--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Since I didn't have any kind of formal…" description: "\"Since I didn't have any kind of formal training, it didn't make any difference to me if I was listening to Lightnin' Slim, or a vocal group called the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e07/frank-zappa-702_differences_since-i-didn-t-have-any-kind-of-formal-t_2820561.jpg" --- # Since I didn't have any kind of formal training, it didn't… ![“Since I didn't have any kind of formal training, it didn't make any difference to me if I was listening to Lightnin' Slim, or a vocal group called the Jewels ... , or Webern, or Varèse, or Stravinsky. To me it was all good music.” quote by Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e07/frank-zappa-702_differences_since-i-didn-t-have-any-kind-of-formal-t_2820561.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e07/frank-zappa-702_differences_since-i-didn-t-have-any-kind-of-formal-t_2820561.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e07/frank-zappa-702_differences_since-i-didn-t-have-any-kind-of-formal-t_2820561.jpg) > “Since I didn't have any kind of formal training, it didn't make any difference to me if I was listening to Lightnin' Slim, or a vocal group called the Jewels ... , or Webern, or Varèse, or Stravinsky. To me it was all good music.” [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Music appreciation transcends formal training; all genres are equally valuable to the listener. **In simple terms:** Good music is good music, no matter the style. Key Takeaway Listen openly to diverse music. Themes music taste open‑mindedness education Mood playful curious Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - concert attendance - music education - personal playlists - cross‑cultural events Key Concepts genre appreciation subjectivity cultural literacy Questions to Reflect On - What genres have you ignored? - How does openness to music enrich life? A Different Perspective Prejudice can limit exposure to new sounds. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Good music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-music/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Training](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/training/) ## Related quotes > [ \[the impression of the first time I heard Webern's music in a concert performance\] was the same as I was to experience a few… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-webern/the-impression-of-the-first-time-i-heard-webern-s-music-in-a-concert/) [Anton Webern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-webern/) > [ You think about, like, \[20th-century classical composers\] Alban Berg, Schoenberg, and Webern sitting around in some living room in Vienna and being like, "We… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-longstreth/you-think-about-like-20th-century-classical-composers-alban-berg/) [David Longstreth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-longstreth/) > [ If... \[Alban\] Berg departs so radically from tradition, through his substitution of a symmetrical partitioning of the octave for the asymmetrical partionings of the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-perle/if-alban-berg-departs-so-radically-from-tradition-through-his/) George Perle > [ \[Charlie "Bird" Parker\] would sit down and ask \[Phil Wood\], "What do you think about this whole secondary Viennese school with Schoenberg, Berg and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/charlie-bird-parker-would-sit-down-and-ask-phil-wood-what-do-you/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [This is positively not an album to play while you do a doctorate thesis on "Bergson, Webern and Charles the Vicious, Paradox or Ambiguity?"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-brookmeyer/this-is-positively-not-an-album-to-play-while-you-do-a-doctorate/) [Bob Brookmeyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-brookmeyer/) > [I'm not Stravinsky, I never will be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-bozzio/i-m-not-stravinsky-i-never-will-be/) [Terry Bozzio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-bozzio/) > [I had no idea Stravinsky disliked Debussy so much as this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-newman/i-had-no-idea-stravinsky-disliked-debussy-so-much-as-this/) [Ernest Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-newman/) > [Pulse as an active means of expression, Stravinsky and Beethoven are the two masters of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esa-pekka-salonen/pulse-as-an-active-means-of-expression-stravinsky-and-beethoven-are/) [Esa-Pekka Salonen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esa-pekka-salonen/) > [The first music I was exposed to was Stravinsky and I loved it but I don't remember it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-kottke/the-first-music-i-was-exposed-to-was-stravinsky-and-i-loved-it-but-i/) [Leo Kottke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-kottke/) > [In two thousand years all our generals and politicians may be forgotten, but Einstein and Madame Curie and Bernard Shaw and Stravinsky will keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-burgess/in-two-thousand-years-all-our-generals-and-politicians-may-be/) [Anthony Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-burgess/) > [“The man has accumulated a repertoire of facial tics and blinks that demand nothing less than a complete musical score by Stravinsky.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-man-has-accumulated-a-repertoire-of-facial-tics-and-blinks-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The trombone and side-drums in the chamber music of Stravinsky will do well enough in a very smart house-party where all the conversation is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-francis-tovey/the-trombone-and-side-drums-in-the-chamber-music-of-stravinsky-will/) Donald Francis Tovey > [Bernard Herrmann used to write all his scores by himself. So did Bach, Beethoven and Stravinsky. I dont understand why this happens in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ennio-morricone/bernard-herrmann-used-to-write-all-his-scores-by-himself-so-did-bach/) [Ennio Morricone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ennio-morricone/) > [New music? Hell, there's been no new music since Stravinsky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duke-ellington/new-music-hell-there-s-been-no-new-music-since-stravinsky/) [Duke Ellington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duke-ellington/) > [It's something he used to say when he was happy. It could be a very, very simple day. We might be sitting out on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-grant/it-s-something-he-used-to-say-when-he-was-happy-it-could-be-a-very/) [Jennifer Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-grant/) ## More by Frank Zappa > [If you want to get laid, go to college. If you want an education, go to the library.