Sorry, Doug, my point wasn’t clear: I wasn’t trying to second what your friends said, or to imply that you should be better at sightreading, I was trying to express something along the lines of “huh, it never occurred to me that it might not get easier for some people.” 
I can’t believe this garbage about “it’s too late to take lessons now.” I have a friend who started taking piano lessons in her seventies and had so much fun learning to play!
Weirdave, have you ever read the book Zen Guitar? That’s one good way to get started.
Pretty much everyone?
- ::: g, d, & r ::: *
I can sightread music for piano but not play by ear at all. So I am jealous of all the people who can pick up an instrument and jam together and make up songs and stuff with each other. They hear a little bit of a tune and they are off and running. I am left to say “I can play piano, really, I just can’t right now, because, you know, I need actual music in front of me. No really, I can play.”
Plus playing piano sucks when you have no money for a piano. Should’ve learned a cheaper instrument. So I really haven’t practiced in years and who knows if I even can play anymore.
Velma, my wife has two degrees - one in piano performance and the other in teaching, and she can’t play much of anything without sheet music. She says she doesn’t know how to come up with something spontaneous. So… there’s no jamming at our house. Too bad.
Maybe you just haven’t found your instrument. Pan flute perhaps ?
Do you hate me? I can just hear it now - Dave playing pan flute, the kids singing along at the top of their lungs, and me hiding under the bed.