--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For the longest time, I was trying to be…" description: "\"For the longest time, I was trying to be DJ Shadow, I think. But I slowly developed my own style. It was trial and error, for sure.\" — Washed Out" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e04/washed-out-6899_dj_for-the-longest-time-i-was-trying-to-be_2358623.jpg" --- # For the longest time, I was trying to be DJ Shadow, I… ![“For the longest time, I was trying to be DJ Shadow, I think. But I slowly developed my own style. It was trial and error, for sure.” quote by Washed Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e04/washed-out-6899_dj_for-the-longest-time-i-was-trying-to-be_2358623.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e04/washed-out-6899_dj_for-the-longest-time-i-was-trying-to-be_2358623.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e04/washed-out-6899_dj_for-the-longest-time-i-was-trying-to-be_2358623.jpg) > “For the longest time, I was trying to be DJ Shadow, I think. But I slowly developed my own style. It was trial and error, for sure.” [Washed Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washed-out/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker describes moving from imitation to personal artistic development through experimentation. **In simple terms:** I stopped copying and found my own style. Key Takeaway Embrace trial and error to discover originality. Themes creativity self‑discovery artistic growth Mood reflective optimistic Type inspirational personal. When to use this quote - music production - visual art - writing - entrepreneurship - personal branding Key Concepts identity formation learning by doing innovation Questions to Reflect On - What habits can you let go of to find your voice? - How does failure shape your creative process? A Different Perspective Originality still faces market pressure to conform. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shadow/) [Style](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/style/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Trial and error](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trial-and-error/) ## Related quotes > [My first big influences were more hip-hop based - people like DJ Shadow and Four Tet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washed-out/my-first-big-influences-were-more-hip-hop-based-people-like-dj-shadow/) [Washed Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washed-out/) > [The first time I was exposed to dance music was through my friend Noah who played me a mixtape of stuff he'd been listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-koma/the-first-time-i-was-exposed-to-dance-music-was-through-my-friend/) [Matthew Koma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-koma/) > [In the very beginning, I kind of had this hip-hop, cut-and-paste approach to music. The first record, especially, was from looking at people like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonobo/in-the-very-beginning-i-kind-of-had-this-hip-hop-cut-and-paste/) [Bonobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonobo/) > [I am trying to walk a tightrope; trying to keep the DJ community happy while trying to spread the message about dance music to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-guetta/i-am-trying-to-walk-a-tightrope-trying-to-keep-the-dj-community-happy/) [David Guetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-guetta/) > [Cut Chemist and DJ Shadow are going to blow your funky mind!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/cut-chemist-and-dj-shadow-are-going-to-blow-your-funky-mind/) [Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/) > [I'm not denying that in the world there's been some tremendous musical happenings, like DJ Shadow or whatever, that kind of thing. But when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-morley/i-m-not-denying-that-in-the-world-there-s-been-some-tremendous/) [Paul Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-morley/) > [I developed a style with my own earmarks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-thomas/i-developed-a-style-with-my-own-earmarks/) [B. J. Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-thomas/) > [In the South, we assume that one will have substance, be polite, be kind, be nice, but that person also needs to present himself/herself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tinsley-mortimer/in-the-south-we-assume-that-one-will-have-substance-be-polite-be-kind/) [Tinsley Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tinsley-mortimer/) > [I think I've developed my own style, we play the football I like and that I want to play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-nagelsmann/i-think-i-ve-developed-my-own-style-we-play-the-football-i-like-and/) [Julian Nagelsmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-nagelsmann/) > [I think I developed a style of writing that was more, I guess, open for people to be able to interpret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/griff/i-think-i-developed-a-style-of-writing-that-was-more-i-guess-open-for/) [Griff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/griff/) > [Through the years, I've developed a style or a language that I like, even when it applies to action. All my action principles are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genndy-tartakovsky/through-the-years-i-ve-developed-a-style-or-a-language-that-i-like/) [Genndy Tartakovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genndy-tartakovsky/) > [Every