--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you read about a tree, and there is a…" description: "\"If you read about a tree, and there is a description, you have to grow that tree in your mind. So that's an active way of looking at media, whereas a m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d45/ottmar-liebert-57998_instrumental-music_if-you-read-about-a-tree-and-there-is-a_534558.jpg" --- # If you read about a tree, and there is a description, you… ![“If you read about a tree, and there is a description, you have to grow that tree in your mind. So that's an active way of looking at media, whereas a movie or a TV will be passive, because they are showing you the tree. In the same way, when somebody sings a song for you, those words get so much…” quote by Ottmar Liebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d45/ottmar-liebert-57998_instrumental-music_if-you-read-about-a-tree-and-there-is-a_534558.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d45/ottmar-liebert-57998_instrumental-music_if-you-read-about-a-tree-and-there-is-a_534558.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d45/ottmar-liebert-57998_instrumental-music_if-you-read-about-a-tree-and-there-is-a_534558.jpg) > “If you read about a tree, and there is a description, you have to grow that tree in your mind. So that's an active way of looking at media, whereas a movie or a TV will be passive, because they are showing you the tree. In the same way, when somebody sings a song for you, those words get so much in the foreground, that even if you take a minor key of music and then put like happy lyrics to it and people think it's a happy song. So, in a song, you are told what to feel, whereas, in an instrumental music, you get as much out of it as you are willing to put into it.” [Ottmar Liebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ottmar-liebert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Active imagination creates personal mental images, while passive media presents fixed visuals; music lyrics direct emotions, instrumental music invites personal interpretation. **In simple terms:** Active reading builds mental pictures; passive viewing shows them. Key Takeaway Engage actively with content to shape your own experience. Themes imagination media music emotion interpretation Mood thoughtful analytical Type reflective analytical philosophical When to use this quote - reading literature - watching films - listening to lyrics - experiencing instrumental music Key Concepts cognitive engagement subjective experience emotional framing Questions to Reflect On - How does your mental picture differ from the actual image? - What emotions do you assign to instrumental pieces? A Different Perspective Passive media may limit personal insight if not reflected upon. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Happy Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happy-song/) [Instrumental music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instrumental-music/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tree/) ## Related quotes > [I really feel instrumental music can speak - can contain tremendous amounts of information - but it's speaking to your subconscious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-branca/i-really-feel-instrumental-music-can-speak-can-contain-tremendous/) [Glenn Branca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-branca/) > [I am not really thinking, I am just, working with the music. And people have asked me, why don't you say more, or why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ottmar-liebert/i-am-not-really-thinking-i-am-just-working-with-the-music-and-people/) [Ottmar Liebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ottmar-liebert/) > [After all my years of doing instrumental music I still like just a simple instrumental song with a nice catchy melody and an opportunity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-clarke/after-all-my-years-of-doing-instrumental-music-i-still-like-just-a/) [Stanley Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-clarke/) > [I realised a long time ago that instrumental music speaks a lot more clearly than English, Spanish, Yiddish, Swahili, any other language. Pure melody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-santana/i-realised-a-long-time-ago-that-instrumental-music-speaks-a-lot-more/) [Carlos Santana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-santana/) > [I really love the fact that instrumental music can have you do your own inner-movies or your own visuals to the sound. There's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trentem-ller/i-really-love-the-fact-that-instrumental-music-can-have-you-do-your/) [Trentemøller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trentem-ller/) > [Instrumental music is increasingly marginalized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sanborn/instrumental-music-is-increasingly-marginalized/) [David Sanborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sanborn/) > [You look back, and it was important to bring back instrumental music, and it was great to be a part of that wave of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-hamm/you-look-back-and-it-was-important-to-bring-back-instrumental-music/) Stuart Hamm > [The Chili Peppers do a lot of improvising, but it's within the framework of song structures. The Meatbats is from a purely instrumental standpoint.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-smith/the-chili-peppers-do-a-lot-of-improvising-but-it-s-within-the/) [Chad Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-smith/) > [The essence of higher instrumental music lays herein that one is able to express in tones that what one is unable to say in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wagner/the-essence-of-higher-instrumental-music-lays-herein-that-one-is-able/) [Richard Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-wagner/) > [I write a lot of more instrumental music than I do vocal music. It's because I come out of a background of playing piano…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-verlaine/i-write-a-lot-of-more-instrumental-music-than-i-do-vocal-music-it-s/) [Tom Verlaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-verlaine/) > [Instrumental music is increasingly marginalized and there's just no outlet, there's no venue for it, in terms of media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sanborn/instrumental-music-is-increasingly-marginalized-and-there-s-just-no/) [David Sanborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sanborn/) > [I probably listen to more instrumental music than music with lyrics, but at the same time I do love both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flume/i-probably-listen-to-more-instrumental-music-than-music-with-lyrics/) [Flume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flume/) > [I really hope that with my album, because I have a bit more of a mainstream crossover following, I really hope that I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-strauss/i-really-hope-that-with-my-album-because-i-have-a-bit-more-of-a/) [Nita Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-strauss/) > [With instrumental music, it is traditionally hard to get