We don't really want to think that the artist is only very skilled, that he has merely devoted his life to perfecting a certain set of intelligible skills.
John UpdikeRead
One day you pick up the guitar and you feel like a great master, and the next day you feel like a fool. It’s because we’re different every day, but the guitar is always the same…beautiful.
Interpretation
This quote reflects the fluctuating emotions and experiences of a musician, emphasizing the constant beauty of music despite personal insecurities.
Tommy Emmanuel's quote captures the essence of the artist's journey, where one day the musician may feel skilled and accomplished, while the next day they might doubt their abilities. This duality is part of the creative process, highlighting that while personal feelings and confidence may vary, the beauty of music—as represented by the guitar—remains a steadfast and reliable source of inspiration and joy.
In practice
This quote can be shared in a music class to inspire students facing self-doubt.
We don't really want to think that the artist is only very skilled, that he has merely devoted his life to perfecting a certain set of intelligible skills.
I write to give myself strength. I write to be the characters that I am not. I write to explore all the things I'm afraid of.
Elegance is not an outer quality, but a part of the soul that is visible to others.
Every writer has his writing technique - what he can and can't do to describe something like war or history. I'm not good at writing about those things, but I try because I feel it is necessary to write that kind of thing.
Americans want beauties, not me. I’m not the Parisian bombshell they expected. Can you see me as a chorus girl? Where’s my feather up the ass? They think I’m sad, they’re dumb. I don’t connect to them
I'm singing what I want to sing based on the emotion of what that day feels like. That's what comes out of my mouth and guitar. That impacts people. They know anything can happen.
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