Are You Talented With Music?

[Mandolin]

Would you consider yourself talented at music? It's been one of my defining traits since I started my musical career around the age of 12. Since then I have a tendency to be able to play any type of music with any instrument I touch. I can read musical notation, but I prefer to play everything by ear and go with the flow as I feel my music out.

I'm not an overly emotional guy, but when I play my music I feel at home. Some sort of connection occurs whereas I set my emotional standard based on the need for the music. If it's a sad song I might begin to tear up (very unusual for me), or a joyful tune I might feel the urge to leap for joy.

I was curious if music is something that is a common talent for INTJs in general, or if personality type and talent at music are not strongly related, what do you guys think?

[Seducer]

I played trombone in band & orchestra for 4 years and I got tired of it. At first I liked it a lot because I was underpriveleged and it was the only special activity I got to do. I don't know how to compose music. I'm not inspired to create music. I'm not moved to express myself that way. I think that probably there's not many INTJ's who are musically gifted. I think probably FP's are the most musically inclined. I might be good at composing music if I really got into it, but I've never had the urge. I like solving problems and I find visual art inspiring.

[Antares]

Yes. First Flute and Piccolo in a Symphony Orchestra since eighth grade, recently became professionally qualified with the piano, been playing since I was a toddler. I would say so. I don't see why music has to be type specific. I sing for leisure.

[xyisinferior]

I sometimes sense I would be, but to date U have never picked up an instrument. I do know strongly what I like in music...sometimes to a fault (it bugs other people). When music moves me, it moves me. I take it seriously, not just as background filler noise. For this reason and the fact I am a visually creative person, I have often wondered if I would enjoy creating music. Time will tell, I suppose.

[BlackMita]

I had to pretend to play the trumpet in junior high music classes. None of the stuff we played interested me. Despite that, I have a small interest in composing; when I don't need to manipulate complicated objects, I feel like I can actually focus on the interesting parts. I want to learn to write music sometime, but the only way I know to start is with musical notation, which has so much boring stuff to memorize (and practice on an instrument that isn't computer software) that I procrastinate it for as long as I can.

[themuzicman]

I started playing the piano when I was young (3rd grade?) and was decent at it. I then went on to play baritone, tuba, and trombone in marching band and symphony.

As an adult, I started to learn to play guitar, but life kinda squeezed that out for now. Still have the guitars.

[plotthickens]

B flat E flat Bass Clarinets; voice.

Music is mathematical. I'm not surprised INTJs are musical as well.

[Silverity]

I picked up violin when I was 9 and flute when I was 12. I'm a very good technical player, I can sightread fluently and all that, but it is not my means of expressing myself. I am FAR better at expressing myself artistically through drawing/painting and writing.

Part of that may be due to HOW I was taught music. Very little theory, lots of rote, I never really grasped the 'language' of it until too late. Still, I feel very much at ease when holding my violin.

[ArtistTyrant]

yep, i'm good at understanding music and coming up with new ideas...i need to get some music production software to make electronic stuff :O

[Dolce]

I have learnt piano all my life and I also play the flute, bass and drums. I've written several songs throughout the years and have flirted with the idea of majoring in music. Playing an instrument is the only and most effective way for me to identity my feelings and express them. I reckon I'd be on the brink of an emotional breakdown without being able to play an instrument.

It sounds cliched to say this, but music is my life and I can't live without it.

[music221]

Yes I am. I can play the guitar, piano, and the bass guitar. I don't care for reading sheet music. Instead I play by ear and the feel of the music. For me, music is my escape. It creates a place inside of my mind where I can be at peace and leave the rest of the world behind.

[BlackOp]

Yes...I can play anything I hear and have had diatonic ear training. My father owned one of the largest music stores in the city growing up. Started playing piano at 5, switched to drums then ultimately guitar. went to GIT in LA. I switched to electronic/sampling music and began using Logic 15 years ago...now everything is done with Native Instruments "Complete"/Reason/Recycle and Logic. I have switched to live visual mixing in the last 10 years.....music became boring and I was burned out. It's second nature at this point...