exposure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yanni/with-instrumental-music-it-is-traditionally-hard-to-get-exposure/) [Yanni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yanni/) > [When I'm writing instrumental music, I try to find musical and non-musical inspirations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dessner/when-i-m-writing-instrumental-music-i-try-to-find-musical-and-non/) [Bryce Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dessner/) ## More by Ottmar Liebert > [You grow the fastest by getting... adopting ideas and technologies from other cultures. And that has been proven in history, time and time again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ottmar-liebert/you-grow-the-fastest-by-getting-adopting-ideas-and-technologies-from/) [Ottmar Liebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ottmar-liebert/) > [There was a show in Germany called Beat Club, and they had a lot of bands playing live. And I had this master plan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ottmar-liebert/there-was-a-show-in-germany-called-beat-club-and-they-had-a-lot-of/) [Ottmar Liebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ottmar-liebert/) > [I am not really thinking, I am just, working with the music. And people have asked me, why don't you say more, or why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ottmar-liebert/i-am-not-really-thinking-i-am-just-working-with-the-music-and-people/) [Ottmar Liebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ottmar-liebert/) > [Flamenco is Arabic music and rhythms filtered through centuries of gypsies making music. The gypsies themselves came originally from India. And then there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ottmar-liebert/flamenco-is-arabic-music-and-rhythms-filtered-through-centuries-of/) [Ottmar Liebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ottmar-liebert/) > [When I came to the States, I still wanted to be an electric guitar player. But moved to Santa Fe in '86. And just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ottmar-liebert/when-i-came-to-the-states-i-still-wanted-to-be-an-electric-guitar/) [Ottmar Liebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ottmar-liebert/) [Explore all 6 Ottmar Liebert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ottmar-liebert/) ## More Instrumental quotes > [I think video games have been instrumental to me as an NBA player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-hayward/i-think-video-games-have-been-instrumental-to-me-as-an-nba-player/) [Gordon Hayward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-hayward/) > [Righteousness and faith certainly are instrumental in moving mountains - if moving mountains accomplishes God's purposes and is in accordance with His will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-bednar/righteousness-and-faith-certainly-are-instrumental-in-moving/) [David A. Bednar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-bednar/) > [I've studied the lives of the 20th century's great businessmen and concluded self-confidence was instrumental in all their success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-spanos/i-ve-studied-the-lives-of-the-20th-century-s-great-businessmen-and/) [Alex Spanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-spanos/) > [Burt Bacharach used to do that. He'd produce a number of hits, especially for Dionne Warwick and then, every year or so, put out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-carpenter/burt-bacharach-used-to-do-that-he-d-produce-a-number-of-hits/) [Richard Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-carpenter/) > [Before acting offers came by, I dabbled in theatre under the aegis of the late thespian Dinesh Thakur. He was instrumental in honing my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arfi-lamba/before-acting-offers-came-by-i-dabbled-in-theatre-under-the-aegis-of/) [Arfi Lamba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arfi-lamba/) > [The first song we ever performed, actually, was an instrumental, which says a lot about how shy we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-manuel-de-homem-christo/the-first-song-we-ever-performed-actually-was-an-instrumental-which/) [Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-manuel-de-homem-christo/) > [At times I have a beat first and then I write. Sometimes I have a melody in my head and I pick up the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nneka/at-times-i-have-a-beat-first-and-then-i-write-sometimes-i-have-a/) [Nneka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nneka/) > [When I'm writing instrumental music, I try to find musical and non-musical inspirations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dessner/when-i-m-writing-instrumental-music-i-try-to-find-musical-and-non/) [Bryce Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dessner/) > [I'm a heaven sent instrument. My rhythmatic regimen navigates melodic notes for your soul and your mental. That's why I'm instrumental, vibrations is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/i-m-a-heaven-sent-instrument-my-rhythmatic-regimen-navigates-melodic/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [Sidney Poitier and Sidney Lumet were instrumental in helping me get started as the first black composer to get name credit for movie scores.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quincy-jones/sidney-poitier-and-sidney-lumet-were-instrumental-in-helping-me-get/) [Quincy Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quincy-jones/) > [I started playing guitar because of instrumental guitar music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-strauss/i-started-playing-guitar-because-of-instrumental-guitar-music/) [Nita Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-strauss/) > [When I met Zaeden, I bonded well with him he had an instrumental piece ready so we worked on it, composed, and added lyrics.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ankit-tiwari/when-i-met-zaeden-i-bonded-well-with-him-he-had-an-instrumental-piece/) [Ankit Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ankit-tiwari/) > [Musicians used to be way more instrumental just in providing a soundtrack to what's going on in the world. And it's also important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-keys/musicians-used-to-be-way-more-instrumental-just-in-providing-a/) [Alicia Keys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-keys/) > [I was trying to actively get away from music, I guess. But I recorded a whole bunch of instrumental piano songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-lekman/i-was-trying-to-actively-get-away-from-music-i-guess-but-i-recorded-a/) [Jens Lekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-lekman/) > [I did an instrumental jazz album. That was my first album.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-curren/i-did-an-instrumental-jazz-album-that-was-my-first-album/) [Tom Curren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-curren/) Browse all 126 Instrumental quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you read about a tree, and there is a description, you have to grow that tree in your mind. 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