Welcome to the captivating world of guitar music, where strings strummed and chords played weave tales of passion, love, and life itself. Guitarists, both novice and virtuoso, find themselves entranced by the instrument’s ability to evoke emotions and communicate stories without uttering a single word. From the gentle melodies of acoustic ballads to the electrifying riffs of rock anthems, the guitar has carved its place as an icon of musical expression across genres and generations.
In this collection of guitar quotes, we delve into the profound sentiments and insightful musings inspired by the six-stringed wonder. Whether you’re a seasoned musician seeking inspiration or an admirer of the instrument’s allure, these quotes encapsulate the essence of the guitar’s enchanting influence on hearts and minds. Discover the wisdom, humor, and raw emotion expressed by artists, poets, and enthusiasts alike as they pay homage to the timeless magic of the guitar. Prepare to be inspired, moved, and perhaps even pick up your own guitar to join in the symphony of words and music. Now, without further ado, let the strings speak, as we present a symphony of guitar quotes for your enjoyment.
I never actually had a guitar lesson. I taught myself the guitar from piano exercise books, which led me to have a pretty good technique on the guitar and allowed me to find different ways to do things. Trevor Rabin
Enthusiasm is everything. It must be taut and vibrating like a guitar string. Pele
I’ve heard the stories. Like, Eric Clapton said he wanted to burn his guitar when he heard Jimi Hendrix play. I never understood that because, when I went and saw a great drummer or heard one, all I wanted to do was practice. Neil Peart
We’re losing the whole point: music is not to impress people, music has to stand up on its own and guitar solos are nothing to do with it. Gary Moore
One thing I’ve noticed over the years is that young players – I mean 10- and 12-year-olds – really like my guitar style. There’s something in my guitar style that they totally can latch onto and learn quickly, and then go from there to your Yngwie Malmsteens or your Steve Vais or whatever. Kirk Hammett
If you don’t know the blues… there’s no point in picking up the guitar and playing rock and roll or any other form of popular music. Keith Richards
My favorite way to get into the songwriting process is to get into the studio, and then usually, they play a loop of four chords, or something, or guitar, and then I just start singing. Tate McRae
I think its so cool that you can pick up the guitar and create something that didn’t exist 5 minutes ago. You can write something that no ones ever heard before. You have music at your fingertips. Michelle Branch
The greatest guitar player in the world today for me is Paco de Lucia, who is actually Spanish. George Benson
I’ve always wanted to smash a guitar over someone’s head. You just can’t do that with a piano. Elton John
I don’t like to practice; I like spontaneity. When I don’t play guitar for a week and I pick it up again, I play better. Ace Frehley
He is the king. If it hadn’t been for Link Wray and ‘Rumble’, I would have never picked up a guitar. Pete Townshend
There’s something about approaching universal truths with the simplicity of the acoustic guitar. You can take it anywhere, and it helps me reach listeners of all ages and walks of life. Jim Croce
When the Beatles wrote ‘Paperback Writer,’ it couldn’t have been the same old thing. You can hear so many influences in it, from the blues to Bach, and it’s not just verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge chorus. They start off singing a cappella, almost like a Bach chorale, and the song goes into this bluesy guitar riff. Jon Batiste
Cool things happen. Ace’s guitar flies through space, goes through a hole, and blows up. I throw drumsticks and they come flying at you. Peter Criss
Listening to my dad playing guitar along to ‘Sleepwalk’ by the Shadows was probably the first time I discovered emotion in music. Kevin Parker
I’ve played every instrument you could possibly think of for 10 minutes. So I’m mediocre at everything. I can play drums, guitar, piano, violin, saxophone, clarinet, flute… Just not well. Kat Dennings
George wrote Taxman, and I played guitar on it. He wrote it in anger at finding out what the taxman did. He had never known before then what could happen to your money. Paul McCartney
When I first started playing guitar, I would sit in my room for hours and learn scales. Julien Baker
I’ve played guitar and piano for a while, so it’s really fun to play music on film. Austin Butler
Running my hands really fast up and down the fretboard… I mean, anybody can do that. It’s the Guitar Olympics, and I can’t think of anything more pointless. The Edge
I want every girl in the world to pick up a guitar and start screaming. Courtney Love
My grandpa was a country singer, and I started learning guitar from him, just at the kitchen table when I was younger, and I got really into it. Trixie Mattel
I sing and play the guitar, and I’m a walking, talking bacterial infection. Kurt Cobain
My mom always told me I should have a Plan B. I said that if I’m not going to play guitar I’m going to play drums. And if I’m not going to play drums, I’m going to play bass. I always just wanted to play music. I was completely obsessed. Gary Clark, Jr.
