The only thing you really have to practice is your ability. And this is something I do all the time. I try to teach my hand to do what I'm hearing in my head at any given second. I don't sit around and practice scales. I sit around and just try to make sure my hands are following what's coming to me.

It was so much fun conducting an orchestra and watching the musicians' faces as some of Kanye's lyrics went by. They couldn't believe what was going on.

The people I choose to work with, I work with because I'm already impressed with them.

Brian Eno developed systems to keep himself on edge and to keep himself in a position where he's generating ideas.

Things begin, things decay, and you've got to find a way to be okay.

Music looks very formidable to people outside of it and it looks like it's this realm of spooky genius.

[Brion calls his working relationship with West a natural fit.] His knowledge and understanding of records across the board is great, ... That's the reason why we got along: We don't see music as something that happens in one genre.