Call a student “a natural” and it can sound as though their playing explains itself. Call another “not musical” and it can sound as though there's no point helping them.

Neither gets you very far when you're choosing what to teach on Tuesday. You still need to find out what the student knows, where they're stuck, and what they can try next.

What the research can tell us

A 2014 meta-analysis by Platz and colleagues found a substantial association between accumulated task-relevant practice and musical achievement. That supports taking sustained practice seriously; it does not establish that practice alone determines every outcome.

A 2024 twin study also found genetic influences on differences in musical auditory discrimination, including among people reporting substantial practice. Its outcome was an auditory discrimination test, not a complete measure of musicianship or teaching potential.

Neither study can tell you how far the student in front of you will go. The evidence leaves room for practice, opportunity, and individual differences.

What happened before lessons?

Before interpreting quick progress, ask what the student already knows. Have they sung in a choir? Played another instrument? Heard this repertoire often? Had someone at home who could help?

Likewise, before interpreting slow progress, check access to an instrument, clear practice directions, available time, and whether the task is appropriately sized. These questions uncover things a teacher and family may be able to change.

A musical family can provide experience and opportunity. That does not prove that inherited differences are absent. The point is to investigate circumstances rather than using a family connection as a complete explanation.

Tell them what you noticed

Instead of relying on “you're talented,” describe something the student can recognize: “You noticed the rhythm changed and adjusted without stopping.” Or: “The slower practice helped you keep the fingering consistent.”

When something fails, look at the strategy as well as the effort. Repeating a passage longer is not necessarily the useful next move. A shorter section, clearer model, or different tempo may make the problem easier to understand.

You can be encouraging and still tell the student exactly what went well.

If a student says “I'm not musical,” ask what experience led them there. Struggling to match a pitch, read a rhythm, and coordinate a fingering are different problems. Work on the actual task.

Give the student a fair chance to work on that skill. You can set an ambitious goal and revisit it as you learn more about how they're progressing.

Start with a practice assignment the student can understand and carry out. Why “Practice More” Is Useless Advice offers examples.