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

[PTony]

Dad is a guitar player and vocalist. I’ve sang with him since I was 5 or 6. He taught me to play starting at age 8. We are self taught. I believe he started playing in the Navy. He was in the USS Enterprise (no...not the Star Trek Enterprise lol) and bought a cheap acoustic on leave.

I taught my oldest (19) to play. He started playing at 9 and begin to take it seriously at 13. He is an excllent guitarist. My daughter (soon to be 16) plays the ukulele and keyboard. She has a beautiful voice and is progressing nicely instrument wise. My youngest son (soon to be 12) has started playing the Ukulele as well. He’s still questionable. He’s more sports minded so we’ll see.

My oldest two took every music class available in school. Sure wished I would’ve.

I lead our large worship team. My son is one of our lead guitarist, my father sings with us, and my daughter plays the keys and sings with us as well. Every Sunday we have three generations of musicians and singers on stage.

My wife was in band throughout school (we are HS Sweetnearts), as was her brother. He turned out to be an AMAZING musician. He lives in LA and has played at different venues such as the Whiskey and Kodak theater. My oldest son has been heavily influenced by not only his Grandfather, but also myself, and especially his uncle.

I love seeing the joy that music brings moving from generation to generation.

[upsidedown]

I don't come from a musical family, but hope I started one; my son - at 12 - has already far surpassed me as a guitar player.

[doublescale1]

Neither of my parents played an instrument, but they insisted that we take music lessons. That was made easier when the house we moved into came with a baby grand piano in the living room that the previous owners did not want to pay to move. We took piano lessons beginning at age 8 or 9 at the home of a neighborhood piano teacher - I vividly remember the student recitals she hosted at her house for all the parents to attend. She broke up the recitals into age groups in order to keep the playing proficiency level for everyone who had to preform, and accommodate the number of parents in attendance. I was always glad I had that intro to music theory at such an early age - I've used it ever since.

[Caddy]

Originally Posted by mickthemiller

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.

I agree with that. I have always thought that leaning to play a musical instrument is one of the very best things a person do for themself. When I watch college football games I always feel that the students in the bands are on the better track, doing something they can do and enjoy for the rest of their lives. Not something that will likely end with graduation, or that they will soon be too old to do.

[tippy5]

My dad sang acapela, Old English ode's. Sometimes on public stages. He learned them in England- 1942 time frame. Bawdy and thoroughly enjoyable.

My mom furnished the living room with a baby grand piano. I took lessons for 6 times and quit. But I did get in hundreds of hours of ad lib playing. I played honky tonk and other fun rock stuff when no one was home. Switched to semi melodic, young man drone learning curve mode, whenever a car pulled up in the driveway and I wanted to continue playing.

The Beatles and AM radio provided more of an inspiration that my immediate family. My friend and I played acoustics in 7th and 8th grade. Sitting on the lunch bench rather than playing basketball on the small asphalt St. James yard. He made me play rhythm for 3 years while he played lead.

[reeve21]

My folks are music lovers, but neither one plays or sings. Mom played a little piano as a kid, but had her hands full with 4 boys. There was music in the house, on the radio and turntable. Mostly early rock and pop. Herb Alpert, Neil Diamond, Fats Domino. Nothing too loud

For some reason they encouraged all of us to play a band instrument. I'm forever grateful for that. Myself and one brother stuck with it through high school, the other 2 brothers didn't, but they are big music fans if not players.

The brother who stuck with it doesn't play anymore, but he has a 15 year old son who is already a gigging musician on jazz and classical guitar. Probably helps that he grew up without a TV in his house.

The only musician in the family was my grandfather, who played the trombone, but had stopped by the time I knew him. But he loved music and exposed me to a lot of good old stuff, mostly swing, dixieland, etc.

There is no doubt being born into a musical family is a good thing. Partly for the genes, partly for the environment. How much of a role each part plays is unknowable. I didn't get exposed to the guitar until college, and by the time I learned a few chords that was over....so I'm mostly self taught as an older guy--that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it

[musicman1951]

My dad played banjo in a big band in the early 40's, if you can imagine that (I'm not sure I can). But he hardly ever played anything when I knew him. My mom played a little piano, but almost never. I turned out to be a music teacher, so I don't know that musical parents is a necessity.

We had an old upright piano in the office directly off the kitchen. I would pound out 3 chord blues until my mother reached her limit and simply said, "That's enough, now." I always told her it was amazing I became a music teacher with that kind of encouragement.

I married a piano major and my daughter had to chose between piano, flute and voice when she became a music major. She married another voice major and their 8 year old son plays piano and violin very well. He just signed up for trombone in school for next year and he has ears like nobody I know. So who knows?

But I believe that, despite the advantage of having lots of help available, hours spent practicing is the most important factor.

[micahwc]

Dad has picked up acoustic guitar and bass in his late 50s, myself and both brothers all played or currently play multiple instruments; but we didn't really have anyone in the house playing until we joined school bands.

[Marshall]

I'm not from a musical family. And it's hurt my playing. Nobody encouraged me. Including my wife.

