--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It takes a pretty good drummer to be…" description: "\"It takes a pretty good drummer to be better than no drummer at all.\" — Chet Baker" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe0/chet-baker-33103_better_it-takes-a-pretty-good-drummer-to-be-bet_121528.png" --- # It takes a pretty good drummer to be better than no… ![“It takes a pretty good drummer to be better than no drummer at all.” quote by Chet Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe0/chet-baker-33103_better_it-takes-a-pretty-good-drummer-to-be-bet_121528.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe0/chet-baker-33103_better_it-takes-a-pretty-good-drummer-to-be-bet_121528.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe0/chet-baker-33103_better_it-takes-a-pretty-good-drummer-to-be-bet_121528.png) > “It takes a pretty good drummer to be better than no drummer at all.” [Chet Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-baker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even modest skill beats having no skill at all; competence matters more than perfection. **In simple terms:** A decent effort is better than none. Key Takeaway Value incremental competence. Themes skill effort pragmatism Mood encouraging pragmatic Type motivational advice When to use this quote - learning a new instrument - starting a fitness routine Key Concepts comparative advantage Practical Applications - Encourage beginners to practice regularly Questions to Reflect On - What small improvements can you make today? - How do you measure progress versus perfection? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Drummer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drummer/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [To me, there was no better drummer than Jeff Porcaro. His musicianship and kindness to me will never be forgotten. Our loss is heaven's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-marx/to-me-there-was-no-better-drummer-than-jeff-porcaro-his-musicianship/) [Richard Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-marx/) > [I'm a pretty good drummer. I'm pretty good at guitar, bass and piano. I can play accordion; I'm not virtuoso. I've played cello before.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendon-urie/i-m-a-pretty-good-drummer-i-m-pretty-good-at-guitar-bass-and-piano-i/) [Brendon Urie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendon-urie/) > [My father had a perfectly good drummer who he had an argument with. So one day, on a Tuesday, my father came in with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-crowell/my-father-had-a-perfectly-good-drummer-who-he-had-an-argument-with-so/) [Rodney Crowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-crowell/) > [To me, there's way more to being a good drummer than precision and technique.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-portnoy/to-me-there-s-way-more-to-being-a-good-drummer-than-precision-and/) [Mike Portnoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-portnoy/) > [I started trying to do my own music at home, and I was like, 'You know what, I can play the guitar, sort of.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-burns/i-started-trying-to-do-my-own-music-at-home-and-i-was-like-you-know/) [Steve Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-burns/) > [The end result of my personal story is that I became a really good drummer, and I know myself well enough to know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-chazelle/the-end-result-of-my-personal-story-is-that-i-became-a-really-good/) [Damien Chazelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-chazelle/) > [I can play a bunch of instruments but drums? My brother's a drummer and I've always been jealous that he's such a good drummer.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-wolff/i-can-play-a-bunch-of-instruments-but-drums-my-brother-s-a-drummer/) [Nat Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-wolff/) > [I can play a bunch of instruments but drums? My brothers a drummer and Ive always been jealous that hes such a good drummer.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-wolff/i-can-play-a-bunch-of-instruments-but-drums-my-brothers-a-drummer-and/) [Nat Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-wolff/) > [My motivation for being a good drummer was born out of fear, which, in a way, seems so antithetical to what art should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-chazelle/my-motivation-for-being-a-good-drummer-was-born-out-of-fear-which-in/) [Damien Chazelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-chazelle/) > [Ringo, the last to become a Beatle, came into the group not because I wanted him, but because the boys did. To be completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-epstein/ringo-the-last-to-become-a-beatle-came-into-the-group-not-because-i/) [Brian Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-epstein/) > [If you mess around with jazz, you better have a good drummer and a good bass player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gunther-schuller/if-you-mess-around-with-jazz-you-better-have-a-good-drummer-and-a/) [Gunther Schuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gunther-schuller/) > [I'm a good guy, and I'm a pretty good drummer, by the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-rudd/i-m-a-good-guy-and-i-m-a-pretty-good-drummer-by-the-way/) [Phil Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-rudd/) > [The drummer; he inspired me to play like no one else I have ever met.