• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Does music run in your family?

Does music run in your family?

  • Yes

    Votes: 64 62.7%

  • No

    Votes: 38 37.3%
  • Total voters
    102
line6man

line6man

Jun 20, 2008
17,043
4,730
Close to Los Angeles, CA
#1
Does music run in your family, or were you the only musician?

For me,
No one on my mothers side was musical, but it ran from my fathers side.
My dad has been playing Trumpet for about 35 years. My Grandfather has been a classical pianist for most of his life . His brother is some kind of music professor at a school in Italy (i don't know him, so I am not sure exactly what he does.)
My uncle also plays a little bit of piano, although I have never really seen him play.

How about you guys?
 
#2
I had to think about that for a minute because, although there's definitely some on my mothers side I can't say I was encouraged much when I was a wee one.

I'm not saying I was traumatized or the like, just had to hear a lot of "You better stop fooling around with that music nonsense and blah blah blah so yadda yadda yadda, good job when you grow up." So in a practical sense that influence was almost negated.
 
#4
it kinda does and kinda doesnt. my family, meaning myself, my son, and my brother all have natural talent for at least one instrument. my mom is the only one on her side of the family that ever had any desire to learn an instrument, and she owns a keyboard, but isn't very good at it. My dad wanted to learn guitar just to look cool in high school, but gave up after only one lesson. No one's really sure where the three of us got our talent.
 
#6
My mother plays organ and guitar, my dad plays bass, guitar, piano and didgeridoo, My grandmother on my mothers side sings and plays acoustic, my grandfather on my fathers side play guitar, accordion and sings, my uncle on my mothers side play bass and drums, my other uncle on the mothers side play guitar and drums, I play bass, guitar, some piano and percussion.

Yes it runs in the family. And I was encouraged alot. When I was like 9 my father burst up in my room with his 64` P and said: "Play son, just play." And that's what I did.
 
#7
Yeah, coming down from my mom's side. My great-grandfather composed a bunch of music, my mom plays piano (and taught me.) My youngest brother is like me, a bassist/multi-instrumentalist, and my other brother has sung in bands and has a good ear for melody, and he's always coming up with goofy jingles at the drop of a hat... he does it as a joke but we half-kid him he should do it professionally. ;)
 
#9
Music certainly is a big thing in my family.

I've posted this before, but here it is again for those who haven't heard it. This is a big band recording from a few years back - Dad on drums (and getting the arranging credits), sister on vocals, me on the bass.

Link Removed
 
#11
No, and I can say that for the majority of the time I was often criticized for doing the thing I love.
In part it was because I play worship music, and modern worship at that. But simply the fact that I am alone in doing what I do in my family, and playing a distinctly unfeminine instrument to boot didn't help either.
Giving credit where it's due, my mum got me into loads of bass-heavy music and is always recommending me bassists and bands to listen to.

Generally my family have accepted my music, especially after having seen me play at church. That was an amazing night!
 
#12
My mother went to a musicians university in Russia and was a music teacher most of her life. She has no musical skills and can't play nothing, other than reading notes and playing them on the piano.

My father was a bassist all his life in some Russian team and could play on any instrument. Same thing about my grandfather, except his main instruments were the mandolin and accordion. :D
 
#13
Dad played saxophone as a kid, but not any longer. He was actually in the high school band with Daryl Hall @ Owen J. Roberts HS in Pottstown PA.

My Mother Took Piano Lessons for a number of years. Her Father and Brother both played trumpet

They all quit in their teens and at (almost) 30 I'm the only one in recent generations to stick with it
 
#14
On my mother's side, no. Not really.

On my father's side, yes. My dad was a very good violinist but after going into the military he more or less stopped playing for a lot of years. He's 81 now and started playing again a few years ago as a way of keeping his fingers a little more nimble (arthritis is starting to set in). Other than every once in a while when I was a kid I never really heard him play but he's been practicing pretty regularly and I've been wowed at how well it came back. He really sounds good.

His brother has been playing sax and accordion in polka bands his entire life (my dad's family is in northeastern Pennsylvania, definitely polka country!). His oldest son, my cousin, has played guitar and some keyboards all his life. He's also played in polka bands with my uncle as well as playing a lot of country and rock in bands that whole time as well. My uncle's younger son has been a professional musician all his life. He's literally never had a non-gigging job. My dad's sisters also both played piano when they were young though they haven't really played since then.

In my immediate family, my oldest sister played piano and my younger sister played some piano and flute but neither have played since getting out of school. My brother has played guitar and piano since he was in high school and has never stopped playing.

My wife's immediate family is also very musical too. Both of her parents have sung professionally and her dad also plays piano. My wife is a veyr talented clarinetist and has also played guitar, drums, and violin. That has rubbed off on my son, who plays some piano and is now becoming a pretty talented trumpet player.
 
#16
My mother and her sister both played piano. My father worked his way through college playing sax and clarinet in a swing band. My brother is a fantastic drummer (He got all the talent) my sister used to play the flute, and I'm not without some sort of ability.
 
#17
Now that I'm not in such a grumpy mood:atoz:

My mom sang in the church choir and supposedly wanted to be big band singer when she was young. She did Ukrainian folk dancing and singing and did say that, back in the day, that people would get together at peoples houses and sing the hits of the day around a piano.

My sister sings in the church choir and her son plays tenor sax in the high school marching band.

My maternal grandfather played violin, coronet, and clarinet in traditional Ukrainian bands, and would play at East European weddings and functions. He had a heart attack and the doctor told him that he couldn't play his clarinet (his favorite instrument) while he recovered. My grandmother went out to get a prescription for him, and as she neared the house she could hear his clarinet coming out of the second floor window. By the time she reached his room he was gone.

I have his coronet mouthpiece and a decorative jar that he kept his bow rosin in. I used to keep picks in that jar when I used such things.
 
#18
My Father's words of wisdom:
" I've been a hot lead guitar player all my life, and I can tell you hot lead guitar players are a dime a dozen. But if you learn to play bass well, you will always get gigs"

So far I've gigged at 3 venues that he also had played, back in the day...That is always a good feeling, like I'm keeping the faith. I'm sure he gets a kick out of it, too.
I really need to jam with him someday...
 
#19
Father's side: My dad was a multi-instrumentalist (so I've been told -- he died when I was very young), playing trombone, guitar, and piano. My uncle also played trombone.

Mother's side: My grandfather was a professional musician in New York and L.A., playing all of the single- and double-reed instruments. His claim to fame was playing sax in Desi's band on "I Love Lucy" for the entire run of the show.

Immediate family: Older brother played 'cello, sister played piano and viola and sang in choir, younger brother played violin briefly before moving to trumpet and sang in choir, youngest brother played drums/percussion.

Big YES.
 
#20
I pretty much started it in my family. No one else has any sort of musical aptitude, at least as far as I know it.

Now when I have kids, they're going to get pitch training while they're still in the womb. :D My son will be able to find middle C on an 88-key piano before he learns the alphabet!
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back