--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think the other thing that's important…" description: "\"I think the other thing that's important is getting to a place, which very, very rarely happens with improvising groups, where somebody can decide not ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c2/brian-eno-776_classical-music_i-think-the-other-thing-that-s-important_2933550.jpg" --- # I think the other thing that's important is getting to a… ![“I think the other thing that's important is getting to a place, which very, very rarely happens with improvising groups, where somebody can decide not to play for a while. You watch any group of musicians improvising together and they nearly all play nearly all the time. In fact I often say that…” quote by Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c2/brian-eno-776_classical-music_i-think-the-other-thing-that-s-important_2933550.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c2/brian-eno-776_classical-music_i-think-the-other-thing-that-s-important_2933550.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c2/brian-eno-776_classical-music_i-think-the-other-thing-that-s-important_2933550.jpg) > “I think the other thing that's important is getting to a place, which very, very rarely happens with improvising groups, where somebody can decide not to play for a while. You watch any group of musicians improvising together and they nearly all play nearly all the time. In fact I often say that the biggest difference between classical music and everything else is that classical musicians sometimes shut up because they're told to, because the score tells them to. Whereas any music that's sort of based on folk or jazz, everybody plays all the time.” [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Improvising groups rarely have silence; classical music includes intentional pauses because the score dictates them, highlighting a structural difference between genres. **In simple terms:** Improvisers play constantly, while classical pieces include quiet moments. Key Takeaway Allow intentional silence in collaborative music. Themes music improvisation structure silence collaboration Mood reflective analytical Type observational educational When to use this quote - jazz ensemble rehearsal - classical orchestra rehearsal - songwriting workshop - live performance planning Key Concepts musical dynamics group interaction creative restraint Questions to Reflect On - How can a group cultivate comfortable pauses? - What benefits arise from intentional silence? A Different Perspective Silence can be uncomfortable for improvisers, risking loss of momentum. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Classical music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classical-music/) [Classical musicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classical-musicians/) [Difference Classical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difference-classical-482125/) [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Folks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folks/) [Groups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/groups/) [Happens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happens/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Improvising](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improvising/) [Improvising Groups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improvising-groups-4336867/) [Jazz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jazz/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Musician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musician/) [Musicians Improvising](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musicians-improvising-4336868/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Score](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/score/) [Shut up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shut-up/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/together/) [Watches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watches/) ## Related quotes > [There is no essential difference between classical and popular music. Music is music. I want to communicate with the listener who finds Indian classical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-no-essential-difference-between-classical-and-popular-music/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Kolkata is a musical city. What I like about people here is the lack of diplomacy. 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I don't really have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-smoker/i-don-t-really-have-a-career-as-a-jazz-musician-i-don-t-really-have-a/) [Paul Smoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-smoker/) > [All of us in the field must remain constantly vigilant and fight against all types of inappropriate and hurtful behavior and continue the essential…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andris-nelsons/all-of-us-in-the-field-must-remain-constantly-vigilant-and-fight/) [Andris Nelsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andris-nelsons/) > [Artists, whether they're classical musicians or pop musicians, they have always been the reflection of society, and in many ways a healing part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-duke/artists-whether-they-re-classical-musicians-or-pop-musicians-they/) [George Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-duke/) > [You don't see the European classical musicians allowing the music of Bach, Brahms, or Beethoven to become extinct. That music has gone on for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahsaan-roland-kirk/you-don-t-see-the-european-classical-musicians-allowing-the-music-of/) [Rahsaan Roland Kirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahsaan-roland-kirk/) > [It would have been more obvious to go into film, based on the generation before me, but the generation before them were all composers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-coppola-schwartzman/it-would-have-been-more-obvious-to-go-into-film-based-on-the/) [Robert Coppola Schwartzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-coppola-schwartzman/) > [Classical musicians do this all the time. They want perfection. So they piece things together. Eight bars of this and six bars of that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-abercrombie/classical-musicians-do-this-all-the-time-they-want-perfection-so-they/) [John Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-abercrombie/) > [Iceland is so small; classical musicians play on pop projects and pop musicians play with jazz musicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laufey/iceland-is-so-small-classical-musicians-play-on-pop-projects-and-pop/) [Laufey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laufey/) > [I know I’m an African-American, and I know I play the saxophone, but I’m not a jazz musician. 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I don't set out to say anything very important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/the-lyrics-are-constructed-as-empirically-as-the-music-i-don-t-set/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [Admirers can be a tremendous force for conservatism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/admirers-can-be-a-tremendous-force-for-conservatism/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [The whole history of pop music had rested on the first person singular, with occasional intrusions of the second person singular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/the-whole-history-of-pop-music-had-rested-on-the-first-person/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [You can't really imagine music without technology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/you-can-t-really-imagine-music-without-technology/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [Robert Fripp and I will be recording another LP very soon. It should be even more monotonous than the first one!