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/if-you-want-to-get-laid-go-to-college-if-you-want-an-education-go-to/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [While your children are sleeping, your puppy is crappin'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/while-your-children-are-sleeping-your-puppy-is-crappin/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [Very few people do covers of my tunes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/very-few-people-do-covers-of-my-tunes/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [Cocaine decisions that you make today, will mean nothing later on when you get nose decay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/cocaine-decisions-that-you-make-today-will-mean-nothing-later-on-when/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [Government is the Entertainment division of the military-industrial complex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/government-is-the-entertainment-division-of-the-military-industrial/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [Do your job and do it right, life's a ball, TV tonight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/do-your-job-and-do-it-right-life-s-a-ball-tv-tonight/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [Fact of the matter is, there is no hip world, there is no straight world. There's a world, you see which has people in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/fact-of-the-matter-is-there-is-no-hip-world-there-is-no-straight/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [Broken hearts are for assholes, are you an asshole?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/broken-hearts-are-for-assholes-are-you-an-asshole/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [Anyone who is disturbed by the idea of newts in a nightclub is potentially dangerous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/anyone-who-is-disturbed-by-the-idea-of-newts-in-a-nightclub-is/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [The bigger the cushion, the better the pushin'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/the-bigger-the-cushion-the-better-the-pushin/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [Give me the enchilada with the pickle sauce shoved up between the donkey's ass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/give-me-the-enchilada-with-the-pickle-sauce-shoved-up-between-the/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [Sit and spin 'til you rot on the cosmic utensil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/sit-and-spin-til-you-rot-on-the-cosmic-utensil/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [To me absurdity is the only reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/to-me-absurdity-is-the-only-reality/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [Is this something new, having people stomp on you? Is it what I need to do for your pleasure?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/is-this-something-new-having-people-stomp-on-you-is-it-what-i-need-to/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [Look here brother, who you jivin' with that cosmik debris?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/look-here-brother-who-you-jivin-with-that-cosmik-debris/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) [Explore all 400 Frank Zappa quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) ## More Differences quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [If the media is sending girls the message that their value lies in their bodies, this can only leave them feeling disempowered and distract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-siebel-newsom/if-the-media-is-sending-girls-the-message-that-their-value-lies-in/) Jennifer Siebel Newsom > [But I already saw no great difference between the psyche and spirituality. To amass knowledge without becoming wise is not my idea of progress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/but-i-already-saw-no-great-difference-between-the-psyche-and/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Shortly after I turned 50, both Ted Turner and the AARP came into my life. The only difference? With AARP, there were benefits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-fonda/shortly-after-i-turned-50-both-ted-turner-and-the-aarp-came-into-my/) [Jane Fonda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-fonda/) > [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [There are those who open their hearts to others...who never think twice about giving of themselves. They are the wonderful warmhearted people who make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilda-radner/there-are-those-who-open-their-hearts-to-others-who-never-think-twice/) [Gilda Radner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilda-radner/) > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [A human being can only absorb a small amount of the mystical kundalini, you can be exposed again and again to it, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/a-human-being-can-only-absorb-a-small-amount-of-the-mystical/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [One of the most basic principles for making and keeping peace within and between nations. . . is that in political, military, moral, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/one-of-the-most-basic-principles-for-making-and-keeping-peace-within/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [When the President starts talking about something, it makes a difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-schumer/when-the-president-starts-talking-about-something-it-makes-a/) [Charles Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-schumer/) > [In a world shaped and colored more and more by politicians, the nations meet politically, and hardly any other way to settle their differences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-priestley/in-a-world-shaped-and-colored-more-and-more-by-politicians-the/) [J. B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/) [Browse all 8,110 Differences quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Since I didn't have any kind of formal training, it didn't make any difference to me if I was listening to Lightnin' Slim, or a vocal group called the Jewels ... , or Webern, or Varèse, or Stravinsky. 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