--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Not only do you need great lyrics, a…" description: "\"Not only do you need great lyrics, a great message, a great story, great vocals, great chords... you also need great instrumentation, great editing, gr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c24/joey-sturgis-43111_chords_not-only-do-you-need-great-lyrics-a-grea_2844246.jpg" --- # Not only do you need great lyrics, a great message, a… ![“Not only do you need great lyrics, a great message, a great story, great vocals, great chords... you also need great instrumentation, great editing, great sonics, great mixing, and great mastering. It all comes together to make something truly great, and I think each element combines together to…” quote by Joey Sturgis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c24/joey-sturgis-43111_chords_not-only-do-you-need-great-lyrics-a-grea_2844246.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c24/joey-sturgis-43111_chords_not-only-do-you-need-great-lyrics-a-grea_2844246.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c24/joey-sturgis-43111_chords_not-only-do-you-need-great-lyrics-a-grea_2844246.jpg) > “Not only do you need great lyrics, a great message, a great story, great vocals, great chords... you also need great instrumentation, great editing, great sonics, great mixing, and great mastering. It all comes together to make something truly great, and I think each element combines together to create a powerful impact on the consumer.” [Joey Sturgis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-sturgis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creating a high‑quality song requires excellence in every production element, not just songwriting or performance. **In simple terms:** All parts of a track must be great for a powerful impact. Key Takeaway Focus on every production stage. Themes production collaboration quality impact Mood determined analytical Type instructional inspirational When to use this quote - recording sessions - mixing - mastering - songwriting - performance Key Concepts audio engineering holistic creation Questions to Reflect On - Which stage of your music process needs the most improvement? - How does each element contribute to listener experience? A Different Perspective Neglecting any element can weaken the final product. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Consumers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumers/) [Elements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elements/) [Great lyric](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-lyric/) [Impact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impact/) [Instrumentation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instrumentation/) [Messages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/messages/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [As a lyricist, you love to hear other great lyrics or other great concepts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-keys/as-a-lyricist-you-love-to-hear-other-great-lyrics-or-other-great/) [Alicia Keys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-keys/) > [I feel great, the Sonics are a great organization regardless of where it is. The team is great as well and I know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-westbrook/i-feel-great-the-sonics-are-a-great-organization-regardless-of-where/) [Russell Westbrook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-westbrook/) > ['Jaago Zara' was never going to be irrelevant. It had great lyrics, and was a great song even back in the day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neha-bhasin/jaago-zara-was-never-going-to-be-irrelevant-it-had-great-lyrics-and/) [Neha Bhasin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neha-bhasin/) > [I always thought that was very important, to be able to deliver great lyrics and also put on a great performance, to have that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-daddy-kane/i-always-thought-that-was-very-important-to-be-able-to-deliver-great/) [Big Daddy Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-daddy-kane/) > [If you can say the lyrics almost like a poem and they stand up, that's a great thing. Some songs have great lyrics and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/if-you-can-say-the-lyrics-almost-like-a-poem-and-they-stand-up-that-s/) [Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/) > [We human beings are tuned such that we crave great melody and great lyrics. And if somebody writes a great song, it's timeless that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-garfunkel/we-human-beings-are-tuned-such-that-we-crave-great-melody-and-great/) [Art Garfunkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-garfunkel/) > [There will always be some kid who's the new Kurt Cobain writing great lyrics and singing from his soul. The problem is they're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosanna-arquette/there-will-always-be-some-kid-who-s-the-new-kurt-cobain-writing-great/) [Rosanna Arquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosanna-arquette/) > [I have a fondness for words. On that note, I don't consider my lyrics to be all that great. I like to call myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anoop-menon/i-have-a-fondness-for-words-on-that-note-i-don-t-consider-my-lyrics/) [Anoop Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anoop-menon/) > [I create my own lyrics. I have a great band. I have a drummer from East Berlin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-hagen/i-create-my-own-lyrics-i-have-a-great-band-i-have-a-drummer-from-east/) [Nina Hagen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-hagen/) > [Those who never think of money need a great deal of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/those-who-never-think-of-money-need-a-great-deal-of-it/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [You need great passion, because everything you do with great pleasure, you do well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-manuel-fangio/you-need-great-passion-because-everything-you-do-with-great-pleasure/) [Juan Manuel Fangio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-manuel-fangio/) > [You can't just have a good voice. You need a great voice, song, performance and video. When people see you, it all has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-garrett/you-can-t-just-have-a-good-voice-you-need-a-great-voice-song/) [Sean Garrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-garrett/) > [“to have a great life you need great memories. Grab any intriguing offer. Say yes to a challenge and to the unknown. Be creative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-lowe/to-have-a-great-life-you-need-great-memories-grab-any-intriguing/) [Rob Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-lowe/) > [Instead of focusing on how big your problems are, focus on how big your God is! He is everything you need. He is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/instead-of-focusing-on-how-big-your-problems-are-focus-on-how-big/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [We need a great president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-great-president/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) ## More by Joey Sturgis > [The problem you get with most today's drum samples is that when you use them, you sound like everyone else using them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-sturgis/the-problem-you-get-with-most-today-s-drum-samples-is-that-when-you/) [Joey Sturgis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-sturgis/) > [Take care of your ears, they're everything!