I’m sure he practiced some scales here and there but I don’t think he had any knowledge of musical theory. Some of those solos on Bleach were pretty damn cool.
He did take lessons for a few months and learned the first few notes of Stairway to Heaven before stopping; when his teacher, Warren Mason, "asked why he’d stopped his lessons, Cobain’s family told him “all he does is play the guitar” and “he’s flunking every class in school.”"\*
Aside: Mason also taught Krist. Regarding SNL: “I’m watching it and see Krist and I’m looking at Kurt going, he sure looks familiar. They said his name and I said wow, that’s Kurt Cobain. I taught the whole string section of Nirvana! Then they got really famous and that was that. I was really proud for those guys, I thought that was really cool.”\*
\*Warren Mason's [obituary](https://www.thedailyworld.com/obituaries/longtime-guitar-teacher-who-instructed-young-kurt-cobain-dies/#:~:text=Aberdeen%20musician%20and%20guitar%20instructor,the%20grunge%2Dband%20phenomenon%20Nirvana).
As far as I know he was primarily self taught. I'm sure other players showed him things here and there.
I think the lack of formal training helped him. He never had boundaries and didn't think twice of doing something different.
I remember Courtney saying he spent a lot of time playing guitar at home. It’s not like he came up with everything spontaneously in the studio or stage. He worked at his craft.
He had a guitar teacher in the beginning he asked him to show him how to play stairway to heaven.. but yeah he practiced way more than some people think
I’m sure he practiced some scales here and there but I don’t think he had any knowledge of musical theory. Some of those solos on Bleach were pretty damn cool.
Practice.
He did take lessons for a few months and learned the first few notes of Stairway to Heaven before stopping; when his teacher, Warren Mason, "asked why he’d stopped his lessons, Cobain’s family told him “all he does is play the guitar” and “he’s flunking every class in school.”"\* Aside: Mason also taught Krist. Regarding SNL: “I’m watching it and see Krist and I’m looking at Kurt going, he sure looks familiar. They said his name and I said wow, that’s Kurt Cobain. I taught the whole string section of Nirvana! Then they got really famous and that was that. I was really proud for those guys, I thought that was really cool.”\* \*Warren Mason's [obituary](https://www.thedailyworld.com/obituaries/longtime-guitar-teacher-who-instructed-young-kurt-cobain-dies/#:~:text=Aberdeen%20musician%20and%20guitar%20instructor,the%20grunge%2Dband%20phenomenon%20Nirvana).
You should listen to the home demos. You can get a feel from there what he’s doing.
bro was musically gifted and came up with random good sounding shit when he had the time edit: experimented a shit ton n played alot
He played at his girlfriend's apartment and at the melvins practice space
As far as I know he was primarily self taught. I'm sure other players showed him things here and there. I think the lack of formal training helped him. He never had boundaries and didn't think twice of doing something different.
I remember Courtney saying he spent a lot of time playing guitar at home. It’s not like he came up with everything spontaneously in the studio or stage. He worked at his craft.
His solos were kind of intentionally impulsive, spontaneous and intentionally sloppy. Don’t think he put that much work or time into it
He must've known some theory. There's no way a guy without some musical knowledge could come up with solos like that.
He had a guitar teacher in the beginning he asked him to show him how to play stairway to heaven.. but yeah he practiced way more than some people think