Prince was widely regarded as one of the most talented multi-instrumentalists in music history. On his debut album, 'For You,' released in 1978 when he was just 19 years old, he played every single instrument himself. The album credits list him as playing 27 different instruments, including various types of guitars, bass, keyboards, drums, and even the finger cymbals and bongos. Prince was a perfectionist who often preferred to work alone in the studio to ensure his exact musical vision was realized. This 'one-man band' approach continued on many of his most famous tracks, including 'When Doves Cry' from the 'Purple Rain' album, which notably features no bass line—a daring choice for a pop-funk song that Prince decided on himself while working in the studio.