---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm really anti-option, so computers have…"
description: "\"I'm really anti-option, so computers have been my nightmare with recording. I don't want endless tracks; I want less tracks. I want decisions to be mad..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b6/ian-mackaye-3369_computer_i-m-really-anti-option-so-computers-have_2452541.jpg"
---

#  I'm really anti-option, so computers have been my…

![“I'm really anti-option, so computers have been my nightmare with recording. I don't want endless tracks; I want less tracks. I want decisions to be made.” quote by Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b6/ian-mackaye-3369_computer_i-m-really-anti-option-so-computers-have_2452541.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b6/ian-mackaye-3369_computer_i-m-really-anti-option-so-computers-have_2452541.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b6/ian-mackaye-3369_computer_i-m-really-anti-option-so-computers-have_2452541.jpg)

> “I'm really anti-option, so computers have been my nightmare with recording. I don't want endless tracks; I want less tracks. I want decisions to be made.”

[Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A critique of endless track layering, advocating for minimalism and decisive production choices.

**In simple terms:** Prefer fewer, decisive tracks over endless options.

Key Takeaway

Embrace simplicity in creation.

Themes

minimalism creativity decision‑making technology

Mood

determined practical

Type

advice inspirational

When to use this quote

- music production
- software selection
- project management
- creative focus
- efficiency

Key Concepts

audio production workflow artistic philosophy

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you limit choices without stifling creativity?
- What decisions can you make now?

A Different Perspective

May overlook benefits of complex arrangements.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Anti Option](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anti-option-581047/) [Computer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computer/) [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Endless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/endless/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Nightmare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nightmare/) [Option Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/option-computers-581049/) [Recording](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recording/) [Track](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/track/) [Tracks Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tracks-want-427078/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Tracks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-tracks-581048/)

## Related quotes

> [When people want to built new tracks, they want to look at Silverstone. We don't want it built like that. It's quite embarrassing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-ecclestone/when-people-want-to-built-new-tracks-they-want-to-look-at-silverstone/)

[Bernie Ecclestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-ecclestone/)

> [When I dj at big venues I try to play tracks that I would want to hear if I were e'd up in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/when-i-dj-at-big-venues-i-try-to-play-tracks-that-i-would-want-to/)

[Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/)

> [A lot of that worked itself out in the recording.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/a-lot-of-that-worked-itself-out-in-the-recording/)

[David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/)

> [It's nice to be in a creative world that's kind of isolated, but you can get led astray down some pathway while you're recording…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-dost/it-s-nice-to-be-in-a-creative-world-that-s-kind-of-isolated-but-you/)

[Andrew Dost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-dost/)

> [When I do my music, I don't even go to the studio. It's just me and my engineer in a dark room somewhere, recording.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-wave/when-i-do-my-music-i-don-t-even-go-to-the-studio-it-s-just-me-and-my/)

[Rod Wave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-wave/)

> [I'm always looking for older equipment and ways of recording, but you can't escape the fact that it's all going to be digitized and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beck/i-m-always-looking-for-older-equipment-and-ways-of-recording-but-you/)

[Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beck/)

> [I have always thought of myself as a performer first and way down the line as a recording artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-kottke/i-have-always-thought-of-myself-as-a-performer-first-and-way-down-the/)

[Leo Kottke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-kottke/)

> [I found the recording sessions very freeing because you can really try things. When you're filming something, if you're improvising a film and you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/i-found-the-recording-sessions-very-freeing-because-you-can-really/)

[Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/)

> [Before recording my 'Homeland' audition on my iPhone in my bedroom in Streatham, I hadn't worked or had an audition in the U.K. for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harewood/before-recording-my-homeland-audition-on-my-iphone-in-my-bedroom-in/)

[David Harewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harewood/)

> [When I was in the recording studio, I needed to concentrate on what my voice was doing, which is rather difficult if you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-tyler/when-i-was-in-the-recording-studio-i-needed-to-concentrate-on-what-my/)

[Bonnie Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-tyler/)

> [I farm - there is something visceral about being attached to the land. I am a recording engineer. I do my own laundry most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-lerner/i-farm-there-is-something-visceral-about-being-attached-to-the-land-i/)