I’ll never forget when I heard Steve Morse and the Dixie Dregs for the first time. I was just blown away, and it changed my whole approach to guitar. John Petrucci
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
The guitar is a small orchestra. It is polyphonic. Every string is a different color, a different voice. Andres Segovia
Steve Morse is a very good guitar player, but he’s American, and he’s using humbucker pickups. If you ask me, those two are not good. Yngwie Malmsteen
I started playing the guitar when we started filming the pilot to ‘Lost in Space,’ which was way back in December of 1964, and there’s a little bit in the pilot that was used in the first season where Will Robinson is sitting around some bad foam rubber rock playing and singing ‘Greensleeves.’ Bill Mumy
I play the piano a lot at home. I write songs on the piano and guitar. I would like to actually play piano on stage. I don’t think I’ll get the chance for a while. Mick Taylor
I’d like to have a beer-holder on my guitar like they have on boats. James Hetfield
I don’t understand why some people will only accept a guitar if it has an instantly recognizable guitar sound. Finding ways to use the same guitar people have been using for 50 years to make sounds that no one has heard before is truly what gets me off. Jeff Beck
I see a young man playing ‘Plaisir d’Amour’ on guitar. I knew I didn’t want to go to college; I was already playing a ukulele, and after I saw that, I was hooked. All I wanted to do was play guitar and sing. Joan Baez
My brother is an excellent songwriter, and I play guitar and drums. Jeremy London
If you’ve got a guitar and a lot of soul, just bang something out and mean it. You’re the superstar. Krist Novoselic
What I couldn’t say verbally I was able to express physically through the guitar. Dave Mustaine
Puberty was very vague. I literally locked myself in a room and played guitar. Johnny Depp
I make my guitar scream with pain or pleasure or sensuality. It makes people move their feet and shake their bodies. That’s what music does. Dick Dale
I wasn’t originally a bass player. I just found out I was needed, because everyone wants to play guitar. Tina Weymouth
People forget the punk thing was really good for women. It motivated them to pick up a guitar rather than be a chanteuse. It allowed us to be aggressive. Siouxsie Sioux
When I write a song, I always start on acoustic guitar, because that’s a good test of a song, when it’s really open and bare. You can often mislead yourself if you start with computers and samples and programming because you can disguise a bad song. Martin Gore
As far as guitar picking, if I make the same mistakes at the same time every day, people will start calling it a style. John Prine
I play guitar and sing when I’m not busy with school and acting. Kaitlyn Dever
I play bass. I play a bit of guitar. I’ve never been to a lesson, so my theory of music is non-existent in any instrument, but we always had guitars around. My dad taught me to play drums for ‘Love Actually,’ and I still play drums now. But I’m not a ‘drummer.’ I’m not a ‘guitarist.’ I’m trying to be a bassist. Thomas Brodie-Sangster
I can’t think of a greater guitar icon than someone who has the musical intellect to change what was there before and take music in another direction. That’s a guitar hero for me. Jimmy Page
I believe every guitar player inherently has something unique about their playing. They just have to identify what makes them different and develop it. Jimmy Page
Besides being a guitar player, I’m a big fan of the guitar. I love that damn instrument. Steve Vai
What I do now is all my dad’s fault, because he bought me a guitar as a boy, for no apparent reason. Rod Stewart
I had no aspirations to be a musician, but I picked up a guitar for two seconds and haven’t put it down since. Slash
I had done a fair bit of traveling during the holidays in my school days with my guitar and discovered that I could live on it. Admittedly, I traveled with a sleeping bag but I could always find somewhere to lay my head. Jeremy Irons
Owning a handgun doesn’t make you armed any more than owning a guitar makes you a musician. Jeff Cooper
