---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Before I even became a guitar player, I…"
description: "\"Before I even became a guitar player, I wanted to be a Beatle. That was my first dream as a musician, was to be like a Beatle.\" — Paul Gilbert"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d5/paul-gilbert-4559_dream_before-i-even-became-a-guitar-player-i-w_2001724.jpg"
---

#  Before I even became a guitar player, I wanted to be a…

![“Before I even became a guitar player, I wanted to be a Beatle. That was my first dream as a musician, was to be like a Beatle.” quote by Paul Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d5/paul-gilbert-4559_dream_before-i-even-became-a-guitar-player-i-w_2001724.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d5/paul-gilbert-4559_dream_before-i-even-became-a-guitar-player-i-w_2001724.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d5/paul-gilbert-4559_dream_before-i-even-became-a-guitar-player-i-w_2001724.jpg)

> “Before I even became a guitar player, I wanted to be a Beatle. That was my first dream as a musician, was to be like a Beatle.”

[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.

Before playing guitar, I dreamed of being a Beatle, showing early aspiration shaped my musical path.

**In simple terms:** Dreams of idols guide career choices.

Key Takeaway

Let early inspirations inform your goals.

Themes

music ambition identity

Mood

motivational nostalgic

Type

advice inspirational

When to use this quote

- music education
- band formation
- personal branding
- songwriting

Key Concepts

role models career development creative influence

Questions to Reflect On

- Who inspires you today?
- How can you blend influence with personal style?

A Different Perspective

Idealizing past icons may limit originality.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Guitar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guitar/) [Guitar player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guitar-player/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/)

## Related quotes

> [I'm an example of someone who never made it to university. I did have this dream to be a musician. I felt that this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-vedder/i-m-an-example-of-someone-who-never-made-it-to-university-i-did-have/)

[Eddie Vedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-vedder/)

> [Until I was about 16 years old, my dream was to be a musician. I played in rock bands and jazz bands. Then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-helberg/until-i-was-about-16-years-old-my-dream-was-to-be-a-musician-i-played/)

[Simon Helberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-helberg/)

> [It wasn't professional, but it was a few levels below the top level. I loved playing football, but my passion was always music. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vance-joy/it-wasn-t-professional-but-it-was-a-few-levels-below-the-top-level-i/)

[Vance Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vance-joy/)

> [I can't speak for other people, but for me, it never really worked to think something like, "What Beatle did she like in high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sarandon/i-can-t-speak-for-other-people-but-for-me-it-never-really-worked-to/)

[Susan Sarandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sarandon/)

> [“Man with goatee. Man who looked like a Beatle. All the Beatles at once. Woman wearing newspaper hat. I'd grown used to how weird…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-sudjic/man-with-goatee-man-who-looked-like-a-beatle-all-the-beatles-at-once/)

[Olivia Sudjic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-sudjic/)

> [There is not one thing that's Beatle music. How can they talk about it like that? What is Beatle music? Walrus or Penny Lane?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/there-is-not-one-thing-that-s-beatle-music-how-can-they-talk-about-it/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [I'd love to be in Paul McCartney's shoes for a day. I'd love to pick up a guitar and write songs like he does.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-felton/i-d-love-to-be-in-paul-mccartney-s-shoes-for-a-day-i-d-love-to-pick/)

[Tom Felton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-felton/)

> [For years, my actual listening activity has been governed by what I perceived to be good for me as a musician, almost like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-thile/for-years-my-actual-listening-activity-has-been-governed-by-what-i/)

[Chris Thile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-thile/)

> [I've got this thing where I always kind of diss the older stuff and favor the newer stuff. I mean, it's not just my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradford-cox/i-ve-got-this-thing-where-i-always-kind-of-diss-the-older-stuff-and/)

[Bradford Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradford-cox/)

> [A true musician, like Johnny Cash, should be able to walk into a room with nothing but an instrument and capture people's attention for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cornell/a-true-musician-like-johnny-cash-should-be-able-to-walk-into-a-room/)

[Chris Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cornell/)

> [ People with talent are not interested in showing off behind another person. They're more interested in the music. \[Charlie Parker\] was playing with me.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-merrill/people-with-talent-are-not-interested-in-showing-off-behind-another/)

