--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What I think is the most important thing…" description: "\"What I think is the most important thing to learn about any instrument is the basics of music. Learn your ABCs before you write a Hemingway novel.\" — Y..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80e/yngwie-malmsteen-9153_basics_what-i-think-is-the-most-important-thing_3049827.jpg" --- # What I think is the most important thing to learn about… ![“What I think is the most important thing to learn about any instrument is the basics of music. Learn your ABCs before you write a Hemingway novel.” quote by Yngwie Malmsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80e/yngwie-malmsteen-9153_basics_what-i-think-is-the-most-important-thing_3049827.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80e/yngwie-malmsteen-9153_basics_what-i-think-is-the-most-important-thing_3049827.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80e/yngwie-malmsteen-9153_basics_what-i-think-is-the-most-important-thing_3049827.jpg) > “What I think is the most important thing to learn about any instrument is the basics of music. Learn your ABCs before you write a Hemingway novel.” [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. Mastering fundamentals is essential before attempting complex creative work. **In simple terms:** Learn basics before advanced creation. Key Takeaway Build solid musical foundations first. Themes music education skill development creativity discipline Mood educational inspirational Type music philosophical When to use this quote - learning an instrument - composing - performance - teaching Key Concepts fundamentals technical mastery creative process Questions to Reflect On - What basic skills do you need to improve? - How does foundational practice affect advanced work? A Different Perspective Skipping basics leads to weak artistry. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basics/) [Basics Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basics-music-5067408/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Important things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-things/) [Instrument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instrument/) [Instrument Basics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instrument-basics-5067407/) [Instruments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instruments/) [Learn Instrument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn-instrument-256442/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music Learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-learn-670811/) [Music making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-making/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Life is a public performance on the violin, in which you must learn the instrument as you go along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/life-is-a-public-performance-on-the-violin-in-which-you-must-learn/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [You've got to learn your instrument.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-parker/you-ve-got-to-learn-your-instrument/) [Charlie Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-parker/) > [I don't think that you can write music if you don't know how to play an instrument. You have to know the basics, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alber-elbaz/i-don-t-think-that-you-can-write-music-if-you-don-t-know-how-to-play/) [Alber Elbaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alber-elbaz/) > [Learning to play old instruments was a challenge. How do you learn an instrument no one has played in hundreds of years? The ones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/einar-selvik/learning-to-play-old-instruments-was-a-challenge-how-do-you-learn-an/) [Einar Selvik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/einar-selvik/) > [My parents encouraged us to commit to things, so if we wanted to learn an instrument, it was all the grades and all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-mvula/my-parents-encouraged-us-to-commit-to-things-so-if-we-wanted-to-learn/) [Laura Mvula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-mvula/) > [When you learn an instrument, it takes an awful lot of time to just learn the scales, and then eventually when you have completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/when-you-learn-an-instrument-it-takes-an-awful-lot-of-time-to-just/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [Learn your instrument. Be honest. Don't do anything phony. There is so much crap floating around. There is plenty of room for a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-mcvie/learn-your-instrument-be-honest-don-t-do-anything-phony-there-is-so/) [Christine McVie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-mcvie/) > [ Practice. Listen. Use you ears. And as Rob \[Halford\] said, that team effort. You can learn your instrument in your room, but being in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richie-faulkner/practice-listen-use-you-ears-and-as-rob-halford-said-that-team-effort/) [Richie Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richie-faulkner/) > [Just speaking from growing up in the projects, it was hard for me to take dance classes or voice classes because I didn't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-ramos/just-speaking-from-growing-up-in-the-projects-it-was-hard-for-me-to/) [Anthony Ramos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-ramos/) > [“First you learn the instrument, then you learn the music, then you forget all that s\*\*t and just play.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-parker/first-you-learn-the-instrument-then-you-learn-the-music-then-you/) [Charlie Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-parker/) > [You've got to learn your instrument. Then, you practice, practice, practice. And then, when you finally get up there on the bandstand, forget all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-parker/you-ve-got-to-learn-your-instrument-then-you-practice-practice/) [Charlie Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-parker/) > [The more I can learn about music, the more I learn about other things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/the-more-i-can-learn-about-music-the-more-i-learn-about-other-things/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [To study music, we must learn the rules. To create music, we must break them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-boulanger/to-study-music-we-must-learn-the-rules-to-create-music-we-must-break/) [Nadia Boulanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-boulanger/) > [ Jordan \[Ruddes\], he learned that way, and that's what he knows how to do. That's how he kind of approaches all music, whether it's… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-petrucci/jordan-ruddes-he-learned-that-way-and-that-s-what-he-knows-how-to-do/) [John Petrucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-petrucci/) > [To me living and music are all the same thing. And I keep finding out more about music as I learn more about myself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mccoy-tyner/to-me-living-and-music-are-all-the-same-thing-and-i-keep-finding-out/) [McCoy Tyner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mccoy-tyner/) ## 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. I wrote music, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yngwie-malmsteen/i-didn-t-have-to-apply-my-mind-to-the-aspects-of-scales-and-playing/) [Yngwie Malmsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yngwie-malmsteen/) > [I am convinced that there are few, if any, American people that could even start believing or understanding what living in a socialist country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yngwie-malmsteen/i-am-convinced-that-there-are-few-if-any-american-people-that-could/) [Yngwie Malmsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yngwie-malmsteen/) > [I'm working on guitars for free, because I love working on guitars anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yngwie-malmsteen/i-m-working-on-guitars-for-free-because-i-love-working-on-guitars/) [Yngwie Malmsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yngwie-malmsteen/) > [I'd rather have people dislike my style than change it. If someone says, 'Hey, Yngwie, you play too damn much,' I don't care. 