--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To articulate the ideas in your head, you…" description: "\"To articulate the ideas in your head, you need formal education, so you study music theory to do that. And that's the only responsibility that you have..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0c/van-hunt-23739_education_to-articulate-the-ideas-in-your-head-you_2801485.jpg" --- # To articulate the ideas in your head, you need formal… ![“To articulate the ideas in your head, you need formal education, so you study music theory to do that. And that's the only responsibility that you have - to make that process work for you and express yourself. In this life, nothing is more important.” quote by Van Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0c/van-hunt-23739_education_to-articulate-the-ideas-in-your-head-you_2801485.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0c/van-hunt-23739_education_to-articulate-the-ideas-in-your-head-you_2801485.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0c/van-hunt-23739_education_to-articulate-the-ideas-in-your-head-you_2801485.jpg) > “To articulate the ideas in your head, you need formal education, so you study music theory to do that. And that's the only responsibility that you have - to make that process work for you and express yourself. In this life, nothing is more important.” [Van Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-hunt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Formal education like music theory helps turn inner ideas into expressive art. **In simple terms:** Study theory to express ideas Key Takeaway Use theory as a creative tool Themes music education self‑expression Mood reflective encouraging Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - Songwriting - improvisation - personal projects Key Concepts Theory application creative process Questions to Reflect On - How does theory shape personal style? - When should you break the rules? A Different Perspective Theory alone doesn't guarantee originality ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Express yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/express-yourself/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-theory/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [I try not to articulate ideas in the film once I've arrived on the plot and the characters. I believe that if I focus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-sachs/i-try-not-to-articulate-ideas-in-the-film-once-i-ve-arrived-on-the/) [Ira Sachs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-sachs/) > [One of my favorite bloggers who can articulate his ideas clearly is Avinash Kaushik. The only problem? His ideas are so awesome his posts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-heath/one-of-my-favorite-bloggers-who-can-articulate-his-ideas-clearly-is/) [Chip Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-heath/) > [Now you mustn't think that I don't have any ideas for novels in my head. I've got ideas for ten novels in my head.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italo-calvino/now-you-mustn-t-think-that-i-don-t-have-any-ideas-for-novels-in-my/) [Italo Calvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italo-calvino/) > [“When I was in high school, my math teacher Mr. Packwood used to say, “If you’re stuck on a problem, don’t sit there and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-manson/when-i-was-in-high-school-my-math-teacher-mr-packwood-used-to-say-if/) [Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/) > [I got some bad ideas in my head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-got-some-bad-ideas-in-my-head/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [Did you ever admire an empty-headed writer for his or her mastery of the language? No. So your own winning style must begin with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/did-you-ever-admire-an-empty-headed-writer-for-his-or-her-mastery-of/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [We grow up thinking that the best answer is in someone else's brain. Much of our education is an elaborate game of 'guess what's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-von-oech/we-grow-up-thinking-that-the-best-answer-is-in-someone-else-s-brain/) [Roger von Oech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-von-oech/) > [You usually want to get something out of a painting other than the ideas that you had in your head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-katz/you-usually-want-to-get-something-out-of-a-painting-other-than-the/) [Alex Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-katz/) > [You can have many great ideas in your head, but what makes the difference is the action. Without action upon an idea, there will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-have-many-great-ideas-in-your-head-but-what-makes-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To make something really great and different and interesting means taking risks and following these ideas in your head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-bird/to-make-something-really-great-and-different-and-interesting-means/) [Brad Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-bird/) > [Design: holding conflicting ideas in your head without difficulty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-hillis/design-holding-conflicting-ideas-in-your-head-without-difficulty/) [Danny Hillis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-hillis/) > [Your eloquence should be the servant of the ideas in your head. Your rule might be this: If a sentence, no matter how excellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/your-eloquence-should-be-the-servant-of-the-ideas-in-your-head-your/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [The fun of directing for me, other than working with the actors, is trying to extract those ideas that you have in your head…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfonso-gomez-rejon/the-fun-of-directing-for-me-other-than-working-with-the-actors-is/) [Alfonso Gomez-Rejon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfonso-gomez-rejon/) > [“The last thing she wanted was to see her friend getting ideas in her head. There was such a lot of room in there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-last-thing-she-wanted-was-to-see-her-friend-getting-ideas-in-her/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [The Ten Commandments don't tell you what you ought to do: They only put ideas into your head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-bibesco/the-ten-commandments-don-t-tell-you-what-you-ought-to-do-they-only/) [Elizabeth Bibesco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-bibesco/) ## More by Van Hunt > [I know the music I hear and what I want. But sometimes I have to let that go and not try to be so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-hunt/i-know-the-music-i-hear-and-what-i-want-but-sometimes-i-have-to-let/) [Van Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-hunt/) > [People associate me with Al Green and Curtis Mayfield, but these aren't people that I listened to growing up. I got into them much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-hunt/people-associate-me-with-al-green-and-curtis-mayfield-but-these-aren/) [Van Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-hunt/) > [I'm not going to try to sell soul to the hip-hop generation unless I got some money behind me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-hunt/i-m-not-going-to-try-to-sell-soul-to-the-hip-hop-generation-unless-i/) [Van Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-hunt/) > [To try and learn how to be a singer, a really good guitar player, a really good pianist, it's always lagged a bit behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-hunt/to-try-and-learn-how-to-be-a-singer-a-really-good-guitar-player-a/) [Van Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-hunt/) > [Most