--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Truth of the matter is, I can't even read…" description: "\"Truth of the matter is, I can't even read or write music.\" — Melvin Van Peebles" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a8/melvin-van-peebles-8573_even_truth-of-the-matter-is-i-can-t-even-read_1496834.jpg" --- # Truth of the matter is, I can't even read or write music. ![“Truth of the matter is, I can't even read or write music.” quote by Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a8/melvin-van-peebles-8573_even_truth-of-the-matter-is-i-can-t-even-read_1496834.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a8/melvin-van-peebles-8573_even_truth-of-the-matter-is-i-can-t-even-read_1496834.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a8/melvin-van-peebles-8573_even_truth-of-the-matter-is-i-can-t-even-read_1496834.jpg) > “Truth of the matter is, I can't even read or write music.” [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even without formal music literacy, one can still create and appreciate music. **In simple terms:** Music can be felt without reading notes. Key Takeaway Embrace intuitive music creation. Themes creativity music learning Mood thoughtful hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - songwriting - improvisation - education Key Concepts intuitive composition musical expression Questions to Reflect On - Can you convey musical ideas without notation? - What alternative methods aid musical communication? A Different Perspective Lack of reading skills may limit complex collaboration. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [There is no secret to success except hard work and getting something indefinable which we call 'the breaks.' In order for a writer to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/countee-cullen/there-is-no-secret-to-success-except-hard-work-and-getting-something/) [Countee Cullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/countee-cullen/) > [I will take classes in Kannada and will learn to read and write it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikita-thukral/i-will-take-classes-in-kannada-and-will-learn-to-read-and-write-it/) [Nikita Thukral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikita-thukral/) > [“If you can't write, read. If you can't read, walk. Or walk and read, then write.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-rachelle/if-you-can-t-write-read-if-you-can-t-read-walk-or-walk-and-read-then/) [Joyce Rachelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-rachelle/) > [“If they want to come for you, they will come, and it doesn't matter what you read or what you failed to read. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-thien/if-they-want-to-come-for-you-they-will-come-and-it-doesn-t-matter/) [Madeleine Thien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-thien/) > [It seems no matter what I read I think this is not harry potter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-green/it-seems-no-matter-what-i-read-i-think-this-is-not-harry-potter/) [Hank Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-green/) > [Believe nothing, no matter where you read it or who said it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/believe-nothing-no-matter-where-you-read-it-or-who-said-it/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [“It doesn't matter what you read. What matters is you read. Whether it’s Tolstoy or Twilight, Kierkegaard or Betty and Veronica, keep reading, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-zelazny/it-doesn-t-matter-what-you-read-what-matters-is-you-read-whether-it-s/) [Trent Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-zelazny/) > [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/) > [“To strive in life; we must either read or write a story.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/to-strive-in-life-we-must-either-read-or-write-a-story/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [To be a writer you should read, write and talk to people, hear their knowledge, hear their problems. Be a good listener. The rest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-craighead-george/to-be-a-writer-you-should-read-write-and-talk-to-people-hear-their/) [Jean Craighead George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-craighead-george/) > [I can't read or write music. When I want to remember something, I try to remember all the keys on the piano. Which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/i-can-t-read-or-write-music-when-i-want-to-remember-something-i-try/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) > [I write what I like to read, and I enjoy love triangles in YA and adult fiction - not to mention in other media…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/i-write-what-i-like-to-read-and-i-enjoy-love-triangles-in-ya-and/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [I don't think that you can write music if you don't know how to play an instrument. You have to know the basics, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alber-elbaz/i-don-t-think-that-you-can-write-music-if-you-don-t-know-how-to-play/) [Alber Elbaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alber-elbaz/) > [I always write music if I'm feeling a bit rubbish and I don't know how to get over or through something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-walker/i-always-write-music-if-i-m-feeling-a-bit-rubbish-and-i-don-t-know/) [Tom Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-walker/) > [The thing is I write to music, so every script I have has its own playlist. 