--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You have to practice for a long time…" description: "\"You have to practice for a long time before you can learn to sound like yourself\" — Miles Davis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f99/miles-davis-1842_like-you_you-have-to-practice-for-a-long-time-bef_21982.jpg" --- # You have to practice for a long time before you can learn… ![“You have to practice for a long time before you can learn to sound like yourself” quote by Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f99/miles-davis-1842_like-you_you-have-to-practice-for-a-long-time-bef_21982.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f99/miles-davis-1842_like-you_you-have-to-practice-for-a-long-time-bef_21982.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f99/miles-davis-1842_like-you_you-have-to-practice-for-a-long-time-bef_21982.jpg) > “You have to practice for a long time before you can learn to sound like yourself” [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True mastery involves prolonged practice until one's unique voice emerges, not imitation. **In simple terms:** Authenticity follows disciplined effort. Key Takeaway Skill + time = personal style Themes self‑expression mastery practice creativity identity Mood inspired reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - learning a new instrument - writing a novel - developing a speaking style Key Concepts musical improvisation personal development Practical Applications - coaching sessions - creative workshops Questions to Reflect On - How does practice shape your personal voice? - What habits help you discover authenticity? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Learn Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn-sound-400022/) [Like you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-you/) [Like yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-yourself/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/) [Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice/) [Practice Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice-long-400021/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) [Sound Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound-like/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time Learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-learn/) ## Related quotes > [It takes a long time to sound like yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/it-takes-a-long-time-to-sound-like-yourself/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [I was born very, very lazy and I don't always practice very long. but I must say, in my defense, that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-rubinstein/i-was-born-very-very-lazy-and-i-don-t-always-practice-very-long-but-i/) [Arthur Rubinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-rubinstein/) > [There is nothing more genuine than breaking away from the chorus to learn the sound of your own voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/po-bronson/there-is-nothing-more-genuine-than-breaking-away-from-the-chorus-to/) [Po Bronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/po-bronson/) > [There comes a time when the world gets quiet and the only thing left is your own heart. So you'd better learn the sound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/there-comes-a-time-when-the-world-gets-quiet-and-the-only-thing-left/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Because I've been doing my practice for so long, I knew what to do even under really hard circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/because-i-ve-been-doing-my-practice-for-so-long-i-knew-what-to-do/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) > [You're always going to sound like yourself, but you can make really strong attempts to keep some similarities, but move away from what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/you-re-always-going-to-sound-like-yourself-but-you-can-make-really/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [It's like taking over This Is Your Life from Eamonn Andrews - you just open your mouth and hope you sound like yourself. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-aspel/it-s-like-taking-over-this-is-your-life-from-eamonn-andrews-you-just/) [Michael Aspel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-aspel/) > [It takes you years to learn how to play like yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/it-takes-you-years-to-learn-how-to-play-like-yourself/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [It's the hardest thing on earth to like yourself, and then when you do, it's a catastrophe. I mean, the people I know who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-nichols/it-s-the-hardest-thing-on-earth-to-like-yourself-and-then-when-you-do/) [Mike Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-nichols/) > [People always make this totally artificial distinction between what is commercial and what is good. They quote that maxim "Nobody ever lost money underestimating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/people-always-make-this-totally-artificial-distinction-between-what/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“Man, sometimes it takes you a long time to sound like yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/man-sometimes-it-takes-you-a-long-time-to-sound-like-yourself/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [In other words, an instrument should be an extension of you; it's supposed to sound like you - the way you walk, the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/in-other-words-an-instrument-should-be-an-extension-of-you-it-s/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [What are you, child, that you need time to learn about yourself?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/what-are-you-child-that-you-need-time-to-learn-about-yourself/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [Give thyself time to learn something new and good, and cease to be whirled around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/give-thyself-time-to-learn-something-new-and-good-and-cease-to-be/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [If you take time to learn a craft, take time to master it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fade-wane/if-you-take-time-to-learn-a-craft-take-time-to-master-it/) [Fade Wane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fade-wane/) ## More by Miles Davis > [I usually write from the rhythm section...If a drummer got a funky beat on some things - like a half-shuffle or a shuffle or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/i-usually-write-from-the-rhythm-section-if-a-drummer-got-a-funky-beat/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [Look, man, all I am is a trumpet player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/look-man-all-i-am-is-a-trumpet-player/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [There are no wrong notes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/there-are-no-wrong-notes/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [Knowledge is freedom and ignorance is slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/knowledge-is-freedom-and-ignorance-is-slavery/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [I began to realize that some of the things Ornette Coleman had said about things being played three or fours ways, independently of each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/i-began-to-realize-that-some-of-the-things-ornette-coleman-had-said/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [...people will go for anything they don't understand if it's got enough hype. They want to be hip, want always to be in on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/people-will-go-for-anything-they-don-t-understand-if-it-s-got-enough/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [If you're trying to be hip, be hip.