She's come around in the last couple of years. But it's been a lonely journey.

[jaybones]

My dad can't carry a tune in a bucket. He's the most nonmusical person I've ever met.

He doesn't appreciate my playing at all.

My mother on the other hand played piano when she was a little girl and sang in the choir (a very notable choir that sells out concerts every Christmas).

She encouraged me to take piano lessons when I was 6 until 10, then everyone in fourth grade music took recorder, then you had the option of choosing an instrument for school band (I chose alto saxophone, since my parents could afford a beat up third generation used one- it had been dropped several times and needed continual work and adjustment to keep it barely playable) then I switched to percussion in high school.

She and I have sung hymns and Christmas carols for my church, and when she was in Ireland bought a penny whistle (key of C) and she's played songs that I learned the chords for and improvised over.

She has influenced me greatly, although she thinks I have too many guitars.

"Why do you need more than one?" She understands enough that a bass is the same notes of a guitar just an octave down, and that a 12 string is a 6 string with the strings doubled. Doesn't understand that I cant "Just play bass on a guitar" or "Play the notes twice to get a 12 string sound".

[Everton FC]

My dad taught himself piano. He was an NY Transit Authority Detective Sgt. He'd play when he had squad parties at the house. He loved Basie - stuff like that (and sports, particularly baseball!)

My mom had a beautiful voice, sang w/people who did the Borscht Belt, during WW2. So did her little sister. Both my parents were also artists - creative souls.

My sister did plays in high school, but I remember my mom telling my dad one night, "She isn't a good singer. You need to talk to her." He did. She went into P/R work.

Neither of my brothers were musical, though decent musical taste. I'm the youngest, and so my mom worked on me, as the last resort! I played alto sax for years, and progressed well, though I hated practicing (Dad loved Basie). But I wanted to play guitar. So I did. Never had formal a lesson (obvious, after all these years!) can't read guitar music (could read sax) and have many bad habits, probably like many here. Still love playing, though. As for my offspring, my eldest sings Gregorian Chant, my three others play viola and violin, Royal Conservatory of Music. My wife's dad has a great voice. Her mom plays basic piano. My sister-in-law is a fantastic pianist. Her daughter is one of the best young pianists in Alberta. My wife is not a musician, but an artisan - a true artisan, of the highest quality. My kids got lucky, on both sides of the family, when it comes to the arts (and sports). At least my wife and I think so! (Unfortunately, my wife thinks my playing is a wee bit on the aggressive side)

[Mystery123]

I grew up where musicians were considered beggars so absolutely no love from parents.
That's one of the reasons why I'm learning guitar in my 40's instead of when I was a kid.

[Pickcity]

Yes and yes.

My grandfather and all of his brothers played bluegrass. Both of my uncles on my Mom's side of the family play guitar, mandolin, fiddle, bass and banjo. My Mom is an outstanding pianist. So was my aunt. I have a cousin who is my age and she was a pretty big pop singer back in the 90's...

Mostly singers on my Dad's side. Lots of gospel singers, and I do mean lots. Some pretty good musicians too.

I come from a very musical family, thank goodness. I would take nothing for the lessons, and the memories I received growing up.

My nephew, who is now 22, has been playing since he was 11. He is a fine guitar player too. I can proudly say that I alone planted that seed.

My son, who is 4, is really enthusiastic about it. I'm afraid I may be creating a monster. I gave him a drum set for Christmas, and he beats on it a lot, and is showing progress with his rhythm by leaps and bounds, but he is showing tell tell signs of a sure enough guitar player. He can't keep his hands off of them. I wanted him to learn rhythm first, hence the drums...Also because my Dad would not allow me to have drums when I was a kid. LOL...Still, he loves guitar the most. There is no doubt about it. He wants to do what I do.

Cool story about my granddad. He was sick while in Europe during WW2 and they sent him to a hospital in England. While he was there, his brother, who was also over there, discovered his whereabouts and surprised him at the hospital. He brought two guitars with him and they entertained the folks at the hospital. I can only imagine how surprised and joyous my granddad was when he saw his brother all the way across the pond during the war.

[Steel and wood]

Not really. (None of us played any instruments although my mum played piano as a child).

I picked up the guitar as an adult. (My wife played before me but prefers her nylon string classical guitar and has since acquired other hobbies which keep her busy, my eldest son is an excellent and sought after drummer and my youngest son tinkers on guitar and keyboard after years of playing and taking trumpet lessons).

[robey]

Originally Posted by mickthemiller

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.

My Uncle played fiddle, guitar and harmonica in a multiracial string band during the Great Depression around the Crossville, Tn./Cumberland Plateau area down to Chattanooga, my dad was the driver. 2 of his 4 kids are musicians, one played keyboards with some B-List Nashville bands for years, the other played in cover bands with his son in the same region of Tennessee. A 2nd cousin on the other side of that family was a semi-successful Nashville songwriter during the 60's and 70's. Those still alive still get together and play once a year at the annual family reunion.

Nope, hasn't help my playing any.