Q: I have heard that major chords sound happy and minor chords sound sad. However, some music seems to have planty of both major and minor chords. So how can the music be happy and sad at the same time?
A: The idea that a major chord denotes a happy emotion and a minor chord denotes a sad emotion is largely a matter of convention and conditioning. In many cases, western music will follow this very general rule. However, I'm sure if you think about it for awhile, you can think of music, particularly from outside the western world, that is upbeat while using alot of minor chord sounds. Even in western music there are many exceptions to the "major is happy, minor is sad" rule.
Two notable exceptions to this major/minor rule are some new age music, and some contemporary jazz. Both of these styles use major and minor chords as well as chords that might not be easily categorized as either major or minor. Yet, a listener may have a distinct sense of whether the music sounds happy or sad. Furthermore, one person's impression may differ from another person's impression.
Q: I can't play something different in my right hand than I'm playing in my left hand. I can't hear the bass lines in boogie woogie or jazz. It seems you have to be born with the gift, or you're just out of luck.
A: Contrary to some people I have met, I believe anybody can learn to play a style of music they are interested in playing. Music is a language, and so the more a person is exposed to it, the more a person will understand it. The more a person practices music, the better that person will "speak" it. If a person has patience and perseverence, in time she or he will become a good player.
There's no question that some people are natural musicians. These "musical geniuses" can play anything by ear, and may even be able to compose good music even though they have little formal training. However, such "naturals" exist in all areas, don't they? No doubt you know someone who is a very charismatic speaker and thus is an excellent leader, or someone who is a whiz with numbers, or someone who is a fantastic cook.
I believe that whether or not a person is born with "the gift," that person almost certainly has the potential to be a satisfactory musician and, more importantly, to enjoy and appreciate making music and share that joy and appreciation with others.
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