--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I first learned guitar - when I was…" description: "\"When I first learned guitar - when I was 14 or 15 - I had an older cousin who showed me some stuff. And he was into all these tunings. He was showing m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd7/lee-ranaldo-4745_guitar_when-i-first-learned-guitar-when-i-was-1_2908640.jpg" --- # When I first learned guitar - when I was 14 or 15 - I had… ![“When I first learned guitar - when I was 14 or 15 - I had an older cousin who showed me some stuff. And he was into all these tunings. He was showing me tunings that people like David Crosby or Neil Young used - like dropped D and open D tunings.” quote by Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd7/lee-ranaldo-4745_guitar_when-i-first-learned-guitar-when-i-was-1_2908640.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd7/lee-ranaldo-4745_guitar_when-i-first-learned-guitar-when-i-was-1_2908640.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd7/lee-ranaldo-4745_guitar_when-i-first-learned-guitar-when-i-was-1_2908640.jpg) > “When I first learned guitar - when I was 14 or 15 - I had an older cousin who showed me some stuff. And he was into all these tunings. He was showing me tunings that people like David Crosby or Neil Young used - like dropped D and open D tunings.” [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Learning guitar, I was introduced to alternate tunings used by artists like David Crosby and Neil Young. **In simple terms:** I discovered non‑standard guitar tunings early on. Key Takeaway Explore varied tunings for creative sound. Themes music creativity learning influence technique Mood inspired educational Type musical instructional When to use this quote - songwriting - performance - instrument practice Key Concepts alternate tunings musical heritage Questions to Reflect On - How do tunings affect songwriting? - What benefits come from experimenting? A Different Perspective Unfamiliar tunings can be challenging to master. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Guitar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guitar/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [I was never a fan of open tunings, because some people will do that and fumble around. But that's not my jam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-fallon/i-was-never-a-fan-of-open-tunings-because-some-people-will-do-that/) [Brian Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-fallon/) > [I think Thurston's and my weird tunings lent Sonic Youth a very different sound from the get-go. In the band's 30 years - aside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/i-think-thurston-s-and-my-weird-tunings-lent-sonic-youth-a-very/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) > [The first song I learned on the guitar was a Kenny Chesney song called 'What I Need to Do'; it was just an easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-hunt/the-first-song-i-learned-on-the-guitar-was-a-kenny-chesney-song/) [Sam Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-hunt/) > [When you're playing guitar, it's the tiny little nuances that make the difference. For me, obviously, tunings is a huge one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-howard/when-you-re-playing-guitar-it-s-the-tiny-little-nuances-that-make-the/) [Ben Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-howard/) > [I got into alternative rock in the early 80s, bands like Husker Du and The Replacements. Bob Mould's playing was a huge influence. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rzeznik/i-got-into-alternative-rock-in-the-early-80s-bands-like-husker-du-and/) [John Rzeznik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rzeznik/) > [A lot of the time I use slide tuning for rhythm parts. I play a lot of slide in regular tuning as well as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/a-lot-of-the-time-i-use-slide-tuning-for-rhythm-parts-i-play-a-lot-of/) [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) > [I think that open tunings are a trap really because it's really hard not to sound like an open tuning when your using one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-kottke/i-think-that-open-tunings-are-a-trap-really-because-it-s-really-hard/) [Leo Kottke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-kottke/) > [Once I got the open tunings for some reason, I began to get the harmonic sophistication that I heard that my musical fountain inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/once-i-got-the-open-tunings-for-some-reason-i-began-to-get-the/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [As a roadie for the Jimi Hendrix Experience, I learned that I should give up being a guitar player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemmy/as-a-roadie-for-the-jimi-hendrix-experience-i-learned-that-i-should/) [Lemmy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemmy/) > [I destroyed a lot of guitars trying to get them to do what I wanted, but I learned something from every guitar I tore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-van-halen/i-destroyed-a-lot-of-guitars-trying-to-get-them-to-do-what-i-wanted/) [Eddie Van Halen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-van-halen/) > [I actually learned the guitar with the help of a Pete Seeger instructional record when I was 13 or 14.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gilmour/i-actually-learned-the-guitar-with-the-help-of-a-pete-seeger/) [David Gilmour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gilmour/) > [If you are having trouble making a chord, get a book, that is how I learned. There are guitar tuning apps so you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-jett/if-you-are-having-trouble-making-a-chord-get-a-book-that-is-how-i/) [Joan Jett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-jett/) > [I've always written songs. I learned guitar when I was 9 or 10 years old and it sort of developed from there. When I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-mckenna/i-ve-always-written-songs-i-learned-guitar-when-i-was-9-or-10-years/) [Declan McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-mckenna/) > [Basically, everything I've learned on guitar, I've learned from listening to my favorite albums. I never had any formal training. My teachers were Dimebag…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zacky-vengeance/basically-everything-i-ve-learned-on-guitar-i-ve-learned-from/) [Zacky Vengeance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zacky-vengeance/) > [I learned guitar solely for the purpose of meeting women. I'd heard it's a great lady-catcher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-revolori/i-learned-guitar-solely-for-the-purpose-of-meeting-women-i-d-heard-it/) [Tony Revolori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-revolori/) ## More by Lee Ranaldo > [We've been around long enough that there have certainly been people at every stage of our career telling us about one or another record…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/we-ve-been-around-long-enough-that-there-have-certainly-been-people/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) > [I guess I see 'Goo' half as a really New York record because I think there are a lot of really particular New York…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/i-guess-i-see-goo-half-as-a-really-new-york-record-because-i-think/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) > [It's easier to write about a celebrity, a personality, than it is to dig in and write about the music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/it-s-easier-to-write-about-a-celebrity-a-personality-than-it-is-to/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) > [I have nothing against change or evolution, and I'm not one of those people who wants the city to be what it was 40…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/i-have-nothing-against-change-or-evolution-and-i-m-not-one-of-those/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) > ['Daydream' brought us to the top of the heap of the indie-college market and recognition by all of our peers; 'Daydream' kind of capped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/daydream-brought-us-to-the-top-of-the-heap-of-the-indie-college/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) > [Signing to a major label was an experiment for us. It was a challenge: working in a big studio with a producer was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/signing-to-a-major-label-was-an-experiment-for-us-it-was-a-challenge/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) > [New York always has a lot of creativity going on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/new-york-always-has-a-lot-of-creativity-going-on/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) > [We'd been on Geffen for a long time, and I think we felt that we needed a change. I just don't think we felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/we-d-been-on-geffen-for-a-long-time-and-i-think-we-felt-that-we/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) > [It's not like we set out to antagonize the audience in any way. We're just presenting our music; it's really much more innocent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/it-s-not-like-we-set-out-to-antagonize-the-audience-in-any-way-we-re/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) > [One of the things I loved - or I love still - about this Occupy movement is it's got a very gentle core. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/one-of-the-things-i-loved-or-i-love-still-about-this-occupy-movement/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) > [We got our first significant pieces of press in the 'New York Rocker' from early gigs at CBGB.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/we-got-our-first-significant-pieces-of-press-in-the-new-york-rocker/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) > [Being a guy who was a geek with tape machines in the early days and really interested in how records get made, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/being-a-guy-who-was-a-geek-with-tape-machines-in-the-early-days-and/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) > [The world is going to end for each of us in a prescribed time, and you sort of understand that your time is limited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/the-world-is-going-to-end-for-each-of-us-in-a-prescribed-time-and-you/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) > [My main pedal is the Ibanez Analog Delay, the AD9 or the AD80, whichever one it is. That's my go-to pedal for short delay.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/my-main-pedal-is-the-ibanez-analog-delay-the-ad9-or-the-ad80/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) > [The Strokes will never get anywhere after that first record.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/the-strokes-will-never-get-anywhere-after-that-first-record/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) [Explore all 107 Lee Ranaldo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) ## More Guitar quotes > [I'll tell you one thing: I will always play the sh\*\* out of my guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-satriani/i-ll-tell-you-one-thing-i-will-always-play-the-sh-out-of-my-guitar/) [Joe Satriani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-satriani/) > [I remember people would talk about Country Music like it was this sexist, lame thing. Well, no, because Dolly Parton is writing songs and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neko-case/i-remember-people-would-talk-about-country-music-like-it-was-this/) [Neko Case](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neko-case/) > [With my songs, the question is always, 'Can you pull it off live, alone on just an acoustic guitar?' That's the litmus test. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-colvin/with-my-songs-the-question-is-always-can-you-pull-it-off-live-alone/) [Shawn Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-colvin/) > [Growing up in Dallas, my first influences on the guitar were T-Bone Walker and Les Paul. T-Bone taught me how to play lead guitar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-miller/growing-up-in-dallas-my-first-influences-on-the-guitar-were-t-bone/) [Steve Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-miller/) > [I like the bad-boy types. Generally the guy I'm attracted to is the guy in the club with all the tattoos and nail polish.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/i-like-the-bad-boy-types-generally-the-guy-i-m-attracted-to-is-the/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [That's the thing about the blues: It's one thing to hit a note on a guitar. To make it matter is something else altogether.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-bonamassa/that-s-the-thing-about-the-blues-it-s-one-thing-to-hit-a-note-on-a/) [Joe Bonamassa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-bonamassa/) > [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 play, like, 12 instruments. Guitar, piano, harmonica, African drums... I'm working on mastering the accordion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-grabeel/i-play-like-12-instruments-guitar-piano-harmonica-african-drums-i-m/) [Lucas Grabeel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-grabeel/) > [I learned tabla for three years when in school, then started picking up the basics of the acoustic guitar when in college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anupam-roy/i-learned-tabla-for-three-years-when-in-school-then-started-picking/) [Anupam Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anupam-roy/) > [I took guitar lessons and recorded the song in New York. It was kind of a dream. I got to pretend I was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-wiig/i-took-guitar-lessons-and-recorded-the-song-in-new-york-it-was-kind/) [Kristen Wiig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-wiig/) > [There's a need for music that has urgency and emotional honesty. That's why people are reintroducing themselves to guitar music - that instrument has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mura-masa/there-s-a-need-for-music-that-has-urgency-and-emotional-honesty-that/) [Mura Masa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mura-masa/) > [I like to be quiet and play guitar and just chill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/post-malone/i-like-to-be-quiet-and-play-guitar-and-just-chill/) [Post Malone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/post-malone/) > [My first proper 'Here's your guitar, Joseph' was a 1981 Chiquita, one of those Erlewine travel guitars. And it was good for a four-year-old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-bonamassa/my-first-proper-here-s-your-guitar-joseph-was-a-1981-chiquita-one-of/) [Joe Bonamassa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-bonamassa/) > [Kenny Burrell is the grand master of jazz guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dizzy-gillespie/kenny-burrell-is-the-grand-master-of-jazz-guitar/) [Dizzy Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dizzy-gillespie/) > [Because of my background, I never felt comfortable with these R&B divas, but I'd hate to be just some pensive girl with a guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corinne-bailey-rae/because-of-my-background-i-never-felt-comfortable-with-these-r-b/) [Corinne Bailey Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corinne-bailey-rae/) [Browse all 3,915 Guitar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guitar/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I first learned guitar - when I was 14 or 15 - I had an older cousin who showed me some stuff. 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