--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I play in tune like a cello player and…" description: "\"I play in tune like a cello player and use legitimate vibrato. There are no tricks; it's just all in the hands!\" — Jaco Pastorius" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/jaco-pastorius-24965_cello_i-play-in-tune-like-a-cello-player-and-u_1143632.png" --- # I play in tune like a cello player and use legitimate… ![“I play in tune like a cello player and use legitimate vibrato. There are no tricks; it's just all in the hands!” quote by Jaco Pastorius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/jaco-pastorius-24965_cello_i-play-in-tune-like-a-cello-player-and-u_1143632.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/jaco-pastorius-24965_cello_i-play-in-tune-like-a-cello-player-and-u_1143632.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/jaco-pastorius-24965_cello_i-play-in-tune-like-a-cello-player-and-u_1143632.png) > “I play in tune like a cello player and use legitimate vibrato. There are no tricks; it's just all in the hands!” [Jaco Pastorius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaco-pastorius/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. His playing is natural and skillful, without tricks, relying on hand control. **In simple terms:** Skillful playing comes from technique, not tricks. Key Takeaway Focus on mastering fundamentals. Themes musicianship technique authenticity Mood inspirational technical Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - instrument practice - live performance - teaching Key Concepts music theory performance Questions to Reflect On - How do you develop authentic skill? - What role do 'tricks' play in art? A Different Perspective Complexity may be undervalued. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cello/) [Cello Player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cello-player-3200063/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Legitimate Vibrato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legitimate-vibrato-3200062/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Like Cello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-cello-1859495/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Vibrato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vibrato-723633/) [Vibrato Tricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vibrato-tricks-3200061/) ## Related quotes > [I want you to play me like a cello.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/i-want-you-to-play-me-like-a-cello/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [I played tennis. My older brother, Joseph, was a cello player, and I played the cello, but he was better than me at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-silvers/i-played-tennis-my-older-brother-joseph-was-a-cello-player-and-i/) [Diana Silvers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-silvers/) > [“...Nico, dresses in virginal white, sang in a voice one writer described as "like a cello getting up in the morning”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-fletcher/nico-dresses-in-virginal-white-sang-in-a-voice-one-writer-described/) [Tony Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-fletcher/) > [If you've got a good vibrato, you can get away with a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-terry/if-you-ve-got-a-good-vibrato-you-can-get-away-with-a-lot/) [Sonny Terry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-terry/) > [In my early days, I never used finger vibrato at all. I originally carved my reputation as one of the 'fast' guitar players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-blackmore/in-my-early-days-i-never-used-finger-vibrato-at-all-i-originally/) [Ritchie Blackmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-blackmore/) > [I think the fundamental part of my technique is my vibrato.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-trower/i-think-the-fundamental-part-of-my-technique-is-my-vibrato/) [Robin Trower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-trower/) > [A lot of people say I use too much autotune but no, my voice is just robotic. I say a word with one flat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nav/a-lot-of-people-say-i-use-too-much-autotune-but-no-my-voice-is-just/) [Nav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nav/) > [Vibrato is the badge of tonal maturity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-fischbach/vibrato-is-the-badge-of-tonal-maturity/) [Gerald Fischbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-fischbach/) > [I can do the old hand vibrato just fine, but I like attacking the strings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-blackmore/i-can-do-the-old-hand-vibrato-just-fine-but-i-like-attacking-the/) [Ritchie Blackmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-blackmore/) > [Control of vibrato helps your musical expression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-galway/control-of-vibrato-helps-your-musical-expression/) [James Galway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-galway/) > [Well, first I'd want a better vibrato.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-kath/well-first-i-d-want-a-better-vibrato/) [Terry Kath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-kath/) > [When it comes to vibrato, a lot of people look at their hands when they do it. Which is pretty much of no use.