--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I got into songs like 'Exist,' I was…" description: "\"When I got into songs like 'Exist,' I was like, 'Okay, this riff has some bass sweeping in it, I'm definitely going to have to use a pick... but I gues..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06c/johnny-christ-15337_bass_when-i-got-into-songs-like-exist-i-was-l_3084081.jpg" --- # When I got into songs like 'Exist,' I was like, 'Okay… ![“When I got into songs like 'Exist,' I was like, 'Okay, this riff has some bass sweeping in it, I'm definitely going to have to use a pick... but I guess I'll have to learn how to sweep first!'” quote by Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06c/johnny-christ-15337_bass_when-i-got-into-songs-like-exist-i-was-l_3084081.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06c/johnny-christ-15337_bass_when-i-got-into-songs-like-exist-i-was-l_3084081.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06c/johnny-christ-15337_bass_when-i-got-into-songs-like-exist-i-was-l_3084081.jpg) > “When I got into songs like 'Exist,' I was like, 'Okay, this riff has some bass sweeping in it, I'm definitely going to have to use a pick... but I guess I'll have to learn how to sweep first!'” [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He realized that mastering a technique requires first learning its fundamentals before applying it creatively. **In simple terms:** Learn basics before advanced tricks. Key Takeaway Master fundamentals first. Themes music learning creativity Mood determined enthusiastic Type motivational instructional When to use this quote - learning guitar - writing riffs - improvisation - studio recording Key Concepts technique practice skill development Questions to Reflect On - What fundamentals are you overlooking? - How can you integrate basics into your style? A Different Perspective If you skip basics, you may develop bad habits. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [Sometimes one of us will have a riff or a bass line from home but it really gels when we come together. We really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-smith/sometimes-one-of-us-will-have-a-riff-or-a-bass-line-from-home-but-it/) [Chad Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-smith/) > [The best way to learn sweep picking is to first isolate the right- and left-hand techniques, master them separately and then coordinate them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-petrucci/the-best-way-to-learn-sweep-picking-is-to-first-isolate-the-right-and/) [John Petrucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-petrucci/) > [You really have to play with the space in a riff so it can be allowed to breathe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/you-really-have-to-play-with-the-space-in-a-riff-so-it-can-be-allowed/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [Every riff had to be perfect and heavy, collectively what we wanted it to be. If there was one person in the room who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/every-riff-had-to-be-perfect-and-heavy-collectively-what-we-wanted-it/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [You can have the best riff in the world, but if the drums behind it just ain't vibing it, it's not gonna be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/you-can-have-the-best-riff-in-the-world-but-if-the-drums-behind-it/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [I like to decide the night before Thanksgiving that I'm gonna do it, and I'll see what riff raff is around. Then I get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/i-like-to-decide-the-night-before-thanksgiving-that-i-m-gonna-do-it/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [Songs are out there - they're waiting to be grabbed. I start with a phrase, musical and lyrical, words like 'I don't think so'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-wood/songs-are-out-there-they-re-waiting-to-be-grabbed-i-start-with-a/) [Ronnie Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-wood/) > ['I'm Broken' was a sound check riff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimebag-darrell/i-m-broken-was-a-sound-check-riff/) [Dimebag Darrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimebag-darrell/) > [I think often times if a guitar riff is centered around the chorus or if it follows the chorus, then it often times turns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-tedder/i-think-often-times-if-a-guitar-riff-is-centered-around-the-chorus-or/) [Ryan Tedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-tedder/) > [“Sometimes, sometimes you find a riff that fits so comfortably, you wish it would go on forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fox-benwell/sometimes-sometimes-you-find-a-riff-that-fits-so-comfortably-you-wish/) [Fox Benwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fox-benwell/) > [There's such a huge difference between a great arrangement of riffs and a song. Sometimes the two can be the same. But the difference…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/there-s-such-a-huge-difference-between-a-great-arrangement-of-riffs/) [Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/) > [A riff can take on the aspect of a chorus in a listener's psyche.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-white/a-riff-can-take-on-the-aspect-of-a-chorus-in-a-listener-s-psyche/) [Jack White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-white/) > [I got really hooked on this riff in the middle of this song called 'Minor Miracles' by my friend Eric Johnson from Fruit Bats.