Quotes by Miles Davis

Knowledge is freedom and ignorance is slavery.

If you understood everything I say, you'd be me.

Do what you do best, and be who you are.

Music is an addiction.

You have to play a long time to be able to play like yourself.

In music, silence is more important than sound.

You should never be comfortable, man. Being comfortable fouled up a lot of musicians.

To be and stay a great musician, you've got to always be open to what's new, what's happening at the moment.

I don't care if a dude is purple with green breath as long as he can swing.

You have to know 400 notes that you can play, then pick the right four.

I have to change. It's like a curse.

A legend is an old man with a cane known for what he used to do. I'm still doing it.

It's not the note you play that's the wrong note – it's the note you play afterwards that makes it right or wrong.

I'll play it first and tell you what it is later.

My future starts when I wake up every morning.

I always listen to what I can leave out.

For me, music and life are all about style.

Sometimes you have to play a long time to be able to play like yourself.

It takes a long time to sound like yourself.

When you hit a wrong note, it's the next note that makes it good or bad.

Do not fear mistakes. There are none.

I'm always thinking about creating. My future starts when I wake up every morning.

Don't play what's there, play what's not there.

I’m always thinking about creating. My future starts when I wake up every morning. Every day I find something creative to do with my life.