The "Brainjo" book plainly makes the claim that it is all about hard work, practice, and programming a musical mind.
In other areas (besides music) it is clear to most people that we are not all created equal. Some people are smarter than others. Some are stronger. Some are clumsy. The sports arena yields all kinds of fodder for this discussion.
I told a friend of mine that I didn't believe in talent, that it was all about putting in the hours of practice. I was fresh from reading the Brainjo book.
He immediately strongly disagreed and mentioned his favorite jazz guitar musician Pat Metheny. At the end of his talk about Metheny, he said, "and he still practices 8 hours per day!"
A bit of searching on Pat Metheny turned up his own words answering a question from a young man getting started with music:
"... of course, you HAVE to practice like crazy. during the years between when I was 13 til 19, I would guess I averaged around 10 to 12 hours a day with the guitar in my handsWe can do some math. 7 years when he says he averaged at least 10 hours per day. If we call that 50 hours/week (we will give him 2 days off each week), we get 50*52 = 2600 hours per year, and over 7 years, 18,200 hours!
Another comment about Pat Metheny:
"Pat Metheny first became known as a guitar prodigy that spent up to 20 hours a day practicing guitar in his teen years."So, which came first -- talent or time invested in practice? Or is talent just a appetite for learning?
Tales abound about people with what looks like talent, but who never put in the work. In the arena of sports we hear about people who seem less talented, but who work hard, who surpass people with apparent talent.
It is a controversial topic and I don't expect to lay it to rest here. What I do believe is that practice pays off, and that practice is the only road to success no matter how much talent you have. Ask Pat Metheny!