I don't have a good sense of rhythm and most likely would not do well with musical instrument playing. I wish I did know how to play a musicial instrument...I think it must be a different mind sent.

Instrumental music, is after all, a language...with real coding in terms of the notation on sheet music and how to interpet it. Hence, I could never apply for jobs in music libraries. A staff person needs understand the documents that they handle. That is the strongest signal to me, that music can be a language,a code of its own.

None of my siblings ever learned to play a music instrument. However here is a family story that surprised nearly everyone in my family:

My father could play a musical instrument. But he told no one for almost 40 years. It was discovered one day via his grandchildren. Both of my sisters' children can play piano (and also trumpet). When grandson was 10 yrs. old, he was playing on the keys...my father casually joined in to tap a few notes.

My sister who witnessed this event, was astounded. My father did play a traditional musical Chinese instrument in high school. In fact, he used to have jam sessions with his buddies in China.

This is the father who really didn't want any of his children to pursue coursework/careers in the arts. (Just pragmatic immigrant thinking of financial stabilty of children...at that time). It nearly stunned me when I heard the story, a different dimension of a parent..after all, I'm the child who pursued art courses at every opportunity..against my parents' wishes. It was mind-boggling news to me at that family discovery.