--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I started playing drums at three, then…" description: "\"I started playing drums at three, then piano at five, then clarinet. But it wasn't till I picked up a saxophone aged 13 that I really got serious about..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/kamasi-washington-4976_drums_i-started-playing-drums-at-three-then-pi_228118.jpg" --- # I started playing drums at three, then piano at five, then… ![“I started playing drums at three, then piano at five, then clarinet. But it wasn't till I picked up a saxophone aged 13 that I really got serious about music.” quote by Kamasi Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/kamasi-washington-4976_drums_i-started-playing-drums-at-three-then-pi_228118.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/kamasi-washington-4976_drums_i-started-playing-drums-at-three-then-pi_228118.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/kamasi-washington-4976_drums_i-started-playing-drums-at-three-then-pi_228118.jpg) > “I started playing drums at three, then piano at five, then clarinet. But it wasn't till I picked up a saxophone aged 13 that I really got serious about music.” [Kamasi Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamasi-washington/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Highlights the importance of diverse early musical experiences in shaping artistic depth. **In simple terms:** Early varied practice builds musical depth. Key Takeaway Explore multiple instruments early. Themes creativity discipline musical development exploration identity Mood inspired reflective Type educational motivational When to use this quote - learning a new instrument - teaching music - career development - personal enrichment Key Concepts cognitive development artistic identity skill transfer Questions to Reflect On - Which new skill could broaden your perspective? - How does varied practice influence your main passion? A Different Perspective Access to instruments may be limited for some. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Drums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drums/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/piano/) [Playing drums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-drums/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [I've been into music for a long time. I started playing drums when I was 8 and piano when I was 10, then bass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukas-haas/i-ve-been-into-music-for-a-long-time-i-started-playing-drums-when-i/) [Lukas Haas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukas-haas/) > [I started playing guitar when I was, like, 5, and I picked up playing drums when I was 6 years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickey-medlocke/i-started-playing-guitar-when-i-was-like-5-and-i-picked-up-playing/) [Rickey Medlocke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickey-medlocke/) > [I started playing drums at about seven or eight. My mom used to let me play with the pots and pans, and instead of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roshon-fegan/i-started-playing-drums-at-about-seven-or-eight-my-mom-used-to-let-me/) [Roshon Fegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roshon-fegan/) > [I started playing the drums at five years old and used to listen to a lot of screamo bands like Asking Alexandria, Dream Theater,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-brian/i-started-playing-the-drums-at-five-years-old-and-used-to-listen-to-a/) [Rich Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-brian/) > [I started playing drums in the 4th grade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/i-started-playing-drums-in-the-4th-grade/) E-40 > [I was already playing the clarinet and the piano. My father's a piano player. But I wanted to play in a funk band, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-miller/i-was-already-playing-the-clarinet-and-the-piano-my-father-s-a-piano/) [Marcus Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-miller/) > [Every day I lugged my backpack through the halls, waiting for the final bell. Then I'd race home and hole up in my room,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-groban/every-day-i-lugged-my-backpack-through-the-halls-waiting-for-the/) [Josh Groban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-groban/) > [I actually started playing drums because my older brother did and I grew up always wanting to impress my big brothers so I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-ledger/i-actually-started-playing-drums-because-my-older-brother-did-and-i/) [Jen Ledger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-ledger/) > [If I started at 13, by the time I was 14 I was already good enough to play in front of people. I started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jam-master-jay/if-i-started-at-13-by-the-time-i-was-14-i-was-already-good-enough-to/) [Jam Master Jay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jam-master-jay/) > [I've been playing the drums since age nine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-berry/i-ve-been-playing-the-drums-since-age-nine/) Bill Berry > [Dude, I love playing drums, and I love being on stage, and I love recording. It's my life... it's been my life, all my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-lombardo/dude-i-love-playing-drums-and-i-love-being-on-stage-and-i-love/) [Dave Lombardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-lombardo/) > [Energy