--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was doing stuff that for me was sort of…" description: "\"I was doing stuff that for me was sort of more about playing real music.\" — Daniel Powter" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc9/daniel-powter-31434_music_i-was-doing-stuff-that-for-me-was-sort-o_1723490.jpg" --- # I was doing stuff that for me was sort of more about… ![“I was doing stuff that for me was sort of more about playing real music.” quote by Daniel Powter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc9/daniel-powter-31434_music_i-was-doing-stuff-that-for-me-was-sort-o_1723490.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc9/daniel-powter-31434_music_i-was-doing-stuff-that-for-me-was-sort-o_1723490.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc9/daniel-powter-31434_music_i-was-doing-stuff-that-for-me-was-sort-o_1723490.jpg) > “I was doing stuff that for me was sort of more about playing real music.” [Daniel Powter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-powter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Authentic music emerges when playing feels genuine rather than forced. **In simple terms:** Play music with true feeling. Key Takeaway Prioritize authenticity in performance. Themes creativity authenticity music Mood introspective inspirational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - live performance - songwriting - music education - personal practice Key Concepts artistic expression mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - How do you stay true to your sound? - What pressures compromise your authenticity? A Different Perspective Authenticity may be hard to achieve under commercial pressure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doing Stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-stuff/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Playing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing/) [Playing Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-real/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Real music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-music/) [Stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff/) ## Related quotes > [There is always pressure playing a real living person and even pressure developing a character from scratch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisa-ramirez/there-is-always-pressure-playing-a-real-living-person-and-even/) [Marisa Ramirez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisa-ramirez/) > [Part of life is doing stuff that you don't want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/one-who-does-not-wish-to-be-named/part-of-life-is-doing-stuff-that-you-don-t-want-to-do/) [One Who Does Not Wish To Be Named](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/one-who-does-not-wish-to-be-named/) > [At some point, you have to disconnect, if the obsession with playing a real person gets in the way of the movie at large.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-edgerton/at-some-point-you-have-to-disconnect-if-the-obsession-with-playing-a/) [Joel Edgerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-edgerton/) > [Everybody talks about being a role model. But if you look up the word 'role' in a dictionary, it describes playing a part. Everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/everybody-talks-about-being-a-role-model-but-if-you-look-up-the-word/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [I think the hardest thing about the part is the responsibility that you feel playing something that is so real and resonant in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-cardellini/i-think-the-hardest-thing-about-the-part-is-the-responsibility-that/) [Linda Cardellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-cardellini/) > [Playing at Real Madrid is something special in itself, but winning trophies with Real Madrid is even more thrilling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luka-modric/playing-at-real-madrid-is-something-special-in-itself-but-winning/) [Luka Modric](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luka-modric/) > [We're playing real football here, and doing what it takes to win games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-bridgewater/we-re-playing-real-football-here-and-doing-what-it-takes-to-win-games/) [Teddy Bridgewater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-bridgewater/) > [I pretty much have made a career out of playing real life people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-swank/i-pretty-much-have-made-a-career-out-of-playing-real-life-people/) [Hilary Swank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-swank/) > [There's a way of doing comedy that feels true to the person doing it, that doesn't feel like clown-work or silly faces and antics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-daly/there-s-a-way-of-doing-comedy-that-feels-true-to-the-person-doing-it/) [Andy Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-daly/) > [I've spent my career going up and down in weight, and I've always gone, 'I don't care what they think' because real women aren't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-redman/i-ve-spent-my-career-going-up-and-down-in-weight-and-i-ve-always-gone/) [Amanda Redman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-redman/) > [All the difference in the world between the movies and the thrill I get out of a play at the theater. Ay, yes! Like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-ferber/all-the-difference-in-the-world-between-the-movies-and-the-thrill-i/) [Edna Ferber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-ferber/) > [Anything in which you're playing someone real does make you feel responsible for making the story as true as it can be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgina-campbell/anything-in-which-you-re-playing-someone-real-does-make-you-feel/) [Georgina Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgina-campbell/) > [It's nice to be able to challenge myself by playing real people. But at the same time it utilizes a different part of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stuhlbarg/it-s-nice-to-be-able-to-challenge-myself-by-playing-real-people-but/) [Michael Stuhlbarg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stuhlbarg/) > [When you're playing someone that's real, there is that hanging weight of how will they feel when they see this: will I make them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-boynton/when-you-re-playing-someone-that-s-real-there-is-that-hanging-weight/) [Lucy Boynton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-boynton/) > [If you want to do your version, go off and write it. You bring your knowledge to it, and you can use that to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-harris/if-you-want-to-do-your-version-go-off-and-write-it-you-bring-your/) [Jared Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-harris/) ## More by Daniel Powter > [Someone asked me if I was a method actor - I loved that! I needed to know what it felt like to lose everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-powter/someone-asked-me-if-i-was-a-method-actor-i-loved-that-i-needed-to/) [Daniel Powter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-powter/) > [I didn't have to see this big clock on the wall and worry. Most of the record I made was experimental. If you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-powter/i-didn-t-have-to-see-this-big-clock-on-the-wall-and-worry-most-of-the/) [Daniel Powter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-powter/) > [Someone asked me if I play piano because I feel like I have a protective wall around me. Maybe. I am really messed up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-powter/someone-asked-me-if-i-play-piano-because-i-feel-like-i-have-a/) [Daniel Powter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-powter/) > [I just did whatever it took to keep making music - slept on couches. You would be amazed at how far $20 can go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-powter/i-just-did-whatever-it-took-to-keep-making-music-slept-on-couches-you/) [Daniel Powter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-powter/) > [I stayed involved with music