--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Playing octaves was just a coincidence…" description: "\"Playing octaves was just a coincidence. And it's still such a challenge, like chord versions, block chords like cats play on piano. There are a lot of ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85c/wes-montgomery-34602_block_playing-octaves-was-just-a-coincidence-a_2205185.png" --- # Playing octaves was just a coincidence. And it's still… ![“Playing octaves was just a coincidence. And it's still such a challenge, like chord versions, block chords like cats play on piano. There are a lot of things that can be done with it, but each is a field of its own. I used to have headaches every time I played octaves, because it was extra strain…” quote by Wes Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85c/wes-montgomery-34602_block_playing-octaves-was-just-a-coincidence-a_2205185.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85c/wes-montgomery-34602_block_playing-octaves-was-just-a-coincidence-a_2205185.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85c/wes-montgomery-34602_block_playing-octaves-was-just-a-coincidence-a_2205185.png) > “Playing octaves was just a coincidence. And it's still such a challenge, like chord versions, block chords like cats play on piano. There are a lot of things that can be done with it, but each is a field of its own. I used to have headaches every time I played octaves, because it was extra strain, but the minute I'd quit I'd be all right. But now I don't have headaches when I play octaves.” [Wes Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-montgomery/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Playing octaves is challenging and strain‑inducing, yet with practice the discomfort fades, revealing a distinct musical field. **In simple terms:** Octave playing is tough but improves with practice. Key Takeaway Practice slowly to avoid strain. Themes music technique practice physical strain creativity Mood reflective motivational Type musical instructional When to use this quote - daily practice - warm‑up routines - stretching - instrument care - performance preparation Key Concepts musicianship physiology learning theory Questions to Reflect On - How do you manage physical fatigue while practicing? - What techniques help reduce strain? A Different Perspective Over‑practice may cause injury; balance is essential. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/block/) [Cat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cat/) [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Chords](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chords/) [Coincidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coincidence/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Extras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extras/) [Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fields/) [Headache](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/headache/) [Jazz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jazz/) [Minutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minutes/) [Octaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/octaves-1277134/) [Octaves Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/octaves-just-4860325/) [Piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/piano/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play Octaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-octaves-4860324/) [Played Octaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/played-octaves-4860323/) [Playing Octaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-octaves-1643194/) [Quitting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quitting/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Strain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strain/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) [Versions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/versions/) ## Related quotes > [Steve Laury smokes playing octaves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-east/steve-laury-smokes-playing-octaves/) [Nathan East](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-east/) > [Someone told me that they wished that my voice was two octaves lower.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wilson/someone-told-me-that-they-wished-that-my-voice-was-two-octaves-lower/) [John Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wilson/) > [It's not that I always had this impeccable voice. Some 15-18 years ago, I started noticing that I could not reach higher octaves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-j-yesudas/it-s-not-that-i-always-had-this-impeccable-voice-some-15-18-years-ago/) [K. J. Yesudas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-j-yesudas/) > [Some people say I've got a five-octave range, which is ridiculous. That would mean I'd sing like Mariah Carey or that alien in 'The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mika/some-people-say-i-ve-got-a-five-octave-range-which-is-ridiculous-that/) [Mika](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mika/) > [I was a child prodigy who had a freak voice of something like four octaves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-andrews/i-was-a-child-prodigy-who-had-a-freak-voice-of-something-like-four/) [Julie Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-andrews/) > [I talk 'til I'm red in my face with strain polyps. I'll rock 'til I'm out of my range then raise octaves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sage-francis/i-talk-til-i-m-red-in-my-face-with-strain-polyps-i-ll-rock-til-i-m/) [Sage Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sage-francis/) > [I like to play in the deep register. I was never a high-note specialist. My range goes from the bottom of the horn up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-baker/i-like-to-play-in-the-deep-register-i-was-never-a-high-note/) [Chet Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-baker/) > [I'm Sudafed-ed up, but it's alright because I'm having to do this rather sultry scene, so maybe it's OK that my voice is three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-blunt/i-m-sudafed-ed-up-but-it-s-alright-because-i-m-having-to-do-this/) [Emily Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-blunt/) > [Every new president inherits headaches, but President Obama has inherited an entire emergency room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/every-new-president-inherits-headaches-but-president-obama-has/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [If I don't have a woman every three days or so I get a terrible headache.