Well people, i what to know if your are self taught, lessons, or both.
lets discuss all the deatails as well, and with the results i am going to write a paper and hopefully publish it(i enjoy writing)
ok so its my turn,

Instrument: Guitar
i am self taught never had clases or read books i just used internet for the chordes and tabs and learned from there.

Instrument: Flute
Lessons, i am learning flute in traditional music clases, so i use a standerd flute method book along with teachers instructions.

Piano
self taught to an extent. Not an expert since it was just a passtime among many so I never got to become good. Just some basic songs and I can read sheet music reasonably well.

Oboe- lessons. Am doing grade eight at easter

Piano- self taught. Though, i am now having lessons, so far ive had three. Grade eight next summer.

Clarinet, recorder, flute, guitar, bass, double bass- self taught. I find as soon as i can confidently read music and i have an instrument, i can just go on to google and find a fingering chart. Then i practise, practise and practise some more, et voila.

Though, i dont think any amount of self teaching or even a book can replace a really good teacher.

Oboe- quit after about a year, self-taught (however, I wouldn't mind going back to it with at least some guidance)...

Clarinet- played for 6 years self-taught, with few times meeting with a teacher (not too many that are great around here). However, I developed bad habits and had to fix them...

Trumpet - Self taught (a friend showed me the fingerings) , nearly 10 years now... Still, I find that I'm notably inferior compared to others who have played for this long, probably a result of not having lessons... I don't know. And until a few years ago, I was breathing through my nose while playing (not a good habit).

Hmmm ill list down a few, i really dont have the energy to list down all of em.

Piano: Lessons to a certain extent, from there on is self taught
Guitar: Self taught, this includes the whole range from six string to twelve string bass.
Violin: still kinda scratchy my sound is but its okay, Self Taught
Drums: about two lessons from my sister then on is self taught.

violin: lesssons
piano: lessons
bass: self-taught

Thanks ppl, keep em comming, oh and i also forgot to metion about sheet reading capability(can you or not, to what etc..)
also add any other deatail or story about your musical exprience/life its all good

flute i was taught
piano im self taught but started lessons last year

and im better at piano than i am flute which is weird

only thing is i was looked down on as a pianist because i didnt take any exams i just played what i liked, so i put myself through the grade 8 exam and passed so yeah, fuck them. and then i got a teacher so things got better for me after both those things

as far as sheet music reading ability goes im fine. i learned to do it through flute and then i got better at piano and because of the music i play most like debussy and ravel, i can comfortably read three staves at the same time. so yeah ive never really had any trouble reading music

I was self taught for piano. My mum taught me how to read music and what keys were what note then the rest was just practice. now i can play some complex pieces and even transcribe. quite happy with myself lol

Piano- Lessons

I only started a little over 3 1/2 years ago (I taught myself very simplistic things for a couple months before) and I just picked up really quickly. I developed bad habits over the last few years, and trying to make them work but I got to the extent now where I had to almost forget how to play and just start back from my base (no, not going to exercise books or easy stuff, etc.) and I'm doing A LOT better and haven't had a plateau since July.

Violin - lessons
Piano - self-taught, but I'm planning to have lessons.

saxophone - I was in band from 6th-12th grade so I guess that counts as lessons but a lot of it was just practice. There was very little one-on-one time with instructors. There was this one kid that had some private lessons and he learned a whole lot faster than anyone else...but I practiced lots so I could catch up to him. ;)

But yeah, lessons is probably the way to go. It helps keep you from building bad habits and also can help give you an idea of what you should be sounding like.

Guitar - Self taught for almost two years now. I took a beginners classical guitar class but I already knew everything that was taught in the class so it was used more for playing with others.

Piano - Almost two years. Lessons half a year and self taught the rest. Stop playing recently so I could practice the guitar more and now I can't really practice the piano since I don't have easy access to one around me.

As for reading sheet music I'm pretty good but I don't really like to =P

Clarinet - Lessons for 4 years, now self-taught. Reached Advanced level through lessons and exams but didn't have time for it all as study-load got harder. Still play regularly at home and lead clarinet in university orchestra.

Piano - Had lessons for 5 years, now just play occasionally for own enjoyment. Haven't played anything in a few months though and discovered last night my piano is now very out of tune.

Alto Sax - Had lessons for 2 years, quit lessons and kept playing for own enjoyment and in school bands for a couple more years, but since given it up (as was only hiring the sax itself!)

Flute - Self-taught using finger charts and instructional method books. I didn't find this too challenging but it took me about 3 months to developmy embouchre to the point where I could play the higher registers in tune. Playing for a while in school orchestra but now just pick it up every so often for personal enjoyment.

As for sheet music, no problems reading it in itself (my piano teacher was very gung-ho about theory since I started at 8 and I took music theory as a senior school subject) but am incredibly bad at sight-reading on piano. Usually fine on clarinet and flute though.

Piano - self taught/Lessons. I had lessons like 7 years ago for a little less than a year, so I obviously sucked. I stopped playing after lessons ended, I literally didn't touch my piano for like 6 or 7 years. I had to re-learn everything by myself and teach myself the things that I never learned, and that's what I did about half a year ago. So I'm working on it.
Clarinet - Band class at school. I've been in band since 6th grade, so it's been like 6 years now. Well, this is my 6th year.
Saxophone - self taught. I learned how to play Saxophone my freshman year of high school. So about 3 years. This was so that I could participate in Jazz Band. I'm such a band geek.

