I ask this question because I thought to myself, "Is practicing violin from morning 'til night worth it in the end?" This is because I started when I was ten years old and am now fourteen. However, I find myself doubting myself even though I am told to have natural and blazing talent. Why? Because I am jealous, and regretful of a certain kind of people: The kids that have started at god knows how young. These kids have are also in rich, musical families that seem to be able to give the child whatever they need to be unnaturally ahead of everyone else. The child itself feels like they are high and mighty because of this. This attitude does not help my resolve that, I started too late. I cannot go back in time and tell myself, "Play violin, now!" I rue everything I've done so far because I hate that no matter what I do, I'll never be able to make a name for myself because people nowadays are looking for the children that started when they were 1 and a half years old (an exaggeration, yes, but all the same). This makes me depressed and wonder to myself why I still try. I don't know if any of you feel the same way, hell, you might be even one of those people I am talking about. Either way, I don't feel like I'm good enough, I feel like I am just one of those people who will live in this century, just being there.

You will have to forget of the rest and to focus in yourself. You are very young still and have years ahead to keep improving. Being like this of negative just will frustrate you and will make you feel lower, you need to change these thoughts to optimistic ones. Just keep practicing, learning from professionals, and challenging yourself to keep improving. And screw the rest. You are not late.

I don't know why you say "people nowadays are looking for the children that started when they were..." That is not true, when you get older, that child thing won't matter, what matter is how good you are, without matter if started from a very young age. And if you keep trying is because you like it and because you want to keep improving. But you need to focus in yourself. Is up to you what you will make of yourself in this century. If you give up in something, don't wait for miracles. To reach what you want is hard work and dedication.

Hahaha, I'm still hoping to get a violin!

Well said. I started at the age of 17. Does this make you feel better?:heh: I am extremely satisfied with my arranging and transcribing skills though! In just a few years too! I would kill for a real grand piano. Played on one before at a big piano warehouse and loved every minute of it (Yamaha CFIIIS). The actions on a real piano was godly. I feel like I'm wasting my time with a digital piano, but it's still a great piano nonetheless (yamaha CVP-307).

So far I've accomplished all the songs that I've set my mind to. The latest and hardest song I did was SMW - Athletic Rag. With only 3 years of experience, I accomplished it in only a few months. I never attempted this song before because I thought it wasn't for me. My teacher encouraged me to try it. Within a few months I finally can play it decently. People who stop by were amazed. They assumed I played at the age of 5 or something lol. The late-starters even had their spirits lifted saying "then I must have potential as well," and so should you.

You'll only reap as much as you sow.

I actually started playing violin at 14, but since I've quit and moved to fingerstyle guitar and singing, and composing. But Mazeppa is right, you reap what you sow basically. If you put a lot of time into it, you'll get rewards. I'm not the greatest instrument player, which i've been trying to change, but I put so much time into composing that I really got some progress. I do know what you mean about those people who start really young with music, I kinda feel jealous of them, but all you have to do is work really hard at what you're doing, keeping an open mind and playing what you enjoy to play, and you'll see the benefits clearly come out.

Yeah your right. Heaps of teachers who have seen me play ask me when I started. I say 12 yrs old (grade 6 in Australia) and they always say "oh, I know someone's kid who started at like 4" (which I'm not too sure if they could even understand the theory behind piano at that age, let alone the ABC's they probably couldn't even identify notes).

But try not to get jealous. Many times I've heard parents force their child to play piano because they play as well, or they just want a child who plays piano for their enjoyment, and not the child's. In this way, the child doesn't wishes to learn and doesn't let fast as well.

I sometimes get the compliment 'You play better than the 4 yr old kid. You learn so fast!'

Why you ask?

Because I enjoy it and if I've discovered by natural talent (Sorry if I'm boasting here, but when I joined a keyboard learning group at 12 I did found myself going at a fast pace) I would've liked to learn piano earlier.

But that's the past you can't changed that. The main thing is, don't worry about the others, worry about yourself. Focus on your learning and you can easily surpass those early learners.

If not, don't worry about it :lol: If you ever meet one of these guys, don't compete with him/her. Just make friends instead and you 2 can make a cool duo.

Just a personal note, I know some people who started out their music training as early as 4, BUT they lost interest in the subject entirely when they reached around your age... :\ See, it doesn't mean that these people can achieve musically in life just because they were raised in a more "musical" environment from an early stage. I started piano when I was 15, now I'm nearing 17. I think what's important is for you to realize what started/keeps your music ambition going, or find something that keeps it going.

Extracted from my *About Me* - "The spark that ignited my sleeping passion for the instrument was my feelings for a kind girl flutist and Suzumiya Haruhi (Her extreme drive towards life lols...) Since then, I've always been inspired to play by listening to great anime & game OSTs, youtube piano covers, having Synthesia and just appreciating the sheer beauty of the piano sounds."

It's okay for anyone to dream about making it big in the music world, but I think that's the whole cause of your self-questioning. I believe that you should pursue your music ambition for the sake of music and the sound itself. By instinct, people fall in love with a performer because of the sound he/she makes, not because he/she has been trained since 4. Don't worry, nobody [except for people who don't deserve your recognition <_<] will turn you down based on how late you started playing the violin, they just want to hear your playing! Just perfect the music and sound that you create/produce, and have faith in yourself, then the doors to fame might open up for you. ^_^

So answer your own question now... when you mentioned about why you still try, why do you still try? Why? Naze? Answering that alone (like I've mentioned in the 1st paragraph) will help you solve your dilemma.

I'll reinforce my quote, "You'll only reap as much as you sow."

If you even think about getting jealous of someone who's started before you, it's your lack of confidence in yourself. And let's get something straight, "talent" (even though I don't believe in "gifts") is something idiopathic. You're not usually just born with it. I might have had the "talent" for music when I was a kid, but I never had the chance to take up music until I was 13 (and now look at me...I'm 18; studied in Europe twice, and have my first college audition on Sunday). Furthermore, it wasn't easy. I had hardships and a LOT of plateaus that left me completely lost and depressed. You work through these. No "talented" person exists without facing harder challenges that "non-talented" individuals. Trust me, "talent" in a subject will most likely mean you're a perfectionist and inwardly-critical-- so you better deal with it if you want to get any better.

Here's another piece of advice I wish for every new instrumentalist (or whatever you personally want to arrogantly consider yourself):

When you suck, you suck; you don't get any better trying to fix what sucks.

That is, if you do things that attribute to your "suckiness," you better eliminate them entirely. These are what are more appropriately called, "bad habits." Many people don't know why they can't play fast, can't connect, have poor handling of dynamics and just have a less-than-satisfactory sound-- this is probably because of an arrogant-amateur's placement of the hands, fingers, arms and overall posture. Many people try to dismiss "rules" of playing instruments for, "snobby musicians," but let me tell you, there's a reason why professionals sound the way they sound, and there's a reason why you play certain ways; there's a way to run correctly, and a slower and less efficient way.

You may not be asking for this kind of advice, but trust me-- you'll get farther knowing something constructive.

And let's get something straight, "talent" (even though I don't believe in "gifts") is something idiopathic. You're not usually just born with it.

Finally someone, finally... yay :cry: (<-Happiness).