--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Making a record is like painting a school…" description: "\"Making a record is like painting a school bus with a toothbrush\" — Quincy Jones" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e8/quincy-jones-2731_bus_making-a-record-is-like-painting-a-schoo_1710052.jpg" --- # Making a record is like painting a school bus with a… ![“Making a record is like painting a school bus with a toothbrush” quote by Quincy Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e8/quincy-jones-2731_bus_making-a-record-is-like-painting-a-schoo_1710052.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e8/quincy-jones-2731_bus_making-a-record-is-like-painting-a-schoo_1710052.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e8/quincy-jones-2731_bus_making-a-record-is-like-painting-a-schoo_1710052.jpg) > “Making a record is like painting a school bus with a toothbrush” [Quincy Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quincy-jones/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Uses a vivid metaphor to illustrate the difficulty of creating a record, likening it to painting a large bus with a tiny brush. **In simple terms:** Creating music is painstaking. Key Takeaway Embrace meticulous effort. Themes creativity challenge artistry Mood determined reflective Type inspirational analytical When to use this quote - studio recording - independent projects - DIY music - craftsmanship Key Concepts production detail orientation Questions to Reflect On - How can you streamline the process? - What tools could amplify effort? A Different Perspective May underestimate collaborative possibilities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bus/) [Bus Toothbrush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bus-toothbrush-1238086/) [Like Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-painting/) [Making Record](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-record/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Record](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/record/) [Record Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/record-like-243480/) [Records](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/records/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [School bus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school-bus/) [Toothbrushes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/toothbrushes/) ## Related quotes > [Making a record is like delineating a personality, and you can't do that without it being incredibly dynamic. Because that's what a personality is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matty-healy/making-a-record-is-like-delineating-a-personality-and-you-can-t-do/) [Matty Healy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matty-healy/) > [I treat the act of making a record very much like working in a laboratory, experimenting with sounds and ideas. Whoever chooses to latch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-ward/i-treat-the-act-of-making-a-record-very-much-like-working-in-a/) [M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-ward/) > [I change things each time we go into making a record, like the personnel playing on it, the types of music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-ervin-beam/i-change-things-each-time-we-go-into-making-a-record-like-the/) [Samuel Ervin Beam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-ervin-beam/) > [You can't please everybody, and basically I just decided to please myself first on this record. This record is more like my diary and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanilla-ice/you-can-t-please-everybody-and-basically-i-just-decided-to-please/) [Vanilla Ice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanilla-ice/) > [Creating the record is like digging up the earth, planting your seeds and waiting to see what happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/creating-the-record-is-like-digging-up-the-earth-planting-your-seeds/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [I really want to make a great record, like my 'Rumours' or 'Thriller.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-rogers/i-really-want-to-make-a-great-record-like-my-rumours-or-thriller/) [Maggie Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-rogers/) > [When you do a record like 'Talk,' and you're happy with it, and it reaches your ambitions and then doesn't sell as well as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-rabin/when-you-do-a-record-like-talk-and-you-re-happy-with-it-and-it/) [Trevor Rabin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-rabin/) > [ I can make a record like the \[previous\] one I put out, but I don't want to do that because I want to set… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/i-can-make-a-record-like-the-previous-one-i-put-out-but-i-don-t-want/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [I just think that there is something that keeps us together, to keep doing what we're doing. I can't really put my finger on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-lukather/i-just-think-that-there-is-something-that-keeps-us-together-to-keep/) [Steve Lukather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-lukather/) > [The only thing that's changed for me is that I've figured out a new way to do this; when I go to record, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-lee/the-only-thing-that-s-changed-for-me-is-that-i-ve-figured-out-a-new/) [Tommy Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-lee/) > [When I was growing up, you would put on a KISS record or a UFO or Aerosmith record and listen to it from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-adler/when-i-was-growing-up-you-would-put-on-a-kiss-record-or-a-ufo-or/) [Steven Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-adler/) > [I never record anything like a demo, I just go for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nuno-bettencourt/i-never-record-anything-like-a-demo-i-just-go-for-it/) [Nuno Bettencourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nuno-bettencourt/) > [Writing a record is like dating a few men at once. You take them to the same restaurants to see if they measure up,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-gaga/writing-a-record-is-like-dating-a-few-men-at-once-you-take-them-to/) [Lady Gaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-gaga/) > [Putting together a hit record is like putting together a puzzle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-will-made-it/putting-together-a-hit-record-is-like-putting-together-a-puzzle/) [Mike Will Made It](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-will-made-it/) > [I mean, we never ever really did it like that, really. I mean, you know, we loosely did it like that, but we never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/medeski-martin-and-wood/i-mean-we-never-ever-really-did-it-like-that-really-i-mean-you-know/) [Medeski Martin And Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/medeski-martin-and-wood/) ## More by Quincy Jones > [It's amazing how much trouble you can get in when you don't have anything else to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quincy-jones/it-s-amazing-how-much-trouble-you-can-get-in-when-you-don-t-have/) [Quincy Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quincy-jones/) > [It's easy to get next to music theory, especially between your peers and music classes and so forth. You just pay attention. I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quincy-jones/it-s-easy-to-get-next-to-music-theory-especially-between-your-peers/) [Quincy Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quincy-jones/) > [It slaps your dignity just right. I loved the idea of these proud, dignified black men, and I saw the older ones wounded, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quincy-jones/it-slaps-your-dignity-just-right-i-loved-the-idea-of-these-proud/) [Quincy Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quincy-jones/) > [I was inspired by a lot of people when I was young. Every band that came through town, to the theater, or the dance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quincy-jones/i-was-inspired-by-a-lot-of-people-when-i-was-young-every-band-that/) [Quincy Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quincy-jones/) > [“The tragedy of Tupac is that his untimely passing is representative of too many young black men in this country…If we had lost Oprah…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quincy-jones/the-tragedy-of-tupac-is-that-his-untimely-passing-is-representative/) [Quincy Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quincy-jones/) > [When you're over the hill, that's when you pick up speed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quincy-jones/when-you-re-over-the-hill-that-s-when-you-pick-up-speed/) [Quincy Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quincy-jones/) > [Imagine what a harmonious world it...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quincy-jones/imagine-what-a-harmonious-world-it/) [Quincy Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quincy-jones/) > [Thank God, 50 years ago I learned that our entire business is all based on two things; a great song and a great story.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quincy-jones/thank-god-50-years-ago-i-learned-that-our-entire-business-is-all/) [Quincy Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quincy-jones/) > [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/) > [A person's age can be determined by the degree of pain he experiences when he comes in contact with a new idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quincy-jones/a-person-s-age-can-be-determined-by-the-degree-of-pain-he-experiences/) [Quincy Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quincy-jones/) > [I met Ray Charles at 14, and he was 16. But he was like a hundred years older than me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quincy-jones/i-met-ray-charles-at-14-and-he-was-16-but-he-was-like-a-hundred-years/) [Quincy Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quincy-jones/) > [ I got to trumpet, finally. That's why I love to write for brass, and \[Count\] Basie and \[Frank\] Sinatra and all that stuff, 'cause… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quincy-jones/i-got-to-trumpet-finally-that-s-why-i-love-to-write-for-brass-and/) [Quincy Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quincy-jones/) > [I'm never in my life going to do a record that's a tribute to myself. I don't need it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quincy-jones/i-m-never-in-my-life-going-to-do-a-record-that-s-a-tribute-to-myself/) [Quincy Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quincy-jones/) > [I look back and say, "This must have been somebody else." I am not going to tell you that when I was 4, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quincy-jones/i-look-back-and-say-this-must-have-been-somebody-else-i-am-not-going/) [Quincy Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quincy-jones/) > [I was reading Omar Khayyam, Kahlil Gibran, Rumi, L. Ron Hubbard, all sorts of philosophy. Bebop cats are like that. Curious. I wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quincy-jones/i-was-reading-omar-khayyam-kahlil-gibran-rumi-l-ron-hubbard-all-sorts/) [Quincy Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quincy-jones/) [Explore all 151 Quincy Jones quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quincy-jones/) ## More Bus quotes > [“You go into extinction by being obsessed about becoming something else and then travelling in the wrong car while your real self keeps waiting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/you-go-into-extinction-by-being-obsessed-about-becoming-something/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Literature transforms and intensifies ordinary language, deviates systematically from everyday speech. If you approach