--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I started out making music I thought…" description: "\"When I started out making music I thought it was about thrills and adding layers, but I realized I want to focus on saying the most with the least.\" — ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc0/james-vincent-mcmorrow-10886_adventure_when-i-started-out-making-music-i-though_3015449.jpg" --- # When I started out making music I thought it was about… ![“When I started out making music I thought it was about thrills and adding layers, but I realized I want to focus on saying the most with the least.” quote by James Vincent McMorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc0/james-vincent-mcmorrow-10886_adventure_when-i-started-out-making-music-i-though_3015449.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc0/james-vincent-mcmorrow-10886_adventure_when-i-started-out-making-music-i-though_3015449.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc0/james-vincent-mcmorrow-10886_adventure_when-i-started-out-making-music-i-though_3015449.jpg) > “When I started out making music I thought it was about thrills and adding layers, but I realized I want to focus on saying the most with the least.” [James Vincent McMorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-vincent-mcmorrow/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early music focused on excitement and layers; later, the aim shifted to conveying maximum meaning with minimal elements. **In simple terms:** Focus on meaning over complexity in music. Key Takeaway Prioritize clarity and depth in creative work. Themes music minimalism expression Mood introspective artistic Type creative philosophical When to use this quote - studio sessions - live performance - creative workshops Key Concepts songwriting production artistic evolution Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance simplicity and impact? - What’s your essential message? A Different Perspective Risk of oversimplification. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adventure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adventure/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Making Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-music/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) ## Related quotes > [My work is my main passion and I do not focus on what everyone is saying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanishk-bagchi/my-work-is-my-main-passion-and-i-do-not-focus-on-what-everyone-is/) [Tanishk Bagchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanishk-bagchi/) > [“When we focus, we are saying “Yes” to what we think is important and “No” to what we choose to make irrelevant.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-a-barnes/when-we-focus-we-are-saying-yes-to-what-we-think-is-important-and-no/) [Jeffrey A. Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-a-barnes/) > [“Focus is about saying no.” — Steve Jobs”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-a-barnes/focus-is-about-saying-no-steve-jobs/) [Jeffrey A. Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-a-barnes/) > [“So many fearful people focus on the What if when they should be saying Why not?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-vujicic/so-many-fearful-people-focus-on-the-what-if-when-they-should-be/) [Nick Vujicic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-vujicic/) > [Focus is about saying, No. And the result of that focus is going to be some really great products where the total is much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/focus-is-about-saying-no-and-the-result-of-that-focus-is-going-to-be/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [Are you trying to give me a hint that I should drop it? I can lose the accent; I just have to really focus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-remini/are-you-trying-to-give-me-a-hint-that-i-should-drop-it-i-can-lose-the/) [Leah Remini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-remini/) > [I wasn't trying to be famous when I started making music. I mean, that wasn't the first thing I wanted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-wasn-t-trying-to-be-famous-when-i-started-making-music-i-mean-that/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [I started making music for myself when I was sixteen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-parrish/i-started-making-music-for-myself-when-i-was-sixteen/) [Hunter Parrish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-parrish/) > [I started making music professionally when I was 14.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sky-ferreira/i-started-making-music-professionally-when-i-was-14/) [Sky Ferreira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sky-ferreira/) > [I worked flipping cheeseburgers and Big Mac's at McDonald's, purchased a microphone, and cleared all the stuff out of my basement and started making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yung-lean/i-worked-flipping-cheeseburgers-and-big-mac-s-at-mcdonald-s-purchased/) [Yung Lean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yung-lean/) > [I started making music because I could.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanis-morissette/i-started-making-music-because-i-could/) [Alanis Morissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanis-morissette/) > [My friends started making music, and then I started making covers because I was like, 'I don't have anything to write, but I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clairo/my-friends-started-making-music-and-then-i-started-making-covers/) [Clairo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clairo/) > [I went to this boy's choir school when I was growing up, and I think that the first time that I consciously started making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/i-went-to-this-boy-s-choir-school-when-i-was-growing-up-and-i-think/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [Since I started making music, it had always been for myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/skylar-grey/since-i-started-making-music-it-had-always-been-for-myself/) [Skylar Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/skylar-grey/) > [Before I started making music I felt like I couldn't affect anything in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-congleton/before-i-started-making-music-i-felt-like-i-couldn-t-affect-anything/) [John Congleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-congleton/) ## More by James Vincent McMorrow > [I heard of this Texas studio. The owner, Tony Rancich, wanted to fly us out for the day to see the studio. I booked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-vincent-mcmorrow/i-heard-of-this-texas-studio-the-owner-tony-rancich-wanted-to-fly-us/) [James Vincent McMorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-vincent-mcmorrow/) > [I'm very ambitious, musically - I want to create great things, not mediocre work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-vincent-mcmorrow/i-m-very-ambitious-musically-i-want-to-create-great-things-not/) [James Vincent McMorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-vincent-mcmorrow/) > [Hip-hop has been the guiding light of my life as a musician and a music fan. It's the one common thread through