Guitar Quotes | Beyond Motive

top of page

Guitar Quotes

"The guitar is a small orchestra. It is polyphonic. Every string is a different color, a different voice."

"The guitar is a small orchestra. It is polyphonic. Every string is a different color, a different voice."

Andres Segovia, Spanish Musician

51

"I never had a real job either. I sort of fell out of school and ended up playing guitar."

"I never had a real job either. I sort of fell out of school and ended up playing guitar."

Vivian Campbell, Irish Musician

Guitar, Job, School

41

"Sometimes you want to give up the guitar, you'll hate the guitar. But if you stick with it, you're gonna be rewarded."

"Sometimes you want to give up the guitar, you'll hate the guitar. But if you stick with it, you're gonna be rewarded."

Jimi Hendrix, American Musician

Guitar, Hate, Want

27

"I'm starting to play all the melodies with kind of keyboard sound but playing it from the bass guitar."

"I'm starting to play all the melodies with kind of keyboard sound but playing it from the bass guitar."

Tom Jenkinson, English Musician

Guitar, Play, Sound

26

"I'll always do the guitar parts since it's my main instrument."

"I'll always do the guitar parts since it's my main instrument."

Trevor Rabin, South African Musician

25

"My guitar only has five strings 'cause the top one broke and I decided not to put it back on: when I play chords I only play bar chords, and the top one always used to cut me there."

"My guitar only has five strings 'cause the top one broke and I decided not to put it back on: when I play chords I only play bar chords, and the top one always used to cut me there."

Brian Eno, British Musician

19

"If I'm playing with Ozzy it's just a guitar thing. But with the vocals I feel like I'm studying for the SATs."

"If I'm playing with Ozzy it's just a guitar thing. But with the vocals I feel like I'm studying for the SATs."

Zakk Wylde, American Musician

18

"I started playing guitar when I was in my late teens, and within two years I was starting to play shows."

"I started playing guitar when I was in my late teens, and within two years I was starting to play shows."

Buzz Osborne, American Musician

Guitar, Play, Years

15

"If you play acoustic guitar you're the depressed, sensitive guy."

"If you play acoustic guitar you're the depressed, sensitive guy."

Elliott Smith, American Musician

15

"I was playing with steel picks on a steel guitar, and there was no amplification needed."

"I was playing with steel picks on a steel guitar, and there was no amplification needed."

Brownie McGhee, American Musician

15

"I sit down and create atmospheres, start playing guitar or piano and just sing whatever comes out of my mouth."

"I sit down and create atmospheres, start playing guitar or piano and just sing whatever comes out of my mouth."

Martin Gore, English Musician

14

"In Kid A and Amnesiac, the guitar becomes one more texture, difficult to separate from other textures."

"In Kid A and Amnesiac, the guitar becomes one more texture, difficult to separate from other textures."

Colin Greenwood, British Musician

13

"So I'll set a cycle in motion and pop it into record and I'll lay down a drum pattern, a bass line, a keyboard and guitar part, and once the groove is going I launch into the song and sing my song over the top."

"So I'll set a cycle in motion and pop it into record and I'll lay down a drum pattern, a bass line, a keyboard and guitar part, and once the groove is going I launch into the song and sing my song over the top."

Thomas Dolby, English Musician

12

"The guitar chose me."

"The guitar chose me."

Charlie Byrd, American Musician

11

"I'm not a really good classical guitarist by any means, but what I learned from this is a way of working very slowly on solo pieces and I enjoyed working on these pieces of John's. They were not written for solo guitar but a lot of them were easy to adapt."

"I'm not a really good classical guitarist by any means, but what I learned from this is a way of working very slowly on solo pieces and I enjoyed working on these pieces of John's. They were not written for solo guitar but a lot of them were easy to adapt."

Marc Ribot, American Musician

11

"The most obvious thing you can't do with a guitar synthesizer is to really sound like a guitar."

"The most obvious thing you can't do with a guitar synthesizer is to really sound like a guitar."

Andy Summers, English Musician

Guitar, Obvious, Sound

11

"I want every girl in the world to pick up a guitar and start screaming."

"I want every girl in the world to pick up a guitar and start screaming."

Courtney Love, American Musician

Guitar, Want, World

11

"As a guitar player, it's harder for me to impress somebody than it is to write a song that they like."

