--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: At a certain point, I started playing…" description: "\"At a certain point, I started playing improvised music. After a couple of years of this, I did a little bit of analysis and found most improvised music..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb8/kevin-drumm-29575_couple_at-a-certain-point-i-started-playing-imp_2246152.jpg" --- # At a certain point, I started playing improvised music… ![“At a certain point, I started playing improvised music. After a couple of years of this, I did a little bit of analysis and found most improvised music the kind I was listening to at least, which was mainly European to be as, if not more, formulaic than any other kind of music. For example…” quote by Kevin Drumm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb8/kevin-drumm-29575_couple_at-a-certain-point-i-started-playing-imp_2246152.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb8/kevin-drumm-29575_couple_at-a-certain-point-i-started-playing-imp_2246152.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb8/kevin-drumm-29575_couple_at-a-certain-point-i-started-playing-imp_2246152.jpg) > “At a certain point, I started playing improvised music. After a couple of years of this, I did a little bit of analysis and found most improvised music the kind I was listening to at least, which was mainly European to be as, if not more, formulaic than any other kind of music. For example, improvised pieces would often begin and end in the same way.” [Kevin Drumm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drumm/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Improvised music often follows predictable structures, making it as formulaic as other genres. **In simple terms:** Improvised music can be predictable. Key Takeaway Recognize patterns and experiment beyond them. Themes creativity music structure Mood reflective analytical Type musical critical When to use this quote - jazz sessions - live performances - music education - composition - recording Key Concepts improvisation formulaic patterns analysis Questions to Reflect On - How can you break the formulaic cycle? - What new structures can you introduce? A Different Perspective Improvisation can still be spontaneous despite patterns. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Analysis Improvised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/analysis-improvised-5112801/) [Begin And End](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/begin-and-end/) [Couple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/couple/) [Example Improvised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/example-improvised-5112800/) [Improvised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improvised/) [Improvised Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improvised-music-420165/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Listening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/listening/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Playing Improvised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-improvised-4015273/) ## Related quotes > [If you're truly playing improvised music, I don't care who you are or where you come from, you don't know what's going to happen.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamid-drake/if-you-re-truly-playing-improvised-music-i-don-t-care-who-you-are-or/) [Hamid Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamid-drake/) > [I've always liked the idea of improvised music. Improvised anything. It's what conversation is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-partridge/i-ve-always-liked-the-idea-of-improvised-music-improvised-anything-it/) [Andy Partridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-partridge/) > [Improvised music involves a lot of intuition and I like developing intuition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-frith/improvised-music-involves-a-lot-of-intuition-and-i-like-developing/) [Fred Frith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-frith/) > [As there are more online archives of improvised music, it becomes more like the daily practice of playing it. It lessens the idea of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grubbs/as-there-are-more-online-archives-of-improvised-music-it-becomes-more/) [David Grubbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grubbs/) > [There's an awful lot of resources that can be drawn upon in an improvised music concert.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-frith/there-s-an-awful-lot-of-resources-that-can-be-drawn-upon-in-an/) [Fred Frith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-frith/) > [I loved the freedom of improvised music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/i-loved-the-freedom-of-improvised-music/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) > [People call what we do "stretch music." This is our style, and one of the newer, in vogue ways of playing creative, improvised music.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-scott/people-call-what-we-do-stretch-music-this-is-our-style-and-one-of-the/) [Christian Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-scott/) > [I just try to do as good job with the material as I can and play some jazz as well, some improvised music, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/i-just-try-to-do-as-good-job-with-the-material-as-i-can-and-play-some/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) > [I've always been a jazz fan, but I don't write much about jazz, because I don't have the chops. But it's really, really hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-christgau/i-ve-always-been-a-jazz-fan-but-i-don-t-write-much-about-jazz-because/) [Robert Christgau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-christgau/) > [Many times I'll improvise it, which isn't done a lot in movies or commercials. But a lot of my commercials are improvised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-guest/many-times-i-ll-improvise-it-which-isn-t-done-a-lot-in-movies-or/) [Christopher Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-guest/) > [Touring with King Crimson wasn't a lot of fun for me. I had a lot of equipment, and when I was in improvised music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-muir/touring-with-king-crimson-wasn-t-a-lot-of-fun-for-me-i-had-a-lot-of/) [Jamie Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-muir/) > [You work very hard on the lyrics. Getting them to fit the contours of improvised melodies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-elling/you-work-very-hard-on-the-lyrics-getting-them-to-fit-the-contours-of/) [Kurt Elling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-elling/) > [I wasn't a jazz player, but a classical musician, and I improvised arrangements of popular songs using classical motifs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-simone/i-wasn-t-a-jazz-player-but-a-classical-musician-and-i-improvised/) [Nina Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-simone/) > [“Marriage is something we make from available materials. In this sense it’s improvised, it’s almost offhand. Maybe this is why we know so little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/marriage-is-something-we-make-from-available-materials-in-this-sense/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [I've always loved improvising. That's how I write songs. Creativity has an improvised element to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-lidell/i-ve-always-loved-improvising-that-s-how-i-write-songs-creativity-has/) [Jamie Lidell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-lidell/) ## More by Kevin Drumm > [My day job finds me in a double-bind often, and it's an ideal position for anyone interested in becoming highly reactive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-drumm/my-day-job-finds-me-in-a-double-bind-often-and-it-s-an-ideal-position/) [Kevin Drumm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drumm/) > [I like to allow accidents to happen, not to force them, and yet not let myself feel miserable if they do happen, because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-drumm/i-like-to-allow-accidents-to-happen-not-to-force-them-and-yet-not-let/) [Kevin Drumm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drumm/) > [For some reason, I deliberately allow for simple things like three chords to mystify me. It's kind of fun that way. Like Billy Gibbons'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-drumm/for-some-reason-i-deliberately-allow-for-simple-things-like-three/) [Kevin Drumm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drumm/) > [I have no interest in getting a rig that might clean up my sound or a delay pedal that might allow me to arpeggiate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-drumm/i-have-no-interest-in-getting-a-rig-that-might-clean-up-my-sound-or-a/) [Kevin Drumm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drumm/) > [I've liked music since I can remember and the guitar was always the most attractive thing about music to me at that time. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-drumm/i-ve-liked-music-since-i-can-remember-and-the-guitar-was-always-the/) [Kevin Drumm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drumm/) > [As a kid, image played a huge part. I'm sure most kids find the image of the guitarist exciting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-drumm/as-a-kid-image-played-a-huge-part-i-m-sure-most-kids-find-the-image/) [Kevin Drumm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drumm/) > [Even back then I really didn't enjoy playing chord changes, riffs, and solos when I was young. The only thing I enjoyed playing were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-drumm/even-back-then-i-really-didn-t-enjoy-playing-chord-changes-riffs-and/) [Kevin Drumm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drumm/) > [For me, the tabletop is an easy way to eliminate the possibilities of chords, modes, melodies, and harmonies. It kind of confines you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-drumm/for-me-the-tabletop-is-an-easy-way-to-eliminate-the-possibilities-of/) [Kevin Drumm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drumm/) > [I'm often a firm believer in "the simpler the better" approach and it's evident in my guitar setup.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-drumm/i-m-often-a-firm-believer-in-the-simpler-the-better-approach-and-it-s/) [Kevin Drumm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drumm/) > [I only use the computer for editing. I don't have an eight-track, otherwise I probably never would have bought a computer. When I first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-drumm/i-only-use-the-computer-for-editing-i-don-t-have-an-eight-track/) [Kevin Drumm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drumm/) > [The latest thing that has caught me by surprise is Maryanne Amacher. I like sound that affects the listener physically. Traits such as complexity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-drumm/the-latest-thing-that-has-caught-me-by-surprise-is-maryanne-amacher-i/) [Kevin Drumm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drumm/) > [For instance, we have the largest Polish population of any city except for Warsaw, and the largest Lithuanian population outside Lithuania. More Italians, Greeks,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-drumm/for-instance-we-have-the-largest-polish-population-of-any-city-except/) [Kevin Drumm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drumm/) > [It's weird - I can listen to a guitar player or a rock record over and over again and really enjoy whatever the guitarist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-drumm/it-s-weird-i-can-listen-to-a-guitar-player-or-a-rock-record-over-and/) [Kevin Drumm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drumm/) > [From the time I wake up until the time I go to bed, music is unfortunately on my mind, on my stereo, or I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-drumm/from-the-time-i-wake-up-until-the-time-i-go-to-bed-music-is/) [Kevin Drumm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drumm/) > [A lot of the projects I've allowed myself to get involved with over the past few years have made me a bit unfocused. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-drumm/a-lot-of-the-projects-i-ve-allowed-myself-to-get-involved-with-over/) [Kevin Drumm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drumm/) [Explore all 18 Kevin Drumm quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drumm/) ## More Couple quotes > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [Sometimes they were together so often that it felt as though they really were a couple; sometimes weeks and months would go by before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-they-were-together-so-often-that-it-felt-as-though-they/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In a couple of decades you have half of the wells that are drilled right now, and you're talking about numbers in the millions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-fox/in-a-couple-of-decades-you-have-half-of-the-wells-that-are-drilled/) [Josh Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-fox/) > [As you'll never hear the thing again, my boy, why not throw in a couple of brass bands?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-beecham/as-you-ll-never-hear-the-thing-again-my-boy-why-not-throw-in-a-couple/) [Thomas Beecham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-beecham/) > [I've had a couple knockouts, but I feel good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wanderlei-silva/i-ve-had-a-couple-knockouts-but-i-feel-good/) [Wanderlei Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wanderlei-silva/) > [There are bands that I am friends with, who will invite me up on stage. Like Les Savy Fav, who have had me on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-armisen/there-are-bands-that-i-am-friends-with-who-will-invite-me-up-on-stage/) [Fred Armisen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-armisen/) > [I can get along great with the Hispanics. In fact, I sure would like to meet them, even the politicians, maybe in the back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-arpaio/i-can-get-along-great-with-the-hispanics-in-fact-i-sure-would-like-to/) [Joe Arpaio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-arpaio/) > [After I finished college, I got a job on Wall Street as a derivatives trader, but after a couple years of it, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philipp-meyer/after-i-finished-college-i-got-a-job-on-wall-street-as-a-derivatives/) [Philipp Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philipp-meyer/) > [I took guitar lessons and recorded the song in New York. It was kind of a dream. 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