Reality or Mith? (Page 1 of 2)

Total myth.  People have rhythm and don't know it.  I bet if you were to recite the Pledge of Allegiance (assuming you're from USA), that you'd do it with exactly the same rhythm as anyone else would do.  Or the Alphabet Song.  Or Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.  These are rhythms that you've learned. 

As far as carrying a tune in a bucket - you know when you're higher or lower pitched, but you might not know when you're off key.  Some people are born with that, but most have to learn it through repetition.  It's one of those things that's hard to know if you're right, so you have to learn when you're not wrong and go with that. 

There is surely APTITUDE that people are born with, but SKILL can be learned.  Practice, practice, practice.

And practice in a way that it's fun for you so that it seems like pursuing a hobby rather than earning a degree.

- Zurf

No myth at all. Music is like blood, it's in every human. Some folks just have to work a little harder than others for it to come to fruition............

have "it" that depends on how you intrepret what "it" is. if you mean the ability to learn fundamentals and develope some degree of expertese in knowing your way around the fretboard thats a learned skill aquried with a lot of practice,but if your definition of "it"is creating a audio work of art that sets you apart from others i think its a gift or a blessing whatever you want to call it there are differen't levels of "it"

                            MOZART---------very rare! few attain this level only the gifted
       above average........ some, those who practice hard and steady over and over           
average--------most, like our friend who only practices at class and stores his guitar away till the next class         

so yes in my opinion there is a distintion you have it or you dont the "gift" of music is exactly that, a gift from the creator

I like the golf analogies.

Arnold Palmer once said, when asked how he seemed to hit all those "lucky" shots, "The harder I work, the luckier I seem to get."

The only thing I can add is:
- Some people are blessed with a great talent, this is found in every profession, like a MD, I am still proud that most of my diagnostics were correct and most of hospitals knew me AND my diagnosis.
That's all history, I had a talent, a lot of others have a talent, like TIGER WOODS in golf, or LANCE ARMSTRONG on a bike. The BIG POINT IS: a lot of TALENTED people DON'T USE their talent.
If you are blessed with a talent USE IT. USING IT = HARD WORK, A LOT OF TRANSPIRATION, a lot of practising, and that is the worst part, giving up so much to reach the top.

About bands, musicians, most of us only see the bright side, but when you enjoy a concert, the players and crew are working very hard.

My long-winded commentary may be interesting or just a load of cr*p. I can' really tell anymore and won't swear to either.  Read on if you don't bore easily.

I have a friend who is painful to listen sing Happy Birthday, yet has an appreciation for some very complex music. He likes traditional acoustic improvisational jazz, particularly sax players, but exhibits a disconnect between listening and performing.  So I think there is first a difference between the two; everyone can listen at some level, but not everyone can perform effectively.  This may be a matter of practice in most cases, but I think that if 10% of the population excel at performing, then probably 10% are incapable. 80% of us can listen and play to different levels and some get better than others.

People have 2 kinds of pitch recognition attributes, relative pitch or perfect (absolute) pitch. There are people in the world like Mozart with perfect pitch that can hear 440 cycles and know it is an A, anywhere, anytime.  Most of us can identify an 'A' relative to 'D' or 'E' but cannot identify the note without a point of reference, at least not without a lot of practice.   Most musicians develop that relative pitch through practice, practice, practice and subsequently improve, to where some of us get better than others and develop a better 'ear'.   

But you CAN develop it, and anyone who remembers a '80s memory game called Simon can attest to it.  The game played musical notes adding one at a time, faster and faster. Players competed to see who could correctly reproduce the most random notes consecutively.  Playing with a group of cover band musicians could produce some interesting games, which degraded rapidly  as the alcohol and various other stimulants took hold.    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_(game)

In addition to mastering pitch recognition,  musicians need to master their instrument. Any musical instrument, including voice, requires a technical proficiency that involves coordination, muscle memory, and dexterity of some sort.  Singers learn to control breathing, annunciation and tone. Drummers have to learn to make all 4 limbs work independently and control the sticks and pedals.  A pianist controls the dynamics of the sound with the force used to hit the keys.  Guitarists learn to develop finger dexterity, strength and control in order to play effectively. 