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/if-you-re-trying-to-be-hip-be-hip/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [My father's rich, my momma's good looking. Right? And I can play the Blues. I've never suffered and don't intend to suffer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/my-father-s-rich-my-momma-s-good-looking-right-and-i-can-play-the/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [I'm out there doing the best that I can, My lip is cut and I'm still playing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/i-m-out-there-doing-the-best-that-i-can-my-lip-is-cut-and-i-m-still/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [When I'm playing, I'm never through. It's unfinished. I like to find a place to leave for someone else to finish it. That's where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/when-i-m-playing-i-m-never-through-it-s-unfinished-i-like-to-find-a/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [ \[Prince\] could very well be the Duke Ellington of Rock 'n' Roll. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/prince-could-very-well-be-the-duke-ellington-of-rock-n-roll/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [I can tell whether a person can play just by the way he stands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/i-can-tell-whether-a-person-can-play-just-by-the-way-he-stands/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [Do not fear mistakes. There are none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/do-not-fear-mistakes-there-are-none/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [You can't compete with Sweets' sound and time feel. It's impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/you-can-t-compete-with-sweets-sound-and-time-feel-it-s-impossible/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [I keep telling Ron Lorman and them in the control room, "It's my band! The reason I have a band is because I can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/i-keep-telling-ron-lorman-and-them-in-the-control-room-it-s-my-band/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) [Explore all 204 Miles Davis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) ## More Like you quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [Then come to realize that you're making mountains out of molehills. Realize how petty you've become. Sure, it may feel like you can't get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/then-come-to-realize-that-you-re-making-mountains-out-of-molehills/) [Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/) > [One of the worst things to come out of the Consumer Protection Board's misleading claims is the impression that government resources are to hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lesko/one-of-the-worst-things-to-come-out-of-the-consumer-protection-board/) [Matthew Lesko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lesko/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [I think the people I talk about are generally so stupid that they don't even know I'm saying bad things about them. I've run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-handler/i-think-the-people-i-talk-about-are-generally-so-stupid-that-they-don/) [Chelsea Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-handler/) > [Life can be difficult sometimes, it gets bumpy. What with family and kids and things not going exactly like you planned. But that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-van-patten/life-can-be-difficult-sometimes-it-gets-bumpy-what-with-family-and/) [Joyce Van Patten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-van-patten/) > [Big guys like you and me aren't allowed to whine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-alan-lewis/big-guys-like-you-and-me-aren-t-allowed-to-whine/) [Brad Alan Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-alan-lewis/) > [wishes for sons by Lucille Clifton i wish them cramps. i wish them a strange town and the last tampon. I wish them no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-clifton/wishes-for-sons-by-lucille-clifton-i-wish-them-cramps-i-wish-them-a/) [Lucille Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-clifton/) > [If you feel like you want to die, it's time to sit down and make a list of all the things you haven't done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deacon-jones/if-you-feel-like-you-want-to-die-it-s-time-to-sit-down-and-make-a/) [Deacon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deacon-jones/) > [Antidepressants are the biggest fraud in the world. Number one, Prozac gives you a royal soft-on like you wouldn't believe, and number two you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-evans/antidepressants-are-the-biggest-fraud-in-the-world-number-one-prozac/) [Robert Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-evans/) > [There are a lot of movies about misfits that are quite cool, that kind of glamorize it on some level. I think there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-hall/there-are-a-lot-of-movies-about-misfits-that-are-quite-cool-that-kind/) [Rebecca Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-hall/) > [When you're really bummed out, the last thing you want to hear is up-tempo and positive. And it lets you know that you're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/when-you-re-really-bummed-out-the-last-thing-you-want-to-hear-is-up/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) > [Working at home is hard. It tends to give you bad habits. It feels more like you're going to work when you get up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-beaton/working-at-home-is-hard-it-tends-to-give-you-bad-habits-it-feels-more/) [Kate Beaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-beaton/) > [Some days I'll be like, "You know what? Why don't I go to my daughter's studio and make a song?!" And then I don't!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tameka-cottle/some-days-i-ll-be-like-you-know-what-why-don-t-i-go-to-my-daughter-s/) [Tameka Cottle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tameka-cottle/) > [“Everything you say and do...it all sparkles so brightly. It's too blinding for me, and I end up closing my eyes. But I can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arima-kousei/everything-you-say-and-do-it-all-sparkles-so-brightly-it-s-too/) [Arima Kousei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arima-kousei/) [Browse all 4,092 Like you quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-you/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You have to practice for a long time before you can learn to sound like yourself", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Miles Davis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/you-have-to-practice-for-a-long-time-before-you-can-learn-to-sound/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Like you" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/you-have-to-practice-for-a-long-time-before-you-can-learn-to-sound/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f99/miles-davis-1842_like-you_you-have-to-practice-for-a-long-time-bef_21982.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f99/miles-davis-1842_like-you_you-have-to-practice-for-a-long-time-bef_21982.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f99/miles-davis-1842_like-you_you-have-to-practice-for-a-long-time-bef_21982.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You have to practice for a long time before you can learn to sound like yourself” — Miles Davis", "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": "Miles Davis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You have to practice for a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/you-have-to-practice-for-a-long-time-before-you-can-learn-to-sound/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/you-have-to-practice-for-a-long-time-before-you-can-learn-to-sound/#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 } } ] } ```