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-james/i-got-really-hooked-on-this-riff-in-the-middle-of-this-song-called/) [Jim James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-james/) > [I like old-school, riff-driven, hard rock music with big hooks!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-breuer/i-like-old-school-riff-driven-hard-rock-music-with-big-hooks/) [Jim Breuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-breuer/) > [When I write a song, it's all about the riff - the riff first, then the words come later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-dando/when-i-write-a-song-it-s-all-about-the-riff-the-riff-first-then-the/) [Evan Dando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-dando/) ## More by Johnny Christ > [You can have the best riff in the world, but if the drums behind it just ain't vibing it, it's not gonna be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/you-can-have-the-best-riff-in-the-world-but-if-the-drums-behind-it/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [We are just happy to be together and out and traveling the world together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/we-are-just-happy-to-be-together-and-out-and-traveling-the-world/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [There were numerous times where, at the end of a week of working on a song, there was a part of it that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/there-were-numerous-times-where-at-the-end-of-a-week-of-working-on-a/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [If we're compared to Metallica, the greatest metal band in the world, I think that's actually a pretty damn good compliment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/if-we-re-compared-to-metallica-the-greatest-metal-band-in-the-world-i/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [We're always trying to do something better than the last record; to do something different and evolve as a band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/we-re-always-trying-to-do-something-better-than-the-last-record-to-do/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [If I ever wanted a gnome, I guess Id just stand out on my lawn for a while.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/if-i-ever-wanted-a-gnome-i-guess-id-just-stand-out-on-my-lawn-for-a/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [The importance of first-week sales has kind of diminished, in our opinion, in the industry, and we don't really know what it really means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/the-importance-of-first-week-sales-has-kind-of-diminished-in-our/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [I'm Johnny Christ, and I play the tambourine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/i-m-johnny-christ-and-i-play-the-tambourine/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [These fans are the reason why we're here. They're awesome and very crazy. They love Avenged Sevenfold, and we love them. Having that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/these-fans-are-the-reason-why-we-re-here-they-re-awesome-and-very/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [We always mess around with riffs and stuff and kind of jam out during sound checks, but we never actually started playing covers live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/we-always-mess-around-with-riffs-and-stuff-and-kind-of-jam-out-during/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [We definitely want to make sure that what we are making is something that we are proud of and something that we are inspired…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/we-definitely-want-to-make-sure-that-what-we-are-making-is-something/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [The fans have always been die-hard and awesome. That's why we do a lot of the things we do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/the-fans-have-always-been-die-hard-and-awesome-that-s-why-we-do-a-lot/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [True fans stick behind bands through thick and thin and we've been lucky enough to have some amazing fans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/true-fans-stick-behind-bands-through-thick-and-thin-and-we-ve-been/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [You can definitely tell the record was made for the time that it was and on the budget that it was. 'Waking the Fallen,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/you-can-definitely-tell-the-record-was-made-for-the-time-that-it-was/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [We were about ready to go out on the road with Maiden, and Kerrang asked us to do an Iron Maiden tribute song. While…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/we-were-about-ready-to-go-out-on-the-road-with-maiden-and-kerrang/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) [Explore all 43 Johnny Christ quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) ## More Bass quotes > [I remember that the bass was turned up slightly more on the mix from last week, and I thought that was good - or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ronson/i-remember-that-the-bass-was-turned-up-slightly-more-on-the-mix-from/) [Mark Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ronson/) > [In life's orchestra, the bike is the double bass. Hard to forget it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-fournel/in-life-s-orchestra-the-bike-is-the-double-bass-hard-to-forget-it/) Paul Fournel > [Bass guitar is the engine of the band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzi-quatro/bass-guitar-is-the-engine-of-the-band/) [Suzi Quatro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzi-quatro/) > [I'm 12 years sober, so I don't have beer! When I used to drink I really liked Bass Ale!