--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Switch to piano! No. Really, if you like…" description: "\"Switch to piano! No. Really, if you like an instrument that sings, play the saxophone. At its best it's like the human voice. Of course, it would be be..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4a/stan-getz-15717_art_switch-to-piano-no-really-if-you-like-an_664694.png" --- # Switch to piano! No. Really, if you like an instrument… ![“Switch to piano! No. Really, if you like an instrument that sings, play the saxophone. At its best it's like the human voice. Of course, it would be best if you could actually sing with your own voice. The saxophone is an imperfect instrument, especially the tenor and soprano, as far as intonation…” quote by Stan Getz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4a/stan-getz-15717_art_switch-to-piano-no-really-if-you-like-an_664694.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4a/stan-getz-15717_art_switch-to-piano-no-really-if-you-like-an_664694.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4a/stan-getz-15717_art_switch-to-piano-no-really-if-you-like-an_664694.png) > “Switch to piano! No. Really, if you like an instrument that sings, play the saxophone. At its best it's like the human voice. Of course, it would be best if you could actually sing with your own voice. The saxophone is an imperfect instrument, especially the tenor and soprano, as far as intonation goes. Therefore, the challenge is to sing on an imperfect instrument or 'voice' that is outside of your body. I love that challenge and have for over forty-five years. As far as playing jazz, no other art form, other than conversation, can give the satisfaction of spontaneous interaction.” [Stan Getz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-getz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The saxophone, though imperfect, offers a voice-like quality that challenges musicians to sing through it, mirroring spontaneous conversation. **In simple terms:** Playing saxophone is like singing with an imperfect voice, rewarding improvisation. Key Takeaway Embrace imperfections to create spontaneous music. Themes improvisation creativity musical expression Mood reflective inspired Type musical philosophical When to use this quote - jazz performance - music education - personal practice Key Concepts instrumental voice imperfection dialogue Questions to Reflect On - What does “imperfect instrument” teach you about self‑acceptance? - How can you turn limitations into artistic strengths? A Different Perspective Requires high skill to mask instrument flaws. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-form/) [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Conversation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversation/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Human voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-voice/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Interaction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interaction/) [Intonation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intonation/) [Jazz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jazz/) [Piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/piano/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Satisfaction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/satisfaction/) [Saxophone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saxophone/) [Sopranos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sopranos/) [Spontaneous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spontaneous/) [Tenors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tenors/) [Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voice/) ## Related quotes > [The saxophone is an imperfect instrument, especially the tenor and soprano, as far as intonation goes. The challenge is to sing on an imperfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-getz/the-saxophone-is-an-imperfect-instrument-especially-the-tenor-and/) [Stan Getz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-getz/) > [I play saxophone, I play tenor sax.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/i-play-saxophone-i-play-tenor-sax/) [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) > [If you like an instrument that sings, play the saxophone. At its best it's like the human voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-getz/if-you-like-an-instrument-that-sings-play-the-saxophone-at-its-best/) [Stan Getz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-getz/) > [As far as playing jazz, no other art form, other than conversation, can give the satisfaction of spontaneous interaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-getz/as-far-as-playing-jazz-no-other-art-form-other-than-conversation-can/) [Stan Getz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-getz/) > [The saxophone is actually a translation of the human voice, in my conception. All you can do is play melody. No matter how complicated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-getz/the-saxophone-is-actually-a-translation-of-the-human-voice-in-my/) [Stan Getz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-getz/) > [Throughout the evening I would be recording these long saxophone delays and about four hours into the concert, if I wanted to take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-riley/throughout-the-evening-i-would-be-recording-these-long-saxophone/) [Terry Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-riley/) > [“Don't play the saxophone, let the saxophone play you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-parker/don-t-play-the-saxophone-let-the-saxophone-play-you/) [Charlie Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-parker/) > [Don't play the saxophone. Let it play you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-parker/don-t-play-the-saxophone-let-it-play-you/) [Charlie Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-parker/) > [I