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gilbert/when-it-comes-to-vibrato-a-lot-of-people-look-at-their-hands-when/) [Paul Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gilbert/) > [It's fitting, then, that we begin this exploration of ourselves and of the world with music, and more specifically with a musical quality called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-leonard/it-s-fitting-then-that-we-begin-this-exploration-of-ourselves-and-of/) [George Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-leonard/) > [My vibrato was my weakness. With romantic pieces, I could be a lot more schmaltzy. My wider vibrato fit that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-carlson/my-vibrato-was-my-weakness-with-romantic-pieces-i-could-be-a-lot-more/) [Gretchen Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-carlson/) > [“...but what is vibrato if not a breaking down of the rigid divisions between pitches, a temporary ending of our sundered musical segmentation; we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-dara/but-what-is-vibrato-if-not-a-breaking-down-of-the-rigid-divisions/) [Evan Dara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-dara/) ## More by Jaco Pastorius > [I had an upright - it took me years and years to get enough bread to get it. I'm from Florida, so one morning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaco-pastorius/i-had-an-upright-it-took-me-years-and-years-to-get-enough-bread-to/) [Jaco Pastorius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaco-pastorius/) > [I took the frets out of my bass after I was getting into jazz a lot and I wanted to have that upright sound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaco-pastorius/i-took-the-frets-out-of-my-bass-after-i-was-getting-into-jazz-a-lot/) [Jaco Pastorius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaco-pastorius/) > [My concept is not bigger than Weather Report. I am Weather Report. It comes through me; I do not create nothing. It comes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaco-pastorius/my-concept-is-not-bigger-than-weather-report-i-am-weather-report-it/) [Jaco Pastorius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaco-pastorius/) > [The secret to the sound is to drop the bass on the floor!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaco-pastorius/the-secret-to-the-sound-is-to-drop-the-bass-on-the-floor/) [Jaco Pastorius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaco-pastorius/) > [It's really easy to play harmonics, anyone can do it. It's another thing to be able to swing, to make to make a band…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaco-pastorius/it-s-really-easy-to-play-harmonics-anyone-can-do-it-it-s-another/) [Jaco Pastorius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaco-pastorius/) > [Joseph Zawinul and Toots Thielmans, in my opinion, are the only Europeans who can play rhythm-and-blues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaco-pastorius/joseph-zawinul-and-toots-thielmans-in-my-opinion-are-the-only/) [Jaco Pastorius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaco-pastorius/) > [A chimpanzee could learn what I do physically, but it goes way beyond that. When you play, you play life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaco-pastorius/a-chimpanzee-could-learn-what-i-do-physically-but-it-goes-way-beyond/) [Jaco Pastorius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaco-pastorius/) > [I'm not a star. I'm just backing up the cats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaco-pastorius/i-m-not-a-star-i-m-just-backing-up-the-cats/) [Jaco Pastorius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaco-pastorius/) > [I'm the greatest bass player in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaco-pastorius/i-m-the-greatest-bass-player-in-the-world/) [Jaco Pastorius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaco-pastorius/) > [Trumpets! Can you bring your... uh... extracurricular tubing necessities next rehearsal?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaco-pastorius/trumpets-can-you-bring-your-uh-extracurricular-tubing-necessities/) [Jaco Pastorius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaco-pastorius/) > [I'm not a star. I'll never be a Frank Sinatra or Elvis Presley or a Ray Charles. I'm just an imitator, man. I'm doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaco-pastorius/i-m-not-a-star-i-ll-never-be-a-frank-sinatra-or-elvis-presley-or-a/) [Jaco Pastorius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaco-pastorius/) > [Joseph Zawinul does overkill, and his technological overkill sucks, but there's no friction between us; I just say, 'Look,' and that's it. Do you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaco-pastorius/joseph-zawinul-does-overkill-and-his-technological-overkill-sucks-but/) [Jaco Pastorius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaco-pastorius/) > [All you've got to do is keep your ears open.