Are there things that people who start playing an instrument later in life just can’t do that people who started early can? If so, why?

Question

In the music world (especially in classical music) there’s this sort of dogma that if you don’t start playing an instrument early in your childhood that you’ll never be as good as someone who did. Is this really true? I know that children are good at learning stuff quickly but other than that, what physiological and neurological reasons are there for this dogma to supposedly be true?

Hope I didn’t explain it to vaguely.

In: 7

Answer 1

Regardless of ANYTHING else, you can never catch up on time. Someone who started 25 years ago, and practises exactly as often as you, will ALWAYS have had more time with their instrument. At some point you might see fimi wishing returns, but even so, you can’t catch up. It’s like being a little brother. While the difference in age percentage to your older brother gets smaller and smaller, you will never ever catch up.