--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Some people ask me what instruments I…" description: "\"Some people ask me what instruments I play, but usually I'll just say I'm more of a producer or a composer or songwriter - those are my strongest suits..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77e/gus-dapperton-23070_composing_some-people-ask-me-what-instruments-i-pl_2672369.jpg" --- # Some people ask me what instruments I play, but usually… ![“Some people ask me what instruments I play, but usually I'll just say I'm more of a producer or a composer or songwriter - those are my strongest suits: arranging and composing.” quote by Gus Dapperton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77e/gus-dapperton-23070_composing_some-people-ask-me-what-instruments-i-pl_2672369.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77e/gus-dapperton-23070_composing_some-people-ask-me-what-instruments-i-pl_2672369.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77e/gus-dapperton-23070_composing_some-people-ask-me-what-instruments-i-pl_2672369.jpg) > “Some people ask me what instruments I play, but usually I'll just say I'm more of a producer or a composer or songwriter - those are my strongest suits: arranging and composing.” [Gus Dapperton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-dapperton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He emphasizes his strengths in arranging and composing, preferring production roles over performance. **In simple terms:** He focuses on creating and arranging music. Key Takeaway Develop your arranging and composing skills. Themes creativity music production self‑identity Mood inspired reflective Type musical personal When to use this quote - film scoring - album production - live performance planning Key Concepts songwriting arranging music technology Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of production excite you most? - How can you balance creation and performance? A Different Perspective May overlook the value of live performance experience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Music making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-making/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Producer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/producer/) ## Related quotes > [Even though, theoretically, being a composer and being a songwriter are the same thing, in my brain, they are completely different. When I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bacon/even-though-theoretically-being-a-composer-and-being-a-songwriter-are/) [Michael Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bacon/) > [Many number of times I say no when a producer or a director asks me to do a cop's role, unless the film is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vishwajeet-pradhan/many-number-of-times-i-say-no-when-a-producer-or-a-director-asks-me/) [Vishwajeet Pradhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vishwajeet-pradhan/) > [To say someone is a producer... it's kind of a slippery term.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robbins/to-say-someone-is-a-producer-it-s-kind-of-a-slippery-term/) [J. Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robbins/) > [Talking-head shows are just a camera, a sound guy, and then a PA writing down what you say and a producer asking you questions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-byer/talking-head-shows-are-just-a-camera-a-sound-guy-and-then-a-pa/) [Nicole Byer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-byer/) > [I would say the producer is the person who is there from the beginning to the end of the project. Either the person who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-herskovitz/i-would-say-the-producer-is-the-person-who-is-there-from-the/) [Marshall Herskovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-herskovitz/) > [Every orchestra I know, every opera house I know, is desperately looking around trying to find new talent, new composing talent, supporting young composers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esa-pekka-salonen/every-orchestra-i-know-every-opera-house-i-know-is-desperately/) [Esa-Pekka Salonen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esa-pekka-salonen/) > [It is hard work composing a song for a film and showing it to makers: 50% of the tune remains the same, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohit-chauhan/it-is-hard-work-composing-a-song-for-a-film-and-showing-it-to-makers/) [Mohit Chauhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohit-chauhan/) > [I'd always loved poetry and I'd always loved writing music and composing music, but I hadn't thought of putting the two together until around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-cockburn/i-d-always-loved-poetry-and-i-d-always-loved-writing-music-and/) [Bruce Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-cockburn/) > [Every day I lugged my backpack through the halls, waiting for the final bell. Then I'd race home and hole up in my room,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-groban/every-day-i-lugged-my-backpack-through-the-halls-waiting-for-the/) [Josh Groban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-groban/) > [I don't meditate before I play or compose, but I see playing and composing as meditative acts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-swallow/i-don-t-meditate-before-i-play-or-compose-but-i-see-playing-and/) Steve Swallow > [I was really into the music of Cream after I finished composing the music for 'BTTB.