--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I really focused on rhythm guitar playing…" description: "\"I really focused on rhythm guitar playing at first because it was important to know the song and chords first before taking a solo. A lot of people get..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1d/susan-tedeschi-6059_guitar_i-really-focused-on-rhythm-guitar-playin_3014933.jpg" --- # I really focused on rhythm guitar playing at first because… ![“I really focused on rhythm guitar playing at first because it was important to know the song and chords first before taking a solo. A lot of people get up and jam, but they don't know the song. It's hard to say anything, emote anything, with that approach.” quote by Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1d/susan-tedeschi-6059_guitar_i-really-focused-on-rhythm-guitar-playin_3014933.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1d/susan-tedeschi-6059_guitar_i-really-focused-on-rhythm-guitar-playin_3014933.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1d/susan-tedeschi-6059_guitar_i-really-focused-on-rhythm-guitar-playin_3014933.jpg) > “I really focused on rhythm guitar playing at first because it was important to know the song and chords first before taking a solo. A lot of people get up and jam, but they don't know the song. It's hard to say anything, emote anything, with that approach.” [Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mastering rhythm and chord structure first ensures meaningful improvisation and authentic expression. **In simple terms:** Know the song before soloing. Key Takeaway Learn fundamentals before improvising. Themes music learning improvisation Mood inspired reflective Type instructional musical When to use this quote - band rehearsals - music lessons - jam sessions - songwriting - performance coaching Key Concepts theory practice creativity Questions to Reflect On - How does structure support creativity? - When did you first feel the need for fundamentals? A Different Perspective Skipping basics can limit expressive depth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chords Taking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chords-taking-4851204/) [Focused Rhythm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focused-rhythm-4851203/) [Guitar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guitar/) [Guitar playing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guitar-playing/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Jam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-jam-4851205/) [Rhythm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rhythm/) [Rhythm Guitar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rhythm-guitar-334251/) [Solo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solo/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [My guitar-playing always included bass lines, melody lines, and rhythm-guitar grooves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donovan/my-guitar-playing-always-included-bass-lines-melody-lines-and-rhythm/) [Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donovan/) > [Delicious strawberry jam. That's right kids, people are made of jam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-webb/delicious-strawberry-jam-that-s-right-kids-people-are-made-of-jam/) [Morgan Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-webb/) > [I somehow always found the right people on my own to jam with as well as playing with all my buddies. I didn't get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-petrucci/i-somehow-always-found-the-right-people-on-my-own-to-jam-with-as-well/) [John Petrucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-petrucci/) > [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/) > [I didn't want to take the guitar solos down note-for-note, but more or less use them as a map, and keep all the hooks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-setzer/i-didn-t-want-to-take-the-guitar-solos-down-note-for-note-but-more-or/) [Brian Setzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-setzer/) > [I got a Magic Sam record, 'West Side Soul,' and that just ruined me. His voice, pure power, and then his guitar playing, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/i-got-a-magic-sam-record-west-side-soul-and-that-just-ruined-me-his/) [Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/) > [I've been used for writing rhythm guitar chords for a long time because it's so easy to play and chords just sound good on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradford-cox/i-ve-been-used-for-writing-rhythm-guitar-chords-for-a-long-time/) [Bradford Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradford-cox/) > [I never wanted to sing. I just wanted to play rhythm guitar – hide in the back and just play. But during those high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/i-never-wanted-to-sing-i-just-wanted-to-play-rhythm-guitar-hide-in/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [I noticed a lot of guitar players neglected the rhythm part of rhythm guitar and decided I would try to focus in that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-sparks/i-noticed-a-lot-of-guitar-players-neglected-the-rhythm-part-of-rhythm/) [Hal Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-sparks/) > [If you listen to my tapes, you'd hear 14 different ways to arrange the rhythm guitar behind the harmony vocal, and then 14 