Ok - here's my take. I was in music school for, like, forever (undergrad, masters, worked on a doctorate). Only because I come from a family of musicians and I didn't know anything else.

From my experience, you are born with musical talent or you're not. You can learn, definitely! You can improve tremendously. But I watched people torment themselves for years, practicing for hours to try to get to the level of accomplishment that other people came by naturally, with far less effort.

I felt sorry for the people who wanted it so badly and couldn't get there. I always accepted that I was not in this elite group and eventually became a CPA (lol). My ex-husband does have this talent (he plays jazz piano for a living and has his doctorate in classical) and fortunately passed some of his genes down to my kid. My ex can do things on the piano that just boggle my mind. I don't even understand the thought process - it's like some supernatural power takes over. Yeah, I play. But holy cow, never in a million years could I get to that level.

Wowwwww

I can turn out some very interesting 'tunes' on the Ceramic Tuba in my bathroom, does that make me a musician.....LOL.

I have always believed the best way to improve is to play with those better than you.