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. But when you do sweep picking, one note rings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yngwie-malmsteen/sweep-picking-is-when-the-right-hand-sweeps-down-and-up-the-strings/) [Yngwie Malmsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yngwie-malmsteen/) > [I've always been heavily influenced by classical music, mostly by baroque music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yngwie-malmsteen/i-ve-always-been-heavily-influenced-by-classical-music-mostly-by/) [Yngwie Malmsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yngwie-malmsteen/) [Explore all 75 Yngwie Malmsteen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yngwie-malmsteen/) ## More Basics quotes > [Play small ball. Get back to basics. I would say that you need to be a conservative, but you need to maintain your independent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-tantaros/play-small-ball-get-back-to-basics-i-would-say-that-you-need-to-be-a/) [Andrea Tantaros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-tantaros/) > [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/) > [The only way you can stay on top is to remember to touch bottom and get back to basics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-black/the-only-way-you-can-stay-on-top-is-to-remember-to-touch-bottom-and/) [Shane Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-black/) > [To succeed, you will soon learn, as I did, the importance of a solid foundation in the basics of education - literacy, both verbal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/to-succeed-you-will-soon-learn-as-i-did-the-importance-of-a-solid/) [Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/) > [I see film as a real opportunity to examine the human condition. No matter where the technology goes in the future, the basics don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-schultz/i-see-film-as-a-real-opportunity-to-examine-the-human-condition-no/) [Michael Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-schultz/) > [Sometimes we think that the more expensive brands will be more effective. Sometimes if you stick to the basics, that's what really matters. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pia-wurtzbach/sometimes-we-think-that-the-more-expensive-brands-will-be-more/) [Pia Wurtzbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pia-wurtzbach/) > [As hundreds of millions of Chinese have improved their standard of living, this has put enormous pressure on natural resources, raw materials, and food…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-lubetzky/as-hundreds-of-millions-of-chinese-have-improved-their-standard-of/) [Daniel Lubetzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-lubetzky/) > [Move quickly. Sound, calm mind. Be light in body. Have a clever mind. Master the basics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gogen-yamaguchi/move-quickly-sound-calm-mind-be-light-in-body-have-a-clever-mind/) [Gogen Yamaguchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gogen-yamaguchi/) > [After almost exactly three hours, we rolled into a small hole of a town that had one traffic light and a resturant simply marked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/after-almost-exactly-three-hours-we-rolled-into-a-small-hole-of-a/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [When you're a dancer, you start with the basics. You don't all of a sudden do a grand jete and pirouette. You start with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-rudner/when-you-re-a-dancer-you-start-with-the-basics-you-don-t-all-of-a/) [Rita Rudner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-rudner/) > [There are huge misconceptions about people on benefits. They are labelled scroungers or cheats. The reality is that many who need that level of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theo-paphitis/there-are-huge-misconceptions-about-people-on-benefits-they-are/) [Theo Paphitis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theo-paphitis/) > [It's just lovely to be involved in a movie that does go back to the basics - characters and great writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/it-s-just-lovely-to-be-involved-in-a-movie-that-does-go-back-to-the/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [“When life gets confusing, go back to the basics. The rest is noise!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyssa-shelasky/when-life-gets-confusing-go-back-to-the-basics-the-rest-is-noise/) [Alyssa Shelasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyssa-shelasky/) > [We have to stick to basics. Sometimes, you expect that miracles will happen, but it does not work out that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahid-afridi/we-have-to-stick-to-basics-sometimes-you-expect-that-miracles-will/) [Shahid Afridi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahid-afridi/) > [I don't think that you can write music if you don't know how to play an instrument. You have to know the basics, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alber-elbaz/i-don-t-think-that-you-can-write-music-if-you-don-t-know-how-to-play/) [Alber Elbaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alber-elbaz/) [Browse all 345 Basics quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basics/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What I think is the most important thing to learn about any instrument is the basics of music. Learn your ABCs before you write a Hemingway novel.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Yngwie Malmsteen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yngwie-malmsteen/what-i-think-is-the-most-important-thing-to-learn-about-any/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Basics" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yngwie-malmsteen/what-i-think-is-the-most-important-thing-to-learn-about-any/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80e/yngwie-malmsteen-9153_basics_what-i-think-is-the-most-important-thing_3049827.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80e/yngwie-malmsteen-9153_basics_what-i-think-is-the-most-important-thing_3049827.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80e/yngwie-malmsteen-9153_basics_what-i-think-is-the-most-important-thing_3049827.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What I think is the most important thing to learn about any instrument is the basics of music. Learn your…” — Yngwie Malmsteen", "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": "Yngwie Malmsteen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yngwie-malmsteen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What I think is the most...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yngwie-malmsteen/what-i-think-is-the-most-important-thing-to-learn-about-any/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yngwie-malmsteen/what-i-think-is-the-most-important-thing-to-learn-about-any/#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 } } ] } ```