wise, playing the drums was a lot of fun; I just felt like it was a natural fit for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-williams-iii/energy-wise-playing-the-drums-was-a-lot-of-fun-i-just-felt-like-it/) [Hank Williams III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-williams-iii/) > [ It seemed so wimpy at first when I started to play \[guitar\]. So I started playing loud with lots of effects just to try… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-mascis/it-seemed-so-wimpy-at-first-when-i-started-to-play-guitar-so-i/) [J Mascis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-mascis/) > [I love playing drums and helping out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-portnoy/i-love-playing-drums-and-helping-out/) [Mike Portnoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-portnoy/) > [I used to be a drummer in a band, and I really loved playing the drums, so I look forward to the right opportunity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zedd/i-used-to-be-a-drummer-in-a-band-and-i-really-loved-playing-the-drums/) [Zedd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zedd/) ## More by Kamasi Washington > [Every day we're here is an opportunity to do what we can to make the world right, to help someone close or far from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamasi-washington/every-day-we-re-here-is-an-opportunity-to-do-what-we-can-to-make-the/) [Kamasi Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamasi-washington/) > [I was hearing music in my head and trying to play it on the clarinet, but it didn't match.' Then, literally the first day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamasi-washington/i-was-hearing-music-in-my-head-and-trying-to-play-it-on-the-clarinet/) [Kamasi Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamasi-washington/) > [So much good music has been looked over because of preconceived notions of genre.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamasi-washington/so-much-good-music-has-been-looked-over-because-of-preconceived/) [Kamasi Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamasi-washington/) > [It's either, like, 'Your album was the first jazz album I listened to,' or, like, 'My friend took me to this show, and I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamasi-washington/it-s-either-like-your-album-was-the-first-jazz-album-i-listened-to-or/) [Kamasi Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamasi-washington/) > [This precious thing of empathy and love and understanding is something we have to hold and appreciate and protect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamasi-washington/this-precious-thing-of-empathy-and-love-and-understanding-is/) [Kamasi Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamasi-washington/) > [By the time I was about 15, I was out playing gigs and knew I was going to be a musician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamasi-washington/by-the-time-i-was-about-15-i-was-out-playing-gigs-and-knew-i-was/) [Kamasi Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamasi-washington/) > [We learned at a young age, with our dad, that even if you weren't doing something, you had to look like you were, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamasi-washington/we-learned-at-a-young-age-with-our-dad-that-even-if-you-weren-t-doing/) [Kamasi Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamasi-washington/) > [West Coast hip hop was the sound of my neighbourhood. It was something I could relate to because it had a sound that felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamasi-washington/west-coast-hip-hop-was-the-sound-of-my-neighbourhood-it-was-something/) [Kamasi Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamasi-washington/) > [We've played so many places where, if you asked people, 'Do you like jazz?' they would be like, 'Not at all.' But I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamasi-washington/we-ve-played-so-many-places-where-if-you-asked-people-do-you-like/) [Kamasi Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamasi-washington/) > [In the '80s, a lot of kids, if you were kind of bright, you got bussed to schools out of your community. So you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamasi-washington/in-the-80s-a-lot-of-kids-if-you-were-kind-of-bright-you-got-bussed-to/) [Kamasi Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamasi-washington/) > [Jazz is like a telescope, and a lot of other music is like a microscope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamasi-washington/jazz-is-like-a-telescope-and-a-lot-of-other-music-is-like-a-microscope/) [Kamasi Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamasi-washington/) > [At a certain point, when there's a barrier between you and what's right, eventually you have to decide you're not going to allow yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamasi-washington/at-a-certain-point-when-there-s-a-barrier-between-you-and-what-s/) [Kamasi Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamasi-washington/) > [You have to dig deep to make great music, and it gets harder and harder. It's a difficult, painful process to reach deep in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamasi-washington/you-have-to-dig-deep-to-make-great-music-and-it-gets-harder-and/) [Kamasi Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamasi-washington/) > [Fela Kuti blew my mind. His playing is very unorthodox, but I learned