--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I consider myself to be an inept pianist…" description: "\"I consider myself to be an inept pianist, a bad singer, and a merely competent songwriter. What I do, in my opinion, is by no means extraordinary.\" — B..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/billy-joel-1000_competent_i-consider-myself-to-be-an-inept-pianist_264881.png" --- # I consider myself to be an inept pianist, a bad singer… ![“I consider myself to be an inept pianist, a bad singer, and a merely competent songwriter. What I do, in my opinion, is by no means extraordinary.” quote by Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/billy-joel-1000_competent_i-consider-myself-to-be-an-inept-pianist_264881.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/billy-joel-1000_competent_i-consider-myself-to-be-an-inept-pianist_264881.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/billy-joel-1000_competent_i-consider-myself-to-be-an-inept-pianist_264881.png) > “I consider myself to be an inept pianist, a bad singer, and a merely competent songwriter. What I do, in my opinion, is by no means extraordinary.” [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author sees themselves as average in musical talent, rejecting any notion of being extraordinary. **In simple terms:** I think I'm just okay at music. Key Takeaway Embrace your skill level and enjoy creating. Themes self‑efficacy modesty creativity Mood introspective encouraging Type personal motivational When to use this quote - songwriting - performance - collaboration Key Concepts personal identity artistic expression Questions to Reflect On - What drives you to create despite modesty? - Can average skill still inspire? A Different Perspective Even modest talent can impact others; greatness is not required for value. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Competent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competent/) [Competent Songwriter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competent-songwriter-2602945/) [Extraordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extraordinary/) [Inept Pianist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inept-pianist-2602942/) [Merely Competent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/merely-competent-2095539/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Pianist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pianist/) [Pianist Bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pianist-bad-2602944/) [Singer Merely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singer-merely-2602943/) ## Related quotes > [I consider myself to be an inept pianist, a bad singer, and a merely competent songwriter. ... I'm probably writing music now for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/i-consider-myself-to-be-an-inept-pianist-a-bad-singer-and-a-merely-2/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [When I hear the words jazz pianist, that just means I have the skills to do most things. Because to be a jazz pianist,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-glasper/when-i-hear-the-words-jazz-pianist-that-just-means-i-have-the-skills/) [Robert Glasper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-glasper/) > [I am, as I've said, merely competent. But in an age of incompetence, that makes me extraordinary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/i-am-as-i-ve-said-merely-competent-but-in-an-age-of-incompetence-that/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [Because of the nature of Moore's law, anything that an extremely clever graphics programmer can do at one point can be replicated by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carmack/because-of-the-nature-of-moore-s-law-anything-that-an-extremely/) [John Carmack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carmack/) > [I started taking piano lessons when I was about four years old. My parents were both musicians. So I took piano lessons. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/i-started-taking-piano-lessons-when-i-was-about-four-years-old-my/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [My grandmother was a classical pianist, so I grew up with Schubert, Mozart, Beethoven. I studied piano as a kid. My musical background and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillipa-soo/my-grandmother-was-a-classical-pianist-so-i-grew-up-with-schubert/) [Phillipa Soo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillipa-soo/) > [“To wake up one day and be Steinway and Glen in One... Glen Steinway, Steinway Glen, all for Bach.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bernhard/to-wake-up-one-day-and-be-steinway-and-glen-in-one-glen-steinway/) [Thomas Bernhard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bernhard/) > [I decided during my teens that I wasn't going to have the life of a concert pianist, much to the chagrin of a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cy-coleman/i-decided-during-my-teens-that-i-wasn-t-going-to-have-the-life-of-a/) [Cy Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cy-coleman/) > [I would also like to mention pianists like Michel Petrucciani or Chick Сorea for whom I have great admiration in the jazz field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-clayderman/i-would-also-like-to-mention-pianists-like-michel-petrucciani-or/) [Richard Clayderman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-clayderman/) > [In fact although I have studied in a Conservatory the classical piano, I do not consider myself a classical pianist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-clayderman/in-fact-although-i-have-studied-in-a-conservatory-the-classical-piano/) [Richard Clayderman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-clayderman/) > [Please do not shoot the pianist. He is doing his best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/please-do-not-shoot-the-pianist-he-is-doing-his-best/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [A mission that comes from the heart to promote these things and to encourage composers to write, then of course they should do it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-andre-hamelin/a-mission-that-comes-from-the-heart-to-promote-these-things-and-to/) [Marc-Andre Hamelin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-andre-hamelin/) > [I want to act in a film like 'The Pianist.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahul-dev/i-want-to-act-in-a-film-like-the-pianist/) [Rahul Dev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahul-dev/) > [My family was musical on both sides. My father's family had a famous flautist and a classical pianist. My mother won a contest to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-estefan/my-family-was-musical-on-both-sides-my-father-s-family-had-a-famous/) [Gloria Estefan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-estefan/) > [My dad's family were political and he was always a theatrical creature, whereas my mum is really musical and her father was the touring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/my-dad-s-family-were-political-and-he-was-always-a-theatrical/) [Grace Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-jones/) ## More by Billy Joel > [Everybody is different. Some writers can write reams of great books and then J. D. Salinger wrote just a few. Beethoven wrote nine symphonies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/everybody-is-different-some-writers-can-write-reams-of-great-books/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [Only the good die young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/only-the-good-die-young/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [In a way, we are magicians. We are alchemists, sorcerers and wizards. We are a very strange bunch. But there is great fun in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/in-a-way-we-are-magicians-we-are-alchemists-sorcerers-and-wizards-we/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [I don't want some pretty face to tell me pretty lies, all I want is someone to believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/i-don-t-want-some-pretty-face-to-tell-me-pretty-lies-all-i-want-is/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [I've always said about 50% of what happens at a concert has to do with the audience. 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Though it's crucial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/don-t-make-music-for-some-vast-unseen-audience-or-market-or-ratings/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [Usually when I'm writing, I try to write fairly quickly. If a song sits around too long, it starts to take on a stink.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/usually-when-i-m-writing-i-try-to-write-fairly-quickly-if-a-song-sits/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [My daughter sent me on a mission to get as many autographs as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/my-daughter-sent-me-on-a-mission-to-get-as-many-autographs-as-possible/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [ I was listening to stuff and I realized that I've had a lot of different lives. You know the theory \[that says\] every seven… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/i-was-listening-to-stuff-and-i-realized-that-i-ve-had-a-lot-of/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [If you said good-bye to me tonight, There would still be music left to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/if-you-said-good-bye-to-me-tonight-there-would-still-be-music-left-to/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [If I need a cause for celebration, Or a comfort I can use to ease my mind, I rely on my imagination, And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/if-i-need-a-cause-for-celebration-or-a-comfort-i-can-use-to-ease-my/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [I'm carrying the weight of all the useless junk and modern man accumulates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/i-m-carrying-the-weight-of-all-the-useless-junk-and-modern-man/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [What will it take for you to believe in me, the way that I believe in you?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/what-will-it-take-for-you-to-believe-in-me-the-way-that-i-believe-in/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) [Explore all 311 Billy Joel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) ## More Competent quotes > [Almost everywhere we find . . . the use of various coercive measures, to rid ourselves as quickly as possible of the child withinus--i.e.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/almost-everywhere-we-find-the-use-of-various-coercive-measures-to-rid/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [“In your goals to go the extra mile, prepare to pay an extra cost. 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