--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Of course, it's not the technique that…" description: "\"Of course, it's not the technique that makes the music; it's the sensitivity of the musician and his ability to be able to fuse his life with the rhyth..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f28/herbie-hancock-2674_ability_of-course-it-s-not-the-technique-that-ma_1721245.jpg" --- # Of course, it's not the technique that makes the music… ![“Of course, it's not the technique that makes the music; it's the sensitivity of the musician and his ability to be able to fuse his life with the rhythm of the times. This is the essence of music.” quote by Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f28/herbie-hancock-2674_ability_of-course-it-s-not-the-technique-that-ma_1721245.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f28/herbie-hancock-2674_ability_of-course-it-s-not-the-technique-that-ma_1721245.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f28/herbie-hancock-2674_ability_of-course-it-s-not-the-technique-that-ma_1721245.jpg) > “Of course, it's not the technique that makes the music; it's the sensitivity of the musician and his ability to be able to fuse his life with the rhythm of the times. This is the essence of music.” [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Music's power lies in the artist's sensitivity and how they align personal experience with cultural rhythm. **In simple terms:** Music depends on feeling and relevance. Key Takeaway Cultivate personal sensitivity. Themes creativity authenticity culture Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - performance - composition - teaching - cultural commentary Key Concepts musical expression personal integration Questions to Reflect On - How does your life influence your art? - In what ways can music reflect its era? A Different Perspective Technical skill alone cannot convey meaning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Courses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courses/) [Essence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essence/) [Fuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fuse/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Makes Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/makes-music-375035/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Musician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musician/) [Musician Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musician-ability-1340914/) [Rhythm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rhythm/) [Sensitivity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sensitivity/) [Sensitivity Musician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sensitivity-musician-1340915/) [Technique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technique/) [Technique Makes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technique-makes-1340913/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Once a musician has enough ability to get into a top music school, the thing that distinguishes one performer from another is how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/once-a-musician-has-enough-ability-to-get-into-a-top-music-school-the/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“It is the technique, above all, that makes a meal Chinese or not.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bee-wilson/it-is-the-technique-above-all-that-makes-a-meal-chinese-or-not/) [Bee Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bee-wilson/) > [Inspiration is constantly in the air. It's up to us to develop the sensitivity to pick up on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/inspiration-is-constantly-in-the-air-it-s-up-to-us-to-develop-the/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [I have three siblings. My sister makes music. My older brother is a classical conductor, and my younger brother is a mixing engineer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-loeb/i-have-three-siblings-my-sister-makes-music-my-older-brother-is-a/) [Lisa Loeb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-loeb/) > [I want people to know that I'm more than just a pretty girl that makes music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rubi-rose/i-want-people-to-know-that-i-m-more-than-just-a-pretty-girl-that/) [Rubi Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rubi-rose/) > [I play the notes as they are written, but it is God who makes the music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-sebastian-bach/i-play-the-notes-as-they-are-written-but-it-is-god-who-makes-the-music/) [Johann Sebastian Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-sebastian-bach/) > [I guess one thing that makes my music stand out is that it is quite hard to determine what genre it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seinabo-sey/i-guess-one-thing-that-makes-my-music-stand-out-is-that-it-is-quite/) [Seinabo Sey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seinabo-sey/) > [My approach is to be part of a band that makes music, not hit songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-jones/my-approach-is-to-be-part-of-a-band-that-makes-music-not-hit-songs/) [Adam Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-jones/) > [It's the honesty you apply to your playing that makes music enjoyable. The style of the music has little to do with it. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvin-jones/it-s-the-honesty-you-apply-to-your-playing-that-makes-music-enjoyable/) [Elvin Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvin-jones/) > [It's the singer not the song that makes the music move along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-townshend/it-s-the-singer-not-the-song-that-makes-the-music-move-along/) [Pete Townshend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-townshend/) > [When 'Aashiqui' released there was no social media, yet it was a hit. Today we have the Internet which makes music very accessible to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ankit-tiwari/when-aashiqui-released-there-was-no-social-media-yet-it-was-a-hit/) [Ankit Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ankit-tiwari/) > [Sometimes, I know it's not me that makes this music. Like, when the Based God comes, he speaks to me. It's not me, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-b/sometimes-i-know-it-s-not-me-that-makes-this-music-like-when-the/) [Lil B](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-b/) > [I even have nephews who make music, my daughter makes music. I don't know what advice to give them these days. It's really a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gore/i-even-have-nephews-who-make-music-my-daughter-makes-music-i-don-t/) [Martin Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gore/) > [I try to get the hip-hop aesthetic, most times without an MC. I don't use a rapper or a DJ to give it the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-glasper/i-try-to-get-the-hip-hop-aesthetic-most-times-without-an-mc-i-don-t/) [Robert Glasper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-glasper/) > [Everyone who makes music is a good collaborator at their foundation because in order to make music, you have to connect to it in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/everyone-who-makes-music-is-a-good-collaborator-at-their-foundation/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) ## More by Herbie Hancock > [You would not exist if you did not have something to bring to the table of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/you-would-not-exist-if-you-did-not-have-something-to-bring-to-the/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [One of the greatest attributes of jazz, I think, is that it is that open.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/one-of-the-greatest-attributes-of-jazz-i-think-is-that-it-is-that-open/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [You can practice to attain knowledge, but you can't practice to attain wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/you-can-practice-to-attain-knowledge-but-you-can-t-practice-to-attain/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [Most people define themselves by what they do - 'I'm a musician.' Then one day it occurred to me that I'm only a musician…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/most-people-define-themselves-by-what-they-do-i-m-a-musician-then-one/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [I don't think there are any pure Africans of the African Americans, but the African part of our history was pretty much taken away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/i-don-t-think-there-are-any-pure-africans-of-the-african-americans/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [So in other words, we were constantly challenged to grow, and thats what a master does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/so-in-other-words-we-were-constantly-challenged-to-grow-and-thats/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [The strongest thing that any human being has going is their own integrity and their own heart. As soon as you start veering away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/the-strongest-thing-that-any-human-being-has-going-is-their-own/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [Like no matter what happens, this would be the ultimate, they can make something positive happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/like-no-matter-what-happens-this-would-be-the-ultimate-they-can-make/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [There are a lot of records coming out, in every field of music, not just jazz.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/there-are-a-lot-of-records-coming-out-in-every-field-of-music-not/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [I like to present something that the people haven't seen or haven't heard before. Otherwise they might as well just stay home and play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/i-like-to-present-something-that-the-people-haven-t-seen-or-haven-t/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [I don't go around, the way many musicians do, with earbuds in my ear listening to my iPod all day and just sticking my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/i-don-t-go-around-the-way-many-musicians-do-with-earbuds-in-my-ear/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [Creativity and artistic endeavors have a mission that goes far beyond just making music for the sake of music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/creativity-and-artistic-endeavors-have-a-mission-that-goes-far-beyond/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [The most valuable things in life are priceless. They are courage, compassion, wisdom, respect for ourselves and others, and a host of characteristics that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/the-most-valuable-things-in-life-are-priceless-they-are-courage/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [Creativity shouldn't be following radio; it should be the other way around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/creativity-shouldn-t-be-following-radio-it-should-be-the-other-way/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [One thing I like about jazz is that it emphasized doing things differently from what other people were doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/one-thing-i-like-about-jazz-is-that-it-emphasized-doing-things/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) [Explore all 155 Herbie Hancock quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Of course, it's not the technique that makes the music; it's the sensitivity of the musician and his ability to be able to fuse his life with the rhythm of the times. 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