--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: After playing for 40 years, I've been…" description: "\"After playing for 40 years, I've been able to evolve the way I see the fretboard and how I hear the guitar in my head.\" — Paul Gilbert" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93e/paul-gilbert-4559_evolve_after-playing-for-40-years-i-ve-been-abl_2664619.jpg" --- # After playing for 40 years, I've been able to evolve the… ![“After playing for 40 years, I've been able to evolve the way I see the fretboard and how I hear the guitar in my head.” quote by Paul Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93e/paul-gilbert-4559_evolve_after-playing-for-40-years-i-ve-been-abl_2664619.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93e/paul-gilbert-4559_evolve_after-playing-for-40-years-i-ve-been-abl_2664619.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93e/paul-gilbert-4559_evolve_after-playing-for-40-years-i-ve-been-abl_2664619.jpg) > “After playing for 40 years, I've been able to evolve the way I see the fretboard and how I hear the guitar in my head.” [Paul Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gilbert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Decades of playing reshape perception of the fretboard and internal hearing of music. **In simple terms:** Experience changes how we visualize and hear music. Key Takeaway Embrace evolving perspectives. Themes growth musical perception experience Mood reflective creative Type musical inspirational When to use this quote - teaching music - composing - performance preparation Key Concepts neuroscience skill development Questions to Reflect On - How has your practice altered your inner ear? - What new insights have emerged? A Different Perspective Change may cause temporary disorientation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [40 Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/40-years/) [Evolve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolve/) [Fretboard Hear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fretboard-hear-2454730/) [Guitar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guitar/) [Head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/head/) [Hear Guitar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hear-guitar-1106884/) [Playing 40](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-40-1617046/) [See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/see/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [You shouldn't hear the guitar by itself. It should be part of the whole...You only notice the guitar when it's not there](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-green/you-shouldn-t-hear-the-guitar-by-itself-it-should-be-part-of-the-2/) [Freddie Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-green/) > [At night in the country, you'd be surprised how that music carries. You could hear my guitar way before you get to the house,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/at-night-in-the-country-you-d-be-surprised-how-that-music-carries-you/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [Yes and for two reasons: one, I couldn't find anything to imitate at the time, and secondly because what I heard on the radio…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-kottke/yes-and-for-two-reasons-one-i-couldn-t-find-anything-to-imitate-at/) [Leo Kottke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-kottke/) > [You shouldn't hear the guitar by itself. It should be part of the drums... You only notice the guitar when it's not there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-green/you-shouldn-t-hear-the-guitar-by-itself-it-should-be-part-of-the/) [Freddie Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-green/) > [Lately I haven't been able to write for the guitar - it'll usually start out with a melody on the bass, and I'll layer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-jaffe/lately-i-haven-t-been-able-to-write-for-the-guitar-it-ll-usually/) [Sarah Jaffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-jaffe/) > [Playing until I'm 40 is definitely a possibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gareth-barry/playing-until-i-m-40-is-definitely-a-possibility/) [Gareth Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gareth-barry/) > [I was playing 40-year-old women when I was 20. I didn't get considered for ingenue roles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-janney/i-was-playing-40-year-old-women-when-i-was-20-i-didn-t-get-considered/) [Allison Janney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-janney/) > [I wanted to become a cricketer primarily because the idea of playing in front of 40,000 odd people gave me an adrenaline rush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aditya-roy-kapur/i-wanted-to-become-a-cricketer-primarily-because-the-idea-of-playing/) [Aditya Roy Kapur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aditya-roy-kapur/) > [I've always been short and stocky. So when I got into repertory theatre after graduation, I found myself doing character roles: because of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suchet/i-ve-always-been-short-and-stocky-so-when-i-got-into-repertory/) [David Suchet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suchet/) > [Playing in front of 40,000-plus crowds will be brilliant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-cattermole/playing-in-front-of-40-000-plus-crowds-will-be-brilliant/) [Lee Cattermole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-cattermole/) > [I don't know too many pass rushers playing at 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-peppers/i-don-t-know-too-many-pass-rushers-playing-at-40/) [Julius Peppers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-peppers/) > [You don't want to get stuck playing 40 minutes a game with your small lineup.