--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The main problem is to free your mind…" description: "\"The main problem is to free your mind when you play. I find that in my own playing, whenever I feel any kind of tension, I'm restricted to playing the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65f/art-farmer-75831_feels_the-main-problem-is-to-free-your-mind-wh_1942295.jpg" --- # The main problem is to free your mind when you play. I… ![“The main problem is to free your mind when you play. I find that in my own playing, whenever I feel any kind of tension, I'm restricted to playing the most fundamental kinds of things.” quote by Art Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65f/art-farmer-75831_feels_the-main-problem-is-to-free-your-mind-wh_1942295.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65f/art-farmer-75831_feels_the-main-problem-is-to-free-your-mind-wh_1942295.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65f/art-farmer-75831_feels_the-main-problem-is-to-free-your-mind-wh_1942295.jpg) > “The main problem is to free your mind when you play. I find that in my own playing, whenever I feel any kind of tension, I'm restricted to playing the most fundamental kinds of things.” [Art Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-farmer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Tension in playing limits creativity; freeing the mind allows richer improvisation. **In simple terms:** Relaxed mind leads to better musical expression. Key Takeaway Release tension to enhance performance. Themes music improvisation mindset creativity performance Mood inspirational motivational Type musical philosophical When to use this quote - jazz sessions - practice routines - teaching - live gigs Key Concepts flow state psychological freedom Questions to Reflect On - What techniques help you stay relaxed while playing? - How does mental freedom influence your musical choices? A Different Perspective Pressure can stifle artistic expression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Free your mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-your-mind/) [Fundamentals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamentals/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Mind Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind-play-403081/) [My own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-own/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Playing Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-feel-1013332/) [Playing Fundamental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-fundamental-3102686/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Restricted Playing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/restricted-playing-3102685/) [Tension](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tension/) [Tension Restricted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tension-restricted-3102687/) ## Related quotes > [Unlike movies, on stage there are no second chances. Everything is live. If someone messes up, forgets a line, gives the wrong cue, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poonam-dhillon/unlike-movies-on-stage-there-are-no-second-chances-everything-is-live/) [Poonam Dhillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poonam-dhillon/) > [By these pleasures it is permitted to relax the mind with play, in turmoils of the mind, or when our labors are light, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerolamo-cardano/by-these-pleasures-it-is-permitted-to-relax-the-mind-with-play-in/) [Gerolamo Cardano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerolamo-cardano/) > [There's a lot of psychology involved in my work, a lot of mind play going on when you try and convince someone to feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gok-wan/there-s-a-lot-of-psychology-involved-in-my-work-a-lot-of-mind-play/) [Gok Wan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gok-wan/) > [“In and out of love, the mind can play tricks.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emel-oner/in-and-out-of-love-the-mind-can-play-tricks/) [Emel oner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emel-oner/) > [Sometimes when she was alone, and she knew she was alone, she permitted her mind to play in a garden, and she smiled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/sometimes-when-she-was-alone-and-she-knew-she-was-alone-she-permitted/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [A body of clay, a mind full of play, a moment's life - that's me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harivanshrai-bachchan/a-body-of-clay-a-mind-full-of-play-a-moment-s-life-that-s-me/) [Harivanshrai Bachchan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harivanshrai-bachchan/) > [If there is anybody who feels they are not in the right frame of mind to play, then obviously, I would not play them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-redknapp/if-there-is-anybody-who-feels-they-are-not-in-the-right-frame-of-mind/) [Harry Redknapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-redknapp/) > [Love you??...never mind Play with you?...just fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ynnenu/love-you-never-mind-play-with-you-just-fun/) [YnnEnu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ynnenu/) > [For me, it's been liberating to put myself in the mind of a fictitious six year-old each day, and rediscover my own curiosity. 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Read.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roh-morgon/fantasy-is-the-playground-of-the-mind-play-hard-play-often-read/) [Roh Morgon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roh-morgon/) > [That's always been on my mind - to play games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-moses/that-s-always-been-on-my-mind-to-play-games/) [Victor Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-moses/) > [If you feel pain, you have to make up your mind whether you can play with it or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-worthy/if-you-feel-pain-you-have-to-make-up-your-mind-whether-you-can-play/) [James Worthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-worthy/) > [Letting your mind play is the best way to solve problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/letting-your-mind-play-is-the-best-way-to-solve-problems/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) ## More by Art Farmer > [Economy: that what you played had to have meaning, not just a bunch of sixteenth notes. 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