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/if-i-don-t-have-a-woman-every-three-days-or-so-i-get-a-terrible/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [Let the desert wind cool your aching head. Let the weight of the world - drift away instead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beck/let-the-desert-wind-cool-your-aching-head-let-the-weight-of-the-world/) [Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beck/) > [ The hardest thing in a novel is time. You've got \[a line like\] "two weeks later, he woke up with a headache," and you've… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-c-boyle/the-hardest-thing-in-a-novel-is-time-you-ve-got-a-line-like-two-weeks/) [T.C. Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-c-boyle/) > [I woke with a terrible headache and wobbled around 'till I fell out the window." "You what?" "Fell out the window. That one over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-whalen-turner/i-woke-with-a-terrible-headache-and-wobbled-around-till-i-fell-out/) [Megan Whalen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-whalen-turner/) > [Of course, I have given my engineers some headaches over the years, but they go with me. I have always wanted my buildings to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-niemeyer/of-course-i-have-given-my-engineers-some-headaches-over-the-years-but/) [Oscar Niemeyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-niemeyer/) > [I realize now that people are not thinking about you and me or caring what is said about us. They are thinking about themselves-before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/i-realize-now-that-people-are-not-thinking-about-you-and-me-or-caring/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) ## More by Wes Montgomery > [A lot of places we go, when they see the organ coming in, they're expecting rock and roll, but after they hear us play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-montgomery/a-lot-of-places-we-go-when-they-see-the-organ-coming-in-they-re/) [Wes Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-montgomery/) > [I never practice my guitar. From time to time I just open the case & throw in a piece of raw meat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-montgomery/i-never-practice-my-guitar-from-time-to-time-i-just-open-the-case/) [Wes Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-montgomery/) > [When I got pretty good I went on the road with a group. We starved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-montgomery/when-i-got-pretty-good-i-went-on-the-road-with-a-group-we-starved/) [Wes Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-montgomery/) > [It's impossible for me to feel like there's only one way to do a thing. There's nothing wrong with having one way of doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-montgomery/it-s-impossible-for-me-to-feel-like-there-s-only-one-way-to-do-a/) [Wes Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-montgomery/) > [I don't know that many chords. I'd be loaded if I knew that many. But that's not my aim. My aim is to move…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-montgomery/i-don-t-know-that-many-chords-i-d-be-loaded-if-i-knew-that-many-but/) [Wes Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-montgomery/) > [To me, all guitar players can play, because I know they're getting to where they're at. It's a very hard instrument to accept, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-montgomery/to-me-all-guitar-players-can-play-because-i-know-they-re-getting-to/) [Wes Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-montgomery/) > [I don't know whether it was his (Charlie Christian's) melodic lines, his sound or his approach, but I hadn't heard anything like that before.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-montgomery/i-don-t-know-whether-it-was-his-charlie-christian-s-melodic-lines-his/) [Wes Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-montgomery/) > [Regardless of what you play, the biggest thing is keeping the feel going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-montgomery/regardless-of-what-you-play-the-biggest-thing-is-keeping-the-feel/) [Wes Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-montgomery/) > [Well, I got pretty good and went on the road with a group. We starved. At that time I didn't realize that you'd work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-montgomery/well-i-got-pretty-good-and-went-on-the-road-with-a-group-we-starved/) [Wes Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-montgomery/) > [I've really gone into business since I got the 6 string, which was like starting all over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-montgomery/i-ve-really-gone-into-business-since-i-got-the-6-string-which-was/) [Wes Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-montgomery/) > [I got a standard box. I don't never want nothing special. Then if I drop my box, I can borrow somebody