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/i-was-really-into-the-music-of-cream-after-i-finished-composing-the/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) > [I'm the only actor who has done everything, right from anchoring shows to composing and singing songs to theatre to movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javed-jaffrey/i-m-the-only-actor-who-has-done-everything-right-from-anchoring-shows/) [Javed Jaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javed-jaffrey/) > [Composing a piece of music is very feminine. It is sensitive, emotional, contemplative. By comparison, doing housework is positively masculine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kolb/composing-a-piece-of-music-is-very-feminine-it-is-sensitive-emotional/) Barbara Kolb > [As human beings, we are the only organisms that create for the sheer stupid pleasure of doing so. Whether it's laying out a garden,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/as-human-beings-we-are-the-only-organisms-that-create-for-the-sheer/) [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) > [Playing is much, much harder than composing in my opinion, becoming a player. If you want to be a player for all your life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-powell/playing-is-much-much-harder-than-composing-in-my-opinion-becoming-a/) [John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/) ## More by Gus Dapperton > [I would say that my music is surreal, it's inspired by dreams, and it's inspired by heartbreak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-dapperton/i-would-say-that-my-music-is-surreal-it-s-inspired-by-dreams-and-it-s/) [Gus Dapperton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-dapperton/) > [I spend a lot of money on shoes and barely any on clothes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-dapperton/i-spend-a-lot-of-money-on-shoes-and-barely-any-on-clothes/) [Gus Dapperton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-dapperton/) > [At first, I was a pretty horrific singer, and then I got a little better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-dapperton/at-first-i-was-a-pretty-horrific-singer-and-then-i-got-a-little-better/) [Gus Dapperton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-dapperton/) > [I tend not to get too excited and surprised about things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-dapperton/i-tend-not-to-get-too-excited-and-surprised-about-things/) [Gus Dapperton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-dapperton/) > [A lot of artists have a super-specific musical hero they definitely try to hone in on. I'm basically inspired by everyone. I don't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-dapperton/a-lot-of-artists-have-a-super-specific-musical-hero-they-definitely/) [Gus Dapperton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-dapperton/) > [I went through this kind of existential crisis. I was going through a breakup; I tore my ACL and my meniscus and had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-dapperton/i-went-through-this-kind-of-existential-crisis-i-was-going-through-a/) [Gus Dapperton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-dapperton/) > [I went to school for audio engineering, and I was around a lot of sound engineers over the summers in New York, so I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-dapperton/i-went-to-school-for-audio-engineering-and-i-was-around-a-lot-of/) [Gus Dapperton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-dapperton/) > [I generally use a lot of analog instruments, a few synths from the '80s like the Roland Juno-106, and an old Fender bullet guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-dapperton/i-generally-use-a-lot-of-analog-instruments-a-few-synths-from-the-80s/) [Gus Dapperton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-dapperton/) > [I work out of my home studio that I built in this warehouse in Philadelphia. I've kind of curated it for my needs and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-dapperton/i-work-out-of-my-home-studio-that-i-built-in-this-warehouse-in/) [Gus Dapperton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-dapperton/) > [I'm not really sure what I look for when I'm picking out clothes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-dapperton/i-m-not-really-sure-what-i-look-for-when-i-m-picking-out-clothes/) [Gus Dapperton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-dapperton/) > [I wear high water pants, always, so you can see my socks - I always wear white socks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-dapperton/i-wear-high-water-pants-always-so-you-can-see-my-socks-i-always-wear/) [Gus Dapperton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-dapperton/) > [I grew up producing hip-hop music, actually. I was producing for my friends, who were all rappers in upstate New York, where I'm from.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-dapperton/i-grew-up-producing-hip-hop-music-actually-i-was-producing-for-my/) [Gus Dapperton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-dapperton/) > [I came up with a lot of characters when I was growing up that were just creative outlets, and then, at one point, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-dapperton/i-came-up-with-a-lot-of-characters-when-i-was-growing-up-that-were/) [Gus Dapperton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-dapperton/) > [At some point, I kind of went through this weird existential crisis in high school where I was just really depressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-dapperton/at-some-point-i-kind-of-went-through-this-weird-existential-crisis-in/) [Gus Dapperton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-dapperton/) > [I love the bowl cut. I had it when I was younger, and I decided to go back to it. It seems to fit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-dapperton/i-love-the-bowl-cut-i-had-it-when-i-was-younger-and-i-decided-to-go/) [Gus Dapperton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-dapperton/) [Explore all 26 Gus Dapperton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-dapperton/) ## More Composing quotes > [Playing is much, much harder than composing in my opinion, becoming a player. If you want to be a player for all your life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-powell/playing-is-much-much-harder-than-composing-in-my-opinion-becoming-a/) [John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/) > [As human beings, we are the only organisms that create for the sheer stupid