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-baker/the-drummer-he-inspired-me-to-play-like-no-one-else-i-have-ever-met/) [Chet Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-baker/) > [Artt Frank is my all-time favorite drummer. He always seems to know where I'm going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-baker/artt-frank-is-my-all-time-favorite-drummer-he-always-seems-to-know/) [Chet Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-baker/) > [I usually write from the rhythm section...If a drummer got a funky beat on some things - like a half-shuffle or a shuffle or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/i-usually-write-from-the-rhythm-section-if-a-drummer-got-a-funky-beat/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) ## More by Chet Baker > [Artt Frank is my all-time favorite drummer. He always seems to know where I'm going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-baker/artt-frank-is-my-all-time-favorite-drummer-he-always-seems-to-know/) [Chet Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-baker/) > [It seems to me that most people are impressed with just three things: how fast you can play, how high you can play, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-baker/it-seems-to-me-that-most-people-are-impressed-with-just-three-things/) [Chet Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-baker/) > [“It seems to me that most people are impressed with just three things: how fast you can play, how high you can play, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-baker/it-seems-to-me-that-most-people-are-impressed-with-just-three-things-2/) [Chet Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-baker/) > [I like to play in the deep register. I was never a high-note specialist. My range goes from the bottom of the horn up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-baker/i-like-to-play-in-the-deep-register-i-was-never-a-high-note/) [Chet Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-baker/) > [In Europe they look upon jazz as art. In America it's a diversion. Somebody opens a restaurant and installs another band off to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-baker/in-europe-they-look-upon-jazz-as-art-in-america-it-s-a-diversion/) [Chet Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-baker/) > [I soon became aware that there wasn't enough time or opportunity to kiss all the girls in the world. The best thing is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-baker/i-soon-became-aware-that-there-wasn-t-enough-time-or-opportunity-to/) [Chet Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-baker/) > [Your looks are laughable, unphotographable, yet you're my favorite work of art. Is your figure less than Greek, is your mouth a little weak?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-baker/your-looks-are-laughable-unphotographable-yet-you-re-my-favorite-work/) [Chet Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-baker/) > [Well if I could play like Wynton, I wouldn't play like Wynton.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-baker/well-if-i-could-play-like-wynton-i-wouldn-t-play-like-wynton/) [Chet Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-baker/) > [People said I'd never make 35, then I'd never make 40, 45; now I'm almost 50, so Im beginning to think maybe they might be wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-baker/people-said-i-d-never-make-35-then-i-d-never-make-40-45-now-i-m/) [Chet Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-baker/) > [The drummer; he inspired me to play like no one else I have ever met.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-baker/the-drummer-he-inspired-me-to-play-like-no-one-else-i-have-ever-met/) [Chet Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-baker/) > [I'm definitely a romantic, I don't think life is really worth all the pain and effort and struggling if you don't have somebody that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-baker/i-m-definitely-a-romantic-i-don-t-think-life-is-really-worth-all-the/) [Chet Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-baker/) > [“What a guy, what a fool am I, to think my breaking heart could kid the moon”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-baker/what-a-guy-what-a-fool-am-i-to-think-my-breaking-heart-could-kid-the/) [Chet Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-baker/) > [I don't believe that jazz will ever really die. It's a nice way to express yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-baker/i-don-t-believe-that-jazz-will-ever-really-die-it-s-a-nice-way-to/) [Chet Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-baker/) > [You don't know what love is, until you've learned the meaning of the blues, until you've loved a love you've had to lose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-baker/you-don-t-know-what-love-is-until-you-ve-learned-the-meaning-of-the/) [Chet Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-baker/) [Explore all 15 Chet Baker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-baker/) ## More Better quotes > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [Everybody has their cliques, and I was very shy. I'm still very shy. Music opened up doors. 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I look at last year and my whole goal is to be a better player…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-williams/i-never-really-look-at-it-past-one-year-i-look-at-last-year-and-my/) [Trent Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-williams/) Browse all 17,085 Better quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It takes a pretty good drummer to be better than no drummer at all.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Chet Baker" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-baker/it-takes-a-pretty-good-drummer-to-be-better-than-no-drummer-at-all/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Better" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-baker/it-takes-a-pretty-good-drummer-to-be-better-than-no-drummer-at-all/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe0/chet-baker-33103_better_it-takes-a-pretty-good-drummer-to-be-bet_121528.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe0/chet-baker-33103_better_it-takes-a-pretty-good-drummer-to-be-bet_121528.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe0/chet-baker-33103_better_it-takes-a-pretty-good-drummer-to-be-bet_121528.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It takes a pretty good drummer to be better than no drummer at all.” — Chet Baker", "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": "Chet Baker", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-baker/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It takes a pretty good drummer...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-baker/it-takes-a-pretty-good-drummer-to-be-better-than-no-drummer-at-all/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-baker/it-takes-a-pretty-good-drummer-to-be-better-than-no-drummer-at-all/#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 } } ] } ```