--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Music is a reservoir... of sounds." description: "\"Music is a reservoir... of sounds.\" — Dexter Gordon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/520/dexter-gordon-27763_music_music-is-a-reservoir-of-sounds-95601_95601.png" --- # Music is a reservoir... of sounds. ![“Music is a reservoir... of sounds.” quote by Dexter Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/520/dexter-gordon-27763_music_music-is-a-reservoir-of-sounds-95601_95601.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/520/dexter-gordon-27763_music_music-is-a-reservoir-of-sounds-95601_95601.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/520/dexter-gordon-27763_music_music-is-a-reservoir-of-sounds-95601_95601.png) > “Music is a reservoir... of sounds.” [Dexter Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter-gordon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker likens music to a reservoir that stores a vast array of sounds, emphasizing its capacity to hold, preserve, and release diverse auditory experiences, much like a collective memory of tones. **In simple terms:** Music as a sound repository Key Takeaway Music stores countless sounds Themes Acoustic diversity Memory and sound Creative improvisation Cultural heritage Sensory storage Mood Curiosity Appreciation Nostalgia Type Metaphorical description Artistic reflection When to use this quote - Jazz improvisation - Sound design - Music education - Audio archiving - Therapeutic listening Key Concepts Reservoir metaphor Sound accumulation Practical Applications - Developing sound libraries - Teaching improvisational listening Questions to Reflect On - How does this view affect composition? - What does 'reservoir' imply about listening? A Different Perspective Some argue music is more than stored sounds—it’s structured expression—yet the metaphor underscores its archival nature. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Reservoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reservoir/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) ## Related quotes > [Viruses have to live somewhere. They can only replicate in living creatures. So, when the Ebola virus disappears between outbreaks, it has to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-quammen/viruses-have-to-live-somewhere-they-can-only-replicate-in-living/) [David Quammen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-quammen/) > [India's dynamic growth, coupled with its large reservoir of skilled workforce, its commitment to democracy, and the rule of law, all taken together make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preneet-kaur/india-s-dynamic-growth-coupled-with-its-large-reservoir-of-skilled/) [Preneet Kaur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preneet-kaur/) > [The worst thing you can do is try to manipulate or control perceptions. 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Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [I was 11 or 12 years old when I first saw 'Reservoir Dogs.' I remember after I saw that film, I kept renting it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samm-levine/i-was-11-or-12-years-old-when-i-first-saw-reservoir-dogs-i-remember/) [Samm Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samm-levine/) > [The plane is simply abstracting the power stored in the wave by a distant gale, and using it to counteract gravity. And if the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-hargrave/the-plane-is-simply-abstracting-the-power-stored-in-the-wave-by-a/) [Lawrence Hargrave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-hargrave/) > [“She dreamed of driving off bridges: into a lake beneath some twisting highway of her youth, into the reservoir on the country road to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-celebi/she-dreamed-of-driving-off-bridges-into-a-lake-beneath-some-twisting/) [Shannon Celebi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-celebi/) > [Our heart is like a reservoir from which our lives flow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-smith/our-heart-is-like-a-reservoir-from-which-our-lives-flow/) [Chuck Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-smith/) > [Looking ahead, the bright spot in Indian agriculture is the availability of a large untapped production reservoir.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-s-swaminathan/looking-ahead-the-bright-spot-in-indian-agriculture-is-the/) [M. S. Swaminathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-s-swaminathan/) ## More by Dexter Gordon > [If you can't play the Blues you might as well hang it up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter-gordon/if-you-can-t-play-the-blues-you-might-as-well-hang-it-up/) [Dexter Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter-gordon/) > [It's certainly not just a spot opinion; it's something that obviously has been building up for years. It is also very good for publicity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter-gordon/it-s-certainly-not-just-a-spot-opinion-it-s-something-that-obviously/) [Dexter Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter-gordon/) > [If I were to call it black music, that would be untrue. I don't know what that is, unless it would be some African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter-gordon/if-i-were-to-call-it-black-music-that-would-be-untrue-i-don-t-know/) [Dexter Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter-gordon/) > [To have a little recognition, that is very nice, you dig. It is good for the ego, for the psyche.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter-gordon/to-have-a-little-recognition-that-is-very-nice-you-dig-it-is-good-for/) [Dexter Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter-gordon/) > [A lot of times I go back to record and to make a tour, but I'm very happy to do it, because it gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter-gordon/a-lot-of-times-i-go-back-to-record-and-to-make-a-tour-but-i-m-very/) [Dexter Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter-gordon/) > [Bebop is the music of the future (as soon as they learn how to play it).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter-gordon/bebop-is-the-music-of-the-future-as-soon-as-they-learn-how-to-play-it/) [Dexter Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter-gordon/) > [In jazz, there is a lot of European influence harmonically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter-gordon/in-jazz-there-is-a-lot-of-european-influence-harmonically/) [Dexter Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter-gordon/) > [When you know the lyrics to a tune, you have some kind of insight as to it's composition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter-gordon/when-you-know-the-lyrics-to-a-tune-you-have-some-kind-of-insight-as/) [Dexter Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter-gordon/) > [Darlin... be-bop is the music of the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter-gordon/darlin-be-bop-is-the-music-of-the-future/) [Dexter Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter-gordon/) > [Jazz to me is a living music. It's a music that since its beginning has expressed the feelings, the dreams, hopes, of the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter-gordon/jazz-to-me-is-a-living-music-it-s-a-music-that-since-its-beginning/) [Dexter Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter-gordon/) > [What I'm doing, I prefer to call that jazz, because it is a beautiful word - I love it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter-gordon/what-i-m-doing-i-prefer-to-call-that-jazz-because-it-is-a-beautiful/) [Dexter Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter-gordon/) > [Jazz to me is a living music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter-gordon/jazz-to-me-is-a-living-music/) [Dexter Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter-gordon/) > [When you know the lyrics to a tune, you have some kind of insight as to it's composition. If you don't understand what it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter-gordon/when-you-know-the-lyrics-to-a-tune-you-have-some-kind-of-insight-as-2/) [Dexter Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter-gordon/) > [I hope we left you with something to put under your pillows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter-gordon/i-hope-we-left-you-with-something-to-put-under-your-pillows/) [Dexter Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter-gordon/) > [Jazz is an octopus. It will take whatever it can use and it will work with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter-gordon/jazz-is-an-octopus-it-will-take-whatever-it-can-use-and-it-will-work/) [Dexter Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter-gordon/) [Explore all 20 Dexter Gordon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter-gordon/) ## 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 > [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 > [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": "Music is a reservoir... of sounds.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dexter Gordon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter-gordon/music-is-a-reservoir-of-sounds/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Music" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter-gordon/music-is-a-reservoir-of-sounds/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/520/dexter-gordon-27763_music_music-is-a-reservoir-of-sounds-95601_95601.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/520/dexter-gordon-27763_music_music-is-a-reservoir-of-sounds-95601_95601.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/520/dexter-gordon-27763_music_music-is-a-reservoir-of-sounds-95601_95601.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Music is a reservoir... of sounds.” — Dexter Gordon", "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": "Dexter Gordon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter-gordon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Music is a reservoir... of sounds.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter-gordon/music-is-a-reservoir-of-sounds/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter-gordon/music-is-a-reservoir-of-sounds/#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 } } ] } ```