artists say that they want to make the ultimate statement. I certainly do, but I don't mind people seeing all of the things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-hunt/most-artists-say-that-they-want-to-make-the-ultimate-statement-i/) [Van Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-hunt/) > [I don't know very many people who don't yearn to be accepted, maybe except for myself. I'm in a business where I have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-hunt/i-don-t-know-very-many-people-who-don-t-yearn-to-be-accepted-maybe/) [Van Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-hunt/) > [I don't have a family that grew up singing and playing all the time. I didn't really have anything to judge my abilities against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-hunt/i-don-t-have-a-family-that-grew-up-singing-and-playing-all-the-time-i/) [Van Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-hunt/) > [I love Walter Mosley and Robert Parker crime novels. And I read a lot of music reviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-hunt/i-love-walter-mosley-and-robert-parker-crime-novels-and-i-read-a-lot/) [Van Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-hunt/) > [The first two major label records I did what I wanted to do. It wasn't a problem until after I finished my part. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-hunt/the-first-two-major-label-records-i-did-what-i-wanted-to-do-it-wasn-t/) [Van Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-hunt/) > [I call myself a creationist. I'm sure some people will tell you that you need resistance, melodrama. I don't really need anything, honestly. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-hunt/i-call-myself-a-creationist-i-m-sure-some-people-will-tell-you-that/) [Van Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-hunt/) > [Sometimes when you sign to label as a black artist, they expect you to have a certain appeal. It's like they think they know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-hunt/sometimes-when-you-sign-to-label-as-a-black-artist-they-expect-you-to/) [Van Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-hunt/) > [I read a lot of astronomy magazines, and go to a lot of astronomy sites, and physics sites. I love reading about quantum computation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-hunt/i-read-a-lot-of-astronomy-magazines-and-go-to-a-lot-of-astronomy/) [Van Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-hunt/) > [Good, well-defined, well-honed art is not a foreign language. You can sell it to people. You just have to move your ego out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-hunt/good-well-defined-well-honed-art-is-not-a-foreign-language-you-can/) [Van Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-hunt/) > [I always knew I was an artist, and even more importantly, a star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-hunt/i-always-knew-i-was-an-artist-and-even-more-importantly-a-star/) [Van Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-hunt/) > [It's the most courageous and it's the kindest thing that you can do for someone - be honest with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-hunt/it-s-the-most-courageous-and-it-s-the-kindest-thing-that-you-can-do/) [Van Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-hunt/) [Explore all 25 Van Hunt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-hunt/) ## More Education quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) Ted Martinez > [“In school you are taught to obey and not to think straight for your own good. Otherwise the world would be full of millionaires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/in-school-you-are-taught-to-obey-and-not-to-think-straight-for-your/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-s-the-best-thing-about-being-in-college-good-teachers-they/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“If one has not a head of steel it will burst; if he has not within it a brain of liquid quicksilver, he will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioannes-amos-commenius/if-one-has-not-a-head-of-steel-it-will-burst-if-he-has-not-within-it/) Ioannes Amos Commenius > [“let us not teach / what we have learned badly / and not profited by”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-d-hilda-doolittle/let-us-not-teach-what-we-have-learned-badly-and-not-profited-by/) H.D. (Hilda Doolittle > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [According to Plato, we don't learn anything. Our soul has lived so many lives that we know everything. Teachers and education can only remind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/according-to-plato-we-don-t-learn-anything-our-soul-has-lived-so-many/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“I only began to enjoy studying after I got through the educational system and became a so-called member of society. If something interested me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-only-began-to-enjoy-studying-after-i-got-through-the-educational/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you had made the acquiring of ignorance the study of your life, you could not have graduated with higher honor than you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-you-had-made-the-acquiring-of-ignorance-the-study-of-your-life-you/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [How wonderful it would be, I thought, if only we could practice the teachings of the Buddha as he really taught them from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/how-wonderful-it-would-be-i-thought-if-only-we-could-practice-the/) [Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/) > [English teachers tend to put more thought in the books than the author did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/english-teachers-tend-to-put-more-thought-in-the-books-than-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When will society, like a mother, take care of all her children?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/when-will-society-like-a-mother-take-care-of-all-her-children/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) [Browse all 37,666 Education quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To articulate the ideas in your head, you need formal education, so you study music theory to do that. And that's the only responsibility that you have - to make that process work for you and express yourself. In this life, nothing is more important.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Van Hunt" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-hunt/to-articulate-the-ideas-in-your-head-you-need-formal-education-so-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Education" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-hunt/to-articulate-the-ideas-in-your-head-you-need-formal-education-so-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0c/van-hunt-23739_education_to-articulate-the-ideas-in-your-head-you_2801485.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0c/van-hunt-23739_education_to-articulate-the-ideas-in-your-head-you_2801485.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0c/van-hunt-23739_education_to-articulate-the-ideas-in-your-head-you_2801485.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To articulate the ideas in your head, you need formal education, so you study music theory to do that. And…” — Van Hunt", "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": "Van Hunt", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-hunt/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To articulate the ideas in your...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-hunt/to-articulate-the-ideas-in-your-head-you-need-formal-education-so-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-hunt/to-articulate-the-ideas-in-your-head-you-need-formal-education-so-you/#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 } } ] } ```