Interesting thoughts here.
Can't say I have ever thought of birth order as being a factor in anything, but looking at my own situation, for what it is worth.
I am the middle of three kids.
My late elder brother was the one with the musical bent right form day one of my memory at least.
He studied violin form age eight.
I couldn't stand the noise of him doing his scales, and could not get interested in it. I much prefered to be outside playing with the dogs etc.
Never the less, I could squeek out bells of saint mary's and a few others by ear on his violin.
Don abandoned the violin, and music altogether until he was around 18 when he took up guitar.
I still wasn't interested in learning but once again could play existing melodies by ear and find notes of my own that sounded nice to me at least.
I did take a few lessons on piano, but was really just a noise maker. Did learn to read music out of it though.
Our younger sister never showed any interest in music whatso ever. Don't think she even learned to dance, and can't recall ever hearing music playing in her place evre.
She paint and paints well though.
Me I just bumble along still and continue work on the principal of "Wonder what happens when I put this lot together", aqnd have a heap of fun doing it.
Of my four kids. They have all had the same oportunity to do music.
The eldest has played and enjoyed guitar for around 30 years since age ten, the second, while she does play a little guitar, has nevre got into it, does sing, adn is of late playing a bit of harmonica when she does a bit of stuff with a blues band, and has just started singing with another small time band in Perth.
The next one, my son has nevre shown any interest in any music other than to listen to whatever he can make any given sret of speakers handle.
The youngest daughter., has a good ear, and gets a lot of pleasure out of tinkering. Also sings well, but never got beyond chopsticks and the like on the keyboard she begged me to buy her, and what was the reason I finally learned a bit more about playing. Couldn't see all that money collecting dust.
Improved my tinkreing no end I like to think.
Graham

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