Especially with music, people want confidence.
The first time I sang in front of an audience, I was about 14 - it was at my guitar school's showcase, and there were about 30 people there. I was so nervous, but I did it.
Singing didn't really come naturally to me, I don't think. I had to really work at it. I just kept singing. I never was really worried about it, though, because I was writing songs, and that was the most important thing to me.
When I started workin' with Muddy. That convinced me that I could get away with doin' the blues.
Whatever I do, I attempt to do it fully. I try, and don't always succeed, to be thorough. There are musicians who do not know their worth, and if they knew it at one time, it has eluded them. I know my worth. You try not to dwell in the past.
I knew I was a good singer - I've been singing my whole life, so I was comfortable enough with that - I felt like I could compensate with not being great on guitar.
Even when disco went out, I could still make hits. Once I had so much success, every idea became concentrated. I had so much confidence. I knew how the bass should sound, what rhythms would work. The tempos I knew: 110 to 120 BPM. I knew they would dance in the clubs in New York or anywhere.
I would never have been able to find my voice if I didn't have music education.
I'm still more comfortable with standards than with my own songs.
One thing I liked about 'Silver Bell' is that I barely knew how to play in the tuning I was writing in, and I just went for it anyway.
I'm trying to learn to really use space. My philosophy is that every time you interrupt space in a very confident, secure manner, then music happens.
At the moment we're trying to keep what we've learnt. Because we learnt a terrific amount with 'Deep Purple In Rock,' it took six months to make that album: we think it paid off, really. I can honestly say that it's the first album we've been 100 percent satisfied with; it gave us a hell of a lot of confidence.
I know what my taste is, and I do like my touch on the piano.
You have a natural groove inside of you, but the more you practise, the more comfortable you will be with your instrument.
I know that I'm with the best people I can be, and my arsenal of sounds and songs and tracks is as good as it could possibly be. Don't be in a band unless you feel that.
I like to stick with music I know I can play. I love classical, but I don't think I could ever play it. I'm just not qualified.
I feel safe and comfortable to do that once I know that the song structure around the bass part is very interesting and it satisfies me in a compositional sense.
I noticed that when it came time to improvise, my students would often make mistakes.
I feel like the more I work on different songs and the more I work on my voice constantly... I always feel better after I post a cover. Even if it's doing the little 15 second covers, I'm working on my craft, and it's really good for me, and I feel good after I do it.
My first performance was in second grade with my friend Rodney Fisher, and we worked up versions of 'Long Tall Texan' and 'I Want to Hold Your Hand.' It gave me a little early confidence that I could actually do this music thing.
I want every girl in the world to pick up a guitar and start screaming.
I just would like to keep singing. As soon as I'm not singing well, I hope that I know it, so that I can get off the stage and leave what I have done. I hope I'll know, and if I don't, I hope somebody tells me.
I mean, I don't even think of myself as a musician, really.
I know that I'm capable of moving around on the guitar. I can express myself the way I want to and feel good about it. But as far as technical chops, I'm not a learned musician.
I know a few chords on the guitar, but I wouldn't be able do a show or even be part of a jam session with one.
