---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Think of playing an instrument. When…"
description: "\"“Think of playing an instrument. When first picking up a new piece of music, a musician hammers out the notes slowly and methodically to ensure that th..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/s-ciccarelli-275190_music_think-of-playing-an-instrument-when-firs_1208355.jpg"
---

#  Think of playing an instrument. When first picking up a…

![“Think of playing an instrument. When first picking up a new piece of music, a musician hammers out the notes slowly and methodically to ensure that they have a firm grasp of what’s on the page. Once their performance is ironed out and accurate, the musician gently increases their tempo, expressing…” quote by S. Ciccarelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/s-ciccarelli-275190_music_think-of-playing-an-instrument-when-firs_1208355.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/s-ciccarelli-275190_music_think-of-playing-an-instrument-when-firs_1208355.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/s-ciccarelli-275190_music_think-of-playing-an-instrument-when-firs_1208355.jpg)

> ““Think of playing an instrument. When first picking up a new piece of music, a musician hammers out the notes slowly and methodically to ensure that they have a firm grasp of what’s on the page. Once their performance is ironed out and accurate, the musician gently increases their tempo, expressing the notes as they are written on the page but at a faster speed.””

S. Ciccarelli

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Musicians practice slowly and methodically before increasing tempo, ensuring mastery before speed.

**In simple terms:** Practice slowly, then speed up.

Key Takeaway

Master fundamentals before accelerating.

Themes

practice music skill development tempo learning

Mood

instructional motivational reflective

Type

Music:1 Music making:0 Voices:0 Playing Instrument:1 Expressing Notes:0 Instrument Picking:0 Increases Tempo:1 Notes Slowly:1

When to use this quote

- instrument lessons
- personal practice sessions
- music education
- performance preparation
- rehearsals

Key Concepts

deliberate practice musical mastery skill acquisition

Questions to Reflect On

- Why is slow practice essential for mastery?
- How does tempo change affect emotional impact?

A Different Perspective

May overlook expressive nuance when focusing on speed.

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[Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-making/)

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