--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Since I was three I've been playing the…" description: "\"Since I was three I've been playing the piano. I've been onstage.\" — Nina Simone" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83b/nina-simone-3396_onstage_since-i-was-three-i-ve-been-playing-the_2572837.png" --- # Since I was three I've been playing the piano. I've been… ![“Since I was three I've been playing the piano. I've been onstage.” quote by Nina Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83b/nina-simone-3396_onstage_since-i-was-three-i-ve-been-playing-the_2572837.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83b/nina-simone-3396_onstage_since-i-was-three-i-ve-been-playing-the_2572837.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83b/nina-simone-3396_onstage_since-i-was-three-i-ve-been-playing-the_2572837.png) > “Since I was three I've been playing the piano. I've been onstage.” [Nina Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-simone/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early dedication to piano and performance shaped a lifelong artistic career. **In simple terms:** Started young, kept performing. Key Takeaway Commit early, stay active. Themes art dedication career Mood reflective hopeful Type biographical inspirational When to use this quote - music education - stage experience - career planning - artistic development Key Concepts music performance personal growth Questions to Reflect On - How did early practice shape you? - What keeps you motivated? A Different Perspective Early start doesn't guarantee success without perseverance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Onstage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/onstage/) [Piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/piano/) [Piano Ve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/piano-ve-1707138/) [Playing piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-piano/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Three](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three/) [Ve Onstage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ve-onstage-1707139/) ## Related quotes > [I've never been onstage in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-friel/i-ve-never-been-onstage-in-my-life/) [Anna Friel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-friel/) > [My life is like a piano, and I've only played half the keys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toure-collins-brown/my-life-is-like-a-piano-and-i-ve-only-played-half-the-keys/) [Toure Collins-Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toure-collins-brown/) > [I've never really not played the piano. I've played it since I was six or seven and it's something I've always done - I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-odell/i-ve-never-really-not-played-the-piano-i-ve-played-it-since-i-was-six/) [Tom Odell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-odell/) > [I taught myself to play the piano. I've always been able to play, the minute I could get my hands up. I've always wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-hunt/i-taught-myself-to-play-the-piano-i-ve-always-been-able-to-play-the/) [Jerry Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-hunt/) > [Since I was three I've been playing the piano. I've been onstage. My mother is an Evangelist and I used to play the piano…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-simone/since-i-was-three-i-ve-been-playing-the-piano-i-ve-been-onstage-my/) [Nina Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-simone/) > [I've been playing piano my whole life but I'd never tried to understand how compositions are made really. Try to imagine if you'd loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caio-fonseca/i-ve-been-playing-piano-my-whole-life-but-i-d-never-tried-to/) [Caio Fonseca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caio-fonseca/) > [I was ballet dancing at four, playing piano by six, and doing commercials by 12. When I was 21, I was on the number…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roselyn-sanchez/i-was-ballet-dancing-at-four-playing-piano-by-six-and-doing/) [Roselyn Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roselyn-sanchez/) > [Sometimes I feel like a melody doesn't have anything to do with me, but it's just something that comes, is accumulated from me playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-obel/sometimes-i-feel-like-a-melody-doesn-t-have-anything-to-do-with-me/) [Agnes Obel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-obel/) > [My father was always playing the piano. He played all kinds of music - Gershwin, all kinds of stuff. He was really a hugely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bush/my-father-was-always-playing-the-piano-he-played-all-kinds-of-music/) [Kate Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bush/) > [I first started playing in piano bars for three reasons - to make money, to be in the company of my friends - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-bocelli/i-first-started-playing-in-piano-bars-for-three-reasons-to-make-money/) [Andrea Bocelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-bocelli/) > [Please do not shoot the pianist. He is doing his best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/please-do-not-shoot-the-pianist-he-is-doing-his-best/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I studied chord theory and started playing the piano.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flea/i-studied-chord-theory-and-started-playing-the-piano/) [Flea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flea/) > [The things I do outside of playing the piano are done out of an inner necessity, not just because I want to try my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/the-things-i-do-outside-of-playing-the-piano-are-done-out-of-an-inner/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I spent thousands of thousands of hours playing the piano, and by thousands of hours, I mean playing in cover bands or wedding bands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-minchin/i-spent-thousands-of-thousands-of-hours-playing-the-piano-and-by/) [Tim Minchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-minchin/) > [When I was playing piano, it was like, 'I'm going to write a song using all the white keys.' My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/) [John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/) ## More by Nina Simone > [Music is one of the ways by which you can know everything which is going on in the world. You can feel... through music...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-simone/music-is-one-of-the-ways-by-which-you-can-know-everything-which-is/) [Nina Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-simone/) > [My love is like the wind and wild is the wind. Give me more than one caress, satisfy my hungriness. Let the wind blow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-simone/my-love-is-like-the-wind-and-wild-is-the-wind-give-me-more-than-one/) [Nina Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-simone/) > [I can't stand loud guitars that make me deaf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-simone/i-can-t-stand-loud-guitars-that-make-me-deaf/) [Nina Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-simone/) > [I don't like to go to strange places. I was in Italy for about five hours on my way to Africa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-simone/i-don-t-like-to-go-to-strange-places-i-was-in-italy-for-about-five/) [Nina Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-simone/) > [We have ordered things so long in a certain way, we are numb. Nobody dares question it. This is what is wrong, symbolically, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-simone/we-have-ordered-things-so-long-in-a-certain-way-we-are-numb-nobody/) [Nina Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-simone/) > [I wasn't a jazz player, but a classical musician, and I improvised arrangements of popular songs using classical motifs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-simone/i-wasn-t-a-jazz-player-but-a-classical-musician-and-i-improvised/) [Nina Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-simone/) > [I think the rich will eventually have to cave in too, because the economic situation around the world is not gonna tolerate the United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-simone/i-think-the-rich-will-eventually-have-to-cave-in-too-because-the/) [Nina Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-simone/) > [There's no excuse for the young...