me at a bus stop and murmur Thou still unravished…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/literature-transforms-and-intensifies-ordinary-language-deviates/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) > [I only started driving lessons because of comedy - before that, there's be no need. There was a bus from where I lived to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-millican/i-only-started-driving-lessons-because-of-comedy-before-that-there-s/) [Sarah Millican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-millican/) > [I've been so lucky with the people I've worked with, but I'm such a fan girl. When I moved to London at 16, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheridan-smith/i-ve-been-so-lucky-with-the-people-i-ve-worked-with-but-i-m-such-a/) [Sheridan Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheridan-smith/) > [When I came back, after all those stories about Hitler and his snub, I came back to my native country, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-owens/when-i-came-back-after-all-those-stories-about-hitler-and-his-snub-i/) [Jesse Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-owens/) > [No-deal Brexit could be Boris Johnson's biggest deception yet - worse than the Boris bus or the lies that had him sacked as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-davey/no-deal-brexit-could-be-boris-johnson-s-biggest-deception-yet-worse/) [Ed Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-davey/) > [I'm very proud of being Italian-American, but people don't realize that the mafia is just this aberration. The real community is built on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chazz-palminteri/i-m-very-proud-of-being-italian-american-but-people-don-t-realize/) [Chazz Palminteri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chazz-palminteri/) > [The idea of photography as evidence is pure bullshit. A photo is no more proof of any reality than what you may hear being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-riboud/the-idea-of-photography-as-evidence-is-pure-bullshit-a-photo-is-no/) [Marc Riboud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-riboud/) > [I don't think anything happens without the press, one way or the other. I think it's all done for it. You saw it start,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/i-don-t-think-anything-happens-without-the-press-one-way-or-the-other/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [And the flavor of Pippa's kiss--bittersweet and strange--stayed with me all the way back uptown, swaying and sleepy as I sailed home on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-tartt/and-the-flavor-of-pippa-s-kiss-bittersweet-and-strange-stayed-with-me/) [Donna Tartt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-tartt/) > [Our bodies penetrate the sofas upon which we sit and the sofas penetrate our bodies. The motorbus rushes into the houses which it passes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-boccioni/our-bodies-penetrate-the-sofas-upon-which-we-sit-and-the-sofas/) [Umberto Boccioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-boccioni/) > [Back in the day, when we'd get into a town, I would go in the phone book and look up record stores. Then I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-schneider/back-in-the-day-when-we-d-get-into-a-town-i-would-go-in-the-phone/) [Fred Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-schneider/) > [I quietly work with my computer on the tour bus, and then I wait to make my more natural rhythms when I get home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jain/i-quietly-work-with-my-computer-on-the-tour-bus-and-then-i-wait-to/) [Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jain/) > [I can see that I imagine all kinds of rejection that never happens. I can see that I beg and plead for love that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-wurtzel/i-can-see-that-i-imagine-all-kinds-of-rejection-that-never-happens-i/) [Elizabeth Wurtzel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-wurtzel/) > [Perhaps we've time to have a look at the Number Thirty-One bus queue before we turn in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-trillin/perhaps-we-ve-time-to-have-a-look-at-the-number-thirty-one-bus-queue/) [Calvin Trillin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-trillin/) [Browse all 1,135 Bus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bus/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Making a record is like painting a school bus with a toothbrush", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Quincy Jones" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quincy-jones/making-a-record-is-like-painting-a-school-bus-with-a-toothbrush/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bus" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quincy-jones/making-a-record-is-like-painting-a-school-bus-with-a-toothbrush/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e8/quincy-jones-2731_bus_making-a-record-is-like-painting-a-schoo_1710052.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e8/quincy-jones-2731_bus_making-a-record-is-like-painting-a-schoo_1710052.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e8/quincy-jones-2731_bus_making-a-record-is-like-painting-a-schoo_1710052.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Making a record is like painting a school bus with a toothbrush” — Quincy Jones", "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": "Quincy Jones", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quincy-jones/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Making a record is like painting...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quincy-jones/making-a-record-is-like-painting-a-school-bus-with-a-toothbrush/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quincy-jones/making-a-record-is-like-painting-a-school-bus-with-a-toothbrush/#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 } } ] } ```