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-sturgis/take-care-of-your-ears-they-re-everything/) [Joey Sturgis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-sturgis/) > [Plugins can be created to unleash your creativity and break down technical barriers between the artist and his ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-sturgis/plugins-can-be-created-to-unleash-your-creativity-and-break-down/) [Joey Sturgis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-sturgis/) > [I strive to create drum samples that have a variety of engineering and capturing options in order to build a unique drum sound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-sturgis/i-strive-to-create-drum-samples-that-have-a-variety-of-engineering/) [Joey Sturgis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-sturgis/) > [The current drum sample market isn't offering enough options in terms of how the drums are captured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-sturgis/the-current-drum-sample-market-isn-t-offering-enough-options-in-terms/) [Joey Sturgis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-sturgis/) > [Music is entertainment, and all the various methods of consumption are out there. Go for what you like, simple as that!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-sturgis/music-is-entertainment-and-all-the-various-methods-of-consumption-are/) [Joey Sturgis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-sturgis/) > [I noticed a lot of bands always having a few people in the band being interested in recording and audio production, so I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-sturgis/i-noticed-a-lot-of-bands-always-having-a-few-people-in-the-band-being/) [Joey Sturgis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-sturgis/) > [I'm a firm believer in quality > quantity, and I think it's important to have high standards in any product creation product.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-sturgis/i-m-a-firm-believer-in-quality-quantity-and-i-think-it-s-important-to/) [Joey Sturgis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-sturgis/) [Explore all 9 Joey Sturgis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-sturgis/) ## More Chords quotes > [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) > [Every time I finish a song... most of the time it's in my own head, like this sounds too much like a Townes Van…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/every-time-i-finish-a-song-most-of-the-time-it-s-in-my-own-head-like/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [So I concentrated on the rhythmic side of things, and therefore left a lot of holes. I didn't want to use big pad chords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/midge-ure/so-i-concentrated-on-the-rhythmic-side-of-things-and-therefore-left-a/) [Midge Ure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/midge-ure/) > [Talk health. The dreary, never-changing tale Of mortal maladies is worn and stale. You cannot charm, or interest, or please By harping in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-wheeler-wilcox/talk-health-the-dreary-never-changing-tale-of-mortal-maladies-is-worn/) [Ella Wheeler Wilcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-wheeler-wilcox/) > [There's four chords in every song. That's the fun part - trying to make that your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-rodrigo/there-s-four-chords-in-every-song-that-s-the-fun-part-trying-to-make/) [Olivia Rodrigo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-rodrigo/) > [Pete Townsend for me was a huge influence. Because essentially they were a three-piece band and the way he structured his chords and took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-lifeson/pete-townsend-for-me-was-a-huge-influence-because-essentially-they/) [Alex Lifeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-lifeson/) > [“Wild Horses" started in a B-minor chord, and Stu didn't play minor chords, "fucking Chinese music.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-richards/wild-horses-started-in-a-b-minor-chord-and-stu-didn-t-play-minor/) [Keith Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-richards/) > [I learned to play by ear before I learned music theory. For me, that makes sense. After all, children learn to speak before they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jools-holland/i-learned-to-play-by-ear-before-i-learned-music-theory-for-me-that/) [Jools Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jools-holland/) > [My course is about really working on a sheet of music. You work out the chords, which note complements the other, and how they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catriona-gray/my-course-is-about-really-working-on-a-sheet-of-music-you-work-out/) [Catriona Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catriona-gray/) > [I don't write poetry and then strum some chords and then fit the words on top of the chords.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/i-don-t-write-poetry-and-then-strum-some-chords-and-then-fit-the/) [Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) > [I always think of each night as a song. Or each moment as a song. But now I'm seeing we don't live in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-always-think-of-each-night-as-a-song-or-each-moment-as-a-song-but/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [It's a double-headed coin, because technology is a convenience but it's stifled our attention spans. At one time, albums had songs that were like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cee-lo-green/it-s-a-double-headed-coin-because-technology-is-a-convenience-but-it/) [Cee Lo Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cee-lo-green/) > [I don't want to discredit people's opinions of me, but you talk about the violin or the cello or lead guitar where you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-raitt/i-don-t-want-to-discredit-people-s-opinions-of-me-but-you-talk-about/) [Bonnie Raitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-raitt/) > [There are no rules or certain methods. I usually start with the guitar or piano and sing melodies over the chords. The lyrics seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reeves/there-are-no-rules-or-certain-methods-i-usually-start-with-the-guitar/) [Jason Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reeves/) > [I like really sparse electronics, lush arrangements, and interesting chord structures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-klinghoffer/i-like-really-sparse-electronics-lush-arrangements-and-interesting/) [Josh Klinghoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-klinghoffer/) Browse all 544 Chords quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Not only do you need great lyrics, a great message, a great story, great vocals, great chords... you also need great instrumentation, great editing, great sonics, great mixing, and great mastering. 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