[Sandra Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-lerner/)

> [I've not really spent much time in proper studios. The room itself where you're recording, and how you live while you're there is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feist/i-ve-not-really-spent-much-time-in-proper-studios-the-room-itself/)

[Feist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feist/)

> [In New Zealand, we have a one-party disclosure system, where if one of you knows you're being recorded, it's completely fine. It doesn't matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-farrier/in-new-zealand-we-have-a-one-party-disclosure-system-where-if-one-of/)

[David Farrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-farrier/)

> [The process that we go through in recording with Tool is very organic, but at the same time it is very thought out. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/the-process-that-we-go-through-in-recording-with-tool-is-very-organic/)

[Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/)

> [My friend has a baby, I am recording all the noises he makes so I can later ask him what he meant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-wright/my-friend-has-a-baby-i-am-recording-all-the-noises-he-makes-so-i-can/)

[Stephen Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-wright/)

## More by Ian MacKaye

> [Truth is, right now two bombs could drop out of the sky and blow up this house and whatever building you're in and just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/truth-is-right-now-two-bombs-could-drop-out-of-the-sky-and-blow-up/)

[Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/)

> [I think it's my nature to engage in things that are more difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/i-think-it-s-my-nature-to-engage-in-things-that-are-more-difficult/)

[Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/)

> [The thing is, people can't complain about profit-oriented moves if they're only interested in profit themselves. You can't have it both ways. If they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/the-thing-is-people-can-t-complain-about-profit-oriented-moves-if/)

[Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/)

> [What people don't understand is that the underground that existed was created in the early 80s and was thriving throughout the 80s. Until the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/what-people-don-t-understand-is-that-the-underground-that-existed-was/)

[Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/)

> [I think that people are constantly thinking about capturing things that they're not actually present for the moment they're trying to capture. I'm quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/i-think-that-people-are-constantly-thinking-about-capturing-things/)

[Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/)

> [ I'd much rather talk to a 30-year old that survived rough times in their lives \[practicing Straight Edge\] rather than someone that was harmed… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/i-d-much-rather-talk-to-a-30-year-old-that-survived-rough-times-in/)

[Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/)

> [ For most people who have or who do identify as or with \[song\] Straight Edge, I feel like for most people, they're just trying… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/for-most-people-who-have-or-who-do-identify-as-or-with-song-straight/)

[Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/)

> [The Corcoran show was actually almost a reportage. The exhibit was, in many ways, pretty unique. It was one of the first pieces about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/the-corcoran-show-was-actually-almost-a-reportage-the-exhibit-was-in/)

[Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/)

> [The Fugazi Live Series site, when we realized the Internet, the way it works - the speeds and its development - made it possible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/the-fugazi-live-series-site-when-we-realized-the-internet-the-way-it/)

[Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/)

> [I'm always happy when I hear about people selling records or selling books or selling movies. It makes me proud of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/i-m-always-happy-when-i-hear-about-people-selling-records-or-selling/)

[Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/)

> [An unlocked door means that, occasionally, you might get a devil come in, but a locked door means you have thousands of angels just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/an-unlocked-door-means-that-occasionally-you-might-get-a-devil-come/)

[Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/)

> [I consider the piano my 'main' instrument and have been playing for as long as I can remember. It seems to me that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/i-consider-the-piano-my-main-instrument-and-have-been-playing-for-as/)

[Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/)

> [I work so I don't need to make rent through my songs, and I think if more people engaged with music without needing it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/i-work-so-i-don-t-need-to-make-rent-through-my-songs-and-i-think-if/)

[Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/)

> [Guy Picciotto had a really sound point: Live albums basically have bands playing songs that are available on studio records, and what example can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/guy-picciotto-had-a-really-sound-point-live-albums-basically-have/)

[Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/)

> [I think that the idea of straight edge, the song that I wrote, and the way people have related it it, there's some people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/i-think-that-the-idea-of-straight-edge-the-song-that-i-wrote-and-the/)

[Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/)

[Explore all 132 Ian MacKaye quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/)

