Music: Nature or Nurture?

So which is it? Is your family musical or just you?

I am in a weird spot. My parents divorced when I was two. They each remarried and I now have 5 brothers and sisters. So, my biological mother had 3 kids. We all play instruments, as does my mother and her whole family. My biological fathers family does not, my stepfather's does.

My biological father remarried and had 2 more kids. They play nothing, nor do either of their parents or families. Is this just coincidence, or is playing music genetic?

And while I'm at it, the gender scale for musicians seemed to be tipped towards male. Why is this, as musical enjoyment seems to be had by all?

There is not a single musical bone in my family. No one, and I mean no one has any musical element.
I wasn't born to be a drummer, I didn't start banging on drums from a fetus and have a deep musical passion like I hear from many drummers.

I was 25 years old......I walked past my local music shop and thought "I'll learn the drums".

Bought a crap kit and started.......it was something that I wanted to do. As time went on, I really loved it and I'm still going at 46 years old (with a 15 year straight hiatus in the middle).

Not really very exciting.

Musical family. When I was 10 years old, I finally came to the realization that people existed that believed they were unable to pick up and play some particular musical instrument. I would wonder, "Why do they not just pick up any instrument and bang on it, in time and in key?". Little did I know that most people can't hear the key, and some can't even hear the time. Humans are a strange and varied bunch.

MrInsanePolack said:

And while I'm at it, the gender scale for musicians seemed to be tipped towards male. Why is this, as musical enjoyment seems to be had by all?

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I would say "professional musicians"--there definitely seems, STILL TODAY, a male majority. It's hard to judge the "family bands" where there would be a whole house full of sisters who made music, but because the were FEMALE, weren't allowed to play publicly or weren't accepted as musicians. I'm theorizing here. But we see it in so many facets of life.

My parents BOTH loved music, but only listened--sang along. My mom danced around the house listening to Cheap Trick, KISS, Elvis, the Bee Gees. . .

I am the only "musician" in my family as far as I know. Certainly in my immediate family. I probably have cousins who toy with guitar playing.

Me playing music, didn't mean much to anyone in my family. Top 5 in State Fair Marching Band twice, no family in the crowd. I was in jazz band for 5 years??? not a single family member ever in the crowd to listen.

WORK, EARN, GO TO SCHOOL = Mantra

With that said, my dad bought me sticks and practice pad. And eventually purchased my first pawn shop 5 piece. So there was some support.

Nope, never rocked out with dad or mom, or anyone else in the Fam.

Just because there are no family members that are musically inclined...the musical genes could have been from 6 generations ago.

I have been obsessed with music, and especially the drums, since I was an infant. So in my case either I retreated to music because it was the most emotionally and intellectually satisfying aspect of my life at the time....or I was born with it.

Either way, I was hooked way early.

My sister and I had piano lessons, she stuck with it much longer, I wanted to go outside and play. So there was music, a little. My brother had an electric guitar in the mid 60's, and I played that too. So I did have exposure, but no one was really encouraged.

Quite the opposite, I think my Dad was horrified that drums were so important in my life, and did not approve, but didn't fight me on it either.

It is curious how some people need music and other people don't really think about it much.

As far as the thread title question...it could be either, or both. I have no clue, but I do think one or the other, or both is involved.

Which raises the question, if there were no musical genes, and no musical nurture, can a person still be a capable musician?

I think others in my family have musical talent that they simply didn't develop. I chose to learn the drums at 12 (later guitar too) and learned quickly. I had naturally good rhythm and it helped a lot. I also have a good ear which helped me learn guitar. Anyone can learn coordination/independence/technique it just takes practice and repetition. So I guess someone without natural talent can become a good musician it's just a steeper climb. But it's easier to nurture something that's already there than starting from absolute zero. Those who choose to nurture their natural talent become the best among us.

I find from experience that players who are not naturally musical tend to overdevelop one aspect of their playing and ignore other sometimes more important aspects. Ever play with a guitarist who is a great shredder but can't play rhythm to save their lives? It's brutal.

