bel air bill Loc: Bel Air Maryland

I started taking up the Guitar, just this year. Good question. Thanks.

wesm Loc: Los Altos CA

Old-time fiddle, banjo, acoustic guitar, mandolin. Also got a Stratocaster that I sometimes take to parties))

Silke Loc: Germany

Not a musician, but a writer, here. :)

dannac Loc: 60 miles SW of New Orleans

Guitar and trumpet in band when younger.

Now piano for small church group.

Erik_H Loc: Denham Springs, Louisiana

There have been some great replies here, thanks to all. It really bears out the theory that artistic people are often talented in more than one disipline.

Paladin3248 Loc: McKenzie,Tennessee

I play guitar and harmonica not because I am good but because I enjoy playing.

Paul J. Svetlik Loc: Colorado

Loving the music is an indicator of a certain mental set up of the person.
People who love music also love other forms of art because they can "read" them through their intellect.
Photography - on some higher levels is just another wonderful avenue to communicate feelings visually.

hassighedgehog Loc: Corona, CA

Play at the keyboard, also do lots of crafts like knitting, crochet, sewing etc. Have tried painting. Before retiring was a service rep for digital services at the phone company. Have had a home computer since Commodore 64 so also technical.

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

My first computer was the Timex Sinclair that came with 2MB RAM that could be expanded to 16MB. Used a B&W 9" portable TV as a monitor and a casetter tape recorder as the drive. A few years later I stepped up to the Atari ST (with 512MB or RAM and a keyboard, color monitor and mouse), also known as the Jackintosh after Jack Tramiel. Tramiel had founded Commodore, left Commodore at the height of it's success, then went on to purchase Atari and introduce the Atari ST computer.

grillmaster5062

I've messed around with guitars on and off since the 70's, and now I also tinker with ukulele and make my own 1 string acoustic and electric diddley bows. I also have 2 younger siblings who have released CDs in the past.

bobsisk Loc: Chandler, Arizona

My wife had a similar experience when she was growing up. She took piano lessons until the family was ready to go on a vacation. When her mother mentioned that they were going and she would miss couple of lessons the teacher suggested, "Don't bring her back. You're wasting money." Encouragement from friends induced her to join two different choirs, but after a few practices she was told to just move her mouth.

Ringer

That's awful! As a music educator, I know that young people often take time to develop and I would never say a discouraging word. If I felt like a family was wasting their money, I would help them come to that conclusion themselves only after several thoughtful conversations. There are ways to bring about the desired results without being that blunt.

PhotoPhred Loc: Cheyney, Pa

Yes Ringer, never discourage someone like that. As you said sometimes it takes time. I took a couple guitar lessons as a kid, told I would never play very well. When I turned 30 I met a guy at a music festival and became instant friends. He took me on as a student and I actually got pretty good. We remained friends and collaborators for 34 years until he passed away suddenly a few years ago. The best lesson was never be negative to a beginner.

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

Maybe the teacher was being honest. Some kids attend piano or violin lessons for many years and can just play one song. When they grow up they never want to play an instrument again. A friend of mine took piano lessons for about 5 years as an adult and couldn't play a single rock or blues song. His teacher said he wasn't ready yet. I told him to just learn the C, F, G and Am piano chords and he could accompany himself singing about 1,000 rock and blues songs. Using an electronic keyboard he could transpose to any key, rather than have to learn the forms of every chord in every key. He did and still enjoys playing keyboard and guitar. I think popular music is basically self taught best. All the info on keys, chord forms, chord sheets for any song you can think of, plus youtube videos of all the original recordings by the original artists are available for free. You don't have to read music, on the computer you can slow down the originals without changing the pitch and play along withe the chords, figure out some of the licks, until you get get them up to speed. Symphonic music is a whole other thing, as is Jazz, flamenco, etc. But if you just want to learn to play and sing the popular music you like to listen to, self taught is best. A lot like photography.

PhotoPhred Loc: Cheyney, Pa

Point well taken Bobspez. Johnny Cash only knew 5 guitar chords and I think he did OK. I suppose the teacher could have continued taking their money.