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What's kept me alive is my technical skill at doing other things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/i-m-not-a-normal-director-you-can-t-look-at-me-that-way-what-s-kept/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) > [Don't ask me something if you don't want to know. Because I will tell you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/don-t-ask-me-something-if-you-don-t-want-to-know-because-i-will-tell/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) > [I was a trader for a company. That's different from the brokers who we sort of disdain as sort of just errand boys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/i-was-a-trader-for-a-company-that-s-different-from-the-brokers-who-we/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) > [I'm pretty much a loner. That's not good, bad, or indifferent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/i-m-pretty-much-a-loner-that-s-not-good-bad-or-indifferent/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) > [After 'Don't Play Us Cheap,' I got very busy with theater and Wall Street.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/after-don-t-play-us-cheap-i-got-very-busy-with-theater-and-wall-street/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) > [The studios didn't really take independent films seriously, till 'Sweetback' was such a financial success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/the-studios-didn-t-really-take-independent-films-seriously-till/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) > [Over time, you accumulate a lot of life material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/over-time-you-accumulate-a-lot-of-life-material/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) > [I intend to stay dangerous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/i-intend-to-stay-dangerous/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) > [Whitey is uptight about offending blacks without really knowing what offends blacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/whitey-is-uptight-about-offending-blacks-without-really-knowing-what/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) > [I said to my kids, 'Learn the business of America if you want to be an artist in America. The rest of that stuff,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/i-said-to-my-kids-learn-the-business-of-america-if-you-want-to-be-an/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) > [If you give people something they want, they'll come and see it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/if-you-give-people-something-they-want-they-ll-come-and-see-it/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) > [I do what I want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/i-do-what-i-want-to-do/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) > [Music - some people just don't know that part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/music-some-people-just-don-t-know-that-part-of-me/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) [Explore all 79 Melvin Van Peebles quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) ## More Even quotes > [Most of the time, I get around perfectly well on my bike and public transportation, even in spite of the Bay Area's almost comically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-hilton/most-of-the-time-i-get-around-perfectly-well-on-my-bike-and-public/) [Steve Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-hilton/) > [If you're a top 10 guy you should pay a top 10 guy or even a top 5 guy what he deserves, whether it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aljamain-sterling/if-you-re-a-top-10-guy-you-should-pay-a-top-10-guy-or-even-a-top-5/) [Aljamain Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aljamain-sterling/) > [I guess I've never really wanted to be anything else. 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That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-ochs/even-though-you-can-t-expect-to-defeat-the-absurdity-of-the-world-you/) [Phil Ochs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-ochs/) > [I love writing fiction and can do it anywhere - I once even missed a flight because I was so engrossed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prue-leith/i-love-writing-fiction-and-can-do-it-anywhere-i-once-even-missed-a/) [Prue Leith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prue-leith/) > [I really can't live without my In-N-Out burgers. Honestly, I can't. Even when I'm doing the whole no-carb thing occasionally, I make an exception…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-berkus/i-really-can-t-live-without-my-in-n-out-burgers-honestly-i-can-t-even/) [Nate Berkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-berkus/) > [Ninety-eight percent of the things that come out of my mouth are intended to be harmless or even charming. They're not ever intended to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/ninety-eight-percent-of-the-things-that-come-out-of-my-mouth-are/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [I know of not one Republican candidate that would not appear publicly with Mitt Romney and I know many Democrats that don't even want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/i-know-of-not-one-republican-candidate-that-would-not-appear-publicly/) [Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/) > [Like in nature, I like things which are based on a few simple principles, even though their manifestation can be very rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabiola-gianotti/like-in-nature-i-like-things-which-are-based-on-a-few-simple/) [Fabiola Gianotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabiola-gianotti/) > [You can't even tell, but a lot of the time your favourite rappers are wearing a bunch of fake jewellery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vic-mensa/you-can-t-even-tell-but-a-lot-of-the-time-your-favourite-rappers-are/) [Vic Mensa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vic-mensa/) > [Inspiration comes from so many sources. 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