--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I knew what real instruments I wanted…" description: "\"I knew what real instruments I wanted and, in some cases, who I wanted to play them. I had started listening to a lot of ambient music and jazz and I w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fd/dan-bejar-15829_ambient_i-knew-what-real-instruments-i-wanted-an_2162997.jpg" --- # I knew what real instruments I wanted and, in some cases… ![“I knew what real instruments I wanted and, in some cases, who I wanted to play them. I had started listening to a lot of ambient music and jazz and I wanted to incorporate stuff like that, too.” quote by Dan Bejar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fd/dan-bejar-15829_ambient_i-knew-what-real-instruments-i-wanted-an_2162997.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fd/dan-bejar-15829_ambient_i-knew-what-real-instruments-i-wanted-an_2162997.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fd/dan-bejar-15829_ambient_i-knew-what-real-instruments-i-wanted-an_2162997.jpg) > “I knew what real instruments I wanted and, in some cases, who I wanted to play them. I had started listening to a lot of ambient music and jazz and I wanted to incorporate stuff like that, too.” [Dan Bejar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-bejar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He reflects on deliberately choosing specific instruments and musical styles, inspired by ambient and jazz, to shape his creative direction. **In simple terms:** Choosing instruments and styles shapes music. Key Takeaway Select tools that match your artistic vision. Themes creativity musical influences instrumentation artistic intent Mood inspired analytical Type artistic musical When to use this quote - recording sessions - live performances - collaborations - songwriting workshops Key Concepts music theory genre blending creative process Questions to Reflect On - What new sounds could you explore? - How does instrument choice affect emotion? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on genre can limit originality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambient/) [Ambient music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambient-music/) [Cases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cases/) [Instruments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instruments/) [Instruments Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instruments-wanted-4598080/) [Jazz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jazz/) [Listening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/listening/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-making/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Real Instruments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-instruments-373772/) [Started Listening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started-listening/) [Stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) ## Related quotes > [Ambient music is intended to induce calm and a space to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/ambient-music-is-intended-to-induce-calm-and-a-space-to-think/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [With 'Minecraft,' I've started creating serene ambiance music. As the game went on to become famous, people started identifying me as the ambient music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c418/with-minecraft-i-ve-started-creating-serene-ambiance-music-as-the/) [C418](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c418/) > [People do dismiss ambient music, don't they? They call it 'easy listening,' as if to suggest that it should be hard to listen to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/people-do-dismiss-ambient-music-don-t-they-they-call-it-easy/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [Ambient music is my favorite art form because there's no interface. It just commands you how to feel. There's no suggestion of lyrics or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matty-healy/ambient-music-is-my-favorite-art-form-because-there-s-no-interface-it/) [Matty Healy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matty-healy/) > [I'd been making music that was intended to be like painting, in the sense that it's environmental, without the customary narrative and episodic quality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/i-d-been-making-music-that-was-intended-to-be-like-painting-in-the/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [Ah, it's just so soothing, and I'd like to make my own. When I listen to ambient music, I'm like 'Oh, but I would've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruel/ah-it-s-just-so-soothing-and-i-d-like-to-make-my-own-when-i-listen-to/) [Ruel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruel/) > [You will hear ambient in our music. You will hear trip-hop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wilson/you-will-hear-ambient-in-our-music-you-will-hear-trip-hop/) [Steven Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wilson/) > [If I don't already know a song's chord progression, I'll stop writing and try to figure it out. I can occasionally listen to unstructured,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-paul-wilson/if-i-don-t-already-know-a-song-s-chord-progression-i-ll-stop-writing/) [F. Paul Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-paul-wilson/) > [Ambient Music must be able to accommodate many levels of listening attention without enforcing one in particular; it must be as ignorable as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/ambient-music-must-be-able-to-accommodate-many-levels-of-listening/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [There's some ambient music that doesn't do anything. I wouldn't say that that's narrative. It is narrative in that it creates a sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/missy-mazzoli/there-s-some-ambient-music-that-doesn-t-do-anything-i-wouldn-t-say/) [Missy Mazzoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/missy-mazzoli/) > [When I first started making ambient music, I was setting up systems using synthesizers that generated pulses more or less randomly. The end result…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/when-i-first-started-making-ambient-music-i-was-setting-up-systems/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [When I first started out, I was making really slow, psychedelic ambient music because it was all I could do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grimes/when-i-first-started-out-i-was-making-really-slow-psychedelic-ambient/) [Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grimes/) > [Ambient music must be as ignorable as it is interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/ambient-music-must-be-as-ignorable-as-it-is-interesting/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [I like listening to ambient music, especially in very scenic places because I think it allows for the most freedom of thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-polachek/i-like-listening-to-ambient-music-especially-in-very-scenic-places/) [Caroline Polachek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-polachek/) > [When I started working on ambient music, my idea was to make music that was more like painting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/when-i-started-working-on-ambient-music-my-idea-was-to-make-music/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) ## More by Dan Bejar > [Really good musicians don't think of "self-reflection."