Les Paul Quotes

Whenever I start to really think about what I'm playing, I may play it better musically, but the feeling isn't there.

The ballet embodies the notes of music. And sometimes you almost feel like you can see the notes dance up there on the stage.

I go for as much feeling as I can rather than show what I can do up and down the neck. I don't play to show people ability.

Just because you have developed the craft on your instrument doesn't mean that you don't have the ability to be expressive emotionally on that instrument, or vice versa.

Piano playing consists of common sense, heart and technical resources. All three should be equally developed. Without common sense you are a fiasco, without technique an amateur, without heart a machine. The profession does have its hazards.

It seems to me that most people are impressed with just three things: how fast you can play, how high you can play, and how loud you can play.

I actually think in music, learning technical stuff doesn't matter. You can be as technical as you like, but still sound awful.

Music has nothing to do with your technical ability.

I play more rhythmically than I do a lot of notes.

I don't think I handle the notes much differently from other pianists. But the pauses between the notes - ah, there is where the artistry lies!!

When a singer truly feels and experiences what the music is all about, the words will automatically ring true.

But the shortest works are always the best.

The art of interpretation is not to play what is written.

When we separate music from life we get art.

I write my songs and just play them, so there are not a whole lot of fireworks. As long as the music comes first, it's OK to have some fireworks. But not the other way around.

It's not easy to play in a framework that requires simplicity and to tastefully find ways to interject the kind of freedom that we have in playing jazz.

I do read music, but I prefer playing from the heart.

There's a certain groove you pick that makes the music flow, and when you have it it's in your pocket. It's the feeling behind the rhythm... to me, the hardest thing to strive for is that feeling, behind the groove.

It doesn't take much for anyone to pick up anything I play - it's quite simple. I go for a good song. And if you hear a good song, you don't dissect it - you just listen, and every bit seems right.

Even though I'll do finger warm-ups that go up and down the neck to build up my chops and dexterity, I never, ever sit around and practice the actual licks I'm gonna play live. If you do, then you'll be all worried about the complexity of getting the fingering right and everything else about it, as opposed to the feel.

Each song has its own way that it likes to be done, but it can be more than one way. If you tap into it, you can feel it.

As a singer, you kind of are able to feel notes.

I realized you can be the dopest producer technically, but if the songs don't give you emotion, it doesn't matter.

That's the ideal to me - to make music that is well-crafted and sophisticated technically, but has a soul and a heart that touches a lot of people.

We are unique because we're the same three guys, and as Billy says, playing the same three chords.