"As a guitar player, it's harder for me to impress somebody than it is to write a song that they like."

Brad Paisley, American Musician

10

"You should approach a sequencer like you would a Dobro guitar."

"You should approach a sequencer like you would a Dobro guitar."

Colin Greenwood, British Musician

10

"For me, the guitar synthesizer is a great writing instrument."

"For me, the guitar synthesizer is a great writing instrument."

Andy Summers, English Musician

Guitar, Writing

10

"The greatest guitar player in the world today for me is Paco de Lucia, who is actually Spanish."

"The greatest guitar player in the world today for me is Paco de Lucia, who is actually Spanish."

George Benson, American Musician

Guitar, Today, World

10

"More recently, I used guitar synthesizer extensively on the two albums I did with Robert Fripp."

"More recently, I used guitar synthesizer extensively on the two albums I did with Robert Fripp."

Andy Summers, English Musician

10

"Experimenting with different sounds is great, but when it comes down to it, you're still playing a guitar."

"Experimenting with different sounds is great, but when it comes down to it, you're still playing a guitar."

Daisy Berkowitz, American Musician

10

"I had different bands. I played with the Acoustic Warriors for the most part, without girl singers. It was the same kind of sound, acoustic guitar, bass, with violin and sometimes accordion, and the guys would sing, that kind of thing."

"I had different bands. I played with the Acoustic Warriors for the most part, without girl singers. It was the same kind of sound, acoustic guitar, bass, with violin and sometimes accordion, and the guys would sing, that kind of thing."

Dan Hicks, American Musician

10

"Dorsey played the upright bass and steel guitar, as well as acoustic guitar. Johnny played acoustic guitar and together they were fabulous songwriters and singers."

"Dorsey played the upright bass and steel guitar, as well as acoustic guitar. Johnny played acoustic guitar and together they were fabulous songwriters and singers."

Jimmy Griffin, American Musician

10

"Bruce's band is so different from the Grateful Dead; there's no lead guitar player, for one thing."

"Bruce's band is so different from the Grateful Dead; there's no lead guitar player, for one thing."

Phil Lesh, American Musician

9

"I can play rhythm guitar. I know how to hold a guitar and strum it."

"I can play rhythm guitar. I know how to hold a guitar and strum it."

Jamie Lee Curtis, American Actress

9

"It's the faster bands that made me want to play guitar, bands like The Jam."

"It's the faster bands that made me want to play guitar, bands like The Jam."

Graham Coxon, German Musician

Guitar, Play, Want

9

"Nobody seems to play Yamaha electrics, but it's the best guitar I own."

"Nobody seems to play Yamaha electrics, but it's the best guitar I own."

Daisy Berkowitz, American Musician

9

"There will be some tracks on the next album which that will consist of mostly noise and feedback, whereas others may just have guitar parts and samples."

"There will be some tracks on the next album which that will consist of mostly noise and feedback, whereas others may just have guitar parts and samples."

Daisy Berkowitz, American Musician

Guitar, May, Will

9

"My guitar is not a thing. It is an extension of myself. It is who I am."

"My guitar is not a thing. It is an extension of myself. It is who I am."

Joan Jett, American Musician

9

"I have no secrets; all of these things have been discussed at length in guitar magazines over the years but are far too elaborate to cover in one article."

"I have no secrets; all of these things have been discussed at length in guitar magazines over the years but are far too elaborate to cover in one article."

Adrian Belew, American Musician

Guitar, Secrets, Years

9

"The guitar was my weapon, my shield to hide behind."

"The guitar was my weapon, my shield to hide behind."

Brian May, English Musician

9

"I like jazz, but I could never play it. You just sit there with a guitar the size of a Chevy on your chest, wearing a stupid hat, playing the same solo for an hour."

"I like jazz, but I could never play it. You just sit there with a guitar the size of a Chevy on your chest, wearing a stupid hat, playing the same solo for an hour."

Dave Mustaine, American Musician

Guitar, Jazz, Play

9

"For me, the most difficult thing is that I am learning melodies on guitar from some songs whose melodies were not meant to be played on guitar. Ever. They were intended mostly for keyboards or melodic percussion."

"For me, the most difficult thing is that I am learning melodies on guitar from some songs whose melodies were not meant to be played on guitar. Ever. They were intended mostly for keyboards or melodic percussion."