else's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-montgomery/i-got-a-standard-box-i-don-t-never-want-nothing-special-then-if-i/) [Wes Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-montgomery/) > [If a jazz player is really playing, the classical player will have to respect him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-montgomery/if-a-jazz-player-is-really-playing-the-classical-player-will-have-to/) [Wes Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-montgomery/) > [You know, John Coltrane has been sort of a god to me. Seems like, in a way, he didn't get the inspiration out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-montgomery/you-know-john-coltrane-has-been-sort-of-a-god-to-me-seems-like-in-a/) [Wes Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-montgomery/) [Explore all 14 Wes Montgomery quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-montgomery/) ## More Block quotes > [I am told many children block out the memory of trauma. In fact, the healing process can only truly begin when we are willing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-stone/i-am-told-many-children-block-out-the-memory-of-trauma-in-fact-the/) [Phoebe Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-stone/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [If you do a black character or a female character or an Asian character, then they aren't just that character. They represent that race…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-mcduffie/if-you-do-a-black-character-or-a-female-character-or-an-asian/) [Dwayne McDuffie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-mcduffie/) > [Stevie Wonder always smells so good... I'm like a DEA dog, I can smell people a block away!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-estefan/stevie-wonder-always-smells-so-good-i-m-like-a-dea-dog-i-can-smell/) [Gloria Estefan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-estefan/) > [When it comes to people I love and care about, I may condense the time, but I'm giving them every ounce of my energy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-shetty/when-it-comes-to-people-i-love-and-care-about-i-may-condense-the-time/) [Jay Shetty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-shetty/) > [I mean family is more important than anything in life. Family is important than my crew, D-Block, my rap career anything... It's the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/styles-p/i-mean-family-is-more-important-than-anything-in-life-family-is/) [Styles P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/styles-p/) > [Can you understand why the Congress, most states and most cities refuse to pass legislation requiring the registration and licensing of any and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/can-you-understand-why-the-congress-most-states-and-most-cities/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [One of those blocks (that prevent the 'Middle East from entering the mainstream of modernity') is the orthodox tenet that the Koran and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-beichman/one-of-those-blocks-that-prevent-the-middle-east-from-entering-the/) [Arnold Beichman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-beichman/) > [The family is the building block for whatever solidarity there is in society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ruckelshaus/the-family-is-the-building-block-for-whatever-solidarity-there-is-in/) [William Ruckelshaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ruckelshaus/) > [New York is so serious about the creation of work. Everything is happening so fast, it feels like there's another studio, another session on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diplo/new-york-is-so-serious-about-the-creation-of-work-everything-is/) [Diplo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diplo/) > [Tentatively I stood a great lump of wood on the chopping block and bought the axe down on it. It flew into two perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-garner/tentatively-i-stood-a-great-lump-of-wood-on-the-chopping-block-and/) [Helen Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-garner/) > [Americans will put up with anything provided it doesn't block traffic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-rather/americans-will-put-up-with-anything-provided-it-doesn-t-block-traffic/) [Dan Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-rather/) > [There's an interesting book about that called The Third Reich and the Ivory Tower, written by Stephen H. Norwood. It has a long discussion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-an-interesting-book-about-that-called-the-third-reich-and-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I think you can train yourself to block out some of that pressure and replace it with confidence. It's about preparation, and the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rodgers/i-think-you-can-train-yourself-to-block-out-some-of-that-pressure-and/) [Aaron Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rodgers/) > [Writer's block? I've never heard of a plumber complain about plumber's block.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-parker/writer-s-block-i-ve-never-heard-of-a-plumber-complain-about-plumber-s/) [Robert B. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-parker/) [Browse all 1,755 Block quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/block/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Playing octaves was just a coincidence. And it's still such a challenge, like chord versions, block chords like cats play on piano. There are a lot of things that can be done with it, but each is a field of its own. I used to have headaches every time I played octaves, because it was extra strain, but the minute I'd quit I'd be all right. 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