--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I played something incorrectly, I…" description: "\"If I played something incorrectly, I whipped myself mercilessly. Whenever I made a mistake, I made sure that I would never allow myself to repeat it. E..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac4/yngwie-malmsteen-9153_failure_if-i-played-something-incorrectly-i-whip_1243418.jpg" --- # If I played something incorrectly, I whipped myself… ![“If I played something incorrectly, I whipped myself mercilessly. Whenever I made a mistake, I made sure that I would never allow myself to repeat it. Every guitarist wants to play well. But in reality, if good intentions were all it took, then everyone would be great.” quote by Yngwie Malmsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac4/yngwie-malmsteen-9153_failure_if-i-played-something-incorrectly-i-whip_1243418.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac4/yngwie-malmsteen-9153_failure_if-i-played-something-incorrectly-i-whip_1243418.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac4/yngwie-malmsteen-9153_failure_if-i-played-something-incorrectly-i-whip_1243418.jpg) > “If I played something incorrectly, I whipped myself mercilessly. Whenever I made a mistake, I made sure that I would never allow myself to repeat it. Every guitarist wants to play well. But in reality, if good intentions were all it took, then everyone would be great.” [Yngwie Malmsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yngwie-malmsteen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mistakes drive relentless self‑discipline; good intentions alone don’t guarantee mastery, so rigorous practice is essential. **In simple terms:** Practice relentlessly after mistakes. Key Takeaway Practice to improve. Themes discipline mastery practice self‑critique Mood determined reflective Type inspirational educational When to use this quote - learning a new instrument - performance preparation - skill refinement Key Concepts musicianship growth mindset deliberate practice Questions to Reflect On - How do you turn mistakes into growth? - What routine ensures you don’t repeat errors? A Different Perspective Perfection is impossible; focus on progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good intentions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-intentions/) [Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great/) [Guitarist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guitarist/) [Guitarist Wants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guitarist-wants-3890383/) [Intentions Took](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intentions-took-3890386/) [Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myself/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Played Incorrectly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/played-incorrectly-3890385/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Repeat Guitarist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repeat-guitarist-3890384/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [My band's motto is 'Yngwie or the highway.' 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I was president of the law society at Glasgow University, and my bass guitarist was my secretary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-butler/i-was-training-to-be-a-lawyer-i-was-president-of-the-law-society-at/) [Gerard Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-butler/) > [If you really love guitar, you're going to spend every waking hour stroking the thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/if-you-really-love-guitar-you-re-going-to-spend-every-waking-hour/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [I am a self-taught guitarist. 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I've never been to a lesson, so my theory of music is non-existent in any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sangster/i-play-bass-i-play-a-bit-of-guitar-i-ve-never-been-to-a-lesson-so-my/) [Thomas Sangster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sangster/) > [Who I am as a guitarist is defined by my failure to become Jimi Hendrix.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mayer/who-i-am-as-a-guitarist-is-defined-by-my-failure-to-become-jimi/) [John Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mayer/) > [Once I got a guitar that was relatively user-friendly, but not super-duper easy, I really came on as a guitarist, at that point. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-page/once-i-got-a-guitar-that-was-relatively-user-friendly-but-not-super/) [Jimmy Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-page/) > [I've always been playing with other people, and that's how I learned. I got a kit of drums I couldn't play, but I also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ringo-starr/i-ve-always-been-playing-with-other-people-and-that-s-how-i-learned-i/) [Ringo Starr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ringo-starr/) ## More by Yngwie Malmsteen > ['Spellbound' has a lot of guitar playing on it, obviously, but I wanted to keep it with a more straightforward beat. It doesn't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yngwie-malmsteen/spellbound-has-a-lot-of-guitar-playing-on-it-obviously-but-i-wanted/) [Yngwie Malmsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yngwie-malmsteen/) > [I didn't have to apply my mind to the aspects of scales and playing, and instead, I focused on creativity. 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They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yngwie-malmsteen/i-d-rather-have-people-dislike-my-style-than-change-it-if-someone/) [Yngwie Malmsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yngwie-malmsteen/) > [A lot of people don't know this, but I started out as a blues-based player, and then, when I realized after playing 18 hours…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yngwie-malmsteen/a-lot-of-people-don-t-know-this-but-i-started-out-as-a-blues-based/) [Yngwie Malmsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yngwie-malmsteen/) > [I listened to all those blues records. They were great - Clapton, John Mayall. Then eventually I heard Genesis with Peter Gabriel, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yngwie-malmsteen/i-listened-to-all-those-blues-records-they-were-great-clapton-john/) [Yngwie Malmsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yngwie-malmsteen/) > [At first, I didn't think playing guitar was the right thing for me to do. But after seeing Jimi Hendrix on television the day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yngwie-malmsteen/at-first-i-didn-t-think-playing-guitar-was-the-right-thing-for-me-to/) [Yngwie Malmsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yngwie-malmsteen/) > [The only thing I ever really wanted was a Strat .. I started playing guitar after seeing Jimi Hendrix on TV the day he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yngwie-malmsteen/the-only-thing-i-ever-really-wanted-was-a-strat-i-started-playing/) [Yngwie Malmsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yngwie-malmsteen/) > [I've learned not to say, 'No, I'd never do that.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yngwie-malmsteen/i-ve-learned-not-to-say-no-i-d-never-do-that/) [Yngwie Malmsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yngwie-malmsteen/) > [When I was a kid, I played drums, and when I first got a 4-track, I would put down drumbeats and then do the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yngwie-malmsteen/when-i-was-a-kid-i-played-drums-and-when-i-first-got-a-4-track-i/) [Yngwie Malmsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yngwie-malmsteen/) > [To get a feel for the right-hand picking technique, you have to let the pick 'fall' from string to string as if you were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yngwie-malmsteen/to-get-a-feel-for-the-right-hand-picking-technique-you-have-to-let/) [Yngwie Malmsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yngwie-malmsteen/) > [I emigrated to the U.S. on February 3, 1983, when I was 19 years old. I joined Steeler right away and recorded the album…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yngwie-malmsteen/i-emigrated-to-the-u-s-on-february-3-1983-when-i-was-19-years-old-i/) [Yngwie Malmsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yngwie-malmsteen/) > [Sweep picking is when the right hand sweeps down and up the strings in succession. 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Failure is something that is part of life's cycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/failure-is-a-part-of-life-and-you-have-to-learn-to-deal-with-it/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [First action was a mistake. 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