---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Rock & Roll is the physical thing that…"
description: "\"Rock & Roll is the physical thing that just comes out of you .. the other stuff you have to sit down and learn .. once you learn scales and chord progr..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11a/brian-setzer-14432_chords_rock-roll-is-the-physical-thing-that-jus_2852556.png"
---

#  Rock & Roll is the physical thing that just comes out of…

![“Rock & Roll is the physical thing that just comes out of you .. the other stuff you have to sit down and learn .. once you learn scales and chord progressions, you can make up your own versions” quote by Brian Setzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11a/brian-setzer-14432_chords_rock-roll-is-the-physical-thing-that-jus_2852556.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11a/brian-setzer-14432_chords_rock-roll-is-the-physical-thing-that-jus_2852556.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11a/brian-setzer-14432_chords_rock-roll-is-the-physical-thing-that-jus_2852556.png)

> “Rock & Roll is the physical thing that just comes out of you .. the other stuff you have to sit down and learn .. once you learn scales and chord progressions, you can make up your own versions”

[Brian Setzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-setzer/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Music creation blends instinctive expression with learned technique, allowing personal style after mastering fundamentals.

**In simple terms:** Music needs both feeling and skill.

Key Takeaway

Master basics, then improvise.

Themes

creativity skill selfexpression

Mood

enthusiastic inspired

Type

motivational practical

When to use this quote

- songwriting
- live performance
- practice
- teaching

Key Concepts

musicianship improvisation

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you balance instinct and technique?
- What fundamentals unlock your personal voice?

A Different Perspective

Without discipline, raw talent may not translate into coherent art.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Progression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progression/) [Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock/) [Rocks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rocks/)

## Related quotes

> [The melodies are always the most important part to me. I am pulled more to the groove than the chord progression. After you find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-matthews/the-melodies-are-always-the-most-important-part-to-me-i-am-pulled/)

[Dave Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-matthews/)

> [I wanted to write songs which I think is a different thing. I wanted to write music that is informed by folk music. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-newsom/i-wanted-to-write-songs-which-i-think-is-a-different-thing-i-wanted/)

[Joanna Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-newsom/)

> [Sometimes, I actually end up doing three or four different versions of one song, and sometimes, those versions can be done very differently. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trentem-ller/sometimes-i-actually-end-up-doing-three-or-four-different-versions-of/)

[Trentemøller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trentem-ller/)

> [I like loud electric guitars because I like how you can just lose your entire being in the sound. But I can't find myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gira/i-like-loud-electric-guitars-because-i-like-how-you-can-just-lose/)

[Michael Gira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gira/)

> [When you learn an instrument, it takes an awful lot of time to just learn the scales, and then eventually when you have completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/when-you-learn-an-instrument-it-takes-an-awful-lot-of-time-to-just/)

[Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/)

> [I've never been one to learn scales and do exercises. Maybe I'm lazy, but I just don't take to that kind of thing. Learning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-kearney/i-ve-never-been-one-to-learn-scales-and-do-exercises-maybe-i-m-lazy/)

[Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/)

> [When I first started playing guitar, I would sit in my room for hours and learn scales.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-baker/when-i-first-started-playing-guitar-i-would-sit-in-my-room-for-hours/)

[Julien Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-baker/)

> [I had piano lessons when I was younger, but I quit because I didn't want to sit and learn the scales.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-maynard/i-had-piano-lessons-when-i-was-younger-but-i-quit-because-i-didn-t/)

[Conor Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-maynard/)

> [It's very much a piece of myself when I write a song. I don't mean to say it's very personal, like the lyrics mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/it-s-very-much-a-piece-of-myself-when-i-write-a-song-i-don-t-mean-to/)

[Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/)

> [Chord progression is progression of emotions; storytelling - taking one person from one mood to the next. We are doing the same thing within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richie-hawtin/chord-progression-is-progression-of-emotions-storytelling-taking-one/)

[Richie Hawtin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richie-hawtin/)

> [I definitely don't see myself as much of a singer, because my upbringing is really based around the guitar, learning chord progressions and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-ward/i-definitely-don-t-see-myself-as-much-of-a-singer-because-my/)

[M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-ward/)

> [These days I keep a journal, so I'm constantly sketching down my thoughts, or lines that come to me...ideas for songs. And then when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/these-days-i-keep-a-journal-so-i-m-constantly-sketching-down-my/)

[Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/)

> [I can't remember the first song I learned to play on bass, but the first song I learned to play on guitar was 'For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geddy-lee/i-can-t-remember-the-first-song-i-learned-to-play-on-bass-but-the/)

[Geddy Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geddy-lee/)

> [It's a double-headed coin, because technology is a convenience but it's stifled our attention spans. At one time, albums had songs that were like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cee-lo-green/it-s-a-double-headed-coin-because-technology-is-a-convenience-but-it/)

[Cee Lo Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cee-lo-green/)

> [Every time I finish a song... most of the time it's in my own head, like this sounds too much like a Townes Van…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/every-time-i-finish-a-song-most-of-the-time-it-s-in-my-own-head-like/)

[Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/)

## More by Brian Setzer

> [I'm not God's gift to rockabilly. There's great players out there, and some of them deserve a lot more than they've gotten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-setzer/i-m-not-god-s-gift-to-rockabilly-there-s-great-players-out-there-and/)

[Brian Setzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-setzer/)

> [I mean, what 16-year-old is going to listen to Doc Watson?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-setzer/i-mean-what-16-year-old-is-going-to-listen-to-doc-watson/)

[Brian Setzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-setzer/)

> [If you listen to everybody's opinions, I mean, I always say I'd be digging a ditch on the side of the road now if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-setzer/if-you-listen-to-everybody-s-opinions-i-mean-i-always-say-i-d-be/)

[Brian Setzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-setzer/)

> [I basically sat down for a month, with all the Sun stuff I could find and just picked out my favorites. I didn't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-setzer/i-basically-sat-down-for-a-month-with-all-the-sun-stuff-i-could-find/)

[Brian Setzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-setzer/)

> [Rock and roll and swing never quite mixed. Rock and roll came in and just blew everything out of the water. Big bands were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-setzer/rock-and-roll-and-swing-never-quite-mixed-rock-and-roll-came-in-and/)

[Brian Setzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-setzer/)

> [I got cat class and I got cat style](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-setzer/i-got-cat-class-and-i-got-cat-style/)

[Brian Setzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-setzer/)

> [I love Glen Campbell. He never gets a mention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-setzer/i-love-glen-campbell-he-never-gets-a-mention/)

[Brian Setzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-setzer/)

> [We weren't afraid to mix some crazy styles into the standard rockabilly look. We also took a lot of different musical influences that were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-setzer/we-weren-t-afraid-to-mix-some-crazy-styles-into-the-standard/)

[Brian Setzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-setzer/)

> [Normally, you go into the recording studio, make a record and then take it on the road and you think... wow... I could have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-setzer/normally-you-go-into-the-recording-studio-make-a-record-and-then-take/)

[Brian Setzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-setzer/)

> [Veteran performers are dying off, and new acts simply aren't emerging on the national scene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-setzer/veteran-performers-are-dying-off-and-new-acts-simply-aren-t-emerging/)

[Brian Setzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-setzer/)

> [To keep creating something with this type of music, you have to take it out of the box.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-setzer/to-keep-creating-something-with-this-type-of-music-you-have-to-take/)

[Brian Setzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-setzer/)

> [,,, all around it would have to be Eddie Cochran, because it wasn't just music with him; it was his guitar playing, his look,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-setzer/all-around-it-would-have-to-be-eddie-cochran-because-it-wasn-t-just/)

[Brian Setzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-setzer/)

> [I wanted to go back to Sun. Unfortunately, most of the gear is gone from Sun. The way I take it now, it's almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-setzer/i-wanted-to-go-back-to-sun-unfortunately-most-of-the-gear-is-gone/)

[Brian Setzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-setzer/)

> [It is hard to play Blue Suede Shoes. I know everyone has heard it 10 million times, and that makes it even harder to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-setzer/it-is-hard-to-play-blue-suede-shoes-i-know-everyone-has-heard-it-10/)

[Brian Setzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-setzer/)

> [I like a good pompadour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-setzer/i-like-a-good-pompadour/)

[Brian Setzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-setzer/)

[Explore all 46 Brian Setzer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-setzer/)

## More Chords quotes

> [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/)

[Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/)

