I started on guitar at about the age of 10. I had a Mann Les Paul copy that had a bit of a broken neck and played it through a little Roland Cube 20. Never once did I think that I had any talent. I just loved playing and practicing. After years of that, I did find work as a stage tech helping to set up drums and other gear, then on the soundboard, and finally played in bands. My first serious audition, I had a strat-style guitar that I put together from parts and it was held together with carpenter staples, electric tape, and shear luck. The band auditioning me laughed that it did not fall apart, yet I got the gig due to how I played without knowing their songs. By ear. Nothing big. All of the bands that I've been in were small time. The kind of Rock bands that play all the local small bars and live venues. We had a few paying gigs at a bar out in the boonies where the people drinking would do hog squealing/calling if they loved how we played a cover. Hella fun. Scared, but fun. Nothing came to my hands as an innate talent. I just kept at it and things worked or didn't. Had a lot of wonderful and terrible experiences. Yet, I would not trade them for anything else. Well, maybe for a basket of spicy chicken wings.
Do you think natural talent happens? Or, does it take a lot of work to do something well?
