How do you memorize Songs?

[lermgalieu]

Get off the paper (or iPad or whatever) as soon as I can. If I have a chart, I try to look at it only for the things I really need, then put it aside as quickly as possible, and learn the arrangement mostly by ear. The more times you look at that chart, the more likely you’ll become a slave to it.

 

[Scarysharkface]

Simple questions are often not easily answered.
This to me is one of those.
I would like to understand the ways that more experienced bass players do this.
When I played Saxophone/clarinet in a big band situation we always had a chart in front of us. As a result I can read treble clef very well and I am working on bringing bass clef to the same level.

As much as being able to read is a huge asset it can have some draw backs.
So this is why I am asking…. How do you memorize your parts?

I'll chart them out as minimally as I think I can get away with, and keep the charts handy on my cell phone, which I put on a mic stand between the drummer and me. Those minimal charts, and a heavy ear on the guitar(s) generally get me through quite well. If it's something more specific, riff-based or just plain difficult, there is not substitute for the woodshed.

John

 

[No Malarky]

 

[SteveCS]

Get off the paper as soon as I can. If I have a chart, I try to look at it only for the things I really need, then put it aside as quickly as possible, and learn the arrangement mostly by ear. The more times you look at that chart, the more likely you’ll become a slave to it.

Agree. Just to be clear, although I write everything out for myself, I never read from charts or scores in performance. The purpose of writing is to capture, edit and confirm the part before using that same chart to learn/memorise from. This helps to ensure that only the right things are committed to memory and minimised having to 'unlearn' mistakes.

 

[Nev375]

I note out the structure and then pick my landmarks (cues) for the changes first.

Then while practicing that to memorize the big picture I focus on the groove. To this point I'm just winging it focusing on roots.

After I can wing it and not get lost I learn the exact notes and riffs (if necessary. Depends on who you play with)

 

[Topkat13]

Repetition. It’s a newer concept where one does things over and over until they remember them.

 

[Mayo Fan]

You mean like this?


Not that I can remotely approach his level of musicianship, but my method is kind of similar. I find the basic pieces that are in the song (repeating lines, patterns and motives) and then try to lay the puzzle by remembring how they fit together.

Listening and figuring out what makes the song distinctive (both specifically for the bass part, but also for the band as a whole) and then mimicking that gets you there 90% of the way. Maybe more. I never feel the need to learn a song note by note.

For example, if a bass part has a distinctive rithmic pattern played with a pick, you can get away with some poetic freedom in your note choice as long as you get that rithmic vibe right.

 

[Runlikegregg]

Play the part a million times

 

[lermgalieu]

Agree. Just to be clear, although I write everything out for myself, I never read from charts or scores in performance. The purpose of writing is to capture, edit and confirm the part before using that same chart to learn/memorise from. This helps to ensure that only the right things are committed to memory and minimised having to 'unlearn' mistakes.

I have a feeling what you are playing is more complicated than what I am playing. I am currently in an originals alt rock band and the BL helpfully charts the tunes, but I just glance at them to get a jump start on the chords and arrangement. What you are doing definitely sounds like the right way to learn something a little more complicated. It’s like taking notes - often just the act of writing something down helps memorize it. As opposed to passively looking at a chart, which can quickly become a crutch. I’ve been in situations in the past where I literally never got off charts for certain tunes (charts someone else did).

 

[Egg250]

I will then write a chart.

The way my brain works, it's always more effective for me to write it out. The physical act of linking my brain and fingers really impresses the information to my memory circuits. Do I always do this? No. I'm lazy. As I'm thinking about it, I would probably spend less time learning a song if I wrote out the chart from scratch. I might start doing that.

 

[frnjplayer]

Leave your charts at home. If you have a crutch available you tend to use it. When it's not there you discover you know the song better than you thought.

 

[ThunderV]

By endlessly playing through the song.......repeat until desired results are achieved.

 

[flannel cat]

By endlessly playing through the song.......repeat until desired results are achieved.

same here! practice practice practice.

 

[Appogee]

 

[Tom Bomb]

Has anyone said immersion yet? Immerse yourself, totally, until you know it backwards. And review often.
​

 

[primusfan1989]

How do you memorize your parts?

I like to learn by ear whenever possible, I feel I internalize the music better. Also breaking the song into chunks instead of trying to memorize the whole thing in one shot.

 

[CaribooBass]

You folks have come up with great ideas and I am going to try all of them and see what works best for me.
Have any of you ever been told what song they want you to learn but have changed the key from how it was recorded to fit their vocal range ?

You can not find the song in that key anywhere so you have to listen to it as it was recorded but have the new chords in front of you they want you to play it in. I used to listen to it just for timing reasons and when I play my fretted bass it worked out ok.

Now that I am using my fretless more I find this practise idea no longer works for me.
Has any one else had this challenge and what was your outcome ?

 

[Kipp Harrington]

"Just a ton of repetition especially if I want to commit to memory. Play along with track and every time you play something incorrectly, start over from the beginning".

This is my approach, also.

 

[Kael]

Memorize the chord changes as well as any signature melodies. After that I just play the song on stage and don't sweat any recorded versions. I could care less what the "original" did. I just play what serves the song at the moment.

 

[SteveCS]

I have a feeling what you are playing is more complicated than what I am playing.
...

Some of it possibly, but for the most part I doubt it - mainly pop tunes from the last 60 years. Some are more complex than others, but I even score out the simple stuff. They are rarely 'note-for-note' with respect to any particular recording; rather they represent what I play in my arrangements, with certain liberties taken in actual performance. Here's a few examples from the simple to less-simple: