[smueske]

I started at 8 and took about five years of lessons just learning chords and such, but the real learning was when I first got a Fostex 4 track (back in the day when that was about all you could buy). I bought a bunch of scale books and memorized them. Just writing and jamming along with yourself really helps.

[Korngod]

Ive been playing guitar since i was 11 (im 18 now) for the first 4 years of my playing, i really didnt know anything.... but i eventually figured out how to tune my guitar (somewhat... lol) and i think figuring out the power chord greatly advanced my skill. i eventually got slightly better gear.. (at first i only played with a shitty guitar with a built in amp) it seemed like once i got a new amp and guitar, everything changed. playing along with songs (ignoring most tabs because they were incorrect) was my main increase in skill. playing Fear Factory molded me into a style of playing best described as fast paced nu metal... because i like fear factory and korn...

[DelfinoPie]

I'm primarily self-taught. I can remember when I was 15 getting my first guitar and learning to play "Iron Man" and thinking "Hmmm, this would be a lot easier if I could pick up and down"...that's how I sort of accidentally taught myself to alternate pick.

After that, I got recommended by some guys over at the Satriani forum (Paul Clark [David Cross Band] and Neil Morgan [Recoil]) to learn the major scale and all of it's modes.

Never had lessons per se, just a lot of conversations with better players than me

[Drew]

Arguably, I didn't.

[Demeyes]

Myself and my brother shared the cost of our first guitar and amp. My uncle showed me my first song. After that I picked up stuff from tabs, books and forums. That was about 6 years ago now. I've never had a lesson. I wouldn't mind getting some but I don't have the money for them but I'd love to get schooled in some jazz or classical stuff.

[budda]

I had 4 years of guitar lessons with a local guy who is a hell of a teacher and player.

if i had learned more of what he wanted to teach me, and less of what i wanted to learn (songs), then i'd be better right now. but hindsight is 20/20.

i hope to take lessons from him again in the summer, time permitting.

[TimSE]

'tallica tought me to play guitar
Pantera to play lead
then learnt how usful scales are
then to sweep
been going down hill ever since

[7 Dying Trees]

Self taught myself how to play for a while, took 3 months of lessons, then went back to teaching myself. The biggest leaps in playing have come from playing in bands (for accuracy and tightness), buying a triaxis so I could hear all my flaws, auditioning and getting the gig in a pro band, and then a few more lessons after i left (3 or 4) and then back to self taught. If I could find a good teacher then I may take lessons again, or if I could afford it, and entire music course.

Basically it's all about playing, learning some songs, and MOST IMPORTANTLY developing your ear by improvising over albums. Learn to play over it in a way that is musical and fits. Old dream theater is good for it, as there are key changes, and you learn to play over them.

Combine this with technique, but keep it balanced. It's more important to have a good ear and tyaste than be able to play at a million miles an hour. Taste sells records, and gets you groupies, speed gets your penis caressed and worshipped by youtube shredfreaks.

[cpnhowdy]

I picked apart alot of Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Metallica back in the 80's to learn but mostly played 7 Seconds, Minor Threat covers in my band then. Took lessons for about 3 months from an ex GIT teacher. Practiced about 6 hours a day but got discouraged. Then went of to uni and moved to Japan. Didnt pick up a guitar for about 8 years

Now Im re-learning from the Doug Marks DVDs and really picking apart the Mimi Fox Graduated Solos lessons.

[Prada3353]

Well, I learned chords on my own at first, and looked on line at tabs and learned more chords from learning songs like that, after a couple of years I took theory lessons from a private teacher, and that taught me ALOT, and since then i've just been learning songs from some of my favorite bands and playing along with the CD's, and i also watch online videos for techniques and such