treble recorder.

i was thought the recorder by the school music teacher in year 3 and the flute in year 10

piano is taught by a teacher too

irish pennywhistle is self taught

currently theory, im teaching myself some bits coz my teacher is off ill

I am taught clarinet in school, piano out of school but I teach myself Saxophone

QUOTE (Seashellmusic @ Jul 2 2004, 02:17 PM)

From a young age I was taught recorder by Mum, and then she taught me flute and helped me with my other instruments

my parents dont knowhoe to play

At time of posting, there's 4 self-taught pupils. Can I assume that we (yes, I'm one of them) are either people who teach ourselves our 2nd instruments, or who are professionals?

I wouldnt have thaught that teaching yourself to play is a very good idea in the long run, as you develop bad habbits, having said that, i did teach myself the tenor horn, with a bit of help from my mum. i dont play this seriously though but if i was going to, i would get lessons from a pro.

I taught my self clarinet and piano for a few months before I started having lessons. I can't really remember if having lessons made a difference with the clarinet, but with the piano, I was only teaching myself keyboardy stuff, coz those were the easiest books to get hold of. I wouldn't know how to play piano otherwise. I teach myself flute, but I'm not really doing that seriously, just for fun!

My teachers a professional, but he's also become a family friend over the past 4 years.

I have had 7 years of flute lessons and I think its best to have a teacher otherwise you dont really have a focus. I am talking from experience here as I went without a teacher for a few months when 1 teacher had left and the local authority couldnt be bothered to get us a new 1 so during that time I didnt practise very much and I feel I lost a lot of confidence in that time aswell! I taught myself keyboard (badly) then moved on to a teacher but then changed teacher again as I didnt feel I was getting anywhere with the other one! And Ive had 3 flute teachers most recent 1 being the 1 I got on with the best having got me from grade 3 to grade 8 in three years!