Re: [Harp-L] re: talent, was deliberate practice.

["steve@xxxxxxxxxxxx" <swebb@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

What Jim writes here goes more along with what I have experienced in life.  I have coached baseball and softball at levels up through high school varsity and watched athletes in various sports during my 20-plus years as a sportswriter.  Sure, those who practice best improve much more than those who just show up and go through the motions. But don't try to tell me that Alex Rodriquez or Robin  Yount making it to the big leagues at age 18 happened because they worked  harder than anyone else. 
  That said, in my own personal musical journey, it has taken me a heckuva lot of work just to reach a very, very modest level of competence on harmonica. I have seen others make the same amount of progress in 1/10th the time.
  However, I do believe it's true that almost anyone can achieve some level of competence in music if they are persistent and really want to do it.  I maintain that it was persistence (my wife calls it stubbornness), not talent, that finally allowed me to learn to play a little. 

Steve Webb in Minnesota, where there are few harp players  nearby for people to make comparisons. This is to my great benefit.

---- jim.alciere@xxxxxxxxx wrote: 
> It would be nice if there was a level playing field and no such thing as
> talent.  You take people like Bernie Worrell, keyboardist for P-Funk who
> wrote a concerto at age 8 and went to Julliard. If I practiced as hard as he
> did, would I accomplish the same? No. I'll never throw a fast ball 98 miles
> an hour. I'll never be the next Muhammad Ali. I'll never be the next
> Einstein. I'll never be a chess master at age 14.
> 
> I've got friends that can sing any melody they hear, no practicing, no work.
> It's inate. And they're nowhere close to the talent of a professional
> singer.
> 
> There's a lot of competent bands out there and with work anybody can become
> competent, even good. But if you listen to the Beatles, or the B52s, or
> Sarah McLachan, there's a reason they're famous and we're not.
> 
> I find it liberating to know that I don't have to worry, I don't have to
> push, that I can play for fun and not be driven.
> 
> -- 
> Rainbow Jimmy
> http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1372404/dhoozh_chapter_1.html
> http://www.myspace.com/theelectricstarlightspaceanimals
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