Are you from a musical family and if so has it helped your playing?
 

I was talking to my 85 year old cousin the other day and learned for the first time that he has an electronic keyboard which he plays and enjoys. We discussed the fact that apart from a mutual fraternal uncle who played a ukulele in the 1930s neither of us had any musicians in our family. We both realise we are not "naturals" when it comes to musicianship and that it's been a struggle learning.

I come from a family that loves music, but I'm not aware of anyone else that plays an instrument. I apparently had a great, great uncle that played banjo and would sneak out of the house to play at the local square dance, way back when those were "it" in rural SC.

Most of my immediate family was or is into bluegrass.

My parents loved music and I always was encouraged. My Dad had a fine voice and I loved singing harmony with him. I cherish the encouragment they gave me.

was very lucky, grew up surounded with music, mostly jazz and b' band kind of stuff. My father was a trumpet player working theatre bands and TV orchestras as well as his quintet so there was always music going on and musicians in and out the house

Mom's dad was a guitar player, and when he retired, became a luthier, making mandolins and violins (I have one of each, which is cool since he's gone).

Dad's dad was also a guitar player, and inspired by my mom's dad, also became a bit of a luthier when he retired, making violins.

Dad's mom was a fiddle player.

Mom is a piano and clarinet player and was a piano teacher for many years.

Dad is a guitar/mandolin/fiddle player.

Mom's brothers are both good mandolin/banjo/guitar players.

My sister played the piano, then violin until she was in college and seems to not play at all any more.

Youngest brother is a guitar player, though these days he just plays at home.

Other brother is a songwriter, singer, mandolin, fiddle, guitar, upright player and has a great old time sorta/bluegrass sorta band called the Low Water String Band. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZY0mt0Ho5Y

Wife is a piano and flute player and was studying flute for a few years of college.

I am a songwriter/singer/guitarist with way too many irons in the fire... doing solo stuff and three different bands... this one might be of the most interest around here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgG31xiy7pM or perhaps https://boblefevreandthealreadygone....p.com/releases

So... I think it's safe to say there's something there in the blood, or maybe in the water... I think it has definitely helped my brother and I to keep pursuing it as seriously as is reasonable... and starting it from an early age has made us better players and writers - and more importantly, people don't seem to bat an eye when I buy guitars. ;)

Mom was a violinist and didn't like rock.

Dad loved orchestra and marching band and he was a scientist and loved to tinker. He built an entire Hi-Hi from kits, including a reel-to-reel tape recorder, and a shortwave receiver as well. When I got into electric guitar he tinkered on amps and built cabs with me. I guess my career as a recording engineer was a natural progression.

Bob

I'm a player and recording engineer. My folks were minimally musical. My dad's dad was a genius-category inventor, but in the fields of valves and hydraulics and such. I hate plumbing and I'm really bad at it.

Apart from an uncle on my Dad’s side who played accordion and “spoons”, I’m the only musician, and the only songwriter. I’d expressed wanting to play guitar to my parents since I was about 8 years old, but got no encouragement or support. If not for a guitar playing friend who I’d met when I was 20 and offered to teach me a few chords, I may never have taken it up. I learned those chords and kept going on a ‘58 Strat that I’d picked up in ‘76 as my very first guitar.

I’m happy that both of my sons play guitar as a hobby. I like to think that I’ve been a positive influence.

Really only my father, but he was a huge influence (he's a decent piano/organ player)

I grew up in a great environment musically--my pop's taste are all over the map, but always at the fringes...we listened to very little "popular" music at home, and he always encouraged me to dig deeper and go beyond the stuff the radio played. When I got into guitar, he was very supportive, he knew I was getting into a great hobby...boy has it ever been!

My father was very good on sax and clarinet and always encouraged me in my musical pursuits. Some of my fondest memories are of accompanying him on my guitar playing his old 30's and 40's music back during my Jr. High and high school years back in the early 60's. He always made sure I had what I needed to play music and always encouraged me and showed an interest in my music. There was always music around the house of many various types which helped me to have an appreciation for many types of music.
My sister played piano and we would play music with my dad at times.

Both of my parents were avid listeners with hundreds of LPs. I credit my love of music to being a little kid and hearing them playing classical and jazz records on weekends.

Both were amateur players, but gave it up. I certainly didn't get my intense musical focus from them.

There are a number of musicians in my family. Easter and Thanksgiving are always very musical events, and I look forward all year for it. When I was growing up however, there was really no music in my family. It wasn't until my adult years that music really became a thing in my family. I've played since I was 14, and my brother-in-law plays a variety of instruments too. The two of us would always play some tunes together, and eventually other people in the family "caught the bug". Also, as the family expanded, more musicians joined the frey. I don't think it's had much of a direct effect on my playing, but indirectly it has. What I mean by that.....I used to play almost exclusively alone. As time went on, I found myself really yearning for those holidays to come around so I could share music with people. That desire eventually led to me exploring open mics, which was a huge turning point for me.

I quit violin after less than a year when in 5th grade. Neither parents musical.

Bought my Martin new in '72 when everybody wanted to be Bob Dylan and farted around with it until injuring my fret hand index finger in '77, when the guitar went into a very long hibernation.

Our two kids are conservatory-level players, daughter a flautist, son a pianist, while their mom has no musical ability other than a super voice.

And I've no idea what my ancestors did, other than my paternal grandma, who died young, played the banjo and my sister plays it now.

Reading the comments, it seems that those with musical family backgrounds have benefitted and those without that "in the blood" kickstart have still managed to come good. I think playing a musical instrument should be a compulsary part of every child's education. It's a real life affirming thing to play music.

My dad played trombone, brother plays trumpet, mom plays piano, and I played all of the above. My daughter plays violin, and for 6, shes pretty good! :D