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/robert-fripp-and-i-will-be-recording-another-lp-very-soon-it-should/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [I despise computers in many ways. I think they’re hopelessly underevolved and overrated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/i-despise-computers-in-many-ways-i-think-they-re-hopelessly/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [I think very often producers are really trying to repeat things. When they hear something in the new songs that they recognize as being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/i-think-very-often-producers-are-really-trying-to-repeat-things-when/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [I think that's very significant that we're so attached to the idea now of - it was something I advocated for years, that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/i-think-that-s-very-significant-that-we-re-so-attached-to-the-idea/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [If you watch any good player, they're using different parts of their body and working with instruments that respond to those movements. They're moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/if-you-watch-any-good-player-they-re-using-different-parts-of-their/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [Songs that don't depend on composition depend instead on performance - so the fire has to be there in the playing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/songs-that-don-t-depend-on-composition-depend-instead-on-performance/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [I can see the use and value of religion, just as I can see the use of mud wrestling, yoga, astronomy and sadomasochism. but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/i-can-see-the-use-and-value-of-religion-just-as-i-can-see-the-use-of/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [I wanted to get rid of the element that had been considered essential in pop music: the voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/i-wanted-to-get-rid-of-the-element-that-had-been-considered-essential/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [At the beginning of the 20th century, the ambition of the great painters was to make paintings that were like music, which was then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/at-the-beginning-of-the-20th-century-the-ambition-of-the-great/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [I had an interesting day. I was in the studio with a group of musicians, who shall remain nameless, and I said to them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/i-had-an-interesting-day-i-was-in-the-studio-with-a-group-of/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) [Explore all 373 Brian Eno quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) ## More Classical music quotes > [I'm very fond of classical music, especially Mozart. I find it relaxes me and helps me concentrate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guler-sabanci/i-m-very-fond-of-classical-music-especially-mozart-i-find-it-relaxes/) [Guler Sabanci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guler-sabanci/) > [It's something he used to say when he was happy. It could be a very, very simple day. We might be sitting out on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-grant/it-s-something-he-used-to-say-when-he-was-happy-it-could-be-a-very/) [Jennifer Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-grant/) > [I listen to classical music very much. There's a lot of jazz that I don't enjoy listening to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-konitz/i-listen-to-classical-music-very-much-there-s-a-lot-of-jazz-that-i/) [Lee Konitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-konitz/) > [My influences are jazz, blues, European classical music; they are rock music and pop music. So many kinds of music. World music from different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rokia-traore/my-influences-are-jazz-blues-european-classical-music-they-are-rock/) [Rokia Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rokia-traore/) > [My roots are in classical music and jazz, and I want the freedom of being able to improvise. This freedom is possible only in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adnan-sami/my-roots-are-in-classical-music-and-jazz-and-i-want-the-freedom-of/) [Adnan Sami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adnan-sami/) > [You know how some people seem to think that their love for classical music makes them spiritual or at least something quite special? And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-stout/you-know-how-some-people-seem-to-think-that-their-love-for-classical/) [Ruth Stout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-stout/) > [I have been exposed to different kinds of Marathi and Hindi music, classical music, and English songs since childhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/urmila-matondkar/i-have-been-exposed-to-different-kinds-of-marathi-and-hindi-music/) [Urmila Matondkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/urmila-matondkar/) > [I love Adele and Lykke Li. I also listen to classical music as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/birdy/i-love-adele-and-lykke-li-i-also-listen-to-classical-music-as-well/) [Birdy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/birdy/) > [I have never heard enough classical music to be able to enjoy it; & the simple truth is, I detest it. Not mildly, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-have-never-heard-enough-classical-music-to-be-able-to-enjoy-it-the/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Obviously there are pieces of classical music that are some of the most beautiful music ever written, for me anyway is a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dessner/obviously-there-are-pieces-of-classical-music-that-are-some-of-the/) [Bryce Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dessner/) > [I know this will blow your mind, but most people would probably never ever get it, but I listen to classical music when nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanilla-ice/i-know-this-will-blow-your-mind-but-most-people-would-probably-never/) [Vanilla Ice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanilla-ice/) > [“Finally, every society develops a system of aesthetic standards that get manifested in everything from decorative art, music, and dance to the architecture and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-livermore/finally-every-society-develops-a-system-of-aesthetic-standards-that/) [David Livermore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-livermore/) > [Kolkata is a musical city. What I like about people here is the lack of diplomacy. Some of the best Indian classical musicians belong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sukhwinder-singh/kolkata-is-a-musical-city-what-i-like-about-people-here-is-the-lack/) [Sukhwinder Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sukhwinder-singh/) > [I was able to turn to classical music many people, who saw my programs live and on YouTube, and this is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksey-igudesman/i-was-able-to-turn-to-classical-music-many-people-who-saw-my-programs/) [Aleksey Igudesman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksey-igudesman/) > [I know I’m an African-American, and I know I play the saxophone, but I’m not a jazz musician. I’m not a classical musician, either.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-braxton/i-know-i-m-an-african-american-and-i-know-i-play-the-saxophone-but-i/) [Anthony Braxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-braxton/) [Browse all 620 Classical music quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classical-music/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think the other thing that's important is getting to a place, which very, very rarely happens with improvising groups, where somebody can decide not to play for a while. You watch any group of musicians improvising together and they nearly all play nearly all the time. In fact I often say that the biggest difference between classical music and everything else is that classical musicians sometimes shut up because they're told to, because the score tells them to. 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