--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Instruments are just planks of wood, or…" description: "\"Instruments are just planks of wood, or just computers or whatever, but they help us translate the most difficult aspects of life and make the conversa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/617/declan-mckenna-5579_aspects-of-life_instruments-are-just-planks-of-wood-or-j_2126292.jpg" --- # Instruments are just planks of wood, or just computers or… ![“Instruments are just planks of wood, or just computers or whatever, but they help us translate the most difficult aspects of life and make the conversations we have much easier and much more universal.” quote by Declan McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/617/declan-mckenna-5579_aspects-of-life_instruments-are-just-planks-of-wood-or-j_2126292.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/617/declan-mckenna-5579_aspects-of-life_instruments-are-just-planks-of-wood-or-j_2126292.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/617/declan-mckenna-5579_aspects-of-life_instruments-are-just-planks-of-wood-or-j_2126292.jpg) > “Instruments are just planks of wood, or just computers or whatever, but they help us translate the most difficult aspects of life and make the conversations we have much easier and much more universal.” [Declan McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-mckenna/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Tools, whether simple or high‑tech, act as bridges that translate complex emotions into shared, universal conversations. **In simple terms:** Instruments help us express and understand difficult feelings together. Key Takeaway Use tools to communicate and connect. Themes communication creativity technology empathy universality Mood inspirational hopeful curious Type practical philosophical When to use this quote - team collaboration - education - therapy - cross‑cultural dialogue Key Concepts translation artistic expression social connection Questions to Reflect On - What instrument best conveys your current feeling? - How can technology enhance empathy without diluting authenticity? A Different Perspective Technology can’t replace genuine human connection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aspects-of-life/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Conversations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversations/) [Conversations Easier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversations-easier-4362530/) [Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/) [Help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help/) [Instruments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instruments/) [Instruments Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instruments-just-1210573/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Make Conversations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-conversations-1868419/) [Music making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-making/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/us/) ## Related quotes > [“He could not make conversations with strangers, and yet conversations with strangers were perhaps the first thing required of him in his new life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-mcdermott/he-could-not-make-conversations-with-strangers-and-yet-conversations/) [Alice McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-mcdermott/) > [I am a man of few words so to make conversations I speak in quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/obsidian-panther/i-am-a-man-of-few-words-so-to-make-conversations-i-speak-in-quotes/) [Obsidian Panther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/obsidian-panther/) > [As far as playing instruments, it just feels good to have it under your hands. Cause sometimes those instruments have minor imperfections. Sometimes because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/borns/as-far-as-playing-instruments-it-just-feels-good-to-have-it-under/) [Borns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/borns/) > [From the very beginning, we were all a hundred and ten percent about the music, from the very early days when we could barely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-kowalczyk/from-the-very-beginning-we-were-all-a-hundred-and-ten-percent-about/) [Ed Kowalczyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-kowalczyk/) > [But the reality is when you write a song, you should be able to strip away all the instruments and just have a song…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dweezil-zappa/but-the-reality-is-when-you-write-a-song-you-should-be-able-to-strip/) [Dweezil Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dweezil-zappa/) > [I come from an old school of thought where there are musicians on stage, in the house, sitting and jamming to create things. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jubin-nautiyal/i-come-from-an-old-school-of-thought-where-there-are-musicians-on/) [Jubin Nautiyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jubin-nautiyal/) > [There's just something really, really timeless about live instruments. There's just something special about them that you can't really duplicate or grasp without including…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel/there-s-just-something-really-really-timeless-about-live-instruments/) [Miguel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel/) > [“ Southerners don’t need instruments, they just use what they’ve got, like… Cigar boxes Tin cans Washboards ‘Shine jugs Spoons Hair combs Wood saws…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-ford/southerners-don-t-need-instruments-they-just-use-what-they-ve-got/) [Deborah Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-ford/) > [I found a way to connect with lots of instruments rather than just fixating on one of them. I just loved making noise on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-garratt/i-found-a-way-to-connect-with-lots-of-instruments-rather-than-just/) [Jack Garratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-garratt/) > [For a sailor used to travelling light and looking after himself, many aspects of life as a royal came as an unpleasant shock