pleasure of doing so. Whether it's laying out a garden,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/as-human-beings-we-are-the-only-organisms-that-create-for-the-sheer/) [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) > [Composing a piece of music is very feminine. It is sensitive, emotional, contemplative. By comparison, doing housework is positively masculine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kolb/composing-a-piece-of-music-is-very-feminine-it-is-sensitive-emotional/) Barbara Kolb > [I'm the only actor who has done everything, right from anchoring shows to composing and singing songs to theatre to movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javed-jaffrey/i-m-the-only-actor-who-has-done-everything-right-from-anchoring-shows/) [Javed Jaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javed-jaffrey/) > [Even though, theoretically, being a composer and being a songwriter are the same thing, in my brain, they are completely different. When I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bacon/even-though-theoretically-being-a-composer-and-being-a-songwriter-are/) [Michael Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bacon/) > [I was really into the music of Cream after I finished composing the music for 'BTTB.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/i-was-really-into-the-music-of-cream-after-i-finished-composing-the/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) > [I don't meditate before I play or compose, but I see playing and composing as meditative acts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-swallow/i-don-t-meditate-before-i-play-or-compose-but-i-see-playing-and/) Steve Swallow > [Every day I lugged my backpack through the halls, waiting for the final bell. Then I'd race home and hole up in my room,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-groban/every-day-i-lugged-my-backpack-through-the-halls-waiting-for-the/) [Josh Groban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-groban/) > [I'd always loved poetry and I'd always loved writing music and composing music, but I hadn't thought of putting the two together until around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-cockburn/i-d-always-loved-poetry-and-i-d-always-loved-writing-music-and/) [Bruce Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-cockburn/) > [It is hard work composing a song for a film and showing it to makers: 50% of the tune remains the same, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohit-chauhan/it-is-hard-work-composing-a-song-for-a-film-and-showing-it-to-makers/) [Mohit Chauhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohit-chauhan/) > [Every orchestra I know, every opera house I know, is desperately looking around trying to find new talent, new composing talent, supporting young composers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esa-pekka-salonen/every-orchestra-i-know-every-opera-house-i-know-is-desperately/) [Esa-Pekka Salonen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esa-pekka-salonen/) > [The material of music is sound and silence. Integrating these is composing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/the-material-of-music-is-sound-and-silence-integrating-these-is/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [“To be in the middle of composing a book is almost always to feel oneself in a state of confusion, doubt and mental imprisonment…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-epstein/to-be-in-the-middle-of-composing-a-book-is-almost-always-to-feel/) [Joseph Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-epstein/) > [For musical compositions to reach a high level and to derive from spontaneity, of course, one has to do the necessary steps to learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilaiyaraaja/for-musical-compositions-to-reach-a-high-level-and-to-derive-from/) [Ilaiyaraaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilaiyaraaja/) > [The process of preparing programs for a digital computer is especially attractive, not only because it can economically and scientifically rewarding, but also because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-knuth/the-process-of-preparing-programs-for-a-digital-computer-is/) [Donald Knuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-knuth/) Browse all 334 Composing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Some people ask me what instruments I play, but usually I'll just say I'm more of a producer or a composer or songwriter - those are my strongest suits: arranging and composing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gus Dapperton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-dapperton/some-people-ask-me-what-instruments-i-play-but-usually-i-ll-just-say/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Composing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-dapperton/some-people-ask-me-what-instruments-i-play-but-usually-i-ll-just-say/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77e/gus-dapperton-23070_composing_some-people-ask-me-what-instruments-i-pl_2672369.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77e/gus-dapperton-23070_composing_some-people-ask-me-what-instruments-i-pl_2672369.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77e/gus-dapperton-23070_composing_some-people-ask-me-what-instruments-i-pl_2672369.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Some people ask me what instruments I play, but usually I'll just say I'm more of a producer or a composer…” — Gus Dapperton", "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": "Gus Dapperton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-dapperton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Some people ask me what instruments...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-dapperton/some-people-ask-me-what-instruments-i-play-but-usually-i-ll-just-say/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-dapperton/some-people-ask-me-what-instruments-i-play-but-usually-i-ll-just-say/#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 } } ] } ```