## More Computer quotes

> [Issac:"I dislike living in a world without Augustus Waters." Computer: "I don't understand-" Issac: "Me neither. Pause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/issac-i-dislike-living-in-a-world-without-augustus-waters-computer-i/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/)

[Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/)

> [The display is the computer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hsun-huang/the-display-is-the-computer/)

[Jen-Hsun Huang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hsun-huang/)

> [It's interesting that the greatest minds of computer science, the founding fathers, like Alan Turing and Claude Shannon and Norbert Wiener, they all looked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/it-s-interesting-that-the-greatest-minds-of-computer-science-the/)

[Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/)

> [One of our big goals in search is to make search that really understands exactly what you want, understands everything in the world. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-page/one-of-our-big-goals-in-search-is-to-make-search-that-really/)

[Larry Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-page/)

> [We are beginning to see intimations of this in the implantation of computer devices into the human body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/we-are-beginning-to-see-intimations-of-this-in-the-implantation-of/)

[Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/)

> [I'm from the South, so I'm very old-fashioned and I'm not very computer savvy at all, but I'm getting it. I understand that, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-harmon/i-m-from-the-south-so-i-m-very-old-fashioned-and-i-m-not-very/)

[Angie Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-harmon/)

> [“To all the secret writers, late-night painters, would-be singers, lapsed and scared artists of every stripe, dig out your paintbrush, or your flute, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/to-all-the-secret-writers-late-night-painters-would-be-singers-lapsed/)

[Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/)

> [A little bit more than 50% of what you see on screen is handcrafted and the other 50% was about emulating these textures on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-abreu/a-little-bit-more-than-50-of-what-you-see-on-screen-is-handcrafted/)

[Alex Abreu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-abreu/)

> [Well I'm trying to think what I put in... I think I put in 'why?' to see if I'd confuse the computer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/well-i-m-trying-to-think-what-i-put-in-i-think-i-put-in-why-to-see-if/)

[Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/)

> [Our brains are great at knowing what to forget. We actually have to teach computers to do the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-maney/our-brains-are-great-at-knowing-what-to-forget-we-actually-have-to/)

[Kevin Maney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-maney/)

> [Nor would anybody suspect. If was one thing all people took for granted, was conviction that if you feed honest figures into a computer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/nor-would-anybody-suspect-if-was-one-thing-all-people-took-for/)

[Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/)

> [In nine months, a group of children left alone with a computer in any language will reach the same standard as an office secretary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugata-mitra/in-nine-months-a-group-of-children-left-alone-with-a-computer-in-any/)

[Sugata Mitra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugata-mitra/)

> [Why do you do what you do? Why do you dress the way you dress?Why do you do what you do with your time?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-conway/why-do-you-do-what-you-do-why-do-you-dress-the-way-you-dress-why-do/)

[Tim Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-conway/)

> [Yeah, I'm a geek. I read sci-fi and I watch sci-fi films. I love my computer and I love to fix it. I'm a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-benson/yeah-i-m-a-geek-i-read-sci-fi-and-i-watch-sci-fi-films-i-love-my/)

[Amber Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-benson/)

[Browse all 3,924 Computer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computer/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I'm really anti-option, so computers have been my nightmare with recording. I don't want endless tracks; I want less tracks. I want decisions to be made.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Ian MacKaye"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/i-m-really-anti-option-so-computers-have-been-my-nightmare-with/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Computer"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/i-m-really-anti-option-so-computers-have-been-my-nightmare-with/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b6/ian-mackaye-3369_computer_i-m-really-anti-option-so-computers-have_2452541.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b6/ian-mackaye-3369_computer_i-m-really-anti-option-so-computers-have_2452541.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b6/ian-mackaye-3369_computer_i-m-really-anti-option-so-computers-have_2452541.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I'm really anti-option, so computers have been my nightmare with recording. I don't want endless tracks; I…” — Ian MacKaye",
                "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": "Ian MacKaye",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I'm really anti-option, so computers have...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/i-m-really-anti-option-so-computers-have-been-my-nightmare-with/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/i-m-really-anti-option-so-computers-have-been-my-nightmare-with/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