to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-seward/for-a-sailor-used-to-travelling-light-and-looking-after-himself-many/) [Ingrid Seward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-seward/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Flexibility - In all aspects of life, the person with the most varied responses 'wins'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-perdew/flexibility-in-all-aspects-of-life-the-person-with-the-most-varied/) [Kelly Perdew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-perdew/) > [Extreme weather threatens our energy and electric grid, federal buildings, transportation infrastructure, access to natural resources, public health, our relationships across the globe, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-cartwright/extreme-weather-threatens-our-energy-and-electric-grid-federal/) [Matt Cartwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-cartwright/) > [Life is like the dice that, falling, still show a different face. So life, though it remains the same, is always presenting different aspects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-sanchez/life-is-like-the-dice-that-falling-still-show-a-different-face-so/) [Alexis Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-sanchez/) > [Death is but an aspect of life, and the destruction of one material form is but a prelude to building up of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/death-is-but-an-aspect-of-life-and-the-destruction-of-one-material/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Declan McKenna > [I'm used to feeling isolated from people I want to see, it's been a big part of my life since I was a teenager…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-mckenna/i-m-used-to-feeling-isolated-from-people-i-want-to-see-it-s-been-a/) [Declan McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-mckenna/) > [I wrote 'Paracetamol' between the ages of 15 and 16. With many of my songs, I have this strange habit of spending months fumbling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-mckenna/i-wrote-paracetamol-between-the-ages-of-15-and-16-with-many-of-my/) [Declan McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-mckenna/) > [Not only do we still engage in wars far away from our homes, which settle nothing and fuel extremism in the aftermath, we sell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-mckenna/not-only-do-we-still-engage-in-wars-far-away-from-our-homes-which/) [Declan McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-mckenna/) > [There's not enough focus put on learning about yourself and how that can teach you more than certain subjects can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-mckenna/there-s-not-enough-focus-put-on-learning-about-yourself-and-how-that/) [Declan McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-mckenna/) > [I'd like to be able to make something as good as 'Hunky Dory' or 'Young Americans.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-mckenna/i-d-like-to-be-able-to-make-something-as-good-as-hunky-dory-or-young/) [Declan McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-mckenna/) > [I like to think our brains are a bit like algorithms. Whatever you give it and feed it, you get out the product.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-mckenna/i-like-to-think-our-brains-are-a-bit-like-algorithms-whatever-you/) [Declan McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-mckenna/) > [It's important to remind kids who obviously love writing and creating, that's it's going to be the most important part of what they do.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-mckenna/it-s-important-to-remind-kids-who-obviously-love-writing-and-creating/) [Declan McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-mckenna/) > [I'm the youngest of six kids so I got the short straw in terms of bedrooms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-mckenna/i-m-the-youngest-of-six-kids-so-i-got-the-short-straw-in-terms-of/) [Declan McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-mckenna/) > [With my first album, I was just simply trying to highlight problems within society and put it into pop songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-mckenna/with-my-first-album-i-was-just-simply-trying-to-highlight-problems/) [Declan McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-mckenna/) > [There's definitely a love-hate relationship I think a lot of bands have with touring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-mckenna/there-s-definitely-a-love-hate-relationship-i-think-a-lot-of-bands/) [Declan McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-mckenna/) > [Many times you may feel alone in the world, but the right record pulls you back to realizing that many people have gone through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-mckenna/many-times-you-may-feel-alone-in-the-world-but-the-right-record-pulls/) [Declan McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-mckenna/) > [Releasing a record makes you realise what you want to do with music. It's not something you can understand before you do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-mckenna/releasing-a-record-makes-you-realise-what-you-want-to-do-with-music/) [Declan McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-mckenna/) > [I'm a big fan of Greta Thunberg and I'm really into Stella Donnelly's music. I think it's really incredible, important music and very relevant;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-mckenna/i-m-a-big-fan-of-greta-thunberg-and-i-m-really-into-stella-donnelly-s/) [Declan McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-mckenna/) > [I tried to be in loads of bands and it hadn't really worked out. My friends weren't as into it as I was, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-mckenna/i-tried-to-be-in-loads-of-bands-and-it-hadn-t-really-worked-out-my/) [Declan McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-mckenna/) > [Having creative control has always been important to me in different ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-mckenna/having-creative-control-has-always-been-important-to-me-in-different/) [Declan McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-mckenna/) [Explore all 100 Declan McKenna quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-mckenna/) ## More