Here is a recent screenshot...using Logic/Sonalkis/Wave Arts/PSP/Lexicon plug-ins.

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[DewFuel]

I played the baritone and tuba in high school (8+ years ago), picked up the guitar during under grad (4+ years ago), and currently playing the flute post undergrad (about 3 years, not really that well, but i'm getting there)

I can still play the guitar and baritone moderately well. Never did have the lung capacity for the tuba, though.

oh yeah, i used to play the piano, but lack of space = goodbye organ

[Oxxy]

I play the drums, bass, and guitar.

[Kratos]

Self promotion, baby: Youtube 'Worthy Company' to see an INTJ in action.

[AnotherWhiskey]

Not really talented, no. I picked up the guitar seven years ago and I still haven't written a single piece of music. I can only play by ear and I don't know any actual songs, I just pick up a TV/movie/game theme and arrange it in my preferred way.
I intend to learn the keyboards in the near future as I'm tempted by the possibility to play accompaniment and lead at the same time.

[dontmesswithme]

I've always been lousy at math but I'm a good piano player. I've been told by several of my teachers that my playing technique is very emotional, that it has great feeling. I guess that's my INFP personality manifesting itself in a physical way. I do not approach piano playing in a logical way; no thinking occurs at all, as a matter of fact. It's pure instinct and emotion.

[Mandolin]

I've always been lousy at math but I'm a good piano player. I've been told by several of my teachers that my playing technique is very emotional, that it has great feeling. I guess that's my INFP personality manifesting itself in a physical way. I do not approach piano playing in a logical way; no thinking occurs at all, as a matter of fact. It's pure instinct and emotion.

Exact same way with me, but as an INTJ math has always been fairly easy for me.

[Taylored]

I play a bit of Piano. I never had any lessons nor do I own a piano, but I love to play when I see one around. I also play guitar, but I sold mine this summer to buy a Kindle(not recommended).

I learned to read and write sheet music in a class I took in high school, but I stopped writing music in that form.
I have about a thousand dollars worth of music composition s/w which I use to compose.

[Loq]

I've played the cello since I was 4. I love playing and I love arranging songs and pieces for different instruments, though I'm not great at composing my own. My dream job would be as an orchestral musician, but it's difficult to get into, especially where I live.

[t3hrubikscube]

I'm not musically talented, but I suppose I'm musically skilled. I can read the treble, bass, and alto clefs. I'm good with music theory and whatnot. I have learned the fingerings/how to play several different instruments. I can tell when I'm out of tune and how to fix it.

I know how to do all of those things, but I'm not necessarily that good at all of them, which is why I say that I'm skilled but not talented.

[Synapse]

Yeah, I find myself possessing this intuitive aptitude with music. I have excellent relative pitch and now I'm working on my absolute pitch, which is easier than most people to do because I have a photographic memory (I still remember the songs I learned in music class, as in hearing them). I find whatever instrument I pick up I easily adapt to, from the guitar to the drums to the piano, it's really not difficult. To me, it's just like learning a new language: some "get it" and others do not, but I find it easy for me. :D

I'm also a huge fan of playing music on instruments not meant for the piece, it's pretty cool. Pachabel's Canon, for example, works really well on guitar (as do most classical pieces).

The only problem with me is that I get bored if I don't constantly challenge myself. A lot of music is boring for me to play in certain regards, so I perpetually find myself making pieces harder and harder in order for me to be adequately challenged. On the drums, for example, I have to jazz drum. Regular drumming is too boring, so I have to play something like the drum solo in "Ticks and Leeches" by Tool so I don't get bored (and then I take jazz poly-rhythms and shove them in there as well).

[Liason]

I have the potential to be talented with music. I've gotten into a few instruments throughout the years, but as I move on, I lose the ability to play if I stop :] I am quite good If I am currently involved with one though.