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaco-pastorius/all-you-ve-got-to-do-is-keep-your-ears-open/) [Jaco Pastorius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaco-pastorius/) > [I've been playing the bass guitar for almost twelve years and fretless for about nine, so I've got quite a bit of mileage in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaco-pastorius/i-ve-been-playing-the-bass-guitar-for-almost-twelve-years-and/) [Jaco Pastorius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaco-pastorius/) > [So what, I'm living in a park. Parks are beautiful. I'm a musician. And I'm tired of dumb people who don't know where I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaco-pastorius/so-what-i-m-living-in-a-park-parks-are-beautiful-i-m-a-musician-and-i/) [Jaco Pastorius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaco-pastorius/) [Explore all 23 Jaco Pastorius quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaco-pastorius/) ## More Cello quotes > [I particularly enjoy cello music because our daughter plays the cello. I have listened to her practice for so many hours that I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-cleary/i-particularly-enjoy-cello-music-because-our-daughter-plays-the-cello/) [Beverly Cleary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-cleary/) > [“I am also practicing cello to wean myself from power and accomplishment, to place myself back in the posture of a learner, cultivator, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-crouch/i-am-also-practicing-cello-to-wean-myself-from-power-and/) [Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) > [I'm a pretty good drummer. I'm pretty good at guitar, bass and piano. I can play accordion; I'm not virtuoso. I've played cello before.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendon-urie/i-m-a-pretty-good-drummer-i-m-pretty-good-at-guitar-bass-and-piano-i/) [Brendon Urie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendon-urie/) > [When I die, I'd like to come back as a cello.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-newton/when-i-die-i-d-like-to-come-back-as-a-cello/) [Wayne Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-newton/) > [I used to play cello. My mother kept me out of school a whole year to study music and counterpoint. She thought I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/i-used-to-play-cello-my-mother-kept-me-out-of-school-a-whole-year-to/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [We were never happy with the way cello was recorded, and we wanted to experiment in the studio to make the cello rock as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luka-sulic/we-were-never-happy-with-the-way-cello-was-recorded-and-we-wanted-to/) [Luka Sulic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luka-sulic/) > [I went to college to study the piano and cello.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-bream/i-went-to-college-to-study-the-piano-and-cello/) [Julian Bream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-bream/) > [I love the cello, I love the physical sense of an instrument that's about the size of your body that vibrates enough that even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tod-machover/i-love-the-cello-i-love-the-physical-sense-of-an-instrument-that-s/) [Tod Machover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tod-machover/) > [It has endless possibilities, and but what we do with our arrangements, we move the borders of cello playing and discover new ways of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luka-sulic/it-has-endless-possibilities-and-but-what-we-do-with-our-arrangements/) [Luka Sulic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luka-sulic/) > [Whoever heard of an electric violin, electric cello or, for that matter, an electric singer?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andres-segovia/whoever-heard-of-an-electric-violin-electric-cello-or-for-that-matter/) [Andres Segovia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andres-segovia/) > [It started when I was eight years old. I first heard the cello on the radio, and I loved the sound. It was such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stjepan-hauser/it-started-when-i-was-eight-years-old-i-first-heard-the-cello-on-the/) [Stjepan Hauser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stjepan-hauser/) > [I played cello on my early recordings, but that doesn't mean I'm a cellist, you know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-holter/i-played-cello-on-my-early-recordings-but-that-doesn-t-mean-i-m-a/) [Julia Holter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-holter/) > [Lydia: And who's going to carry you when you're carrying the cello? House: Yes, cast aside the useless cripple. How very German of you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/house-md/lydia-and-who-s-going-to-carry-you-when-you-re-carrying-the-cello/) [House MD](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/house-md/) > [It is my aim, my destination in life to make the cello as beloved an instrument as the violin and piano.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mstislav-rostropovich/it-is-my-aim-my-destination-in-life-to-make-the-cello-as-beloved-an/) [Mstislav Rostropovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mstislav-rostropovich/) > [“the deep rich notes of the cello pick up on a solo and quickly catch my attention. Each note tugs at my insides, drawing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-armstrong/the-deep-rich-notes-of-the-cello-pick-up-on-a-solo-and-quickly-catch/) [Samantha Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-armstrong/) [Browse all 101 Cello quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cello/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I play in tune like a cello player and use legitimate vibrato. 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