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelvin-sampson/you-don-t-want-to-get-stuck-playing-40-minutes-a-game-with-your-small/) [Kelvin Sampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelvin-sampson/) > [It won't take 40 years for opposition to same-sex marriage to dissipate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-cheney/it-won-t-take-40-years-for-opposition-to-same-sex-marriage-to/) [Mary Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-cheney/) > [Well of course there's been a great deal of progress over the last 40 years. We don't have laws that segregate black people within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-davis/well-of-course-there-s-been-a-great-deal-of-progress-over-the-last-40/) [Angela Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-davis/) > [I've been a professional actor for almost 40 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-perlman/i-ve-been-a-professional-actor-for-almost-40-years/) [Ron Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-perlman/) ## More by Paul Gilbert > [I especially like the songs Hurry Up and The Curse Of Castle Dragon, and I often include them in my live show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gilbert/i-especially-like-the-songs-hurry-up-and-the-curse-of-castle-dragon/) [Paul Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gilbert/) > [Everyone has to start somewhere! I certainly didn't sound great when I first started playing, and I remember all my guitar teachers, both good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gilbert/everyone-has-to-start-somewhere-i-certainly-didn-t-sound-great-when-i/) [Paul Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gilbert/) > [I use the volume control on my guitar, both for dynamics and as a manual noise gate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gilbert/i-use-the-volume-control-on-my-guitar-both-for-dynamics-and-as-a/) [Paul Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gilbert/) > [With Racer X, whenever we have time, we try to put a record together. And that's always fun because the guys in the band…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gilbert/with-racer-x-whenever-we-have-time-we-try-to-put-a-record-together/) [Paul Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gilbert/) > [It's so easy to practice out of context. For example, if you're learning a scale, you take that scale and you sit in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gilbert/it-s-so-easy-to-practice-out-of-context-for-example-if-you-re/) [Paul Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gilbert/) > [Two words: Kasim Sulton. I've been a Utopia fan for a long, long time, and Kasim's a pop hero of mine. I have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gilbert/two-words-kasim-sulton-i-ve-been-a-utopia-fan-for-a-long-long-time/) [Paul Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gilbert/) > [While I was writing the songs for 'Fuzz Universe,' I was immersing myself in Bulgarian Female Choir music, Baroque lute and violin pieces, Johnny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gilbert/while-i-was-writing-the-songs-for-fuzz-universe-i-was-immersing/) [Paul Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gilbert/) > [I've found that as I've learned to improvise melodically, it seems like I can come up with a bigger variety of stuff. I kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gilbert/i-ve-found-that-as-i-ve-learned-to-improvise-melodically-it-seems/) [Paul Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gilbert/) > [Writing is a chore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gilbert/writing-is-a-chore/) [Paul Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gilbert/) > [In my daily life, I tend to be very literal and unsuperstitious. But music gives me an outlet to be very emotional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gilbert/in-my-daily-life-i-tend-to-be-very-literal-and-unsuperstitious-but/) [Paul Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gilbert/) > [I've realized that, as the years have gone on, I have become completely impatient with the demo process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gilbert/i-ve-realized-that-as-the-years-have-gone-on-i-have-become-completely/) [Paul Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gilbert/) > [I've certainly enjoyed doing clinic tours for larger audiences, but the most valuable teaching experience has been the hundreds of lessons that I've given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gilbert/i-ve-certainly-enjoyed-doing-clinic-tours-for-larger-audiences-but/) [Paul Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gilbert/) > [A rock band with vocals is what I always wanted to be a part of; in fact, it feels very natural for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gilbert/a-rock-band-with-vocals-is-what-i-always-wanted-to-be-a-part-of-in/) [Paul Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gilbert/) > [To me, the secret of Eddie Van Halen was Alex Van Halen, because the way Alex played was so loose and the way the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gilbert/to-me-the-secret-of-eddie-van-halen-was-alex-van-halen-because-the/) [Paul Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gilbert/) > [The first song on my first album is not a song - it's a guitar solo! It's called 'Frenzy,' and it's pretty much nonstop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gilbert/the-first-song-on-my-first-album-is-not-a-song-it-s-a-guitar-solo-it/) [Paul Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gilbert/) [Explore all 109 Paul Gilbert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gilbert/) ## More Evolve quotes > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [I became a bit of a teacher's pet, and it became known in the school by both faculty and students that I really