Hello

[Mike Chagolla]

I'm sure I will wrestle with Ed. I may wrestle with many. As I am still in the learning stage of this process, I will not test waters that I am not familiar with. I figured I would catch hell immediately for not having a teacher. I am one of those stubborn types that has learned every instrument I play on my own. Sure it takes longer, but I appreciate my accomplishments so much more this way. Now with DB I may choose to get a teacher. My passion for this instrument has been far greater than anything else I have played and I know that I can only go so far on my own on this one. On everything else I play I just wanted to be fluent. I want to master the DB. I think that once I have reached a point where I am not learning anything on my own that I will find a teacher.

OOPS! Did I just open a can of worms?

[Don Higdon]

That sound you can't hear is DB players rolling their eyes.

[rablack]

Here's a nightcrawler creeping up out of the can.

Good God man you're gonna hurt yourself. I too was self taught on guitar, mandolin, electric bass, hand percussion, various new agey wind instruments, banjo, dulcimer etc... Got good enough that people paid me to play them. But the minute I picked up the DB (a year ago) I could tell "I've got to have some help on this beast." Bad habits will hurt you and are hard to unlearn. Hie thee to a teacher before you do any more damage. Maybe you'll come out unscathed but you won't know until you get a checkup.

[Tim Ludlam]

MY CHARONA find a good teacher immediately!!!!! Quickly, before things get ugly.

Seriously, you will realize that you wasted a lot of time without professional tutelage. Even the most experienced guys on this side still maintian a teacher.

[Mike Chagolla]

Tim

Pretty funny. The guys in high school used to sing that song using my name. Ma Ma Ma Mike Chagolla. I could not help but think if those guys thought of me during that Chalupa commercial for Taco Bell.

Any one know of any good teachers in my area???

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Originally posted by Mike Chagolla
Yaddayaddablahblah..... I figured I would catch hell immediately for not having a teacher. I am one of those stubborn types that has learned every instrument I play on my own. Sure it takes longer, but I appreciate my accomplishments so much more this way....yaddayaddablahblah OOPS! Did I just open a can of worms?

RETURNOFTHESONOFCHAGOLLAVERSUSRODAN(THE SEQUEL) - I suppose you could technically say that you've opened a can of worms, only most worms I know of don't have big bloody fangs like the ones down here do. Jesus, man...what have you done? I'm gonna climb into that asbestos-lined beekeeper suit I've been keeping around for just such an occasion before FUQHORN EDHORN shows up.

Actually, that's not fair. I've been self taught on the DB ever since I started. When I started posting here, people occasionally jumped my sh** for not having a teacher (do the words, "Hie thee to a teacher" ring a bell?), but everyone treated me nicely besides that, and with respect. Like you, I have also made good progress, made good money at it, and have had the honor of playing with some great musicians in the past year and a half, but then I heard that Rufus retired from teaching in part so that he could spend more time working on his playing with a classical bass teacher, at which point I had to swallow my pride and reconsider. I started my lessons last week, and I think it will turn out to be the smartest thing I have done in quite some time.

So yes, it's an open can of worms, but I wouldn't worry too much about it... hell they're just worms. With big bloody fangs. And sharp claws. But don't worry about it. Really.

In case your wondering, the reason I'm still wearing the fireproof suit is that it's kinda cold in here and....

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Wow, this suit is so well insulated that I didn't even feel the heat when Ed showed up.....

[Mike Chagolla]

When I first started to play DB people were telling me how much my hands, arms, shoulders, and back were going to hurt. I guess I am lucky that I have not had these problems. My solos used to be "how many notes can I fit here" or "I'll just stick mostly to the melody". Now my solos are singing what I am feeling at that time. My musicianship has become more of an intricate thing. I know what the notes should sound like and my fingers definitely ablige what the heart and mind are thinking. I'm not saying that I do not want to learn more. I never want to stop learning. I just have not yet reached out for a teacher. I am still applying the theory I know with what I have.

[Chris Fitzgerald]

I hear you, but... just the same, I'm starting to get pretty comfortable in this suit. I think I'll keep it on a bit longer. At least until after WOJOHOWIECWXYZ makes his entrance...