my whole life. I was always playing with other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-powter/i-stayed-involved-with-music-my-whole-life-i-was-always-playing-with/) [Daniel Powter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-powter/) > [I'm learning as I go. The music has drawn me out of my shell. It's made me open my door a little more and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-powter/i-m-learning-as-i-go-the-music-has-drawn-me-out-of-my-shell-it-s-made/) [Daniel Powter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-powter/) > [I write everything. I have that control issue with my music. That's why I'm not in a band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-powter/i-write-everything-i-have-that-control-issue-with-my-music-that-s-why/) [Daniel Powter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-powter/) > [I think people want to put you in a box and close it away so that it makes them feel better. A lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-powter/i-think-people-want-to-put-you-in-a-box-and-close-it-away-so-that-it/) [Daniel Powter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-powter/) > [I gave up that idea of trying to make music that I thought other people would want. I just made music for myself and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-powter/i-gave-up-that-idea-of-trying-to-make-music-that-i-thought-other/) [Daniel Powter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-powter/) > [I realized the more I made the music for myself, the more successful I was becoming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-powter/i-realized-the-more-i-made-the-music-for-myself-the-more-successful-i/) [Daniel Powter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-powter/) > [Well, I'm very dyslexic, so I can't read music. It means I never know where I'm at so it's different every single time. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-powter/well-i-m-very-dyslexic-so-i-can-t-read-music-it-means-i-never-know/) [Daniel Powter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-powter/) > [For me there is a reluctance to be in front of cameras. I love making music but with that comes a lot of responsibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-powter/for-me-there-is-a-reluctance-to-be-in-front-of-cameras-i-love-making/) [Daniel Powter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-powter/) > [I was so dyslexic as a kid, and still am, and music was such a great form of escape to me. At school I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-powter/i-was-so-dyslexic-as-a-kid-and-still-am-and-music-was-such-a-great/) [Daniel Powter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-powter/) > [I never really know what I'm playing. I just follow what sounds good in my head and keep going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-powter/i-never-really-know-what-i-m-playing-i-just-follow-what-sounds-good/) [Daniel Powter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-powter/) > [I love making music but with that comes a lot of responsibility and you have to put yourself out there more. I'm learning as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-powter/i-love-making-music-but-with-that-comes-a-lot-of-responsibility-and/) [Daniel Powter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-powter/) [Explore all 16 Daniel Powter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-powter/) ## More Music quotes > [I feel like I definitely have a real sporty style, more so than a lot of people in G.O.O.D. Music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/i-feel-like-i-definitely-have-a-real-sporty-style-more-so-than-a-lot/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/) [Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I'm at the edge of the world, Where do I go from here? Do I disappear? Edge of the world, Should I sink or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bring-me-the-horizon/i-m-at-the-edge-of-the-world-where-do-i-go-from-here-do-i-disappear/) [Bring Me The Horizon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bring-me-the-horizon/) > [I've seen a lot of people come out of Carol City, but I had this distinct vision for Carol City, just me coming out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-curry/i-ve-seen-a-lot-of-people-come-out-of-carol-city-but-i-had-this/) [Denzel Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-curry/) > [When you listen to someone improvise, the notes that are played are only half the story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-laws/when-you-listen-to-someone-improvise-the-notes-that-are-played-are/) [Hubert Laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-laws/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [ “Downloading's the same as what I used to do. I used to tape the charts of the songs I liked \[off the radio\]. I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-gallagher/downloading-s-the-same-as-what-i-used-to-do-i-used-to-tape-the-charts/) [Liam Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-gallagher/) > [I've been writing songs since I was 10 years old and always had a penchant for rhyming. I started listening to hip hop through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoodie-allen/i-ve-been-writing-songs-since-i-was-10-years-old-and-always-had-a/) [Hoodie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoodie-allen/) > [Each woman is like an instrument, waiting to be learned, loved, and finely played, to have at last her own true music made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/each-woman-is-like-an-instrument-waiting-to-be-learned-loved-and/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I want people to hear my lyrics and my melodies and say, 'That dude's in pain.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-moody/i-want-people-to-hear-my-lyrics-and-my-melodies-and-say-that-dude-s/) [Ivan Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-moody/) > [I make dance music because I love to dance. But I want to think at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stromae/i-make-dance-music-because-i-love-to-dance-but-i-want-to-think-at-the/) [Stromae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stromae/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) [Adam Ant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ant/) > [I received a beautiful welcome to the world of music. I want to give something back to the younger generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciano-pavarotti/i-received-a-beautiful-welcome-to-the-world-of-music-i-want-to-give/) [Luciano Pavarotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciano-pavarotti/) [Browse all 55,293 Music quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was doing stuff that for me was sort of more about playing real music.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Daniel Powter" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-powter/i-was-doing-stuff-that-for-me-was-sort-of-more-about-playing-real/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Music" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-powter/i-was-doing-stuff-that-for-me-was-sort-of-more-about-playing-real/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc9/daniel-powter-31434_music_i-was-doing-stuff-that-for-me-was-sort-o_1723490.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc9/daniel-powter-31434_music_i-was-doing-stuff-that-for-me-was-sort-o_1723490.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc9/daniel-powter-31434_music_i-was-doing-stuff-that-for-me-was-sort-o_1723490.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was doing stuff that for me was sort of more about playing real music.” — Daniel Powter", "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": "Daniel Powter", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-powter/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was doing stuff that for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-powter/i-was-doing-stuff-that-for-me-was-sort-of-more-about-playing-real/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-powter/i-was-doing-stuff-that-for-me-was-sort-of-more-about-playing-real/#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 } } ] } ```