"I realized that equipment really had little to do with why I sound like the way I sound"

In this quote, Pat Metheny, a distinguished jazz guitarist, is reflecting on his musical journey and the role of equipment in forming his sound. He pertains to the awareness that in spite of the importance typically put on having the very best and most innovative devices, it eventually has little effect on the distinct sound he produces. Instead, Metheny acknowledges that his sound is an outcome of his own individual design, method, and imagination. This quote highlights the idea that true skill and artistry can not be bought or reproduced through equipment, but rather it originates from within the person. It works as a suggestion to concentrate on refining one's own skills and expression rather than relying on external aspects.