A guitar is a very personal extension of the person playing it. You have to be emotionally and spiritually connected to your instrument. I’m very brutal on my instruments, but not all the time. Eddie Van Halen
I trained for the drums for about two weeks, and then rocking out in front of an entire crowd was sort of like a dream come true. And now, Guitar Hero, I can’t do that anymore. It’s nothing like doing it on stage. I kinda wish I had a fake band, and we could go on tour. Devon Bostick
I just like simplicity. I like simple songs, I like simple chords, simple vocals, simple lead guitar. I just like simplicity. That’s just the way I like it. Jeremy Spencer
My dad had a guitar that he gave me. I went to Walmart and bought a chord chart and hung it up in my room, and I was just trying to figure out how to play the guitar and put words with what I was learning. Morgan Wallen
One of the things I’ve always liked about my husband is he’s very good at lots of stuff. He was an English teacher when I met him. He wrote poetry and played the guitar. As time went on, he decided to go into economics, so he’s very analytical and mathematical in addition to his artsy side. Ally Condie
My guitar is not a thing. It is an extension of myself. It is who I am. Joan Jett
Sometimes the nicest thing to do with a guitar is just look at it. Thom Yorke
My guitar is a 1934 National Trojan. They call it a resonator, which is the guitar guys played in the honky-tonks before amplification. It’s very loud. It’s the type of guitar that Son House and Robert Johnson played. Johnny Flynn
I remember growing up always loving the guitar. I used to love to watch the people play on the Country Western shows on TV. My folks told me that when I was just a toddler, I used to pretend I was playing a guitar on a toothpick. Carl Wilson
I actually learned the guitar with the help of a Pete Seeger instructional record when I was 13 or 14. David Gilmour
My room is never clean. I play ‘Guitar Hero’ all the time and throw things around my room. Miranda Cosgrove
The guitar has a kind of grit and excitement possessed by nothing else. Brian May
I was one of six children, brought up by my mother in Swindon after my father died. We had all we needed – food on the table, clothes to wear. When I wanted a drum kit, my mother got me one. When I got into playing guitar, I came down one Christmas or birthday and there was a guitar for me. It amazes me how Mum managed to do it. Gilbert O’Sullivan
I’ve played piano and guitar when I was younger. Debra Wilson
The first record I bought was a Carl Perkins record, because I saw him at The Festival at Sandpoint, Idaho. I loved Elvis and I found out that he wrote ‘Blue Suede Shoes’… so connecting that experience of going to see him play was pretty awesome. That’s when I realised I wanted to play guitar. Josh Homme
I love to sing. I’m learning guitar right now. Mary Mouser
Guitar music or rock n’ roll or whatever you want to call it sort of goes away with trends, but it’ll never go away completely. It can’t die because it’s so fundamentally attractive. Alex Turner
My dad is a huge rock n’ roll lead guitar fan. Slash
I have pictures of me sitting in the racquetball court in my pajamas with an acoustic guitar, and Wolfgang is probably just two-and-a-half-feet tall. I’ll never forget the day I saw his foot tapping along in beat! I knew then, I couldn’t wait for the day I’d be able to make music with my son. I don’t know what more I could ask for. Eddie Van Halen
The time I burned my guitar it was like a sacrifice. You sacrifice the things you love. I love my guitar. Jimi Hendrix
I’ve always loved the electric guitar: to hold it and work it and hear what it does is unreal. David Lynch
Rap bores me, and all the glamour rock groups like Bon Jovi just amuse me. They obviously have a place, but they all sound like they use the same guitar player to me. George Harrison
One of my biggest thrills for me still is sitting down with a guitar or a piano and just out of nowhere trying to make a song happen. Paul McCartney
