--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Asking to hold a musician's instrument is…" description: "\"“Asking to hold a musician's instrument is roughly similar to asking to kiss a man's wife. Nonmusicians don't understand. An instrument is like a compa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af0/patrick-rothfuss-145_asking_asking-to-hold-a-musician-s-instrument-i_3121740.jpg" --- # Asking to hold a musician's instrument is roughly similar… ![“Asking to hold a musician's instrument is roughly similar to asking to kiss a man's wife. Nonmusicians don't understand. An instrument is like a companion and a lover.” quote by Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af0/patrick-rothfuss-145_asking_asking-to-hold-a-musician-s-instrument-i_3121740.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af0/patrick-rothfuss-145_asking_asking-to-hold-a-musician-s-instrument-i_3121740.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af0/patrick-rothfuss-145_asking_asking-to-hold-a-musician-s-instrument-i_3121740.jpg) > ““Asking to hold a musician's instrument is roughly similar to asking to kiss a man's wife. Nonmusicians don't understand. An instrument is like a companion and a lover.”” [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Musicians view their instruments as intimate partners; outsiders often miss this deep bond. **In simple terms:** Playing an instrument is like loving a companion. Key Takeaway Respect the intimacy of a musician’s craft. Themes art music intimacy respect creativity Mood reflective appreciative thoughtful Type philosophical cultural When to use this quote - music lessons - concert etiquette - collaborative performances - instrument care Key Concepts instrument as extension of self empathy artist‑audience relationship Questions to Reflect On - What does your instrument mean to you personally? - How can non‑musicians show respect for a musician’s relationship with their tool? A Different Perspective Not everyone shares this perspective, leading to misunderstandings. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Instrument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instrument/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-making/) [Musician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musician/) ## Related quotes > [“Asking to hold a musician’s instrument is roughly similar to asking to kiss a man’s wife.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/asking-to-hold-a-musician-s-instrument-is-roughly-similar-to-asking/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [Unfortunately, every time I have somebody play an instrument, it's always like, they don't know how to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-tarantino/unfortunately-every-time-i-have-somebody-play-an-instrument-it-s/) [Quentin Tarantino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-tarantino/) > [Music comes from the musician, not the instrument.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-wooten/music-comes-from-the-musician-not-the-instrument/) [Victor Wooten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-wooten/) > [Setting my mind on a musical instrument was like falling in love. All the world seemed bright and changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-christopher-handy/setting-my-mind-on-a-musical-instrument-was-like-falling-in-love-all/) [William Christopher Handy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-christopher-handy/) > [Im not asking for diamonds I not asking for the world I'm just asking for you to hold me and call me your babby…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristina-gallai/im-not-asking-for-diamonds-i-not-asking-for-the-world-i-m-just-asking/) Kristina Gallai > [“An entrepreneur without funding is a musician without an instrument.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-rice-jr/an-entrepreneur-without-funding-is-a-musician-without-an-instrument/) Robert A. Rice Jr > [As a musician, your instrument is almost predetermined. 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I have listened to her practice for so many hours that I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-cleary/i-particularly-enjoy-cello-music-because-our-daughter-plays-the-cello/) [Beverly Cleary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-cleary/) > [Money is the kind of instrument which is very speedily produced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatoly-chubais/money-is-the-kind-of-instrument-which-is-very-speedily-produced/) [Anatoly Chubais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatoly-chubais/) ## More by Patrick Rothfuss > [Each woman is like an instrument, waiting to be learned, loved, and finely played, to have at last her own true music made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/each-woman-is-like-an-instrument-waiting-to-be-learned-loved-and/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. 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Sometimes on there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-have-a-blog-where-i-keep-in-touch-with-my-fans-i-write-about-things/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [Soft fantasy worlds have a much looser cause-and-effect relationship. Alchemists can turn lead into gold and nobody wonders about how it will impact the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/soft-fantasy-worlds-have-a-much-looser-cause-and-effect-relationship/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [But how awful would that be? How terrible to live surrounded by the stark, sharp, hollowness of things that simply were enough?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/but-how-awful-would-that-be-how-terrible-to-live-surrounded-by-the/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [ Here's the thing: Authors live or die by recommendations. \[That's one of the reason I review so many books on Goodreads.\] Giving books you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/here-s-the-thing-authors-live-or-die-by-recommendations-that-s-one-of/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I was pretty poor for a long time. Not \*poor\* poor. But college student poor. I lived for most of my adult life living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-was-pretty-poor-for-a-long-time-not-poor-poor-but-college-student/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) [Explore all 895 Patrick Rothfuss quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) ## More Asking quotes > [Why did Erich von Stronheim leave Germany? Why did Hitchcock leave England? If you were a director you'd like to work in Hollywood too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-polanski/why-did-erich-von-stronheim-leave-germany-why-did-hitchcock-leave/) [Roman Polanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-polanski/) > [And in your new lives you'll have to live entirely for that one sensation-that of imminent truth. And you're going to have to holler…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/and-in-your-new-lives-you-ll-have-to-live-entirely-for-that-one/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [“Stop asking yourself how or why and tell yourself you can." - Charmainism”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charmaine-smith-ladd/stop-asking-yourself-how-or-why-and-tell-yourself-you-can-charmainism/) [Charmaine Smith Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charmaine-smith-ladd/) > [Closing his eyes, he sent up a prayer to anyone who was listening, asking please, for God's sake, stop sending him signals that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/closing-his-eyes-he-sent-up-a-prayer-to-anyone-who-was-listening/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [People will identify with a persecuted minority without asking themselves what they are identifying with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/people-will-identify-with-a-persecuted-minority-without-asking/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [If you're having a bad day already and everybody is just asking you petty questions, it drives people to the edge, or something really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-weixler/if-you-re-having-a-bad-day-already-and-everybody-is-just-asking-you/) [Jess Weixler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-weixler/) > [You never give away your heart; you lend it from time to time. If it were not so, how could we take it back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/you-never-give-away-your-heart-you-lend-it-from-time-to-time-if-it/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [I'm not asking people to feel sorry for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-abramoff/i-m-not-asking-people-to-feel-sorry-for-me/) [Jack Abramoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-abramoff/) > [The boldness of asking deep questions may require unforeseen flexibility if we are to accept the answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-greene/the-boldness-of-asking-deep-questions-may-require-unforeseen/) [Brian Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-greene/) > [Use Google Before Asking A Stupid Question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muskaan/use-google-before-asking-a-stupid-question/) [Muskaan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muskaan/) > [There were people asking 'Can women be funny?' People still ask that. 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Using your voice in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-shriver/whether-that-s-speaking-up-in-your-job-or-asking-for-a-promotion-or/) [Maria Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-shriver/) > [Love cannot be had for the asking; it comes only as a gift from the heart of another](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/love-cannot-be-had-for-the-asking-it-comes-only-as-a-gift-from-the/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [The Baseball Hall of Fame is something every player dreams about, but being a member of God's Hall of Fame is the greatest achievement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-carter/the-baseball-hall-of-fame-is-something-every-player-dreams-about-but/) [Gary Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-carter/) > [“In such a regime, I say you died a good death if your life had inspired someone to come forward and shoot your murdered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/in-such-a-regime-i-say-you-died-a-good-death-if-your-life-had/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) Browse all 3,313 Asking quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Asking to hold a musician's instrument is roughly similar to asking to kiss a man's wife. 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