--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you can play the piano, you can play…" description: "\"If you can play the piano, you can play any instrument.\" — E-40" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2f/e-40-4069_ifs_if-you-can-play-the-piano-you-can-play-a_292139.png" --- # If you can play the piano, you can play any instrument. ![“If you can play the piano, you can play any instrument.” quote by E-40](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2f/e-40-4069_ifs_if-you-can-play-the-piano-you-can-play-a_292139.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2f/e-40-4069_ifs_if-you-can-play-the-piano-you-can-play-a_292139.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2f/e-40-4069_ifs_if-you-can-play-the-piano-you-can-play-a_292139.png) > “If you can play the piano, you can play any instrument.” E-40 ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mastery of one instrument suggests transferable musical skills across instruments. **In simple terms:** Learning piano helps with other instruments. Key Takeaway Leverage piano skills to explore new instruments. Themes music learning transferable skills Mood curious encouraging Type advice motivational When to use this quote - learning a new instrument - teaching music - band practice Key Concepts musical cognition skill transfer Questions to Reflect On - What instrument would you try next? - How does piano training aid other musical pursuits? A Different Perspective Skill transfer may be limited by physical differences between instruments. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Instrument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instrument/) [Music making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-making/) [Piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/piano/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) ## Related quotes > [We all know that there are many people that can play the instrument perfectly today, up and down with technical perfection, but does the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-finckel/we-all-know-that-there-are-many-people-that-can-play-the-instrument/) [David Finckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-finckel/) > [I don't think that you can write music if you don't know how to play an instrument. You have to know the basics, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alber-elbaz/i-don-t-think-that-you-can-write-music-if-you-don-t-know-how-to-play/) [Alber Elbaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alber-elbaz/) > [I must play the instrument I've got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/i-must-play-the-instrument-i-ve-got/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [No, I don't, like, play an instrument or anything.I'm just...well, you saw me at the beginning there. I was the guy that fell down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wong/no-i-don-t-like-play-an-instrument-or-anything-i-m-just-well-you-saw/) [David Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wong/) > [I can't play any instrument for the life of me, but I know what I want to hear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupe-fiasco/i-can-t-play-any-instrument-for-the-life-of-me-but-i-know-what-i-want/) [Lupe Fiasco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupe-fiasco/) > [I play piano, but not well enough to play professionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-lightfoot/i-play-piano-but-not-well-enough-to-play-professionally/) [Gordon Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-lightfoot/) > [I also went to art school and learned to play a piano there, but I play by ear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mayall/i-also-went-to-art-school-and-learned-to-play-a-piano-there-but-i/) [John Mayall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mayall/) > [I've always wanted to walk into a hotel, sit at a piano and play 'Piano Man.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cowher/i-ve-always-wanted-to-walk-into-a-hotel-sit-at-a-piano-and-play-piano/) [Bill Cowher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cowher/) > [My mother was a jazz fanatic and she wanted me to play the piano so I could play jazz tunes. I wish I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etta-james/my-mother-was-a-jazz-fanatic-and-she-wanted-me-to-play-the-piano-so-i/) [Etta James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etta-james/) > [The only instrument I can play is piano. Whenever I make songs at home, I play the piano and make them on the piano.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/the-only-instrument-i-can-play-is-piano-whenever-i-make-songs-at-home/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [Anyone can play an instrument if you show them how to move their limbs, lips or fingers the right way. It's irrelevant. What is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kapranos/anyone-can-play-an-instrument-if-you-show-them-how-to-move-their/) [Alex Kapranos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kapranos/) > [I think to be a good songwriter, you have to be able to play an instrument.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-cocker/i-think-to-be-a-good-songwriter-you-have-to-be-able-to-play-an/) [Joe Cocker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-cocker/) > [I always wanted to make music but I cannot play any instrument.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udo-kier/i-always-wanted-to-make-music-but-i-cannot-play-any-instrument/) [Udo Kier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/udo-kier/) > [“Love and cherish your ability to play an instrument; and give it your best. Not everyone is so lucky as you are. And welcome…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mr-suzuki/love-and-cherish-your-ability-to-play-an-instrument-and-give-it-your/) Mr. Suzuki > [I had decided that if I was going to be a singer, I had to earn it. I had to learn how to play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/i-had-decided-that-if-i-was-going-to-be-a-singer-i-had-to-earn-it-i/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) ## More by E-40 > [I might like the Sacramento Kings. One of my favorite players is Dirk Nowitzki.