president developed his own style. You know that we don't recruit them to a certain standard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newt-gingrich/every-president-developed-his-own-style-you-know-that-we-don-t/) [Newt Gingrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newt-gingrich/) > [I developed my style by pickin' a lot of cotton, plowin' that ole mule every day. I just got the rhythm, and any rhythm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hunter/i-developed-my-style-by-pickin-a-lot-of-cotton-plowin-that-ole-mule/) [John Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hunter/) > [The music is at this weird intersection of dance music and indie music. It's not quite dancey enough to do a full-blown DJ set,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washed-out/the-music-is-at-this-weird-intersection-of-dance-music-and-indie/) [Washed Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washed-out/) > [I never wanted to just press play on some DJ set and let the lights do all the work. I value old-fashioned performance a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washed-out/i-never-wanted-to-just-press-play-on-some-dj-set-and-let-the-lights/) [Washed Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washed-out/) ## More by Washed Out > [I like an even-keeled, slow-paced job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washed-out/i-like-an-even-keeled-slow-paced-job/) [Washed Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washed-out/) > [I took piano lessons when I was really young, like five years old, and I didn't really enjoy that very much. It was kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washed-out/i-took-piano-lessons-when-i-was-really-young-like-five-years-old-and/) [Washed Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washed-out/) > [I never wanted to just press play on some DJ set and let the lights do all the work. I value old-fashioned performance a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washed-out/i-never-wanted-to-just-press-play-on-some-dj-set-and-let-the-lights/) [Washed Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washed-out/) > [My music is a personal thing, and I feel like if I talk too much about the songs, or if there's too much of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washed-out/my-music-is-a-personal-thing-and-i-feel-like-if-i-talk-too-much-about/) [Washed Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washed-out/) > [I felt like I was building this world brick by brick with each layer of instrumentation I was doing. I could see it growing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washed-out/i-felt-like-i-was-building-this-world-brick-by-brick-with-each-layer/) [Washed Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washed-out/) > [When I'm not touring, I hardly ever leave my house. Part of it is I get to do what I'm most passionate about, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washed-out/when-i-m-not-touring-i-hardly-ever-leave-my-house-part-of-it-is-i-get/) [Washed Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washed-out/) > [I personally love the record-making more than the actually performing and travelling. It's funny, the drastic shift in lifestyle that comes with it. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washed-out/i-personally-love-the-record-making-more-than-the-actually-performing/) [Washed Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washed-out/) > [Obviously, you want to honour the sound of your music, but I'm definitely open to trying new things and making myself use a different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washed-out/obviously-you-want-to-honour-the-sound-of-your-music-but-i-m/) [Washed Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washed-out/) > [For me personally, I'm always writing from what's happening in my emotional life. Even without thinking about it a lot of the time, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washed-out/for-me-personally-i-m-always-writing-from-what-s-happening-in-my/) [Washed Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washed-out/) > [The Washed Out thing happened really quickly, and I wasn't really actively promoting the songs. I didn't think of them as any more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washed-out/the-washed-out-thing-happened-really-quickly-and-i-wasn-t-really/) [Washed Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washed-out/) > [A lot of the early Washed Out material was done on a couple of synthesizers that did most of the work, but that's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washed-out/a-lot-of-the-early-washed-out-material-was-done-on-a-couple-of/) [Washed Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washed-out/) > [I'm entirely self-taught, which I think is both a blessing and a curse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washed-out/i-m-entirely-self-taught-which-i-think-is-both-a-blessing-and-a-curse/) [Washed Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washed-out/) > [The thing that's good about music-making software like the DAW-kinda systems is that they're all generally the same; the kind of interface is normally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washed-out/the-thing-that-s-good-about-music-making-software-like-the-daw-kinda/) [Washed Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washed-out/) > [When I first started writing songs, I never intended on singing. I didn't really consider myself a singer at all. I was just kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washed-out/when-i-first-started-writing-songs-i-never-intended-on-singing-i-didn/) [Washed Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washed-out/) > [If a band or artist isn't tweeting or writing posts on Facebook every day, there can be this kind of mystique built about them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washed-out/if-a-band-or-artist-isn-t-tweeting-or-writing-posts-on-facebook-every/) [Washed Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washed-out/) [Explore all 96 Washed Out quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washed-out/) ## More Dj quotes > [I try to get the hip-hop aesthetic, most times without an MC. I don't use a rapper or a DJ to give it the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-glasper/i-try-to-get-the-hip-hop-aesthetic-most-times-without-an-mc-i-don-t/) [Robert Glasper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-glasper/) > [Raves when it was safe to be free & wave your hands in the air, like you didn't even care! Not scared to break…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/progrezza/raves-when-it-was-safe-to-be-free-wave-your-hands-in-the-air-like-you/) [Progrezza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/progrezza/) > [I was DJing for this party promotion called 1st Flight Entertainment, having to DJ on the weekends and then also going to school in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tay-keith/i-was-djing-for-this-party-promotion-called-1st-flight-entertainment/) [Tay Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tay-keith/) > [I saw this DJ playing music and saying things to the kids. They would answer him back, and I say, 'That's a great idea.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-robinson/i-saw-this-dj-playing-music-and-saying-things-to-the-kids-they-would/) [Sylvia Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-robinson/) > [I'm in a car so much on tour that I often just ask my friends to DJ and ask them what they like. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hopkins/i-m-in-a-car-so-much-on-tour-that-i-often-just-ask-my-friends-to-dj/) [Ben Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hopkins/) > [It's tough when you're an artist because you get to go around the world and make a lot of friends, but guess what? One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flying-lotus/it-s-tough-when-you-re-an-artist-because-you-get-to-go-around-the/) [Flying Lotus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flying-lotus/) > [I consider myself more of a producer and a musician than a DJ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kygo/i-consider-myself-more-of-a-producer-and-a-musician-than-a-dj/) [Kygo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kygo/) > [People like RZA and DJ Premier are really on the balcony to scope my musical theories. They also help me focus on making sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-younge/people-like-rza-and-dj-premier-are-really-on-the-balcony-to-scope-my/) [Adrian Younge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-younge/) > [I'm not a DJ - I don't know how to scratch or mix records, but I know how to party, and I know music.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-rose/i-m-not-a-dj-i-don-t-know-how-to-scratch-or-mix-records-but-i-know/) [Amber Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-rose/) > [For me, it's a great thing to tell people anything is possible. When I was 15, people told me 'You're not going to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrojack/for-me-it-s-a-great-thing-to-tell-people-anything-is-possible-when-i/) [Afrojack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrojack/) > [I never wanted to just press play on some DJ set and let the lights do all the work. I value old-fashioned performance a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washed-out/i-never-wanted-to-just-press-play-on-some-dj-set-and-let-the-lights/) [Washed Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washed-out/) > [The most freedom I have is when I get to do DJ sets I get a little more freedom to play what I'm in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-koma/the-most-freedom-i-have-is-when-i-get-to-do-dj-sets-i-get-a-little/) [Matthew Koma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-koma/) > [I really enjoy DJing but I couldn't DJ exclusively. I couldn't produce exclusively either, that would involve spending a lot of time in isolation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonobo/i-really-enjoy-djing-but-i-couldn-t-dj-exclusively-i-couldn-t-produce/) [Bonobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonobo/) > [I saw a DJ from Germany called Sven Vath. I saw him in the club, he played for six hours and I was just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiesto/i-saw-a-dj-from-germany-called-sven-vath-i-saw-him-in-the-club-he/) [Tiesto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiesto/) > [I met Rick Rubin through Cat Collins, a DJ friend of mine that had worked for Rubin at American Recordings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cornette/i-met-rick-rubin-through-cat-collins-a-dj-friend-of-mine-that-had/) [Jim Cornette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cornette/) Browse all 262 Dj quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For the longest time, I was trying to be DJ Shadow, I think. But I slowly developed my own style. 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