Aspects of life quotes > [Death is but an aspect of life, and the destruction of one material form is but a prelude to building up of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/death-is-but-an-aspect-of-life-and-the-destruction-of-one-material/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [For a sailor used to travelling light and looking after himself, many aspects of life as a royal came as an unpleasant shock to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-seward/for-a-sailor-used-to-travelling-light-and-looking-after-himself-many/) [Ingrid Seward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-seward/) > [Life is like the dice that, falling, still show a different face. So life, though it remains the same, is always presenting different aspects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-sanchez/life-is-like-the-dice-that-falling-still-show-a-different-face-so/) [Alexis Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-sanchez/) > [Extreme weather threatens our energy and electric grid, federal buildings, transportation infrastructure, access to natural resources, public health, our relationships across the globe, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-cartwright/extreme-weather-threatens-our-energy-and-electric-grid-federal/) [Matt Cartwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-cartwright/) > [Flexibility - In all aspects of life, the person with the most varied responses 'wins'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-perdew/flexibility-in-all-aspects-of-life-the-person-with-the-most-varied/) [Kelly Perdew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-perdew/) > [I'd say we need a balance between commercialism and the humanitarian aspects of life. And we need to start by being grateful for what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhea-pillai/i-d-say-we-need-a-balance-between-commercialism-and-the-humanitarian/) [Rhea Pillai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhea-pillai/) > [By declaring our Prophet infallible and not permitting ourselves to question him, we Muslims had set up a static tyranny. The Prophet Muhammad attempted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/by-declaring-our-prophet-infallible-and-not-permitting-ourselves-to/) [Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/) > [I like to tell young athletes to make sure you're taking care of business in all aspects of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davante-adams/i-like-to-tell-young-athletes-to-make-sure-you-re-taking-care-of/) [Davante Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davante-adams/) > [Every aspect of life is magnificent and wonderful. It's so important to keep fit and healthy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/every-aspect-of-life-is-magnificent-and-wonderful-it-s-so-important/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [It's nice to have someone to come home to and get the honest truth about all aspects of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-smith/it-s-nice-to-have-someone-to-come-home-to-and-get-the-honest-truth/) [Steve Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-smith/) > [We are Physical, Mental and Spiritual beings. If you don't deal with ALL OF LIFE you're not going to get all that life has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/we-are-physical-mental-and-spiritual-beings-if-you-don-t-deal-with/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [“There is risk, known and unknown, in all aspects of life. We often consider the loss of life the only serious risk. Unless we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twight/there-is-risk-known-and-unknown-in-all-aspects-of-life-we-often/) [Mark Twight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twight/) > [“Get rich or Die trying -the two aspects of life .”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osunsakin-adewale/get-rich-or-die-trying-the-two-aspects-of-life/) [Osunsakin Adewale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osunsakin-adewale/) > [Talking to God should be part of every aspect of life, in times of peace as well as in every battle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stormie-omartian/talking-to-god-should-be-part-of-every-aspect-of-life-in-times-of/) [Stormie Omartian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stormie-omartian/) [Browse all 233 Aspects of life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aspects-of-life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Instruments are just planks of wood, or just computers or whatever, but they help us translate the most difficult aspects of life and make the conversations we have much easier and much more universal.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Declan McKenna" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-mckenna/instruments-are-just-planks-of-wood-or-just-computers-or-whatever-but/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aspects of life" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-mckenna/instruments-are-just-planks-of-wood-or-just-computers-or-whatever-but/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/617/declan-mckenna-5579_aspects-of-life_instruments-are-just-planks-of-wood-or-j_2126292.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/617/declan-mckenna-5579_aspects-of-life_instruments-are-just-planks-of-wood-or-j_2126292.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/617/declan-mckenna-5579_aspects-of-life_instruments-are-just-planks-of-wood-or-j_2126292.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Instruments are just planks of wood, or just computers or whatever, but they help us translate the most…” — Declan McKenna", "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": "Declan McKenna", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-mckenna/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Instruments are just planks of wood,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-mckenna/instruments-are-just-planks-of-wood-or-just-computers-or-whatever-but/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-mckenna/instruments-are-just-planks-of-wood-or-just-computers-or-whatever-but/#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 } } ] } ```