Memorizing a song

[David L]

What you don't want to do, or shouldn't (IMO) is rely heavily on any kind of visual aid - sheet music, charts, tab, whatever - as you need to internalize the learning process. Perhaps using such will help get you started, but you should wean yourself off them ASAP, so using them doesn't become a habit. It's best to be independent and self-reliant.

I recall reading an anecdote about how orchestra musicians in the classical era were often considered with much condescension, even reviled as being utterly useless until a piece of sheet music were placed in front of them. Then suddenly a transformation would occur, in which they could produce wonderful music. But once the music were removed, they would revert to uselessness. This may be an exaggeration, but I believe it illustrates how not to be, and how much better truly learning music is the superior approach.

The modern equivalent of this is the popularity of iPads as performing aids. I've seen this an awful lot over the past dozen or more years, though I believe they are mostly used to provide song lyrics. Indeed, I'm currently playing in a trio, and both main singers use iPads for every song. We have to wait for whoever is singing the next song to dial it up. Even if it is a song they have sung for years, even decades, they won't even try without their prompter. And even once the song is found, the rendition of it tends to be less convincing than if it were sung from memory. This is more true of the drummer, who isn't much of a singer to begin with, than the guitarist, who is. The drummer's lack of expressiveness is disappointing. He may get the words and notes right, but he doesn't put much feeling into them.

As a performing orchestral musician, I find this attitude very condescending. Orchestras can make wonderful music with everyone reading charts. Many big band and jazz groups also use charts while making great music. Yes, some types of music are better off once you are away from the charts, but not all types.

I know dozens, maybe hundreds, of songs without using sheets, but I also know many more that I might need the beginning of the next verse, so I use a lyrics sheet. That doesn't mean that I am glued to the page, just that I have a memory jog when needed.

Your description of the drummer with a lack of expression has nothing to do with using sheets or not using sheets, just their lack of musicality.

Good music can be made in many ways, with or without sheets.

[journeybear]

As a performing orchestral musician, I find this attitude very condescending.

I made a point of putting this attitude in a historical context, the classical music era, which was hundreds of years ago. Obviously orchestral and other professional musicians do quite well with this, otherwise they would not be performing with sheet music as prevalently as they do. I was addressing the OP's difficulty in improving his learning, and adding my perspective on what some others have mentioned previously as possible pitfalls. You are certainly more accomplished in this technique, but my post was intended for him, not you.

Your description of the drummer with a lack of expression has nothing to do with using sheets or not using sheets, just their lack of musicality.

I believe I made that very point, by contrasting the difference between the guitarist's and drummer's abilities. I see I didn't sufficiently sing the praises of the guitarist's vocal skills, which indeed seem unencumbered by her reliance on the iPad. I focussed on the drummer's failing in this area, which was more in line with my point. And I believe his shortcomings are exacerbated by his reliance on singing from a lyric sheet, not paying enough attention to singing from the heart. Sorry if that was misleading.

Good music can be made in many ways, with or without sheets.

No argument from me on that score. Pun intended.

.

[GeeBee]

My favorite tips:

1) Chunking. Don't try to learn the whole piece all at once. Break it into "chunks" and memorize one chunk at a time. In my case, this causes a problem when I start to put the chunks together. I have a tendency to pause at the end of a chunk. That's where the next tip comes in:

2) Looping. Choose a few bars -- like, for example, the last two bars of chunk 1 and the first two bars of chunk two -- and just play those four bars in a loop.

3) Learn it backwards. Like NickyD, I also find it harder to remember the B part to fiddle tunes. Solution: learn the B part first!

[Tim C.]

I can memorize songs very quickly, the melody and the harmonic structure always together.

I don't know how I would ever do this without knowing my scales and triads. E.G. when the chord symbol says "G7", I am immediately thinking "Five chord of Cmajor or Cminor, containing the notes G-B-D-F. I am always aware of what key I am in, and I use my circle of 5ths knowledge constantly to know what's coming.

This way, the melody notes always make sense, and the notes match the chords.

Also: I listen to the song in question hundreds of times, passively and actively. I can hum every line while I'm trying to learn it.

I have a lot of tips at my mandolin school: www.timsmandolessons.com