Did you teach yourself how to play your musical instrument of choice, or did you take lessons?

I had taken a Guitar class during High School in which I taught myself. It was a really layed back class and aside from the couple of assignment(seriously all year, just a couple) I taught myself. It was a lot easier having feedback on-demand as it were.

I am a self-taught whistler, finger-snapper, and armpit farter.

I take this stuff seriously ~

I started with group classes when I was 11, and when I started showing talent supplemented that with private lessons. I agree with @Sonnerr, having direct feedback from someone who knows what they’re talking about is invaluable. There’s only so far you can go by teaching yourself.

I took 5 years of guitar lessons. Now I’m just teaching myself things here and there

My parents forced me to play the piano starting at the age of 4 three times a week. but now i’m greatful they did bc it’s one of the few things that relaxes me. and me and my 4 year old have a great time playing together.

@Sonnerr do you still play?

Self-taught bass and keyboard player. But it wasn’t until a year ago, so I’m no savant!

@lovemypits86 Same here!!! Even though there were times when I resented the discipline growing up, I realize now what an enormous gift my parents gave me by forcing me to practice. Every day, 45 minutes, no excuses, no exceptions. I wouldn’t have become the musician I am without it.

Took piano and violin lessons as a kid. Taught myself guitar and, now, accordion. Plan on learning a few more, all self-taught!

I had piano lessons for four years as a child.

yeah. now my 4 year old can play piano and guitar now. so thanks to my parents.

about a decade ago i wanted to play the drums and the only way my parents would let me get a kit was if i agreed to take lessons. the teacher kept pushing jazz stuff and i wanted to play punk rock, so i quit the lessons but kept the drums. most of what i know today i taught myself but the lessons helped provide a good foundation. now i’m trying to teach myself the bass and i’m considering taking lessons. at least as far as i go, getting the fundamentals down hasn’t been too hard, it’s the discipline to make myself practice. i think having a set time to play will provide the proper motivation. plus i’ll be paying for it.

I took one guitar lesson when I was about ten years old. Unfortunately, that lesson was from an older lady who wanted to teach me songs like Mary Had A Little Lamb and various other Christian songs. At that point, I went out and bought several guitar books (chords, scales and modes, techniques, alternate tunings, etc…) and by the time I was sixteen, I was playing professionally in night clubs and other local venues. Thirty-plus years later, I’m still playing guitar and have added piano/synthesizer/keyboards, bass guitar, harmonica, drums/percussion and lap steel guitar to my repertoire.
Technically, the lessons never stopped because i was always surrounded by other musicians and managed to learn quite a bit from the musicians I met along the way and from the various types of music that I listened to.