Musical ability is about 80% inherited, according to what I’ve read. Everyone plays an instrument and/or sings and writes songs on my mom’s side of the family. Her uncle won the fiddle championships in Union Cross, NC back in 1971. He recorded with some of the biggest bluegrass acts around back in the 60s.

Push pull stroke said:

Musical ability is about 80% inherited, according to what I’ve read.

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Wow. How intriguing. I would love to know more about that.

Best advice I got from a drum pro/teacher was to “explore the space”. I felt that same freedom as a child growing up in a musical family. Nurture.

Neither of my parents played an instrument.

I picked up the drums after visiting a friend of my father, whose kid has a red sparkle kit. When I heard it, I was drawn to it. I was nine.

The next day I declared to my father that I was going to play the drums. He gave me a guitar and guitar lessons (it was quieter). That lasted one week. After that I bought my own gear and avoided needing parents to provide.

Fast forward to me being a father of three. When 12 years old, I give my oldest the choice: sports or band. He chose band. Trombone. He played in middle school & high school, and competed in jazz bands and marching bands. He liked his bandmates. During high school he took his hard-earned money and with $1200 bought a bass and an amp (see pic below), and he killed it. He played in a few garage bands, but when college came, the bass & trombone were forgotten.

My second wanted to play piano. By the time she was 16 she was offered music scholarships, but she declined. She played for the joy & pleasure of it. For her college graduation I bought her an electronic piano with weighted keys and she uses that in her apartment. She loves it.

My youngest heard the French Horn was difficult so he took on that challenge when he was 12. Played it until he left for college. He enjoyed it, but it didn't light a fire in his soul to play.

All of them took weekly lessons and I made them practice every morning before school. If I was gonna pay for lessons (and instruments) they were gonna practice.

Push pull stroke said:

Musical ability is about 80% inherited, according to what I’ve read.

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This is not accurate, sorry. This (nature vs. nurture) is a complex topic with origins dating back to Socrates and Aristotle. Current research, although still somewhat limited, is beginning to show results when comparing musician's to non-musicians, as well as non-improvising musicians vs. improvisers. I can summarize based on the entire body of scientific research over the last 50 years or so. Very recent research (Sloboda et al) largely disprove the 'folk psychology' view of 'talent' as being innate or born, but instead show that 'talent' is a result of a complex and wide range of influences and parameters, and innate ability.

Some studies show that musical ability is more a result of one's internal motivation for practice and hard work, which in turn increases one's musical ability, which motivates one further. Not so much the result of hard work itself (Ericsson et al, 1990) although that accounts for a significant portion of ability (+/-20%).

It is dangerous to fall into the trap of the false dichotomy that (musical) ability is either one or the other, that we are born with it or not. In some ways it is my view that this can serve as an excuse for one to not pursue and commit to a life-activity requiring a personal discipline and commitment. Also, it's important to make the distinction between defining talent and asking where it comes from.

In the end, it kinda doesn't matter to the individual, since if one loves to play, is curious and self-motivated for internal reasons to do so, then that is all that matters. There are infinite positive benefits resulting from self-motivated musical instrument study that ought not be overlooked.

Regarding the gender gap in contemporary music, I believe it is a reflection of the cultural norms and expectations placed upon women that gave men more opportunities away from home and vice versa. Or, simply that women are smart enough not to choose a career in music. Haha.

My dad played a sax in college. Think Guy Lombardo, Swing Bands etc. My Mom had a great natural voice and ear. All of us sibs took at least a year of piano, and other, so I was around music all of the time. Further back in the family tree I never heard any talk of grandparents, aunts, uncles other than an aunt, n ot of my blood line that played piano

Regarding the gender gap, think of all the nonsense a person has to put up with if they're trying to make a living as a musician. Now take that, and add all the additional nonsense a person has to put up with because they're female. It's quite a pile of nonsense to put up with.