how to appreciate that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamasi-washington/fela-kuti-blew-my-mind-his-playing-is-very-unorthodox-but-i-learned/) [Kamasi Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamasi-washington/) > [We do have the power to kind of make this world what we want it to be. But we have to just choose to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamasi-washington/we-do-have-the-power-to-kind-of-make-this-world-what-we-want-it-to-be/) [Kamasi Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamasi-washington/) [Explore all 104 Kamasi Washington quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamasi-washington/) ## More Drums quotes > [O it's Tommy this, and Tommy that, and Tommy 'ow's your soul/But it's thin red line of heroes when the drums begin to roll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/o-it-s-tommy-this-and-tommy-that-and-tommy-ow-s-your-soul-but-it-s/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [I am just a guy who plays drums.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kreutzmann/i-am-just-a-guy-who-plays-drums/) [Bill Kreutzmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kreutzmann/) > [I used to be a drummer in a band, and I really loved playing the drums, so I look forward to the right opportunity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zedd/i-used-to-be-a-drummer-in-a-band-and-i-really-loved-playing-the-drums/) [Zedd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zedd/) > [The drums have hogged a lot of the credit. We're as much -- or more -- \*cymbal\* players, as we are drummers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-erskine/the-drums-have-hogged-a-lot-of-the-credit-we-re-as-much-or-more/) [Peter Erskine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-erskine/) > [The drumming helps a lot when I'm producing songs or writing songs. My knowledge of drums helps more in that aspect, (although) I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-mars/the-drumming-helps-a-lot-when-i-m-producing-songs-or-writing-songs-my/) [Bruno Mars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-mars/) > [It's harder to play drums than guitar, physically. I'm always kind of on the edge. I guess that's how I play everything: on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-mascis/it-s-harder-to-play-drums-than-guitar-physically-i-m-always-kind-of/) [J Mascis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-mascis/) > [I love playing drums and helping out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-portnoy/i-love-playing-drums-and-helping-out/) [Mike Portnoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-portnoy/) > [I play bass. I play a bit of guitar. I've never been to a lesson, so my theory of music is non-existent in any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sangster/i-play-bass-i-play-a-bit-of-guitar-i-ve-never-been-to-a-lesson-so-my/) [Thomas Sangster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sangster/) > [Like my best friend, I asked for drums for Christmas, and got them. But when he moved on to guitar, I realized two things:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-iles/like-my-best-friend-i-asked-for-drums-for-christmas-and-got-them-but/) [Greg Iles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-iles/) > [On patrol through Taliban villages, the falsehoods and the jingoism that beat the drums of war back home were quickly made hollow, and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-auchincloss/on-patrol-through-taliban-villages-the-falsehoods-and-the-jingoism/) [Jake Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-auchincloss/) > [Probably for drums, a guy I really enjoyed watching is Simon Phillips. I've seen him play with The Who and with Pete Townshend on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-anthony/probably-for-drums-a-guy-i-really-enjoyed-watching-is-simon-phillips/) [Michael Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-anthony/) > [ It seemed so wimpy at first when I started to play \[guitar\]. So I started playing loud with lots of effects just to try… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-mascis/it-seemed-so-wimpy-at-first-when-i-started-to-play-guitar-so-i/) [J Mascis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-mascis/) > [I grew up on Dilla, Timbaland, Pharrell, all these drums that are super pocketed, so all those influences come out on a song like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-bellion/i-grew-up-on-dilla-timbaland-pharrell-all-these-drums-that-are-super/) [Jon Bellion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-bellion/) > [Obviously, I like the drums to be heard. I think they're important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-taylor/obviously-i-like-the-drums-to-be-heard-i-think-they-re-important/) [Roger Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-taylor/) > [In the studio my drums are usually something really basic: a four-, five- or six-piece kit with lots of snare and cymbal choices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-freese/in-the-studio-my-drums-are-usually-something-really-basic-a-four-five/) [Josh Freese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-freese/) [Browse all 453 Drums quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drums/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I started playing drums at three, then piano at five, then clarinet. 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