--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'd been studying the microphone for a…" description: "\"I'd been studying the microphone for a dozen years, and I suddenly saw what I'd been doing wrong. I'd been singing too loud. One night I was listening ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/961/marvin-gaye-10171_dozen_i-d-been-studying-the-microphone-for-a-d_194981.jpg" --- # I'd been studying the microphone for a dozen years, and I… ![“I'd been studying the microphone for a dozen years, and I suddenly saw what I'd been doing wrong. I'd been singing too loud. One night I was listening to a record by Lester Young, the horn player, and it came to me. Relax, just relax. It's all going to be all right.” quote by Marvin Gaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/961/marvin-gaye-10171_dozen_i-d-been-studying-the-microphone-for-a-d_194981.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/961/marvin-gaye-10171_dozen_i-d-been-studying-the-microphone-for-a-d_194981.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/961/marvin-gaye-10171_dozen_i-d-been-studying-the-microphone-for-a-d_194981.jpg) > “I'd been studying the microphone for a dozen years, and I suddenly saw what I'd been doing wrong. I'd been singing too loud. One night I was listening to a record by Lester Young, the horn player, and it came to me. Relax, just relax. It's all going to be all right.” [Marvin Gaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-gaye/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Realizing that vocal technique mattered more than volume, he learned to relax and let the music breathe. **In simple terms:** Relax and let the music flow. Key Takeaway Focus on breath and tone, not loudness. Themes music self‑improvement performance mindfulness confidence Mood calm reflective inspirational Type advice musical personal development When to use this quote - studio recording - live performance - practice sessions - teaching vocalists Key Concepts vocal technique relaxation musical expression Questions to Reflect On - How can you tell when you’re over‑projecting? - What practices help you stay relaxed while singing? A Different Perspective Too much emphasis on volume can mask nuance and emotional connection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Horns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horns/) [Lester young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lester-young/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Singing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singing/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [Singing, for me, means singing as loud as I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/singing-for-me-means-singing-as-loud-as-i-can/) [Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) > [But I was singing loud, and most singers weren't singing loud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/little-richard/but-i-was-singing-loud-and-most-singers-weren-t-singing-loud/) [Little Richard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/little-richard/) > [The best way to spread Christmas cheer, is singing loud for all to hear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elf/the-best-way-to-spread-christmas-cheer-is-singing-loud-for-all-to-hear/) Elf > [Even if I don't have the money to take vocal lessons, I'll practice in the house by myself singing out loud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-milian/even-if-i-don-t-have-the-money-to-take-vocal-lessons-i-ll-practice-in/) [Christina Milian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-milian/) > [I'm proud that I was one of the first ones out, singing loud and proud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-d-lang/i-m-proud-that-i-was-one-of-the-first-ones-out-singing-loud-and-proud/) [K. D. Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-d-lang/) > [Charlie Parker was a genius, as was Lester Young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-coe/charlie-parker-was-a-genius-as-was-lester-young/) [Sebastian Coe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-coe/) > [I have learned as much about writing about my people by listening to blues and jazz and spirituals as I have from reading novels.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/i-have-learned-as-much-about-writing-about-my-people-by-listening-to-2/) [Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) > [ The amazing thing about Sweets \[Edison\] was that he exactly spoke the way that he played! He was really unique, the one and only.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-brown/the-amazing-thing-about-sweets-edison-was-that-he-exactly-spoke-the/) [Ray Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-brown/) > [When I was 16 or 17 I heard the Count Basie band with Jo Jones and Lester Young and Herschel Evans and I couldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/illinois-jacquet/when-i-was-16-or-17-i-heard-the-count-basie-band-with-jo-jones-and/) [Illinois Jacquet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/illinois-jacquet/) > [ I used to live at the Cecil Hotel, which was next door to Minton's \[Playhouse\]. We used to jam just about every night when… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-webster/i-used-to-live-at-the-cecil-hotel-which-was-next-door-to-minton-s/) [Ben Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-webster/) > [ I'll always remember when I first heard Lester \[Young\]. I'd never heard anyone like him before. He was a stylist with a different sound.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/count-basie/i-ll-always-remember-when-i-first-heard-lester-young-i-d-never-heard/) [Count Basie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/count-basie/) > [In those days before hearing Charlie Parker and Dizzy, and before learning of the so-called bebop era--by the way, I have some thoughts about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-johnson/in-those-days-before-hearing-charlie-parker-and-dizzy-and-before/) [J. J. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-johnson/) > [“The Beat Generation, that was a vision that we had, John Clellon Holmes and I, and Allen Ginsberg in an even wilder way, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/the-beat-generation-that-was-a-vision-that-we-had-john-clellon-holmes-2/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [ We were all influenced by Lester \[Young\]. Listen to the records that he made with \[Count\] Basie. Nobody's got what he's got. He's still… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoot-sims/we-were-all-influenced-by-lester-young-listen-to-the-records-that-he/) [Zoot Sims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoot-sims/) > [As much as I think John Coltrane belongs on the list, I think without Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young, both of whom defined improvising…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-mann/as-much-as-i-think-john-coltrane-belongs-on-the-list-i-think-without/) [Herbie Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-mann/) ## More by Marvin Gaye > [“Listen, baby Ain't no mountain high Ain't no valley low Ain't no river wide enough, baby If you need me, call me No matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-gaye/listen-baby-ain-t-no-mountain-high-ain-t-no-valley-low-ain-t-no-river/) [Marvin Gaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-gaye/) > [If I do my job well, then God will smile on my offspring and on their offspring. I'm sure my father is seeing a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-gaye/if-i-do-my-job-well-then-god-will-smile-on-my-offspring-and-on-their/) [Marvin Gaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-gaye/) > [Let's save all the children, save the babies, save the babies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-gaye/let-s-save-all-the-children-save-the-babies-save-the-babies/) [Marvin Gaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-gaye/) > [Detroit turned out to be heaven, but it also turned out to be hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-gaye/detroit-turned-out-to-be-heaven-but-it-also-turned-out-to-be-hell/) [Marvin Gaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-gaye/) > [Love your mother, she bore you. Love your father, he works for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-gaye/love-your-mother-she-bore-you-love-your-father-he-works-for-you/) [Marvin Gaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-gaye/) > [Don't play with something you should cherish for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-gaye/don-t-play-with-something-you-should-cherish-for-life/) [Marvin Gaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-gaye/) > [I sing about life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-gaye/i-sing-about-life/) [Marvin Gaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-gaye/) > [Who isn't fascinated by evil?