> [Every time I finish a song... most of the time it's in my own head, like this sounds too much like a Townes Van…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/every-time-i-finish-a-song-most-of-the-time-it-s-in-my-own-head-like/)

[Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/)

> [So I concentrated on the rhythmic side of things, and therefore left a lot of holes. I didn't want to use big pad chords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/midge-ure/so-i-concentrated-on-the-rhythmic-side-of-things-and-therefore-left-a/)

[Midge Ure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/midge-ure/)

> [Talk health. The dreary, never-changing tale Of mortal maladies is worn and stale. You cannot charm, or interest, or please By harping in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-wheeler-wilcox/talk-health-the-dreary-never-changing-tale-of-mortal-maladies-is-worn/)

[Ella Wheeler Wilcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-wheeler-wilcox/)

> [There's four chords in every song. That's the fun part - trying to make that your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-rodrigo/there-s-four-chords-in-every-song-that-s-the-fun-part-trying-to-make/)

[Olivia Rodrigo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-rodrigo/)

> [Pete Townsend for me was a huge influence. Because essentially they were a three-piece band and the way he structured his chords and took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-lifeson/pete-townsend-for-me-was-a-huge-influence-because-essentially-they/)

[Alex Lifeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-lifeson/)

> [“Wild Horses" started in a B-minor chord, and Stu didn't play minor chords, "fucking Chinese music.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-richards/wild-horses-started-in-a-b-minor-chord-and-stu-didn-t-play-minor/)

[Keith Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-richards/)

> [I learned to play by ear before I learned music theory. For me, that makes sense. After all, children learn to speak before they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jools-holland/i-learned-to-play-by-ear-before-i-learned-music-theory-for-me-that/)

[Jools Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jools-holland/)

> [My course is about really working on a sheet of music. You work out the chords, which note complements the other, and how they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catriona-gray/my-course-is-about-really-working-on-a-sheet-of-music-you-work-out/)

[Catriona Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catriona-gray/)

> [I don't write poetry and then strum some chords and then fit the words on top of the chords.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/i-don-t-write-poetry-and-then-strum-some-chords-and-then-fit-the/)

[Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/)

> [I always think of each night as a song. Or each moment as a song. But now I'm seeing we don't live in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-always-think-of-each-night-as-a-song-or-each-moment-as-a-song-but/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [It's a double-headed coin, because technology is a convenience but it's stifled our attention spans. At one time, albums had songs that were like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cee-lo-green/it-s-a-double-headed-coin-because-technology-is-a-convenience-but-it/)

[Cee Lo Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cee-lo-green/)

> [I don't want to discredit people's opinions of me, but you talk about the violin or the cello or lead guitar where you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-raitt/i-don-t-want-to-discredit-people-s-opinions-of-me-but-you-talk-about/)

[Bonnie Raitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-raitt/)

> [There are no rules or certain methods. I usually start with the guitar or piano and sing melodies over the chords. The lyrics seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reeves/there-are-no-rules-or-certain-methods-i-usually-start-with-the-guitar/)

[Jason Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reeves/)

> [I like really sparse electronics, lush arrangements, and interesting chord structures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-klinghoffer/i-like-really-sparse-electronics-lush-arrangements-and-interesting/)

[Josh Klinghoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-klinghoffer/)

Browse all 544 Chords quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Rock & Roll is the physical thing that just comes out of you .. the other stuff you have to sit down and learn .. once you learn scales and chord progressions, you can make up your own versions",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Brian Setzer"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-setzer/rock-roll-is-the-physical-thing-that-just-comes-out-of-you-the-other/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Chords"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-setzer/rock-roll-is-the-physical-thing-that-just-comes-out-of-you-the-other/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11a/brian-setzer-14432_chords_rock-roll-is-the-physical-thing-that-jus_2852556.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11a/brian-setzer-14432_chords_rock-roll-is-the-physical-thing-that-jus_2852556.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11a/brian-setzer-14432_chords_rock-roll-is-the-physical-thing-that-jus_2852556.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Rock & Roll is the physical thing that just comes out of you .. the other stuff you have to sit down and…” — Brian Setzer",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Brian Setzer",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-setzer/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Rock & Roll is the physical...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-setzer/rock-roll-is-the-physical-thing-that-just-comes-out-of-you-the-other/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-setzer/rock-roll-is-the-physical-thing-that-just-comes-out-of-you-the-other/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```