I never bothered with cars. I was probably one of the few kids in school who didn’t run around with hot-rod magazines. As I would be at home fiddling with my guitar, they would be fiddling with a car engine. Angus Young
I like to be quiet and play guitar and just chill. Post Malone
The Big Band Era is my era. People say, ‘Where did you get your style from?’ I did the Big Band Era on guitar. That’s the best way I could explain it. Chuck Berry
Emotion is a full range of a spectrum, like colours. It’s not just anger. How are you going to get that out with just a guitar and screaming? You need to explore everything else. Oliver Sykes
The violin is my mistress, but the guitar is my master. Niccolo Paganini
I’m sure if Shakespeare were alive today, he’d be doing classic guitar solos on YouTube. Peter Capaldi
The only thing I don’t write is the guitar solos, but even then I might suggest one or two things. Steve Harris
The best music happens when you have a personal connection to it. That same philosophy can extend to the instrument you hold in your hands: if a guitar means something special, you’re bound to do great things with it. Frank Iero
My son, Walker, has a band called The Dust Busters. You know, he plays banjo, fiddle, guitar, and mandolin, so a lot of my interest in that kind of music comes from him constantly listening to this stuff. He’s taught me the history of it. It’s remarkable how these young kids are now turned on to more traditional old-time music. Sam Shepard
The guitar was my weapon, my shield to hide behind. Brian May
We just got a tour bus. I didn’t know tour buses could be this nice. It’s just me, Brian Haner the guitar guy, the tour manager and a writer. We laugh ourselves silly. Apparently we’re going to have a road dog, a miniature pincher. It’s the smallest they’ve ever seen. How masculine am I going to look, working with dolls and a miniature dog? Jeff Dunham
Lean your body forward slightly to support the guitar against your chest, for the poetry of the music should resound in your heart. Andres Segovia
I have to practice to be good at guitar. I have to write 100 songs before you write the first good one. Taylor Swift
And I had not much of a voice. I didn’t play that great guitar either. Leonard Cohen
I first picked up a guitar when I was ten years old; my parents surprised me with it for my tenth birthday. I started taking lessons when I was thirteen, but only for a few months, and then I just kept teaching myself. Alessia Cara
For a female artist, it takes a lot more to be taken seriously if you’re not sat down at a piano or with a guitar, you know? Dua Lipa
When I first heard Bob Dylan, I’ll be honest, I didn’t like him. But I was shallow of mind and didn’t understand the poetry. I just judged him on his singing and his guitar playing. Jose Feliciano
I’ve made my own music, and the way I’ve always described it is Peggy Lee with an electric guitar, or Billie Holiday with some PJ Harvey in there. Evan Rachel Wood
With my songs, the question is always, ‘Can you pull it off live, alone on just an acoustic guitar?’ That’s the litmus test. If I can, then it’s a song I ought to record. If I can’t, it’s probably not good enough. Shawn Colvin
For me, songwriting is really where it’s at. I turn to use the guitar just to help me write the songs. That’s it. As a result, my guitar playing suffers pretty horribly. Mark Knopfler
Guitar is the best form of self-expression I know. Everything else, and I’m just sort of tripping around, trying to figure my way through life. Slash
Kane is a band I formed with my best friend Steve Carlson. We just got together and started playing guitar. He was playing some old school rock and roll, and we got together and thought, ‘Hey, let’s take this on the road.’ Christian Kane
I’ve never been able to sit round on my own and play drums, practice in the back room, never been able to. I’ve always played with other musicians. It’s how I play, there’s no joy for me in playing on my own, bashing away. I need a bass, a piano, guitar, whatever, and then I can play. Ringo Starr
My life has been a roller coaster ride, but somehow I’ve always been able to land on my feet and still play the guitar. Ace Frehley
I just go where the guitar takes me. Angus Young