Flute:
I've been taken lessons for 12 years - this is my 23th and last year as a student on the local music school before I get kicked out.

Piano:
Selftaught, and I'm not very good at piano. At all.

It's thanks to piano that I actually learned sheet music. I didn't start using sheet music in class until a few years back and that's when i started to learn piano little by little. I wasn't very keen on using sheets in class when I had to start, so learning piano was really good for me. XD

I think it really depends on the instrument.. Lessons are always good to have -- at least a few in the beginning.

With certain instruments in the violin family or piano, there should most definitely be lessons taken. But for an instrument such as guitar, it's most likely a lot easier to self teach yourself.

I agree, I love learning songs on the guitar by myself. Now I'm not saying that lessons wouldn't hurt, they would probably help a bit if you actually try. you don't go and come home and say "Well, that sucked..." My Piano and Cello lessons help me a lot. I have gotten so much better at playing cello it's not even funny...:yes:

so... i guess it's your choice, if you want to take lessons it wont change the fact that you can play, it will just help in a few ways.^_^

Also...
Piano- 8.5 years
Cello- 5 years

I haven't even started yet :P

I think its easier to get the base down from a teacher first, then go experiment / learn on your own. I just find it easier in the beginning to have someone there to tell u all the stuff instead of finding out the hard way (as it shouldnt matter which way you learn, the info should still be retained) its just more frustrating when you dont know the basics, and have to research / practice on your own. But then again maybe there are people that enjoy that process :) its all up to you. I rather use the time to learn more styles / compositions / techniques / methods once i have the basics down.

Got lessons for piano. I've tried to teach myself further instruments but have found it isn't the method for me.

Learning that someone is "self-taught" always makes me quite jealous of them, until I remember that self-taught isn't so much an achievement as an obstacle.

I don't have a problem with people who first teach themselves an instrument - but people who continue to not get a teacher just because they want to keep their title of "self-taught" irritate me.

Took lessons for a year and a half on piano, then self progressed for two and a half years. Now I'm taking lessons again. For me, my year and a half of lessons were great for learning how to read music, and learning how to find useful fingerings, but after that I really just needed to progress on my own, I felt as if having a teacher was becoming more of a hindrance. Just recently I got to the point where any progress at all was accompanied by hours and hours of practice, and now that I've gotten a teacher, I've been progressing a lot faster.

I think everyone can self teach themselves to a certain level, but at some point (some later than others) everyone needs a teacher.

This will be my 12th year of playing trumpet. I was definately taught the instrument (via elementary/middle/high school band) however I never had private lessons until college. I had enough raw talent to get me to first chair in my high school for 3 years but plateau'd after that... so in college these private lessons have really pushed me beyond my raw talent and started honing my skills and strengthening weak areas.

Piano... I suck. Although I've had two years of lessons I still don't consider than an instument I can actually play (hence why I compose for it! lol). I do much of my composing on the piano ironically since I have one in my home (and at school).

Chinese saxophone... brought it back from Beijing before the olympics. Have yet to try my hand at it, so very very little self-taught?

I was taking lessons, which lasted for 3ish years, and now am just practicing a few hours a week. I will take up lessons again because I can feel my technique lacking badly. The good thing about lessons is that your teacher (or at least a good teacher) will bager you to use your wrist properly and practise scales ect.

Hm. Interesting...

Piano lessons for...what? 8 years? 9? Lost count.

Flute for 3 years (in school).

Violin for 2 years... and I'm reeeealy rusty.

French horn self-taught for a year (again, school).

Meh.

What i did when i started bari sax was took like 4 months of lessons and it helped a ton then i did it myself

Piano- Both
I learn technique and the basics from lessons. I've been in lessons for about 3 1/2 years. I teach myself music that I want to learn.

Well I am starting to learn guitar but its more like self taught. I'm getting a little help from a friend though.

Clarinet- Self taught for 7 years. I played in the band so I haven't really been taught how to play since I started.

Piano- I have had lessons for almost 2 years and the sad thing is that I am so much better at piano than clarinet. When I started I already knew how to read music and some bass cleft so it was just a matter of putting both hands together. I picked up on it quickly and now I'm playing intermediate/advanced pieces. lol I'm glad since those songs in the beginners books can be so annoying.

I like playing random pieces to see how they sound so I'm pretty good at sight reading. I can obviously sight read better on the clarinet since it's only one staff and I've played longer.

Keyboard- Im using a book for that
Ocarina- On haitaus but when i can proprly read sheet music i'll come back to that

Ahhhhhhhhhhh..... I taught myself Piano at first, then I forgot everything then my brother taught me. But I don't take lessons.

The next instrument I want to play is the Violin...@_@

i taught myself piano pretty much, it wasnt hard...i mean, well it isnt hard if your into the instrument your wanting to learn i guess, hehe...i already knew the notes from music class in school in Junior High but i guess i wasnt into it as much as i am in now 'till i went to High School ^_^

Piano - 10 years: 1 year self-taught/taught by cousin, 3 years of lessons, and 6 years of more self-taught.

Clarinet - 4.5 years: all self-taught with guidance in band class. :P

Guitar - 2 years: self-taught.

Flute - a few months: self-taught.

And I REALLY wanna learn to play a string instrument; it doesn't matter which one, I love them all ^.^

Violin: Used to take lessons (7 years), but stopped when I switched to viola.
Viola: Self-taught (2 years)
Piano: Self-taught (1 year)
.-. ...Yeah.