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Have you ever played an instrument? How good did you get? (lazysoci.al)

submitted 1 week ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I have zero musical ability so I'm in awe of anyone that has any

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I have zero musical ability so I’m in awe of anyone that has any

Unless you literally have congenital amusia (a.k.a. tone deafness), there is no such thing as zero musical ability. About 1-2% of people are thought to have congenital amusia, so it's not out of the question but ... uh ... can you distinguish songs when you hear them? If so, you likely don't have it. (There is expressive amusia, but it's the least prevalent of the types.)

So, barring amusia, anybody has musical ability. All you need is exposure, practice time, and the patience to learn. If you really want to learn, pick up a simple instrument (a wind instrument with a fipple mouthpiece like a recorder, tin whistle, or ocarina; a kalimba; a small, cheap keyboard) and just start. Keep it cheap because if you don't enjoy it you don't want to have spent a lot of money.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago

Tom Morello, who wrote some of the most kickass rock songs of the 90's, has openly stated that he had absolutely zero natural talent. He starting playing guitar at the age of 17, which is usually considered much too late. He practiced 8 hours a day, while ALSO being a Freshman at Harvard. He said he drove his roommates in his dorm insane.

So, yes, what you wrote is true. What matters is... how bad do you want it?