Lastly, we need to learn how to work and take care of the equipment. Keeping the instrument performing at its peak and learning to make it reproduce the sounds in our head takes a lot of practice and experience. We acquire this proficiency by playing, jamming, listening and learning, like any other skill.

That's a lot to learn and it takes time and effort, and sometimes a lifetime to master (a little like golf).  A little patience, persistence and practice will go a long way and is ultimately worth the effort, as for most of us on this site,  there is nothing as fun and satisfying as playing music.  Okay, maybe that other fun thing, the one with a partner.   

This brings to mind how I recently went to Carnegie Hall with my 'tone deaf' friend to see Sonny Rollins and my wife actually asked me how to get there.  I had the punch line ready before she finished the breath to ask it.  I said, "Practice, Practice, Practice".  I knew I married her for a reason besides the blond hair and blue eyes, shes a strait man.

btw: after 15 years of playing golf, my putting still sucks and I still keep trying that too.

I definitely agree with most of these posts. I never played any intrument at all Before 2005. I became fascinated with the acoustic guitar after sitting and listening to a bunch of inlaws ( just afetr I was married) play. It was fantastic, and I just had to learn. So a bought a guitar and obsessively practiced until I learned rythms and all the common chords and keys. Now I'm not a "really good guitar player" by any means, and I would say I have little natural talent. But almost everyone who heard me 3 years ago and hears me now says my improvement is outstanding... all from practicing every day (if only for 1 hr or less).

Cheers and have fun!

The replies you have gotten are ...ceertainly interesting in one aspect or he other ....but I still have one HUGE question that has not been adressed in any of these replys..
and that is what exactly do you mean by playing guitar?
Let me explain please ..because I think this must be addressed before  you can get the answer you are desiring.
I have been playing guitar for well over 35 years. I have played with bands , jammed etc.
This last Saturday night I went to a recital by Ana Vidovic. I have never been in the room with anyone in my life that played the guitar like that. I am not saying she is even the greatest guitarist I have ever heard...I am simply saying I have never been so close to anyone that played a guitar like that.
Granted she is a classical virtuoso...but I will never attain anything like that level of technique mastery ..whatever you call it.
What I am trying to say is that the guitar is a tool. HOw do you want to use it ? If you want to aspire to play like a professional lead guitarist in a rock band .... well there is a reason they are professional.. everyone is not a lead guitarist. Tom Petty said while playing with the Travelling Wilburys... how many groups have 5 rhythm guitarist.
If you consider learing to play guitar  is to be like Wes Montgomery ... thats something else too. If you are a songwriter who uses the guitar to accompany your singing.... thats different too.
Bob Dylan can play guitar and he does so completely adequately for his intention. 
If you know three chords and the truth you can change the world.
I saw on TV Johnny Cash with Willie Nelson . Johnny let Willie play his guitar  and Willie started playing some nice chords and several lead  runs  a she is so adept at.
After that Johnny  said that  guitar has never been played before.
Of course he was simply saying his approach to the guitar is part of his song delivery ... not the main deal ...
So back to your question. Can you really learn to play? You have to decide what is it you want to do. YOu can improve  on amything by hard work and practice.
If you are aspiring to a professional level of guitar playing you will need some god given talent to go along with the hard work.

Whew! did that make sense?

Yes!

Again it does make sense! I have a friend. He is a fantastic guitar player. He doesn't think so!

Even after 40 years of playing.  He wants to play guitar like "Tommy Emanuelle.

My own brother can entertain a room full of people with hundreds of 3 chord tunes. He is also fantastic.

So individual thinking i guess.

Old Doll.

LOL, having the family connections doesn't hurt either.

letting the music breathe... ultimately it is a matter of personal preference...I have just been really moved by the passion expressed in certain styles of melodic phrases with perhaps not so familiar chops timing not hard on the ear but certainly not entirely familiar. most listeners seek familiarity.