--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Unpremeditated music is the true gauge…" description: "\"Unpremeditated music is the true gauge which measures the current of our thoughts; the very undertow of our life's stream.\" — Henry David Thoreau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26c/henry-david-thoreau-20_currents_unpremeditated-music-is-the-true-gauge-w_1420844.jpg" --- # Unpremeditated music is the true gauge which measures the… ![“Unpremeditated music is the true gauge which measures the current of our thoughts; the very undertow of our life's stream.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26c/henry-david-thoreau-20_currents_unpremeditated-music-is-the-true-gauge-w_1420844.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26c/henry-david-thoreau-20_currents_unpremeditated-music-is-the-true-gauge-w_1420844.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26c/henry-david-thoreau-20_currents_unpremeditated-music-is-the-true-gauge-w_1420844.jpg) > “Unpremeditated music is the true gauge which measures the current of our thoughts; the very undertow of our life's stream.” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Spontaneous music reveals the subconscious flow of thoughts and emotions. **In simple terms:** Music shows inner currents. Key Takeaway Listen to instinctive music for self insight. Themes creativity self‑awareness expression Mood reflective introspective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - meditation - writing - therapy - creative brainstorming Key Concepts psychology artistic intuition Questions to Reflect On - How does improvisation expose hidden feelings? - Can you trust instinct over logic? A Different Perspective Spontaneous music may lack structure for analysis. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Currents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/currents/) [Gauges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gauges/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-is/) [Music True](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-true-628107/) [Our lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-lives/) [Our thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-thoughts/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Streams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/streams/) [Thoughts Undertow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughts-undertow-4215312/) [True Gauge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-gauge-5031971/) [Undertow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/undertow/) [Unpremeditated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unpremeditated-4215314/) [Unpremeditated Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unpremeditated-music-4215311/) ## Related quotes > [I sailed on the North River last night with my flute, and my music was a tinkling stream which meandered with the river, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-sailed-on-the-north-river-last-night-with-my-flute-and-my-music-was/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [There is nothing unpremeditated, nothing neglected by God. His unsleeping eye beholds all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-basil/there-is-nothing-unpremeditated-nothing-neglected-by-god-his/) [Saint Basil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-basil/) > [They will tell you tough stories of sharks all over the Cape, which I do not presume to doubt utterly,--how they will sometimes upset…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/they-will-tell-you-tough-stories-of-sharks-all-over-the-cape-which-i/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [You are free. Close your eyes. Open your mind. Let this music in, and you will see that this is true](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-frusciante/you-are-free-close-your-eyes-open-your-mind-let-this-music-in-and-you/) [John Frusciante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-frusciante/) > [I feel that with music you can show more of who you are, more of your true self can be seen through your music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-j/i-feel-that-with-music-you-can-show-more-of-who-you-are-more-of-your/) [Ray J](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-j/) > [You have to let your music be true and then people who want to adopt it as that, they take it on and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-sherwood/you-have-to-let-your-music-be-true-and-then-people-who-want-to-adopt/) [Billy Sherwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-sherwood/) > [Music is the last true voice of the human spirit. It can go beyond language, beyond age, and beyond color straight to the mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-harper/music-is-the-last-true-voice-of-the-human-spirit-it-can-go-beyond/) [Ben Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-harper/) > [I want to release music that is true to myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-sanchez/i-want-to-release-music-that-is-true-to-myself/) [Jessica Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-sanchez/) > [Music is the true breath of life. We eat so we won't starve to death. We sing so we can hear ourselves live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmina-khadra/music-is-the-true-breath-of-life-we-eat-so-we-won-t-starve-to-death/) [Yasmina Khadra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmina-khadra/) > [I always make music that is true to my spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynonna-judd/i-always-make-music-that-is-true-to-my-spirit/) [Wynonna Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynonna-judd/) > [Everyone knows and loves Elton John's music, but the true story of his life is so incredible that it can only be described as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gracey/everyone-knows-and-loves-elton-john-s-music-but-the-true-story-of-his/) [Michael Gracey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gracey/) > [I am very aware now that music is a business, but there is also a way to go about making music that is true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-montrose/i-am-very-aware-now-that-music-is-a-business-but-there-is-also-a-way/) [Ronnie Montrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-montrose/) > [I just wanted to make sure I had the music true to me and the life I'm living and to what I really want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetria-mckinney/i-just-wanted-to-make-sure-i-had-the-music-true-to-me-and-the-life-i/) [Demetria McKinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetria-mckinney/) > [“What is true about music is true about life: that beauty reveals everything because it expresses nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-slade/what-is-true-about-music-is-true-about-life-that-beauty-reveals/) [Mandy Slade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-slade/) > [Rock n Roll music is the true religion. Never let you down you can dance to the rhythm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/motorhead/rock-n-roll-music-is-the-true-religion-never-let-you-down-you-can/) [Motorhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/motorhead/) ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [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/) [Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More Currents quotes > [In the current climate, things that are true, brave human stories become political.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/in-the-current-climate-things-that-are-true-brave-human-stories/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [I'm a candle flame that sways in currents of air you can't see. 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This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-kenison/i-take-the-seashell-from-my-jeans-pocket-and-rub-my-fingers-across/) [Katrina Kenison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-kenison/) > [Have the courage to go against the tide of current values that do not conform to the path of Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/have-the-courage-to-go-against-the-tide-of-current-values-that-do-not/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [I earn my living by teaching film, mostly filmmaking but also teaching courses on current cinema. I'm interested in movies. I hope that's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-andersen/i-earn-my-living-by-teaching-film-mostly-filmmaking-but-also-teaching/) [Thom Andersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-andersen/) > [I think that's the beauty of the current setup, is that Legends is meant to be a bit of a revolving door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/i-think-that-s-the-beauty-of-the-current-setup-is-that-legends-is/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [The seed of your next artwork lies embedded in the imperfections of your current piece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bayles/the-seed-of-your-next-artwork-lies-embedded-in-the-imperfections-of/) [David Bayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bayles/) > [Combining the experience of a seasoned university president with the analysis of a respected legal scholar, Derek Bok explores what he concludes are 'signs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-h-t-rhodes/combining-the-experience-of-a-seasoned-university-president-with-the/) [Frank H. 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