different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-scholz/if-you-listen-to-my-tapes-you-d-hear-14-different-ways-to-arrange-the/) [Tom Scholz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-scholz/) > [I can play rhythm guitar. I know how to hold a guitar and strum it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-lee-curtis/i-can-play-rhythm-guitar-i-know-how-to-hold-a-guitar-and-strum-it/) [Jamie Lee Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-lee-curtis/) > [I never wanted to sing. I just wanted to play rhythm guitar - hide in the back and just play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/i-never-wanted-to-sing-i-just-wanted-to-play-rhythm-guitar-hide-in-2/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [Most people can do what I do - they can do guitar solos - but they can't do a good, hard rhythm guitar and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-young/most-people-can-do-what-i-do-they-can-do-guitar-solos-but-they-can-t/) [Angus Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-young/) > [I've always been at war with the guitar. All vocalists are fighting a war with the electric rhythm guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/i-ve-always-been-at-war-with-the-guitar-all-vocalists-are-fighting-a/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [I feel my spot is somewhere between a bass player and a rhythm guitar player. I play with a pick. I play very aggressively.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-sixx/i-feel-my-spot-is-somewhere-between-a-bass-player-and-a-rhythm-guitar/) [Nikki Sixx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-sixx/) ## More by Susan Tedeschi > [What we've learned is there's no right way to write a song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/what-we-ve-learned-is-there-s-no-right-way-to-write-a-song/) [Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/) > [I love playing live and meeting a lot of the people and hearing their stories and how the music touches their lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/i-love-playing-live-and-meeting-a-lot-of-the-people-and-hearing-their/) [Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/) > [I think I've been a performer since I was about 4.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/i-think-i-ve-been-a-performer-since-i-was-about-4/) [Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/) > [I try and not be the controlling woman I can probably be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/i-try-and-not-be-the-controlling-woman-i-can-probably-be/) [Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/) > [To me, Red Rocks is very Colorado, and you're loving nature and just soaking it all up. If you're that kind of person, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/to-me-red-rocks-is-very-colorado-and-you-re-loving-nature-and-just/) [Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/) > [I never really get to go out and see shows, other than your own or if you're at a festival or something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/i-never-really-get-to-go-out-and-see-shows-other-than-your-own-or-if/) [Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/) > [I played with Buddy Guy on his 63rd birthday and got to bring him a cake. And I played with B.B. King on his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/i-played-with-buddy-guy-on-his-63rd-birthday-and-got-to-bring-him-a/) [Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/) > [Derek is a workaholic. He'll stay in the studio day and night if we let him. Me, I need to get away from it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/derek-is-a-workaholic-he-ll-stay-in-the-studio-day-and-night-if-we/) [Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/) > [It is sometimes a lot trickier to kind of be sweet and have, you know, the control and also have your voice sound like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/it-is-sometimes-a-lot-trickier-to-kind-of-be-sweet-and-have-you-know/) [Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/) > [For a long time, I really didn't know what my calling was, but when I discovered blues in my early twenties, that seemed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/for-a-long-time-i-really-didn-t-know-what-my-calling-was-but-when-i/) [Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/) > [We have a rule about how much we will work, so that we're not away from our kids for too long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/we-have-a-rule-about-how-much-we-will-work-so-that-we-re-not-away/) [Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/) > [Sometimes you see these great musicians on the same playbill, in concert together, and it blows your mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/sometimes-you-see-these-great-musicians-on-the-same-playbill-in/) [Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/) > [Actually we used bands like Mad Dogs & Englishmen, Delaney & Bonnie, and Derek & the Dominos as a template.