Is Music a Skill You’re Born With?

Achieving Greatness Vs. Being Born Great

Blake Stevenson

We’ve all heard it at some point in our lives: “[Insert Name] is so good at the guitar! He has the gift!” Now if by “the gift” they mean thousands of hours of work and dedication, then they would be correct. For years people have viewed learning a musical instrument as having some special type of blood or superpower that gives you an advantage over those that don’t have those things. To put it simply: It’s not true!

While there may be those that have a higher aptitude right in the beginning, it’s those that remain consistent over an extended period of time that are successful. The players who reach the levels most only dream about do so because they showed up, did the work, and most importantly didn’t quit when that path may have been easier for them.

Do you want to learn the guitar but are thinking “I just don’t have the gift” or maybe simply “I can’t.” Maybe you can play some pretty cool stuff but aren’t quite where you want to be and are thinking “I’ll never be like Van Halen or John Petrucci. Those guys have a special gift.” The biggest difference between those that succeed on guitar and those that fail on guitar is commitment. It’s as easy as just doing what others aren’t willing to do.

You’d be surprised just how far you can go with the right level of determination. If you were to ask any of the biggest guitar players for advice for a complete newcomer to the instrument, most of them would simply say something to the effect of “stick with it.” It’s not your blood or a radioactive spider bite that’s going to make you good at music. It boils down to just you!

Hopefully I’ve convinced you! The best possible way to learn guitar is with a teacher that can not only guide you down the quickest path for you to learn, but also mentor you on the small details that have a huge impact on how you progress. So is music something you’re born with? No. But is it something that achievable with those that have the heart for it? Absolutely!

About the Author: Blake Stevenson is a guitar instructor based out of Cleburne, Texas. With his unorthodox approach to soloing, he has helped many guitar players achieve new heights. If you’d like to see more from Blake Stevenson, check out the best guitar lessons in Cleburne Texas.