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-bejar/really-good-musicians-don-t-think-of-self-reflection/) [Dan Bejar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-bejar/) > [No one appreciates a professional anymore. Everyone's a mystic. Which is why I take drunk Jim over acid Jim - the argument all roads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-bejar/no-one-appreciates-a-professional-anymore-everyone-s-a-mystic-which/) [Dan Bejar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-bejar/) > [I've never had any kind of work ethic. I've never sat down with the intention of writing a song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-bejar/i-ve-never-had-any-kind-of-work-ethic-i-ve-never-sat-down-with-the/) [Dan Bejar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-bejar/) > [I actually do see rock and roll as pop music. I think the distinction I was making was that I was going out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-bejar/i-actually-do-see-rock-and-roll-as-pop-music-i-think-the-distinction/) [Dan Bejar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-bejar/) > [Kaputt was just a record that did really well for us, and therefore our record label and our booking agent said that we should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-bejar/kaputt-was-just-a-record-that-did-really-well-for-us-and-therefore/) [Dan Bejar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-bejar/) > [I force myself to care about the music end by wrestling with it for years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-bejar/i-force-myself-to-care-about-the-music-end-by-wrestling-with-it-for/) [Dan Bejar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-bejar/) > [Big, evocative words get thrown around, and people can sing along to passionately as if the lyrics just materialized out of the ether, largely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-bejar/big-evocative-words-get-thrown-around-and-people-can-sing-along-to/) [Dan Bejar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-bejar/) > [I think the more removed I feel, the more I warm up to the role of singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-bejar/i-think-the-more-removed-i-feel-the-more-i-warm-up-to-the-role-of/) [Dan Bejar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-bejar/) > [When I'm on stage I don't say anything. The last thing I want to do is share my thoughts. I don't know if that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-bejar/when-i-m-on-stage-i-don-t-say-anything-the-last-thing-i-want-to-do-is/) [Dan Bejar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-bejar/) > [Most musicians don't write about being a musician cause most musicians aren't writers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-bejar/most-musicians-don-t-write-about-being-a-musician-cause-most/) [Dan Bejar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-bejar/) > [It's actually really stereotypical that someone should be 40 and mellow out, but I think it's more about trying to conjure up a different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-bejar/it-s-actually-really-stereotypical-that-someone-should-be-40-and/) [Dan Bejar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-bejar/) > [I certainly didn't predict people who spent years actively disliking the band to all of a sudden like the band. That's pretty funny to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-bejar/i-certainly-didn-t-predict-people-who-spent-years-actively-disliking/) [Dan Bejar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-bejar/) > [I don't really listen to rock music anymore. But were I to write a song that sounded like it could be a rock song,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-bejar/i-don-t-really-listen-to-rock-music-anymore-but-were-i-to-write-a/) [Dan Bejar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-bejar/) > [I'm not that conscious of my writing, so pacing the lyrics doesn't really enter the picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-bejar/i-m-not-that-conscious-of-my-writing-so-pacing-the-lyrics-doesn-t/) [Dan Bejar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-bejar/) > [I can't fool myself into thinking that musically I don't need other people, whether it's as a foil or just to come in and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-bejar/i-can-t-fool-myself-into-thinking-that-musically-i-don-t-need-other/) [Dan Bejar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-bejar/) [Explore all 41 Dan Bejar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-bejar/) ## More Ambient quotes > [Ambient music is intended to induce calm and a space to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/ambient-music-is-intended-to-induce-calm-and-a-space-to-think/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [I am not a big fan of what I call 'ambient television,' which just washes through you in a very polite way. I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-purefoy/i-am-not-a-big-fan-of-what-i-call-ambient-television-which-just/) [James Purefoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-purefoy/) > [Ambient means the natural center or atmosphere of a space. All music has that in it- a space or center. I think it just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-laswell/ambient-means-the-natural-center-or-atmosphere-of-a-space-all-music/) [Bill Laswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-laswell/) > [I like listening to ambient music, especially in very scenic places because I think it allows for the most freedom of thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-polachek/i-like-listening-to-ambient-music-especially-in-very-scenic-places/) [Caroline Polachek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-polachek/) > [Ambient music must be as ignorable as it is interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/ambient-music-must-be-as-ignorable-as-it-is-interesting/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [“First love is all sensation and ambient zooms, and letting the world ebb.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/durga-chew-bose/first-love-is-all-sensation-and-ambient-zooms-and-letting-the-world/) [Durga Chew-Bose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/durga-chew-bose/) > [When I first started out, I was making really slow, psychedelic ambient music because it was all I could do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grimes/when-i-first-started-out-i-was-making-really-slow-psychedelic-ambient/) [Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grimes/) > [“Reducing ambient environmental radiation to the lowest levels possible would be prudent during the global COVID-19 pandemic.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/reducing-ambient-environmental-radiation-to-the-lowest-levels/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [It was the Faith which gradually and indirectly transformed the slave into the serf, and the serf into the free peasant. . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/it-was-the-faith-which-gradually-and-indirectly-transformed-the-slave/) [Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/) > [It simply isn't true, for example, that being big is in general better for fitness than being small except when there are effects of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-fodor/it-simply-isn-t-true-for-example-that-being-big-is-in-general-better/) [Jerry Fodor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-fodor/) > [Germans grew reluctant to stay in communal ski lodges, fearing they might talk in their sleep. They postponed surgeries because of the lip-loosening effects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/germans-grew-reluctant-to-stay-in-communal-ski-lodges-fearing-they/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [My favorite sounds are the high, spacey ones that are very ambient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-summers/my-favorite-sounds-are-the-high-spacey-ones-that-are-very-ambient/) [Andy Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-summers/) > [“AMBIENT FEAR: background anxiety of everyday life”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-winokur/ambient-fear-background-anxiety-of-everyday-life/) [Jon Winokur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-winokur/) > [We weren't raised Muslim - we were born Muslim. I didn't go to a Muslim school, but it was just the theme song. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupe-fiasco/we-weren-t-raised-muslim-we-were-born-muslim-i-didn-t-go-to-a-muslim/) [Lupe Fiasco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupe-fiasco/) > [I love to hear a cool ambient sound at runway shows. It creates a good energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theophilus-london/i-love-to-hear-a-cool-ambient-sound-at-runway-shows-it-creates-a-good/) [Theophilus London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theophilus-london/) [Browse all 58 Ambient quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambient/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I knew what real instruments I wanted and, in some cases, who I wanted to play them. 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