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-davis/i-m-12-years-sober-so-i-don-t-have-beer-when-i-used-to-drink-i-really/) [Kristin Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-davis/) > [The kind of fishing that I do is pretty much bass, trout or freshwater fishing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-steyn/the-kind-of-fishing-that-i-do-is-pretty-much-bass-trout-or-freshwater/) [Dale Steyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-steyn/) > [Imagine if you were a drummer, and you accidentally picked up two magic wands instead of sticks. There you are, keeping the beat, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/imagine-if-you-were-a-drummer-and-you-accidentally-picked-up-two/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [I was never much of a bass player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-adams/i-was-never-much-of-a-bass-player/) [Ryan Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-adams/) > [I've always been playing with other people, and that's how I learned. I got a kit of drums I couldn't play, but I also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ringo-starr/i-ve-always-been-playing-with-other-people-and-that-s-how-i-learned-i/) [Ringo Starr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ringo-starr/) > [I grew up on the pirate radio scene which started out as drum 'n' bass music. U.K. garage picked up and got bigger on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dizzee-rascal/i-grew-up-on-the-pirate-radio-scene-which-started-out-as-drum-n-bass/) [Dizzee Rascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dizzee-rascal/) > [Close to the Edge by Yes. Such a fun tune to play on bass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-acton/close-to-the-edge-by-yes-such-a-fun-tune-to-play-on-bass/) [Brian Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-acton/) > [I've been in a band, so I understand the politics. Sometimes the bass player doesn't like what the guitar player is doing, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ric-ocasek/i-ve-been-in-a-band-so-i-understand-the-politics-sometimes-the-bass/) [Ric Ocasek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ric-ocasek/) > [That's what Joe Don Rooney and I do. He plays guitar and I play bass - and there's no reason to call it a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/that-s-what-joe-don-rooney-and-i-do-he-plays-guitar-and-i-play-bass/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [I've always said the bass just happens to be the crayon I picked out of the box. I'd still be drawing the same pictures...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-claypool/i-ve-always-said-the-bass-just-happens-to-be-the-crayon-i-picked-out/) [Les Claypool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-claypool/) > [I was a guitar player in a band that had two keyboard players, sometimes two other guitarists, a bass player, and a drummer, four…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-satriani/i-was-a-guitar-player-in-a-band-that-had-two-keyboard-players/) [Joe Satriani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-satriani/) > [I live a different way today. I have a family, and they are a priority for me. These days, I no longer wake up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-clarke/i-live-a-different-way-today-i-have-a-family-and-they-are-a-priority/) [Stanley Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-clarke/) Browse all 722 Bass quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I got into songs like 'Exist,' I was like, 'Okay, this riff has some bass sweeping in it, I'm definitely going to have to use a pick... but I guess I'll have to learn how to sweep first!'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Johnny Christ" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/when-i-got-into-songs-like-exist-i-was-like-okay-this-riff-has-some/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bass" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/when-i-got-into-songs-like-exist-i-was-like-okay-this-riff-has-some/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06c/johnny-christ-15337_bass_when-i-got-into-songs-like-exist-i-was-l_3084081.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06c/johnny-christ-15337_bass_when-i-got-into-songs-like-exist-i-was-l_3084081.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06c/johnny-christ-15337_bass_when-i-got-into-songs-like-exist-i-was-l_3084081.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I got into songs like 'Exist,' I was like, 'Okay, this riff has some bass sweeping in it, I'm…” — Johnny Christ", "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": "Johnny Christ", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I got into songs like...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/when-i-got-into-songs-like-exist-i-was-like-okay-this-riff-has-some/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/when-i-got-into-songs-like-exist-i-was-like-okay-this-riff-has-some/#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 } } ] } ```