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/i-might-like-the-sacramento-kings-one-of-my-favorite-players-is-dirk/) E-40 > [Music is very therapeutic and healing, and I hit it from all angles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/music-is-very-therapeutic-and-healing-and-i-hit-it-from-all-angles/) E-40 > [However God had it planned, I'm rockin' with how he do it. He took the steering wheel and I'm letting him drive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/however-god-had-it-planned-i-m-rockin-with-how-he-do-it-he-took-the/) E-40 > [Some people be game-goofy and words don't sound right coming out of their mouthpiece. But whenever E-40 says something it's just solidified.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/some-people-be-game-goofy-and-words-don-t-sound-right-coming-out-of/) E-40 > [I had every major label in the world - I mean, any label that dealt with rap music wanted to sign me. I ended…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/i-had-every-major-label-in-the-world-i-mean-any-label-that-dealt-with/) E-40 > [Communication, that keeps everything cool. Not holding anything back, you got to tell each other what's on your mind, that's really it. Otherwise when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/communication-that-keeps-everything-cool-not-holding-anything-back/) E-40 > [I'm a survivor, man. I done had my ups and downs, but I've got get-back skills for real for real. I refuse to fall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/i-m-a-survivor-man-i-done-had-my-ups-and-downs-but-i-ve-got-get-back/) E-40 > [I'm living proof that there's no age limit to rapping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/i-m-living-proof-that-there-s-no-age-limit-to-rapping/) E-40 > [You feel me' - that's straight from me. You can put a stamp on that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/you-feel-me-that-s-straight-from-me-you-can-put-a-stamp-on-that/) E-40 > [I'm building my adult beverage empire the way I built my independent rap label. As my career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/i-m-building-my-adult-beverage-empire-the-way-i-built-my-independent/) E-40 > [I'm not a full-fledged producer, but I can be one if I want to really spend my time on straight being a producer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/i-m-not-a-full-fledged-producer-but-i-can-be-one-if-i-want-to-really/) E-40 > [I don't wanna be like everybody else, I don't wanna rap like everybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/i-don-t-wanna-be-like-everybody-else-i-don-t-wanna-rap-like-everybody/) E-40 > [I'm the greatest game-spitter of all time. I talk about the swell, the block, the 'hood. I'm a street commentator. I narrate how people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/i-m-the-greatest-game-spitter-of-all-time-i-talk-about-the-swell-the/) E-40 > [I think the Internet is right on time. I think it's very important. It's reaching out to millions of people. Even the most slimiest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/i-think-the-internet-is-right-on-time-i-think-it-s-very-important-it/) E-40 > [The earliest music I remember hearing is Al Green's 'Let's Stay Together.' That was when my momma and my daddy were together, before they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/the-earliest-music-i-remember-hearing-is-al-green-s-let-s-stay/) E-40 Explore all 116 E-40 quotes ## More Ifs quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [Histories never conclude; they just pause their prose. Their stories are, if they are truthful, untidy affairs, resistant to windings-up and sortings-out. They beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/histories-never-conclude-they-just-pause-their-prose-their-stories/) [Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/) > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Many individuals spend a considerable portion of their lifetimes in terror of one imagined catastrophe or another. The classic is that your immortal soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/many-individuals-spend-a-considerable-portion-of-their-lifetimes-in/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clark/obviously-if-you-don-t-love-life-you-can-t-enjoy-an-oyster/) [Eleanor Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clark/) > [If I don't have pressure, I don't function.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferran-adria/if-i-don-t-have-pressure-i-don-t-function/) [Ferran Adria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferran-adria/) > [If you restore a car, and you're making money, then you're doing it wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/if-you-restore-a-car-and-you-re-making-money-then-you-re-doing-it/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [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/) > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-sarabhai/but-we-are-convinced-that-if-we-are-to-play-a-meaningful-role/) [Vikram Sarabhai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-sarabhai/) > [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) Browse all 94,303 Ifs quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you can play the piano, you can play any instrument.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "E-40" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/if-you-can-play-the-piano-you-can-play-any-instrument/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ifs" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/if-you-can-play-the-piano-you-can-play-any-instrument/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2f/e-40-4069_ifs_if-you-can-play-the-piano-you-can-play-a_292139.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2f/e-40-4069_ifs_if-you-can-play-the-piano-you-can-play-a_292139.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2f/e-40-4069_ifs_if-you-can-play-the-piano-you-can-play-a_292139.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you can play the piano, you can play any instrument.” — E-40", "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": "E-40", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-40/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you can play the piano,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/if-you-can-play-the-piano-you-can-play-any-instrument/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/if-you-can-play-the-piano-you-can-play-any-instrument/#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 } } ] } ```