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/actually-we-used-bands-like-mad-dogs-englishmen-delaney-bonnie-and/) [Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/) > [I think sometimes I tap into other people. I sometimes write about other things that I see or just different situations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/i-think-sometimes-i-tap-into-other-people-i-sometimes-write-about/) [Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/) > [I got a Magic Sam record, 'West Side Soul,' and that just ruined me. His voice, pure power, and then his guitar playing, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/i-got-a-magic-sam-record-west-side-soul-and-that-just-ruined-me-his/) [Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/) [Explore all 100 Susan Tedeschi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/) ## More Guitar quotes > [I'll tell you one thing: I will always play the sh\*\* out of my guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-satriani/i-ll-tell-you-one-thing-i-will-always-play-the-sh-out-of-my-guitar/) [Joe Satriani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-satriani/) > [I remember people would talk about Country Music like it was this sexist, lame thing. Well, no, because Dolly Parton is writing songs and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neko-case/i-remember-people-would-talk-about-country-music-like-it-was-this/) [Neko Case](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neko-case/) > [With my songs, the question is always, 'Can you pull it off live, alone on just an acoustic guitar?' That's the litmus test. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-colvin/with-my-songs-the-question-is-always-can-you-pull-it-off-live-alone/) [Shawn Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-colvin/) > [Growing up in Dallas, my first influences on the guitar were T-Bone Walker and Les Paul. T-Bone taught me how to play lead guitar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-miller/growing-up-in-dallas-my-first-influences-on-the-guitar-were-t-bone/) [Steve Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-miller/) > [I like the bad-boy types. Generally the guy I'm attracted to is the guy in the club with all the tattoos and nail polish.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/i-like-the-bad-boy-types-generally-the-guy-i-m-attracted-to-is-the/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [That's the thing about the blues: It's one thing to hit a note on a guitar. To make it matter is something else altogether.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-bonamassa/that-s-the-thing-about-the-blues-it-s-one-thing-to-hit-a-note-on-a/) [Joe Bonamassa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-bonamassa/) > [Bass guitar is the engine of the band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzi-quatro/bass-guitar-is-the-engine-of-the-band/) [Suzi Quatro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzi-quatro/) > [I play, like, 12 instruments. Guitar, piano, harmonica, African drums... I'm working on mastering the accordion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-grabeel/i-play-like-12-instruments-guitar-piano-harmonica-african-drums-i-m/) [Lucas Grabeel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-grabeel/) > [I learned tabla for three years when in school, then started picking up the basics of the acoustic guitar when in college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anupam-roy/i-learned-tabla-for-three-years-when-in-school-then-started-picking/) [Anupam Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anupam-roy/) > [I took guitar lessons and recorded the song in New York. It was kind of a dream. I got to pretend I was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-wiig/i-took-guitar-lessons-and-recorded-the-song-in-new-york-it-was-kind/) [Kristen Wiig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-wiig/) > [There's a need for music that has urgency and emotional honesty. That's why people are reintroducing themselves to guitar music - that instrument has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mura-masa/there-s-a-need-for-music-that-has-urgency-and-emotional-honesty-that/) [Mura Masa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mura-masa/) > [I like to be quiet and play guitar and just chill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/post-malone/i-like-to-be-quiet-and-play-guitar-and-just-chill/) [Post Malone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/post-malone/) > [My first proper 'Here's your guitar, Joseph' was a 1981 Chiquita, one of those Erlewine travel guitars. And it was good for a four-year-old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-bonamassa/my-first-proper-here-s-your-guitar-joseph-was-a-1981-chiquita-one-of/) [Joe Bonamassa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-bonamassa/) > [Kenny Burrell is the grand master of jazz guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dizzy-gillespie/kenny-burrell-is-the-grand-master-of-jazz-guitar/) [Dizzy Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dizzy-gillespie/) > [Because of my background, I never felt comfortable with these R&B divas, but I'd hate to be just some pensive girl with a guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corinne-bailey-rae/because-of-my-background-i-never-felt-comfortable-with-these-r-b/) [Corinne Bailey Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corinne-bailey-rae/) [Browse all 3,915 Guitar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guitar/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I really focused on rhythm guitar playing at first because it was important to know the song and chords first before taking a solo. 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