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-simone/there-s-no-excuse-for-the-young/) [Nina Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-simone/) > [Everything that happened to me as a child involved music. It was part of everyday life, as automatic as breathing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-simone/everything-that-happened-to-me-as-a-child-involved-music-it-was-part/) [Nina Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-simone/) > [When I was studying... there weren't any black concert pianists. My choices were intuitive, and I had the technique to do it. People have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-simone/when-i-was-studying-there-weren-t-any-black-concert-pianists-my/) [Nina Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-simone/) > [You have to learn to get up from the table when love is not being served.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-simone/you-have-to-learn-to-get-up-from-the-table-when-love-is-not-being/) [Nina Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-simone/) > [That's a very high goal to have, study eight hours a day to be a concert pianist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-simone/that-s-a-very-high-goal-to-have-study-eight-hours-a-day-to-be-a/) [Nina Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-simone/) > [Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood," a song that was written for Simone, she confronted the band's lead singer, Eric Burdon. "So you're the honky,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-simone/don-t-let-me-be-misunderstood-a-song-that-was-written-for-simone-she/) [Nina Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-simone/) > [This is the world you have made yourself, now you have to live in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-simone/this-is-the-world-you-have-made-yourself-now-you-have-to-live-in-it/) [Nina Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-simone/) > [I'll tell you what freedom is to me: no fear. I mean really, no fear!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-simone/i-ll-tell-you-what-freedom-is-to-me-no-fear-i-mean-really-no-fear/) [Nina Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-simone/) [Explore all 132 Nina Simone quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-simone/) ## More Onstage quotes > [The minute you step onstage, you get eight feet taller.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cooper/the-minute-you-step-onstage-you-get-eight-feet-taller/) [Alice Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cooper/) > [I'm getting to a point where everything is becoming streamlined in my life. I'm learning how to stand onstage for two hours and play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mayer/i-m-getting-to-a-point-where-everything-is-becoming-streamlined-in-my/) [John Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mayer/) > [For me music is so passionate. I have to give it my all every time I go onstage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/for-me-music-is-so-passionate-i-have-to-give-it-my-all-every-time-i/) [Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/) > [People see you onstage and, yeah, I'd want to be that guy.I want to be that guy myself very often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/people-see-you-onstage-and-yeah-i-d-want-to-be-that-guy-i-want-to-be/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [Once I get out onstage, it's the same sort of basic production that it is anywhere else. But I might be a little bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-snow/once-i-get-out-onstage-it-s-the-same-sort-of-basic-production-that-it/) [Phoebe Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-snow/) > [I think that's what makes a great show: when the performers onstage aren't putting on a show, they're legitimately just having a freaking awesome…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-grammer/i-think-that-s-what-makes-a-great-show-when-the-performers-onstage/) [Andy Grammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-grammer/) > [I remember going onstage on Broadway in this Leigh Bowery thing for a track like "Ich Bin Kunst." I've got breasts, this latex dripping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boy-george/i-remember-going-onstage-on-broadway-in-this-leigh-bowery-thing-for-a/) [Boy George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boy-george/) > [When all else hits the fan, I jump back onstage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hector/when-all-else-hits-the-fan-i-jump-back-onstage/) [Jamie Hector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hector/) > [I think the inception of my interest in arts was when I was around 9 or 10 and I started dancing. I was really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-wright/i-think-the-inception-of-my-interest-in-arts-was-when-i-was-around-9/) [Robin Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-wright/) > [Look at Greg Jbara! I've watched him work for years, always switching. He's literally a different human being when he's onstage in 'Billy Elliot.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-chase/look-at-greg-jbara-i-ve-watched-him-work-for-years-always-switching/) [Will Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-chase/) > [Jodi Melnick is hotly self-absorbed. Her onstage musicians are much too loud, and like so many narcissistic performers, she goes on much too long:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/jodi-melnick-is-hotly-self-absorbed-her-onstage-musicians-are-much/) [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) > [When I'm onstage, I'm more in the audience in my head than I am on the stage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-sixx/when-i-m-onstage-i-m-more-in-the-audience-in-my-head-than-i-am-on-the/) [Nikki Sixx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-sixx/) > [Ninety percent of touring is a logistical maneuver, moving your body and everyone else's from one city to the next. You're like a piece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-longstreth/ninety-percent-of-touring-is-a-logistical-maneuver-moving-your-body/) [David Longstreth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-longstreth/) > [I think a lot of people think I'm doing kind of a character onstage, but what you're really getting is just me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harland-williams/i-think-a-lot-of-people-think-i-m-doing-kind-of-a-character-onstage/) [Harland Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harland-williams/) > [I like to pick out a certain part of each show I'm in and I watch it when I'm not onstage or in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-donnell/i-like-to-pick-out-a-certain-part-of-each-show-i-m-in-and-i-watch-it/) [Colin Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-donnell/) [Browse all 666 Onstage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/onstage/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Since I was three I've been playing the piano. 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