Dweezil Zappa, American Musician

Guitar, Learning, Songs

9

"I've looked at photographs of myself during concerts and it sometimes looks as if I'm in a fencing move, with a guitar in my hands instead of a sword."

"I've looked at photographs of myself during concerts and it sometimes looks as if I'm in a fencing move, with a guitar in my hands instead of a sword."

Neil Diamond, American Musician

9

"Well, you know it was so different from when you rehearsed. You're out there with your guitar and trying to get a sound, but it doesn't sound anything like what you expect!"

"Well, you know it was so different from when you rehearsed. You're out there with your guitar and trying to get a sound, but it doesn't sound anything like what you expect!"

Jonathan Richman, American Musician

Guitar, Sound, Trying

9

"I mean, no offense, but I don't really see why, like guitar players from Creed, or something like that, are on the cover of guitar magazines. Almost anybody can sit down and learn to play those songs."

"I mean, no offense, but I don't really see why, like guitar players from Creed, or something like that, are on the cover of guitar magazines. Almost anybody can sit down and learn to play those songs."

Dweezil Zappa, American Musician

Guitar, Play, Songs

8

"I just couldn't take school seriously: I had this guitar neck with four frets which I kept hidden under the desk. It had strings on it so I would practice my chord shapes under the desk and that's about all I did at school."

"I just couldn't take school seriously: I had this guitar neck with four frets which I kept hidden under the desk. It had strings on it so I would practice my chord shapes under the desk and that's about all I did at school."

Alvin Lee, English Musician

Guitar, Practice, School

8

"On acoustic guitar I tend to stay in the key of D for some reason. On electric guitar I keep basic: C, G, D, and A. The key of D minor is also real good for me."

"On acoustic guitar I tend to stay in the key of D for some reason. On electric guitar I keep basic: C, G, D, and A. The key of D minor is also real good for me."

Tommy Shaw, American Musician

Guitar, Key, Reason

8

"If you can't play it on an acoustic guitar or a grand piano then it's not a song."

"If you can't play it on an acoustic guitar or a grand piano then it's not a song."

Christopher Cross, American Musician

Guitar, Play, Song

8

"I never liked mellow sounding guitar."

"I never liked mellow sounding guitar."

Tom Verlaine, American Musician

8

"Once I picked up an electric guitar, I lost interest in piano, and I just wanted to rock. I studied piano for so long, I got burned out on it."

"Once I picked up an electric guitar, I lost interest in piano, and I just wanted to rock. I studied piano for so long, I got burned out on it."

Juliana Hatfield, American Musician

Guitar, Interest

8

"As a guitar player, you can gravitate to the blues because you can play it easily. It's not a style that's difficult to pick up. It's purely emotive and dead easy to get a start with."

"As a guitar player, you can gravitate to the blues because you can play it easily. It's not a style that's difficult to pick up. It's purely emotive and dead easy to get a start with."

Boz Scaggs, American Musician

Guitar, Play, Style

8

"I can't even read notes. But I can teach someone how to make a guitar smoke."

"I can't even read notes. But I can teach someone how to make a guitar smoke."

Ace Frehley, American Musician

8

"I had a good guitar, and I was a young, young kid."

"I had a good guitar, and I was a young, young kid."

Warren Zevon, American Musician

8

"I play guitar, piano, bass and percussion."

"I play guitar, piano, bass and percussion."

Teena Marie, American Musician

8

"But the reality is when you write a song, you should be able to strip away all the instruments and just have a song right there with an acoustic guitar and a voice, and the song should be good."

"But the reality is when you write a song, you should be able to strip away all the instruments and just have a song right there with an acoustic guitar and a voice, and the song should be good."

Dweezil Zappa, American Musician

Guitar, Reality, Right, Song

8

"You can be a singer, and you can be a guitar player, but putting them together is another animal."

"You can be a singer, and you can be a guitar player, but putting them together is another animal."

Gavin DeGraw, American Musician

8

"If you make it sound too much like a synth, it will just sound like a guitar part played on a synth."

"If you make it sound too much like a synth, it will just sound like a guitar part played on a synth."

Daisy Berkowitz, American Musician

Guitar, Sound, Will

8

bottom of page