The top players.

[Ivan Kelsall]

I've often wondered about some of our 'top'players ie.John Reischman,Alan Bibey etc,whether they are self taught or if they had a teacher. I'm sure i read of Mike Compton,that he tought himself to play by what he termed a 'hunt & peck' method ie figuring out the notes one by one & i read that Chris Thile was taught by John Moore
Do any of you folk know the answer to this question ?,
Saska

[AlanN]

For the 2nd generation pickers (Sizemore, White, Osborne, Reno, Rector, Wakefield, Duffey, etc.), these guys saw Monroe either in person or on TV and took it from there. I read somewhere that Roland wasn't sure about the chords, saw Monroe get them om TV and took it from there.

2nd-3rd gen pickers (Lawson, Grisman, Reischman, etc.) learned pretty much on their own, saw what the forebears were doing and with their natural talent, just went off and in some cases, created new things. Doyle had Jimmy Martin show him a good wrist action.

Then, Bibey, Benson, Steffey, Lane + others just built on that. Maybe someone - Dad, Uncle showed them the basics, they just took off on their own.

Thile had the teacher, then went to Mars

Today's youngsters? Standing on the back of all these giants, they don't need no stinkin' teachers

[jim simpson]

I believe I've read where David Grisman took lessons from Ralph Rinzler.

[jbrwky]

Don Stiernberg had Jethro Burns.

[midnightmando]

Grisman took lessons from Frank Wakefield.

[Santiago]

Statman took lessons from Grisman...

[Wilson]

Thile learned from John Moore ( a great teacher).

[Alex Orr]

Didn't Evan Marshall have a particularly quick-learning student at one point...some guy named Thile?

[Fretbear]

Alan Bibey's earliest memory is of his dad putting a mandolin in his hands when he was six years old and that he started chopping time with it right away.....

[Ivan Kelsall]

Thanks guys.Basically from what you say,most of the players taught themselves with maybe just a little help along the way.The exceptions being Chris Thile,Dave Grisman,Don Stiernberg & Andy Statman.
It was interesting to note that Dave Grisman had some help from one of my all time favourite players,in fact the player who really knocked me sideways when i heard him,Ralph Rinzler. I always thought that those 2 players were contemporary with the New York Folk music scene & were learning & playing pretty much at the same time. Maybe Ralph Rinzler had a bit of a head start & was able to help Dave Grisman along a bit - he did a heck of a job !!!,
Saska

[Peter Hackman]

Didn't Evan Marshall have a particularly quick-learning student at one point...some guy named Thile?

Don't think so, but he taught Scott Gates, maybe still does.

[re simmers]

Bill learned from.................

[Rick Schmidlin]

John Reischman told me he was.

[niaflsbob]

I THINK WE ARE ALL SELF-TAUGHT. AND BY THAT I MEAN THE MORE YOU ARE WILLING TO LISTEN, AND READ MUSIC/TABLATURE, AND MOST OF ALL PRACTICE AND PLAY WITH OTHERS TO BECOME A BETTER PLAYER . LESSONS ARE GREAT (REALLY I TOOK PIANO FOR ABOUT 3 YEARS AND DON'T REGRET IT) BUT IT'S THE TIME AFTER A LESSON SPENT REALLY DIGGING INTO WHAT YOU WERE TAUGHT THAT MAKES IT WORTHWHILE. SAME THING WITH HEARING A TUNE AND REALLY FIGURING OUT EXACTLY WHAT IT TAKES TO PLAY THAT LICK OR MELODY LINE. THE LEARNING ISN'T JUST READING MUSIC BUT USING THAT TO LET YOUR OWN IDEAS COME OUT IN YOUR PLAYING

[cooper4205]

Grisman took lessons from Frank Wakefield.

and Rinzler too

[Philphool]

"I THINK WE ARE ALL SELF-TAUGHT. AND BY THAT I MEAN THE MORE YOU ARE WILLING TO LISTEN, AND READ MUSIC/TABLATURE, AND MOST OF ALL PRACTICE AND PLAY WITH OTHERS TO BECOME A BETTER PLAYER . ...."
================================

Wow. You said that really loud!!

Phil