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-gaye/who-isn-t-fascinated-by-evil/) [Marvin Gaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-gaye/) > [When I look at the world it fills me with sorrow, little children today are really going to suffer tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-gaye/when-i-look-at-the-world-it-fills-me-with-sorrow-little-children/) [Marvin Gaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-gaye/) > [“Don’t you know that there ain’t no mountain high enough. Ain’t no valley low enough, ain’t no river wide enough. To keep me from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-gaye/don-t-you-know-that-there-ain-t-no-mountain-high-enough-ain-t-no/) [Marvin Gaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-gaye/) > [For me, love carries the seeds of its own destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-gaye/for-me-love-carries-the-seeds-of-its-own-destruction/) [Marvin Gaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-gaye/) > [War is not the answer, for only love can conquer hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-gaye/war-is-not-the-answer-for-only-love-can-conquer-hate/) [Marvin Gaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-gaye/) > [Who are they to judge us, simply because our hair is long?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-gaye/who-are-they-to-judge-us-simply-because-our-hair-is-long/) [Marvin Gaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-gaye/) > [My father has a great voice. My father used to sing... just sing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-gaye/my-father-has-a-great-voice-my-father-used-to-sing-just-sing/) [Marvin Gaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-gaye/) > [Marriage is miserable unless you find the right person that is your soulmate and that takes a lot of looking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-gaye/marriage-is-miserable-unless-you-find-the-right-person-that-is-your/) [Marvin Gaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-gaye/) [Explore all 67 Marvin Gaye quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-gaye/) ## More Dozen quotes > [One should never forget that by actually perfecting one piece one gains and learns more than by starting or half-finishing a dozen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-brahms/one-should-never-forget-that-by-actually-perfecting-one-piece-one/) [Johannes Brahms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-brahms/) > [Saiman picked up a coffee mug, stared at it, and hurled it against the wall. It shattered into a dozen pieces. We looked at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/saiman-picked-up-a-coffee-mug-stared-at-it-and-hurled-it-against-the/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [I do remember what I said. The promise. To protect her. If I'd done that ... even if I didn't make it, you wouldn't've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/i-do-remember-what-i-said-the-promise-to-protect-her-if-i-d-done-that/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [Foolish tongues talke by the dozen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/foolish-tongues-talke-by-the-dozen/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [Well. We’ll just have to hope that this wasn’t a loup-garou, I guess.” “If it was a louper, you’d know,” Bob said wisely. “In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/well-we-ll-just-have-to-hope-that-this-wasn-t-a-loup-garou-i-guess-if/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [One death to a man is a serious thing: a dozen neutralize one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-francis-burton/one-death-to-a-man-is-a-serious-thing-a-dozen-neutralize-one-another/) [Richard Francis Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-francis-burton/) > [My favourite song of Elton's is... it's a tricky one for me. I'm a proper fan and I've probably seen him in concert about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lucas/my-favourite-song-of-elton-s-is-it-s-a-tricky-one-for-me-i-m-a-proper/) [Matt Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lucas/) > [Osama Bin Laden is dead. Killed not by a massive troop deployment but by a commando raid carried out by a few dozen highly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/osama-bin-laden-is-dead-killed-not-by-a-massive-troop-deployment-but/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [I've talked to dozens of Chicagoans who will only go off the record in talking about the manufactured mythology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-malveaux/i-ve-talked-to-dozens-of-chicagoans-who-will-only-go-off-the-record/) [Julianne Malveaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-malveaux/) > [Protecting dozens of major coastal cities from future flooding will be challenging enough-rebuilding major coastal cities destroyed by super-hurricanes will be an almost impossible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-j-romm/protecting-dozens-of-major-coastal-cities-from-future-flooding-will/) [Joseph J. Romm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-j-romm/) > [There are always a half-dozen things that make 80%of the difference. Only SIX things!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/there-are-always-a-half-dozen-things-that-make-80-of-the-difference/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [“Perhaps it’s true that things can change in a day. That a few dozen hours can affect the outcome of whole lifetimes. And that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/perhaps-it-s-true-that-things-can-change-in-a-day-that-a-few-dozen/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [“Triump is just a little umph added to try.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-owens/triump-is-just-a-little-umph-added-to-try/) Tim Owens > [Oh senseless man, who cannot possibly make a worm or a flea and yet will create Gods by the dozen!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/oh-senseless-man-who-cannot-possibly-make-a-worm-or-a-flea-and-yet/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [While I was pregnant, I had dozens of checkups. They covered everything from blood tests to ultrasounds, and I even had the option of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liya-kebede/while-i-was-pregnant-i-had-dozens-of-checkups-they-covered-everything/) [Liya Kebede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liya-kebede/) Browse all 974 Dozen quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'd been studying the microphone for a dozen years, and I suddenly saw what I'd been doing wrong. I'd been singing too loud. One night I was listening to a record by Lester Young, the horn player, and it came to me. Relax, just relax. 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