excelled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-smith/i-became-a-bit-of-a-teacher-s-pet-and-it-became-known-in-the-school/) [Paul Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-smith/) > [I think that kind of balance comes with the process of growing together as a band, the Little Dragon. We love to write, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yukimi-nagano/i-think-that-kind-of-balance-comes-with-the-process-of-growing/) [Yukimi Nagano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yukimi-nagano/) > [In fashion, some evolve, some don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-lamy/in-fashion-some-evolve-some-don-t/) [Michele Lamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-lamy/) > [“Our first teacher is our own heart. When we begin to tune in and listen to our heart we can bring our thoughts and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-l-white/our-first-teacher-is-our-own-heart-when-we-begin-to-tune-in-and/) [Victoria L. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-l-white/) > [“You have permission to walk away from anything that doesn't feel right. Trust your instincts and listen to your inner-voice — it's trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/you-have-permission-to-walk-away-from-anything-that-doesn-t-feel/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [My curiosity and my appetite for evolving as an actor is one of the main components of me still working today in the business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-cattrall/my-curiosity-and-my-appetite-for-evolving-as-an-actor-is-one-of-the/) [Kim Cattrall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-cattrall/) > [I'm not an artist, and I want to take risks, and when the possibility of failure occurs, it's because the idea is all exciting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-morgan/i-m-not-an-artist-and-i-want-to-take-risks-and-when-the-possibility/) [Peter Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-morgan/) > [It's hard no to work, so I find a way to put myself back to work. And I think it's important, in between projects,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/it-s-hard-no-to-work-so-i-find-a-way-to-put-myself-back-to-work-and-i/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [“In the offseason, you should be working, reading, developing, growing, evolving, and becoming your best self. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/in-the-offseason-you-should-be-working-reading-developing-growing/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [In the Christian perspective, the love of God and of all other human beings invites us to share and enjoy not just the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-keating/in-the-christian-perspective-the-love-of-god-and-of-all-other-human/) [Thomas Keating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-keating/) > [The Kabbalah describes angels as bundles of light, meaning intelligence, consciousness. Kabbalists believe that above every blade of grass is an angel crying "Grow!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/the-kabbalah-describes-angels-as-bundles-of-light-meaning/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [You do need to maintain some of yourself and know who you are, but that doesn't mean you can't evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-show/you-do-need-to-maintain-some-of-yourself-and-know-who-you-are-but/) [Grant Show](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-show/) > [Every physical system registers information, and just by evolving in time, by doing its thing, it changes that information, transforms that information, or, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-lloyd/every-physical-system-registers-information-and-just-by-evolving-in/) [Seth Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-lloyd/) > [Every year is different. I always try to evolve, get better and find different areas and training that can benefit me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-millsap/every-year-is-different-i-always-try-to-evolve-get-better-and-find/) [Paul Millsap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-millsap/) [Browse all 1,637 Evolve quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolve/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "After playing for 40 years, I've been able to evolve the way I see the fretboard and how I hear the guitar in my head.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul Gilbert" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gilbert/after-playing-for-40-years-i-ve-been-able-to-evolve-the-way-i-see-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Evolve" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gilbert/after-playing-for-40-years-i-ve-been-able-to-evolve-the-way-i-see-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93e/paul-gilbert-4559_evolve_after-playing-for-40-years-i-ve-been-abl_2664619.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93e/paul-gilbert-4559_evolve_after-playing-for-40-years-i-ve-been-abl_2664619.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93e/paul-gilbert-4559_evolve_after-playing-for-40-years-i-ve-been-abl_2664619.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“After playing for 40 years, I've been able to evolve the way I see the fretboard and how I hear the guitar…” — Paul Gilbert", "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": "Paul Gilbert", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gilbert/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "After playing for 40 years, I've...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gilbert/after-playing-for-40-years-i-ve-been-able-to-evolve-the-way-i-see-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gilbert/after-playing-for-40-years-i-ve-been-able-to-evolve-the-way-i-see-the/#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 } } ] } ```