--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Because of my register, Miles Davis'…" description: "\"Because of my register, Miles Davis' trumpet playing has always been a big influence on my singing. I've always been intrigued by the way he can start ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d38/philip-bailey-4862_influence_because-of-my-register-miles-davis-trump_1790314.jpg" --- # Because of my register, Miles Davis' trumpet playing has… ![“Because of my register, Miles Davis' trumpet playing has always been a big influence on my singing. I've always been intrigued by the way he can start anywhere and make it right.” quote by Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d38/philip-bailey-4862_influence_because-of-my-register-miles-davis-trump_1790314.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d38/philip-bailey-4862_influence_because-of-my-register-miles-davis-trump_1790314.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d38/philip-bailey-4862_influence_because-of-my-register-miles-davis-trump_1790314.jpg) > “Because of my register, Miles Davis' trumpet playing has always been a big influence on my singing. I've always been intrigued by the way he can start anywhere and make it right.” [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Miles Davis’ improvisational freedom shows that starting from any point can still produce coherent art. **In simple terms:** Starting anywhere can still work if you trust your skill. Key Takeaway Embrace flexibility and trust your instincts. Themes music improvisation creativity influence Mood inspired reflective Type musical creative When to use this quote - songwriting - live performance - studio recording - musical collaboration Key Concepts jazz trumpet vocal technique artistic freedom Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance influence with your own voice? - What does “starting anywhere” mean for you? A Different Perspective Reliance on influence may limit personal originality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Music making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-making/) [Singing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singing/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Trumpet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trumpet/) ## Related quotes > [“A blanket could be used to improve the quality of your trumpet playing. Wrap the blanket tightly around and in the horn section before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/a-blanket-could-be-used-to-improve-the-quality-of-your-trumpet/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [ A very few musicians passed across all decades. In terms of trumpet playing, Louis Armstrong does it of course but Sweets \[Edison\] is right… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-hubbard/a-very-few-musicians-passed-across-all-decades-in-terms-of-trumpet/) [Freddie Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-hubbard/) > [I'd say that Ray Charles is definitely the biggest influence on my singing. Also Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcdonald/i-d-say-that-ray-charles-is-definitely-the-biggest-influence-on-my/) [Michael McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcdonald/) > [We influence singing but never really songwriting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-king/we-influence-singing-but-never-really-songwriting/) [Charles King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-king/) > [I think playing a horn has had a great influence on my singing. I've tried to approach singing from an instrumental mindset. Space is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tucker/i-think-playing-a-horn-has-had-a-great-influence-on-my-singing-i-ve/) Susan Tucker > [I first heard Miles Davis as a student, when I was struck by his extraordinary musicianship, and his work did affect some of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-hucknall/i-first-heard-miles-davis-as-a-student-when-i-was-struck-by-his/) [Mick Hucknall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-hucknall/) > [Interestingly enough Miles Davis was an influence, and the way he approached harmonics. And one of my biggest influences was Dionne Warwick, early Dionne…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/interestingly-enough-miles-davis-was-an-influence-and-the-way-he/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [When we came up, Clive Davis and other record execs would do anything to keep Miles Davis, Aretha Franklin, even Johnny Mathis intact, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/when-we-came-up-clive-davis-and-other-record-execs-would-do-anything/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [The bass line is the anchor for me. I started with the bass, and either doubled that and then added the harmonies, or sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petra-haden/the-bass-line-is-the-anchor-for-me-i-started-with-the-bass-and-either/) [Petra Haden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petra-haden/) > [ I used to try to play like \[Miles Davis\], and Miles caught me copying him one night at Birdland. He said, 'Hey man, why… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-hubbard/i-used-to-try-to-play-like-miles-davis-and-miles-caught-me-copying/) [Freddie Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-hubbard/) > [If we are going to list guitar influences, the biggest one by far is Wes Montgomery. Also, Gary Burton was obviously huge for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/if-we-are-going-to-list-guitar-influences-the-biggest-one-by-far-is/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [I never considered Miles Davis a perfectionist; I always considered him as an excellence-ist, where deviation is actually kind of cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-trotter/i-never-considered-miles-davis-a-perfectionist-i-always-considered/) [Charlie Trotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-trotter/) > [Miles Davis fully embraced possibilities and delved into it. He was criticized heavily from the jazz side. He was supposed to be part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-laswell/miles-davis-fully-embraced-possibilities-and-delved-into-it-he-was/) [Bill Laswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-laswell/) > [Maybe it's wishful thinking, this snaggly faith of mine, or maybe it's Miles Davis saying, Don't play what's there, play what's not there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/maybe-it-s-wishful-thinking-this-snaggly-faith-of-mine-or-maybe-it-s/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [Miles Davis himself, I discovered him when I was 15, and he rocked my world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mclaughlin/miles-davis-himself-i-discovered-him-when-i-was-15-and-he-rocked-my/) [John McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mclaughlin/) ## More by Philip Bailey > [When we came up, groups and bands and performers were interested in being their own thing. They wanted to make sure that they had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/when-we-came-up-groups-and-bands-and-performers-were-interested-in/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [Interestingly enough, I'm an earth sign, and my personality is pretty much in keeping with that, and Verdine is definitely a fire sign. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/interestingly-enough-i-m-an-earth-sign-and-my-personality-is-pretty/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [I love the clothes, I love the discipline. It's all encompassing. You play golf for two hours and you feel like you went on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/i-love-the-clothes-i-love-the-discipline-it-s-all-encompassing-you/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [We all have things in which we look back and say, 'If I had a chance to do it all over again, I wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/we-all-have-things-in-which-we-look-back-and-say-if-i-had-a-chance-to/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [I call Earth, Wind & Fire my day job and my solo career my night gig.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/i-call-earth-wind-fire-my-day-job-and-my-solo-career-my-night-gig/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [I'm a strong believer in God. Always have been. I've always believed that he directed my path from the time I was a kid.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/i-m-a-strong-believer-in-god-always-have-been-i-ve-always-believed/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [We weren't that big fans of Disco.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/we-weren-t-that-big-fans-of-disco/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [If you get the basics right, you can freshen things up, you don't want to just regurgitate the past. But we gotta stay true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/if-you-get-the-basics-right-you-can-freshen-things-up-you-don-t-want/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [The seeds of Illumination's origin sprang from an idea lead singer Philip Bailey had of collaborating with new generation of soul artists for his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/the-seeds-of-illumination-s-origin-sprang-from-an-idea-lead-singer/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [I can't lie: We have made some dogs over the years. Every album we did wasn't great, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/i-can-t-lie-we-have-made-some-dogs-over-the-years-every-album-we-did/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [For me, it's always been about doing different things... If you're still jazzed about the possibilities, the chances of you coming up with stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/for-me-it-s-always-been-about-doing-different-things-if-you-re-still/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [Many times, periods of struggle are more blessed times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/many-times-periods-of-struggle-are-more-blessed-times/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [I don't want to give up pop music. It's how I earn my living. I've got a family to take care of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/i-don-t-want-to-give-up-pop-music-it-s-how-i-earn-my-living-i-ve-got/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [For me, I listened to a lot of female jazz artists. And of course, the Motown and Philly sounds, all that stuff was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/for-me-i-listened-to-a-lot-of-female-jazz-artists-and-of-course-the/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [God had always been beckoning me. Early on as a kid, I just felt a strange and close connection with the Divine and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/god-had-always-been-beckoning-me-early-on-as-a-kid-i-just-felt-a/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) [Explore all 105 Philip Bailey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) ## More Influence quotes > [My coach, Robert Allen, helped me a lot. He had more influence on my growth as a player than anyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamarcus-aldridge/my-coach-robert-allen-helped-me-a-lot-he-had-more-influence-on-my/) [LaMarcus Aldridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamarcus-aldridge/) > [Life is not about how much you have but how much you have affect others life positively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-not-about-how-much-you-have-but-how-much-you-have-affect/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [DECIDE, v.i. To succumb to the preponderance of one set of influences over another set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/decide-v-i-to-succumb-to-the-preponderance-of-one-set-of-influences/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I really like a lot of American country stuff, so my music has that influence, but I don't like to be set within a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-bird/i-really-like-a-lot-of-american-country-stuff-so-my-music-has-that/) [Jade Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-bird/) > [Words can only have an effect on you if you choose to listen to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/words-can-only-have-an-effect-on-you-if-you-choose-to-listen-to-them/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) > [Treason implies responsibility for something, control over something, influence upon something, knowledge of something. Treason in our time is a proof of genius. Why,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/treason-implies-responsibility-for-something-control-over-something/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [... a fellow can't predict what he will pick up in the form of influence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/a-fellow-can-t-predict-what-he-will-pick-up-in-the-form-of-influence/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [We believe a scientist because he can substantiate his remarks, not because he is eloquent and forcible in his enunciation. In fact, we distrust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-a-richards/we-believe-a-scientist-because-he-can-substantiate-his-remarks-not/) [I. A. Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-a-richards/) > [It seemed to me that the human beings I met reacted pretty much the same to the same stimuli. Different idioms,yes. Circumstances and conditions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/it-seemed-to-me-that-the-human-beings-i-met-reacted-pretty-much-the/) [Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/) > [Every man is a missionary, now and forever, for good or for evil, whether he intends or designs it or not. He may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chalmers/every-man-is-a-missionary-now-and-forever-for-good-or-for-evil/) [Thomas Chalmers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chalmers/) > [My influences are jazz, blues, European classical music; they are rock music and pop music. So many kinds of music. World music from different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rokia-traore/my-influences-are-jazz-blues-european-classical-music-they-are-rock/) [Rokia Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rokia-traore/) > [Influences come from everywhere. 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