--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I play guitar, it's automatic. I…" description: "\"When I play guitar, it's automatic. I don't try to do something; I just do it. And it's already so ingrained in what I do, I don't think about it. I do..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/979/yngwie-malmsteen-9153_best_when-i-play-guitar-it-s-automatic-i-don_1489628.jpg" --- # When I play guitar, it's automatic. I don't try to do… ![“When I play guitar, it's automatic. I don't try to do something; I just do it. And it's already so ingrained in what I do, I don't think about it. I don't try to do something - I just do it. And the more I do it that way, the more I surprise myself. And if I surprise myself, that's the best thing.” quote by Yngwie Malmsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/979/yngwie-malmsteen-9153_best_when-i-play-guitar-it-s-automatic-i-don_1489628.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/979/yngwie-malmsteen-9153_best_when-i-play-guitar-it-s-automatic-i-don_1489628.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/979/yngwie-malmsteen-9153_best_when-i-play-guitar-it-s-automatic-i-don_1489628.jpg) > “When I play guitar, it's automatic. I don't try to do something; I just do it. And it's already so ingrained in what I do, I don't think about it. I don't try to do something - I just do it. And the more I do it that way, the more I surprise myself. And if I surprise myself, that's the best thing.” [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. Automatic playing emerges from deep internalization, allowing spontaneous creativity and self‑surprise. **In simple terms:** Skill becomes instinctive. Key Takeaway Practice until performance feels natural. Themes skill creativity mastery Mood inspired focused Type educational motivational When to use this quote - live performances - improvisation sessions - teaching workshops Key Concepts muscle memory flow state Questions to Reflect On - How does instinctive play affect artistic growth? - When should deliberate practice intervene? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on habit may limit conscious innovation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Automatic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/automatic/) [Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best/) [Guitar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guitar/) [Guitar Automatic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guitar-automatic-5443500/) [Just Ingrained](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-ingrained-1079204/) [Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myself/) [Play Guitar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-guitar/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Surprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprise/) [Try](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try/) ## Related quotes > [I think it has just been ingrained in me since an early age that the harder you worked, the more successful you were.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-tillis/i-think-it-has-just-been-ingrained-in-me-since-an-early-age-that-the/) [Thom Tillis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-tillis/) > [We feel this passion that we have for music and this relentless need to pursue it and follow it and go wherever it takes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrissy-costanza/we-feel-this-passion-that-we-have-for-music-and-this-relentless-need/) [Chrissy Costanza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrissy-costanza/) > [I wanted to learn how to play guitar so I could smash it up and burn it. I was only a little kid, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yngwie-malmsteen/i-wanted-to-learn-how-to-play-guitar-so-i-could-smash-it-up-and-burn/) [Yngwie Malmsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yngwie-malmsteen/) > [I've never mastered the guitar. Either I was playing it, or it was playing me; it depends how you look at it. As a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-page/i-ve-never-mastered-the-guitar-either-i-was-playing-it-or-it-was/) [Jimmy Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-page/) > [I don't know what it would be like to actually play guitar. I've toured with a lot of comedians and it's never been like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-mirman/i-don-t-know-what-it-would-be-like-to-actually-play-guitar-i-ve/) [Eugene Mirman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-mirman/) > [I can't do anything but play guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-bolin/i-can-t-do-anything-but-play-guitar/) [Tommy Bolin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-bolin/) > [I'm quite glad I never learned to play the guitar, because I think I'd write songs that were more classically structured. As it is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-welch/i-m-quite-glad-i-never-learned-to-play-the-guitar-because-i-think-i-d/) [Florence Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-welch/) > [I play enough guitar to get by. I don't like to play guitar live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-chase/i-play-enough-guitar-to-get-by-i-don-t-like-to-play-guitar-live/) [Will Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-chase/) > [Since I left Chicago, I'm a lone wolf. I put on the record player and sit and try to play on the guitar. I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cotton/since-i-left-chicago-i-m-a-lone-wolf-i-put-on-the-record-player-and/) [James Cotton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cotton/) > [I play the guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mats-wilander/i-play-the-guitar/) [Mats Wilander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mats-wilander/) > [I can't play guitar well at all, so I had to learn that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olly-alexander/i-can-t-play-guitar-well-at-all-so-i-had-to-learn-that/) [Olly Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olly-alexander/) > [T's a good thing you learned to play the guitar so you have something to do while not getting laid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/t-s-a-good-thing-you-learned-to-play-the-guitar-so-you-have-something/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Learning to play the guitar is a combination of mental and motor skill acquisition. And to develop motor skill, repetition is essential... Whenever musicians…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-roberts/learning-to-play-the-guitar-is-a-combination-of-mental-and-motor/) [Howard Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-roberts/) > [If I don't channel pain into a song, I play my guitar or play the piano or play my drums, or go swimming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-cliff/if-i-don-t-channel-pain-into-a-song-i-play-my-guitar-or-play-the/) [Jimmy Cliff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-cliff/) > [I lie around and play guitar, that's something I do for sure. In fact that's all I do, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-dando/i-lie-around-and-play-guitar-that-s-something-i-do-for-sure-in-fact/) [Evan Dando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-dando/) ## 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 Automatic quotes > [I saw an Emmy ad that AMC took out with all the 'Breaking Bad' nominees' photos, and there's my picture from the show. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-margolis/i-saw-an-emmy-ad-that-amc-took-out-with-all-the-breaking-bad-nominees/) [Mark Margolis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-margolis/) > [Windows Updates have sometimes been a pain point for users. The update pop-ups can interrupt a movie or a video game, and the automatic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-parr/windows-updates-have-sometimes-been-a-pain-point-for-users-the-update/) [Ben Parr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-parr/) > [The thing that strikes you most about being a soldier in a war zone and in action to the small extent that I was,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/the-thing-that-strikes-you-most-about-being-a-soldier-in-a-war-zone/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [“Being happy has -huge- advantages. One, you smile more. Training of facial muscles. Automatic! But did you know that the risible muscle, the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-friedrich/being-happy-has-huge-advantages-one-you-smile-more-training-of-facial/) [René Friedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-friedrich/) > [The 'OK Plateau' is that place we all get to where we just stop getting better at something. Take typing, for example. You might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-foer/the-ok-plateau-is-that-place-we-all-get-to-where-we-just-stop-getting/) [Joshua Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-foer/) > [The automatic things you do are basically those things that keep you from doing the better things you need to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-murray/the-automatic-things-you-do-are-basically-those-things-that-keep-you/) [Bill Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-murray/) > [For imagination sets the goal picture which our automatic mechanism works on. We act, or fail to act, not because of will, as is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/for-imagination-sets-the-goal-picture-which-our-automatic-mechanism/) [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) > [“„We didn’t anticipate that the formula would trigger such a violent response. In the future, you’ll only receive the unprocessed raw materials.” “So it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/we-didn-t-anticipate-that-the-formula-would-trigger-such-a-violent/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [We must make automatic and habitual, as early as possible, as many useful actions as we can. . . . The more of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/we-must-make-automatic-and-habitual-as-early-as-possible-as-many/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [Almost everything we do is automatic, yet we're not aware of that. We feel like there's a circle of light. We're like the drunk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/almost-everything-we-do-is-automatic-yet-we-re-not-aware-of-that-we/) [Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/) > [Somehow, someway, for some people there's an automatic assumption that a mayor who is African-American or some other elected official has to support another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nutter/somehow-someway-for-some-people-there-s-an-automatic-assumption-that/) [Michael Nutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nutter/) > [Everyone has a subconscious and automatic preference of this over that. Once you're aware of that, you can take steps to change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kapor/everyone-has-a-subconscious-and-automatic-preference-of-this-over/) [Mitch Kapor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kapor/) > [Resolution 1441 does not give anyone the right to an automatic use of force. Russia believes that the Iraqi problem should be regulated by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/igor-ivanov/resolution-1441-does-not-give-anyone-the-right-to-an-automatic-use-of/) [Igor Ivanov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/igor-ivanov/) > [To ordinary folks, conversion is not always automatic. It's something that may or may not require explicit assistance. See Billy Graham.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/to-ordinary-folks-conversion-is-not-always-automatic-it-s-something/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [Minimize your therbligs until it becomes automatic; this doubles your effective lifetime - and thereby gives time to enjoy butterflies and kittens and rainbows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/minimize-your-therbligs-until-it-becomes-automatic-this-doubles-your/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) [Browse all 93 Automatic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/automatic/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I play guitar, it's automatic. I don't try to do something; I just do it. And it's already so ingrained in what I do, I don't think about it. I don't try to do something - I just do it. And the more I do it that way, the more I surprise myself. And if I surprise myself, that's the best thing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Yngwie Malmsteen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yngwie-malmsteen/when-i-play-guitar-it-s-automatic-i-don-t-try-to-do-something-i-just/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Automatic" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yngwie-malmsteen/when-i-play-guitar-it-s-automatic-i-don-t-try-to-do-something-i-just/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/979/yngwie-malmsteen-9153_best_when-i-play-guitar-it-s-automatic-i-don_1489628.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/979/yngwie-malmsteen-9153_best_when-i-play-guitar-it-s-automatic-i-don_1489628.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/979/yngwie-malmsteen-9153_best_when-i-play-guitar-it-s-automatic-i-don_1489628.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I play guitar, it's automatic. I don't try to do something; I just do it. And it's already so ingrained…” — 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": "When I play guitar, it's automatic....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yngwie-malmsteen/when-i-play-guitar-it-s-automatic-i-don-t-try-to-do-something-i-just/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yngwie-malmsteen/when-i-play-guitar-it-s-automatic-i-don-t-try-to-do-something-i-just/#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 } } ] } ```