started as a musician. I play the saxophone, but from the age of 17, I realised that it's very hard to make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-polson/i-started-as-a-musician-i-play-the-saxophone-but-from-the-age-of-17-i/) [John Polson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-polson/) > [ I was \[ on Thelonious Monk International Saxophone Competition\] with Ralph Bowen, and Joel Frahm, Jimmy Greene, John Ellis. You can't play the saxophone… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/i-was-on-thelonious-monk-international-saxophone-competition-with/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [I wanted to play saxophone, but all I could get were a few squeaks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevie-ray-vaughan/i-wanted-to-play-saxophone-but-all-i-could-get-were-a-few-squeaks/) [Stevie Ray Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevie-ray-vaughan/) > [As a musician, your instrument is almost predetermined. I had played drums, piano, clarinet, but when I heard Wayne Shorter play the saxophone, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamasi-washington/as-a-musician-your-instrument-is-almost-predetermined-i-had-played/) [Kamasi Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamasi-washington/) > [“When I’m lonely I stand in the corner and play my saxophone and feel sorry for myself. I would ask you to accompany me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/when-i-m-lonely-i-stand-in-the-corner-and-play-my-saxophone-and-feel/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [I know I’m an African-American, and I know I play the saxophone, but I’m not a jazz musician. I’m not a classical musician, either.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-braxton/i-know-i-m-an-african-american-and-i-know-i-play-the-saxophone-but-i/) [Anthony Braxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-braxton/) > [I decided to play the saxophone because it was the most obvious instrument in my family. There were a lot of saxophone players in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flying-lotus/i-decided-to-play-the-saxophone-because-it-was-the-most-obvious/) [Flying Lotus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flying-lotus/) ## More by Stan Getz > [Records used to be documents, but now record companies want product.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-getz/records-used-to-be-documents-but-now-record-companies-want-product/) [Stan Getz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-getz/) > [Hearing myself so much all the time, I don't think I sound that special all the time because it's me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-getz/hearing-myself-so-much-all-the-time-i-don-t-think-i-sound-that/) [Stan Getz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-getz/) > [I cannot play a lie. I have to believe in what I play or it won't come out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-getz/i-cannot-play-a-lie-i-have-to-believe-in-what-i-play-or-it-won-t-come/) [Stan Getz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-getz/) > [Life is too full of distractions nowadays. When I was a kid we had a little Emerson radio and that was it. We were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-getz/life-is-too-full-of-distractions-nowadays-when-i-was-a-kid-we-had-a/) [Stan Getz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-getz/) > [The saxophone is an imperfect instrument, especially the tenor and soprano, as far as intonation goes. The challenge is to sing on an imperfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-getz/the-saxophone-is-an-imperfect-instrument-especially-the-tenor-and/) [Stan Getz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-getz/) > [If you like an instrument that sings, play the saxophone. At its best it's like the human voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-getz/if-you-like-an-instrument-that-sings-play-the-saxophone-at-its-best/) [Stan Getz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-getz/) > [You don't rehearse jazz to death to get the camera angles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-getz/you-don-t-rehearse-jazz-to-death-to-get-the-camera-angles/) [Stan Getz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-getz/) > [Interaction is what jazz music is all about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-getz/interaction-is-what-jazz-music-is-all-about/) [Stan Getz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-getz/) > [I appreciate men like Ben Webster and Coleman Hawkins very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-getz/i-appreciate-men-like-ben-webster-and-coleman-hawkins-very-much/) [Stan Getz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-getz/) > [People think that I play effortlessly. 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People involve themselves with its superficialities without digging for its soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-getz/the-value-of-jazz-still-has-to-be-clarified-people-involve-themselves/) [Stan Getz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-getz/) [Explore all 42 Stan Getz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-getz/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. 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You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [The house has to serve comfort. 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No. Really, if you like an instrument that sings, play the saxophone. At its best it's like the human voice. Of course, it would be best if you could actually sing with your own voice. The saxophone is an imperfect instrument, especially the tenor and soprano, as far as intonation goes. Therefore, the challenge is to sing on an imperfect instrument or 'voice' that is outside of your body. I love that challenge and have for over forty-five years. 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