Everytime a thread like this emerges, it becomes an "us against them" thing.

Yes, it does. The self-taught people are the world's greatest thing and us classically trained people are cold, lifeless, soulless, emotionless, calculating, technical robots. It ain't true folks. I don't what kind of sorry teachers you people had in whatever formal training you've had, but mine ALWAYS uncouraged self-growth ALONG with technicality.

Yes, I am a classically trained guitarist, and I also play acoustic, and I encorporate ideas and techniques from BOTH areas in what I play.

I can play a fiddle tune from ear, after hearing it a few times, and I can just as well play an arranged piano score on the same instrument. I can play evil complicated classical guitar solos from memory AND the printed page,(it is MY decision whether I want to play it as the composer intended, or add my own stuff in, the call is mine) and I can improvise off the top of my head with a band.

Just one method of learning is NOT going to get you anywhere. So, from a rock/classical/opera/country lover who also likes folk music, I'll just say what Jeff Lynne does "You gotta get it all, to get it all to grow."

--Mbo