Memorization of songs

Lower-Than-Low · #1 03-03-2007, 04:26 PM

Dang, I am having lots of trouble with this at the moment.

I am supposed to learn three songs by friday for a Talent Show Band practice, but for the life of me I can't remember 3 or so minutes of music.

The songs I have to learn are The Trooper (Iron Maiden), Keep On Rockin' In The Free World (Neil Young), and The Hardest Button To Button (White Stripes).
Note that none of these were my choice, as I got out voted for which songs to do, so that might be part of the problem...

Either way, do any of you more experienced players here have any tips on how to memorize songs?

Thanks!

DocBop · #2 03-03-2007, 05:01 PM

Everyone does it different. Some analyze a song from a theory standpont and memorize the chord changes as I-VI-IV-V etc etc. I write out the song or the changes. Then start learn the song section my section. I as feel I know I section I start looking away from the chart to test myself. I do this till I have the song in general down. Then start practicing it without the chart. I'm doing all this with a CD if possible. Then I will start working on the song without the CD. You can play a song by yourself you know it.

ibnzneksrul · #3 03-03-2007, 05:15 PM

Assuming you have those songs on CD or mp3, listen listen listen so they get burned into your brain.

Lower-Than-Low · #4 03-03-2007, 07:16 PM

Okay, thanks.

I was kinda doing what DocBop said, and its worked so far.
I've got The Hardest Button To Button down pretty much.

Now I just have to work out Rockin In The Free World... oh joy!

oldrocker · #5 03-03-2007, 09:04 PM

Rockin In The Free World - fun tune, not too hard on bass. Enjoy

Dharmabum · #6 03-03-2007, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ibnzneksrul

Assuming you have those songs on CD or mp3, listen listen listen so they get burned into your brain.

+1.

This will make any memorization task infinitely easier.

**Freddels** · #7 03-04-2007, 05:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ibnzneksrul

Assuming you have those songs on CD or mp3, listen listen listen so they get burned into your brain.

+1

Then if you can figure out the bass line but can't remember it then go online and try to find the lyrics to the tune. Print them out (triple spaced so you have some room to write) and then listen to the song again while reading the lyrics. Where there is a change, write the chord/note above the word. It'll help you remember where the changes are in relation to the words.

MP3's on the computer are great b/c you can keep replaying a particular section over and over very easily.

98dvl · #8 03-06-2007, 09:36 PM

While I'm familiar with those songs (or most of them), I don't have them handy to listen...

For the most part, remembering songs is pretty easy...

Most songs are made up of a handful of phrases. You may play 2 or 4 (or however many) of the same bars a few times (one phrase), then play another 2 or 4 (or whatever) bars a few more times (a second phrase - maybe the chorus), then go back to the first few bars and play them a few times, then the second phrase again, then maybe a third and final phrase a few times and that's it.

Don't try to remember every note in the entire song... instead, learn to recognize the smaller phrases, and memorize those, then, just memorize the order that you play them.

After a while, you can learn to mix things up a bit within a phrase, so it doesn't sound exactly the same (but not too off the wall), just to keep things from getting boring.