--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think when I began, I played distortion…" description: "\"I think when I began, I played distortion more than the guitar. The results of my strumming. Now I play the twang of the string, which is a lot closer ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f2/ian-williams-33049_began_i-think-when-i-began-i-played-distortion_520763.jpg" --- # I think when I began, I played distortion more than the… ![“I think when I began, I played distortion more than the guitar. The results of my strumming. Now I play the twang of the string, which is a lot closer to the source of the sound making.” quote by Ian Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f2/ian-williams-33049_began_i-think-when-i-began-i-played-distortion_520763.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f2/ian-williams-33049_began_i-think-when-i-began-i-played-distortion_520763.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f2/ian-williams-33049_began_i-think-when-i-began-i-played-distortion_520763.jpg) > “I think when I began, I played distortion more than the guitar. The results of my strumming. Now I play the twang of the string, which is a lot closer to the source of the sound making.” [Ian Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-williams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He shifted focus from heavy distortion to clean string tone, emphasizing the pure sound source. **In simple terms:** He moved from noisy distortion to clean guitar tone. Key Takeaway Prioritize the natural sound of your instrument. Themes music technique tone creativity Mood reflective inspired Type musical technical philosophical When to use this quote - recording sessions - live performance - practice routine - songwriting - sound design Key Concepts sound physics instrumental purity artistic evolution Questions to Reflect On - How does clean tone affect your musical expression? - When is distortion essential? A Different Perspective Pure tone may lack the energy some genres demand. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Distortion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distortion/) [Guitar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guitar/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) ## Related quotes > [I went through a string of A&R men who all thought I should be doing something different. 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Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [I would say the best toy for any cat is always some sort of dangling item on a string or fishing-rod-type structure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/i-would-say-the-best-toy-for-any-cat-is-always-some-sort-of-dangling/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) ## More by Ian Williams > [I'm too tasteful for my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-williams/i-m-too-tasteful-for-my-pants/) [Ian Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-williams/) > [I don't think our music has much to do with math rock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-williams/i-don-t-think-our-music-has-much-to-do-with-math-rock/) [Ian Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-williams/) > [Our music doesn't make many compromises, but we take it into a venue that's larger than people expect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-williams/our-music-doesn-t-make-many-compromises-but-we-take-it-into-a-venue/) [Ian Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-williams/) > [I think one of the most boring things is a person's taste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-williams/i-think-one-of-the-most-boring-things-is-a-person-s-taste/) [Ian Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-williams/) > [This is fun; consuming our music shouldn't be a responsibility like eating your spinach or something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-williams/this-is-fun-consuming-our-music-shouldn-t-be-a-responsibility-like/) [Ian Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-williams/) > [We're not ever interested in repeating ourselves or doing what people expect us to do, it's such a turn off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-williams/we-re-not-ever-interested-in-repeating-ourselves-or-doing-what-people/) [Ian Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-williams/) > [It's like that Simpsons joke - they're filming a cow in a movie and they go, 'OK, we'll tape a bunch of cats together…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-williams/it-s-like-that-simpsons-joke-they-re-filming-a-cow-in-a-movie-and/) [Ian Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-williams/) > [Now and then, I had moments of greatness, but I never knew how to duplicate it consistently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-williams/now-and-then-i-had-moments-of-greatness-but-i-never-knew-how-to/) [Ian Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-williams/) > [I think there's a lot of naivete and hubris within our mix of personalities. 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It's like trying to read the song title on a record that's spinning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-williams/i-don-t-like-giving-names-to-generations-it-s-like-trying-to-read-the/) [Ian Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-williams/) [Explore all 15 Ian Williams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-williams/) ## More Began quotes > [When I was 13, I began relaxing my hair, and that meant when I turned 18 it began to crack and fall off, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soledad-o-brien/when-i-was-13-i-began-relaxing-my-hair-and-that-meant-when-i-turned/) [Soledad O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soledad-o-brien/) > [We began intercepting Japanese radio transmissions, which indicated the two forces were very close to each other. 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