all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-vincent-mcmorrow/hip-hop-has-been-the-guiding-light-of-my-life-as-a-musician-and-a/) [James Vincent McMorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-vincent-mcmorrow/) > [I like what I like, I don't like what I don't like, and I'm very bad at toning myself down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-vincent-mcmorrow/i-like-what-i-like-i-don-t-like-what-i-don-t-like-and-i-m-very-bad-at/) [James Vincent McMorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-vincent-mcmorrow/) > [I feel the reasons my songs might seem dark is because of how I viewed the situations I was in and it was just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-vincent-mcmorrow/i-feel-the-reasons-my-songs-might-seem-dark-is-because-of-how-i/) [James Vincent McMorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-vincent-mcmorrow/) > [I really wanted to approach performing live differently than most people who just play guitar and sing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-vincent-mcmorrow/i-really-wanted-to-approach-performing-live-differently-than-most/) [James Vincent McMorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-vincent-mcmorrow/) > [I made a note in my head to be aware of things as they were happening, because they might not happen again. Up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-vincent-mcmorrow/i-made-a-note-in-my-head-to-be-aware-of-things-as-they-were-happening/) [James Vincent McMorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-vincent-mcmorrow/) > [More often than not, changes had to be made in order for a song to make sense, and by the end of it, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-vincent-mcmorrow/more-often-than-not-changes-had-to-be-made-in-order-for-a-song-to/) [James Vincent McMorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-vincent-mcmorrow/) > [All the really good guitar players - Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, or even Bert Jansch or John Martin - I love all those people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-vincent-mcmorrow/all-the-really-good-guitar-players-jimi-hendrix-jimmy-page-or-even/) [James Vincent McMorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-vincent-mcmorrow/) > [I write songs on a course of time that's comfortable for me. I would probably never write a song from start to finish in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-vincent-mcmorrow/i-write-songs-on-a-course-of-time-that-s-comfortable-for-me-i-would/) [James Vincent McMorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-vincent-mcmorrow/) > [What we understand to be profoundness, or importance, it changes. It should change. It should be this moment where you cannot believe that equalled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-vincent-mcmorrow/what-we-understand-to-be-profoundness-or-importance-it-changes-it/) [James Vincent McMorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-vincent-mcmorrow/) > [I want to talk about things that are tangible and real to me, but I also want to do them in a way that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-vincent-mcmorrow/i-want-to-talk-about-things-that-are-tangible-and-real-to-me-but-i/) [James Vincent McMorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-vincent-mcmorrow/) > [I was never a 'sit down with a notepad and write lyrics' kind of person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-vincent-mcmorrow/i-was-never-a-sit-down-with-a-notepad-and-write-lyrics-kind-of-person/) [James Vincent McMorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-vincent-mcmorrow/) > [I didn't really learn how to play guitar until I was in college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-vincent-mcmorrow/i-didn-t-really-learn-how-to-play-guitar-until-i-was-in-college/) [James Vincent McMorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-vincent-mcmorrow/) > [I approach every show from the same fundamental perspective: this is a conversation, and my job is to make people leave the show feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-vincent-mcmorrow/i-approach-every-show-from-the-same-fundamental-perspective-this-is-a/) [James Vincent McMorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-vincent-mcmorrow/) [Explore all 63 James Vincent McMorrow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-vincent-mcmorrow/) ## More Adventure quotes > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I painted the words "GREAT ADVENTURE" in Beijing, Dallas, San Francisco, Copenhagen, and Japan. What it means to me is completely different to everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-eine/i-painted-the-words-great-adventure-in-beijing-dallas-san-francisco/) [Ben Eine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-eine/) > [I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-replicate-what-the-body-s-going/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [I am attracted to looking at the different things language can mean even in one sometimes quite ordinary utterance. Writing is partly about listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-armantrout/i-am-attracted-to-looking-at-the-different-things-language-can-mean/) [Rae Armantrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-armantrout/) > [What a thrill. You know you've entered new territory when you realise that your outfit cost more than your film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-yu/what-a-thrill-you-know-you-ve-entered-new-territory-when-you-realise/) Jessica Yu > [“So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-supertramp-chris-mccandless/so-many-people-live-within-unhappy-circumstances-and-yet-will-not/) Alexander Supertramp Chris McCandless > [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/) [Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/) > [“Exactly. I think the original tantric Buddhists took notice of was some very wise old people who never studied in their youth, but took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-niemczura/exactly-i-think-the-original-tantric-buddhists-took-notice-of-was/) [Joe Niemczura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-niemczura/) > [As an adventurer...I try to protect against the downside. I make sure I have covered as many eventualities as I can. In the end,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/as-an-adventurer-i-try-to-protect-against-the-downside-i-make-sure-i/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [“Love can give you such happiness, then can break the very heart it filled, leaving a hole that can never be fixed or protected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mcleod/love-can-give-you-such-happiness-then-can-break-the-very-heart-it/) Kevin McLeod > [“It always gave Wolf a peculiar thrill thus to tighten his grip upon his stick, thus to wrap himself more closely in his faded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cowper-powys/it-always-gave-wolf-a-peculiar-thrill-thus-to-tighten-his-grip-upon/) [John Cowper Powys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cowper-powys/) > [“It all had to be squeezed and squeezed again, to provide a thrill, to provide enjoyment. What did people mean, with their simply determined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence-2/it-all-had-to-be-squeezed-and-squeezed-again-to-provide-a-thrill-to/) [D.H. 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