Helen Merrill

> [Since the music industry cracked and fell apart, gasping for the cash flow it had come to expect, much re-thinking has been the order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-siberry/since-the-music-industry-cracked-and-fell-apart-gasping-for-the-cash/)

[Jane Siberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-siberry/)

> [When I was 6 I thought that I wanted to be a musician - like a singer-songwriter. That's what I romantically envisioned for myself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-garfield/when-i-was-6-i-thought-that-i-wanted-to-be-a-musician-like-a-singer/)

[Andrew Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-garfield/)

> [I think I'm more entertainer than musician. I like to get with the crowd, make this night special for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-benson/i-think-i-m-more-entertainer-than-musician-i-like-to-get-with-the/)

[George Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-benson/)

> [I had this fantasy vision of what a career as a musician was like. And then I grew up and actually got in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lari-white/i-had-this-fantasy-vision-of-what-a-career-as-a-musician-was-like-and/)

[Lari White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lari-white/)

## 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 Dream quotes

> [“Once we become sensitive to dreams, we discover that every dynamic in a dream is manifesting itself in some way in our practical lives”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-johnson/once-we-become-sensitive-to-dreams-we-discover-that-every-dynamic-in/)

[Robert A. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-johnson/)

> [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/)

[John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/)

> [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [“Not that it matters, when you dream, there's no outside or in. Your mind is an unimaginable bloom. A willow catkin as big as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-shapero/not-that-it-matters-when-you-dream-there-s-no-outside-or-in-your-mind/)

[Rich Shapero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-shapero/)

> [Academically, I was never that interested. I skipped classes. My biggest dream was to have a coffee shop, but I had no idea how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-espinosa/academically-i-was-never-that-interested-i-skipped-classes-my-biggest/)

[Daniel Espinosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-espinosa/)

> [“As dreams are the healing songs from the wilderness of our unconscious - So wild animals, wild plants, wild landscapes are the healing dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-pendell/as-dreams-are-the-healing-songs-from-the-wilderness-of-our/)

[Dale Pendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-pendell/)

> [Alone in a world, With millions of souls Walking in circles Trapped in their dreams unhealthy, unclean walking in circles, now do not disturb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/alone-in-a-world-with-millions-of-souls-walking-in-circles-trapped-in/)

[Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/)

> [“Doing the work to transform your dreams into reality is like walking across the earth. It can be that hard, and it can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragos-bratasanu/doing-the-work-to-transform-your-dreams-into-reality-is-like-walking/)

[Dragos Bratasanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragos-bratasanu/)

> [As far as Im concerned, I didnt dream - ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-sturgeon/as-far-as-im-concerned-i-didnt-dream-ever/)

[Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-sturgeon/)

> [I have long felt that the way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things. Lecturing to children is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/i-have-long-felt-that-the-way-to-keep-children-out-of-trouble-is-to/)

[Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/)

> [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/)

[Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/)

> [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/)

[Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/)

> [Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-dream-especially-when-i-look-down-and-see/)

[Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/)

> [“I had a dream. I had an awesome dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-had-a-dream-i-had-an-awesome-dream/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/his-dream-must-have-seemed-so-close-that-he-could-hardly-fail-to/)

[F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/)

[Browse all 26,527 Dream quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Before I even became a guitar player, I wanted to be a Beatle. That was my first dream as a musician, was to be like a Beatle.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Paul Gilbert"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gilbert/before-i-even-became-a-guitar-player-i-wanted-to-be-a-beatle-that-was/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Dream"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gilbert/before-i-even-became-a-guitar-player-i-wanted-to-be-a-beatle-that-was/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d5/paul-gilbert-4559_dream_before-i-even-became-a-guitar-player-i-w_2001724.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d5/paul-gilbert-4559_dream_before-i-even-became-a-guitar-player-i-w_2001724.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d5/paul-gilbert-4559_dream_before-i-even-became-a-guitar-player-i-w_2001724.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Before I even became a guitar player, I wanted to be a Beatle. That was my first dream as a musician, was to…” — 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": "Before I even became a guitar...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gilbert/before-i-even-became-a-guitar-player-i-wanted-to-be-a-beatle-that-was/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gilbert/before-i-even-became-a-guitar-player-i-wanted-to-be-a-beatle-that-was/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
