My mom really wanted me to be a musician so she gave me a guitar for my fifth birthday, but I didn't start playing till I was seven.

- Yngwie Malmsteen

The only thing I ever really wanted was a Strat .. I started playing guitar after seeing Jimi Hendrix on TV the day he died...then I got Deep Purples…

- Yngwie Malmsteen

I don't think you can learn to be a complete musician. That has to come from within, and it entails a lot of sacrifice.

- Yngwie Malmsteen

I'm working on guitars for free, because I love working on guitars anyway.

- Yngwie Malmsteen

I wasn't very big on going to school. I tried to get a gig as a luthier.

- Yngwie Malmsteen

Ritchie Blackmore was a huge early influence on me, but after that I had to find my own way ... Johann Sebastian Bach was probably the most influenti…

- Yngwie Malmsteen

What I think is the most important thing to learn about any instrument is the basics of music. Learn your ABCs before you write a Hemingway novel.

- Yngwie Malmsteen

Fast is only cool if it's melodic and has substance.

- Yngwie Malmsteen

I've always been heavily influenced by classical music, mostly by baroque music.

- Yngwie Malmsteen