Natural talent

Okay, I have been chewing on something for a while and wanted to know what you all thought about this; do you think that there is such a thing as a natural talent when it comes to an ability to play an instrument? Can desire and determination make up for a certain lack of natural ability? I've known people throughout my life who have a certain talent / knack for something (piano, guitar, baseball...whatever) and it's always amazed me how so many of these folks just grew bored with their particular gift and stoppped trying to progress. And yet those who maybe lacked the 'natural' ability just gutted their way through it and progressed well.

So I guess my question is, is there really natural ability? If so, do you think you had it or a natural aptitude toward the guitar? Or are you like me and just keep trying because you love it and no lack of natural ability will keep you from contuing on.

I am positive that natural talent plays a role in your skill. If you have natural talent, I guess you might get a little bored, never really thought of that, but... those who stick with it AND have the natural ability can go very far with it. I myself would have to say I posses quite a bit of natural ability, not to brag, but it is what it is. I've always been able to pick things up very quickly. I played my first game of tennis EVER with my friend the other day and came very close to winning. He has been playing for a few years now, so who knows. I have never been one to practice very much either, not particularly because I didn't like whatever it was, but more I almost thought I could get away with just playing in my lessons. My drum teacher is always telling me how he has students my age playing for hours each day and still struggle with the stuff I haven't practiced at all and can do. I kinda feel bad that they have the drive and I can just breeze through stuff, but to prove a point kind of, the natural ability has out done the drive as of right now. I am a high school student right now, so who knows what will happen down the road. :rolleyes: On another note too, I have also been a witness to a fellow with drive and A LOT of natural abilty... WOW/ :eek:

I definitely think there is natural talent. Half the reason I'm going to school for music right now is because its one of the only things I think that I can do better than a lot of people naturally. I figured I've been given that gift, I enjoy it, so I midas well act on it.

Speaking of which, music theory really sucks right now, and I midas well be taking German... :rolleyes:

I'm not sure about natural ability on guitar. Maybe because I'm not sure I have it.

There must be some sort of direction we are all born with or have nurtured in us at at early age. I played the recorder, cello, piano and xylophone before I got to a guitar. I think I have an aptitude for music but the guitar was work in the first instance - the desire always made things 'click' quickly though.

I knew a guy in my teens who was crazy good on the guitar and had what I would call a natural talent. The guy could improvise over a complex backing with a confidence at the age of 15 that I am only approaching after 20+ years of playing. He gave up before we got to 20 and now still doesn't play 10 years on. I think because it was natural to him he found nothing special in it or about it. I have to work at it, so when I nail a phrase I feel it and it drives me on.

Desire and practice can certainly make up for natural ability. Whatever you are born with, it's the desire (or even need) to build on it that makes a musician.

Thanks for the replies. I do wonder sometimes if we don't confuse an ability to learn quickly with natural ability. When I was talking about a 'natural ability' I guess I meant something along the lines of 'Musicians are born, not made' kinda thing. That there is a natural aptitude towards something. I don't know if there is such a thing or if some people just learn certain things at a much faster rate. There are certain things I can learn very quickly and not forget them. Jokes and wise-a** responses mainly but still. I can hear a comedy routine once and be able to recite it almost verbatim. I can read and basically understand most things without much difficulty. It's weird. But the guitar is something very, very foreign to me so I actually have to study it and practice it and read about it and communicate with people who know it...etc. But like Ren said, (paraphrasing here) it makes the things I learn mean so much more to me.

I do know that kids and teens learn things much, much faster than the full-blown adult but that doesn't mean you quit learning as you age. It just means you appreciate learning more as you get older. :)

I'm a firm believer in natural talent.
At a young age you can tell that you have a natural ability to understand music.

I can remember at the age of 5 listening to symphonies on the BBC and then when the TV went off, I could still make up my own symphonies in my head.
I recognized at that young age that I had an ability that other people didn't have.

Years later, I could listen to a song and instantly know what chords were playing what instruments were being used.

I noticed early on that other friends didn't have the same ability and couldn't understand what I was talking about.


I've met countless musicians over the years who struggle on a daily basis to understand the basic concepts of even the simplest things...and have had many occasions to just air drum different ideas that these so called music students spend hours just trying to understand.


Music can be taught and learned through years of perserverance....but some people just have it built in to their genetic makeup.

Originally Posted by: Kevin TaylorYears later, I could listen to a song and instantly know what chords were playing what instruments were being used.

Thats pretty impressive, I strive to get there one day. One of my friends has a similar abilty, maybe not AS cool in some people's minds, but when he hears any 2 notes he can tell you what the distance between them is. :cool: Maybe not as pronounced as yours but he has definitely shown signs of chord knowledge. He always BS's his solos in jazz band without looking at the charts but he certaintly knows what he's doing and I've witnessed times where he can match the pitch of a note blown in his ear, (obnauctious sax players) without doing a chromatic run to find it. Anyways, there are the rare few with THESE kind of natural abilities. I remember I did a report on Mozart and I read that he was writing music at about age 4 or 5 that used intertwining lines which was just being brought about by even the best composers of the time. This gets into perfect pitch which is most definitely a natural ability.

one word......Mozart.

Originally Posted by: Weslabawhen he hears any 2 notes he can tell you what the distance between them is.

Everyone by second year in my jazz school has to be able to do that. We have ear training tests on intervals, chords, melodic and rhythmic dictation all the time. Some people struggle with it, true, but that sort of stuff requires not as much practice as you would think.

Edit: Try the program Auralia, it's a fantastic ear training tool.

Originally Posted by: Julian VickersEveryone by second year in my jazz school has to be able to do that.

Well, considering he has done no real ear training, and for a high school student, I'd say its pretty impressive.

This should solve the question......................
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMQQOxIZNQ4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuSihWz7LlQ

That kid will rip some day. Granted he's like 7 years old and the vibrato isn't really there, but by the time that kid hits his teens... look out. :eek:

Originally Posted by: WeslabaThat kid will rip some day. Granted he's like 7 years old and the vibrato isn't really there, but by the time that kid hits his teens... look out. :eek:

Ya, I'm glad that he fumbles slightly, otherwise I would have thought it was fake. His fingers are crawling all over the neck.

The way he plays and more the way he looks while playing kinda makes me question whether or not he will stick with it. :rolleyes: