--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't read music. I refuse to learn how…" description: "\"I don't read music. I refuse to learn how to do that. I barely know half the chords I'm playing. I like being naive when it comes to that.\" — Linda Perry" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/linda-perry-8562_being_i-don-t-read-music-i-refuse-to-learn-how_1733700.png" --- # I don't read music. I refuse to learn how to do that. I… ![“I don't read music. I refuse to learn how to do that. I barely know half the chords I'm playing. I like being naive when it comes to that.” quote by Linda Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/linda-perry-8562_being_i-don-t-read-music-i-refuse-to-learn-how_1733700.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/linda-perry-8562_being_i-don-t-read-music-i-refuse-to-learn-how_1733700.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/linda-perry-8562_being_i-don-t-read-music-i-refuse-to-learn-how_1733700.png) > “I don't read music. I refuse to learn how to do that. I barely know half the chords I'm playing. I like being naive when it comes to that.” [Linda Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-perry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She rejects formal music theory, preferring instinctive play despite limited technical knowledge. **In simple terms:** She values intuition over formal training. Key Takeaway Embrace intuition while staying open to learning. Themes intuition creativity self‑teaching musicianship Mood raw inspirational Type artistic personal When to use this quote - songwriting - improvisation - live performance - studio sessions Key Concepts learning styles artistic authenticity skill development Questions to Reflect On - How does intuition guide your music? - What could structured learning add to your craft? A Different Perspective Lack of theory may limit technical growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) ## Related quotes > [When I first started writing songs, I was almost quite embarrassed that I couldn't read music and I still to this day don't really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freya-ridings/when-i-first-started-writing-songs-i-was-almost-quite-embarrassed/) [Freya Ridings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freya-ridings/) > [I started playing bluegrass with my family, so there were the G, C and D chords. I was playing a Martin acoustic because that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-auerbach/i-started-playing-bluegrass-with-my-family-so-there-were-the-g-c-and/) [Dan Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-auerbach/) > [I don't think I think when I play. I have a photographic memory for chords, and when I'm playing, the right chords appear in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-hines/i-don-t-think-i-think-when-i-play-i-have-a-photographic-memory-for/) [Earl Hines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-hines/) > [Yeah, I can read music and I know the names of chords.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-navarro/yeah-i-can-read-music-and-i-know-the-names-of-chords/) [Dave Navarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-navarro/) > [I do read music, but I prefer playing from the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-clemons/i-do-read-music-but-i-prefer-playing-from-the-heart/) [Clarence Clemons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-clemons/) > [I love to read about music and about art, but I don't try and take things about mythology or guidelines as to how I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-haines/i-love-to-read-about-music-and-about-art-but-i-don-t-try-and-take/) [Emily Haines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-haines/) > [Both my grandmothers had upright pianos, and I just knew how to play since I was a child. Nobody taught me. I sounded like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-simpson/both-my-grandmothers-had-upright-pianos-and-i-just-knew-how-to-play/) [Valerie Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-simpson/) > [I can't even read music. All I know is whether I think it sounds good and if I like what I'm doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boy-george/i-can-t-even-read-music-all-i-know-is-whether-i-think-it-sounds-good/) [Boy George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boy-george/) > [I definitely learned to communicate with other musicians better. I used to feel so intimidated by guys who can read notes, like, "Oh my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flying-lotus/i-definitely-learned-to-communicate-with-other-musicians-better-i/) [Flying Lotus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flying-lotus/) > [I'm often surprised by classical music and musicians. I've met a large number of them because my wife works for the Boston Symphony, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-taylor/i-m-often-surprised-by-classical-music-and-musicians-i-ve-met-a-large/) [James Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-taylor/) > [I don't read music. I've never had a lesson. I don't know anything about music other than what my inner knowledge is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-buckingham/i-don-t-read-music-i-ve-never-had-a-lesson-i-don-t-know-anything/) [Lindsey Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-buckingham/) > [I think it's a bit of a myth that if you can read music you can write music. It doesn't work like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-goldfrapp/i-think-it-s-a-bit-of-a-myth-that-if-you-can-read-music-you-can-write/) [Alison Goldfrapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-goldfrapp/) > [We should read music in the same way that an educated adult will read a book: in silence, but imagining the sound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoltan-kodaly/we-should-read-music-in-the-same-way-that-an-educated-adult-will-read/) [Zoltan Kodaly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoltan-kodaly/) > [Learning to read music in Braille and play by ear helped me develop a damn good memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-charles/learning-to-read-music-in-braille-and-play-by-ear-helped-me-develop-a/) [Ray Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-charles/) > [My mother knew how to read music and everything. But I just kinda learned off of records. And so, I was listening to records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/my-mother-knew-how-to-read-music-and-everything-but-i-just-kinda/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) ## More by Linda Perry > [I think women gravitate toward me because I am a woman producing and songwriting, and there's none out there. There really isn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-perry/i-think-women-gravitate-toward-me-because-i-am-a-woman-producing-and/) [Linda Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-perry/) > [You need a big team to support a career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-perry/you-need-a-big-team-to-support-a-career/) [Linda Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-perry/) > [Courtney Love's name should be right next to Bob Dylan when they say best lyricist of all time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-perry/courtney-love-s-name-should-be-right-next-to-bob-dylan-when-they-say/) [Linda Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-perry/) > [I would love for Radiohead to give me a call and say, 'Hey, kid, we wanna see what it's like working with you. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-perry/i-would-love-for-radiohead-to-give-me-a-call-and-say-hey-kid-we-wanna/) [Linda Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-perry/) > [It'll never get old to hear a song that I wrote on the radio or to hear what someone experienced when they heard a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-perry/it-ll-never-get-old-to-hear-a-song-that-i-wrote-on-the-radio-or-to/) [Linda Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-perry/) > [We're married. We are one now. There's no running away. We have to deal with things together and figure them out, and that's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-perry/we-re-married-we-are-one-now-there-s-no-running-away-we-have-to-deal/) [Linda Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-perry/) > [I feel that when I listen to music - not that it's bad - it's not emotional. It has a gimmick to it. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-perry/i-feel-that-when-i-listen-to-music-not-that-it-s-bad-it-s-not/) [Linda Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-perry/) > [My number one goal is to take over the music business and run a really great record company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-perry/my-number-one-goal-is-to-take-over-the-music-business-and-run-a/) [Linda Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-perry/) > [It's a humbling and amazing journey when you write a song in your bedroom, and you've got no money, and you're trying to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-perry/it-s-a-humbling-and-amazing-journey-when-you-write-a-song-in-your/) [Linda Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-perry/) > [There's nothing you could do to me, nothing you could take away from me that would make me feel like I wasn't going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-perry/there-s-nothing-you-could-do-to-me-nothing-you-could-take-away-from/) [Linda Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-perry/) > [I don't care if I go broke. I don't care about all that stuff. I just want to know that I did everything I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-perry/i-don-t-care-if-i-go-broke-i-don-t-care-about-all-that-stuff-i-just/) [Linda Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-perry/) > [I'm scared of the interviews...I'm scared of having to get up onstage again. I'm scared of the critique. I'm scared right now of doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-perry/i-m-scared-of-the-interviews-i-m-scared-of-having-to-get-up-onstage/) [Linda Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-perry/) > [People come to me to write songs that will be successful for them, and they allow me the freedom to do so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-perry/people-come-to-me-to-write-songs-that-will-be-successful-for-them-and/) [Linda Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-perry/) > [You create something in your bedroom or your house, and it's just a fun thing that you're doing. Then, all of a sudden, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-perry/you-create-something-in-your-bedroom-or-your-house-and-it-s-just-a/) [Linda Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-perry/) > [I love writing songs, but I don't want to write the songs everyone else is asking me to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-perry/i-love-writing-songs-but-i-don-t-want-to-write-the-songs-everyone/) [Linda Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-perry/) [Explore all 80 Linda Perry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-perry/) ## More Being quotes > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [I love being in Malibu. It's so cool there, and the water is just, it's nice and, and I love the beach. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-evancho/i-love-being-in-malibu-it-s-so-cool-there-and-the-water-is-just-it-s/) [Jackie Evancho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-evancho/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [I love to fish. I love the peacefulness of being around the water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evonne-goolagong-cawley/i-love-to-fish-i-love-the-peacefulness-of-being-around-the-water/) [Evonne Goolagong Cawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evonne-goolagong-cawley/) > [When you're in your twenties and starting out, the problem is that you care about being cool. Being older, I can care less about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-righton/when-you-re-in-your-twenties-and-starting-out-the-problem-is-that-you/) [James Righton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-righton/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [Being a new mother is a blessing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phaedra-parks/being-a-new-mother-is-a-blessing/) [Phaedra Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phaedra-parks/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Having small children and being an investigative reporter would seem like a difficult mix, but it worked well for me. I was often working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-abramson/having-small-children-and-being-an-investigative-reporter-would-seem/) [Jill Abramson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-abramson/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [We should not live in fear, we should all enjoy being able to express our views freely and openly, challenge each other on issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tan-cheng-bock/we-should-not-live-in-fear-we-should-all-enjoy-being-able-to-express/) [Tan Cheng Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tan-cheng-bock/) [Browse all 18,139 Being quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't read music. I refuse to learn how to do that. I barely know half the chords I'm playing. I like being naive when it comes to that.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Linda Perry" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-perry/i-don-t-read-music-i-refuse-to-learn-how-to-do-that-i-barely-know/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Being" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-perry/i-don-t-read-music-i-refuse-to-learn-how-to-do-that-i-barely-know/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/linda-perry-8562_being_i-don-t-read-music-i-refuse-to-learn-how_1733700.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/linda-perry-8562_being_i-don-t-read-music-i-refuse-to-learn-how_1733700.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/linda-perry-8562_being_i-don-t-read-music-i-refuse-to-learn-how_1733700.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't read music. I refuse to learn how to do that. I barely know half the chords I'm playing. I like…” — Linda Perry", "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": "Linda Perry", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-perry/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I don't read music. I refuse...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-perry/i-don-t-read-music-i-refuse-to-learn-how-to-do-that-i-barely-know/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-perry/i-don-t-read-music-i-refuse-to-learn-how-to-do-that-i-barely-know/#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 } } ] } ```