I was wondering if anyone has advice when it comes to this. I need to learn more theory and ear training as I'm aware.
Thanks in advance !
Thanks in advance !
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How to memorize songs
- Thread starter Mikel9478
- Start date
Just my way of doing it, but when I’m learning 1 song, I’ll play along with it (speakers/headphones) over and over and over again. Like, 15 times or more if needed. Then I’ll go back and work on some of the harder parts if I’m having trouble with certain sections and what not. I’ll do the same thing for the next couple days (if needed) until I’ve got it down nearly verbatim as possible.
Listening to the songs repeatedly and playing through them with your bass as much as possible. I setup a song list on Youtube or my PC of songs I'm learning and play the whole setlist as much as possible. I may even play the songs while I'm doing something else, the more you hear it the better. I search youtube for bass lessons of the songs depending, someone has recorded most songs and you can watch what they're playing and pick up a lot. I personally always search the internet for sheet music also, I read music and that's a good way to see the actual part. Good luck !
Play the lines without any backing track. keep playing it with a back track until you can play without it. Vary the tempos with a metronome, that will prepare you for gig jitter tempo or drunken drummer tempo.
Salud!
I listen and sketch on paper the structure/harmony in 1-2 passes. Like marking "I Love My Dog - G" and then just jotting: V1 (verse1): 1 3 4 4m, 6M etc. (I just mark "accidentals" when they contradict the usual 1M 2m 3m 4M 5M 6m 7M). When harmony goes beyond usual pop/rock simplicity, I write actual chords instead and leave the harmony analysis for later, so I understand what I'm playing.
Then, bass in hand, I make a rhythm note of the basic groove and identify signature/strange parts. Work specifically on them for a few minutes to find the best fingerings in the context.
On to another song.
Then play all the new songs one after the other, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat...
Edit: When the bassline is a busy one, I usually search bass covers in YouTube, GREAT resource. I've just started using MoisesIA to isolate bass parts, very useful too. In these two cases, I think it's important to understand it *usually* makes no sense to play note for note. More times than not, the bass player surely played improvising small variations over a basic groove/structure. Sometimes, those nuances can be important, as in uber-known Beatles songs, depends on the case. First I get a functional, accurate bass part, then you can refine it with "random" details.
I listen and sketch on paper the structure/harmony in 1-2 passes. Like marking "I Love My Dog - G" and then just jotting: V1 (verse1): 1 3 4 4m, 6M etc. (I just mark "accidentals" when they contradict the usual 1M 2m 3m 4M 5M 6m 7M). When harmony goes beyond usual pop/rock simplicity, I write actual chords instead and leave the harmony analysis for later, so I understand what I'm playing.
Then, bass in hand, I make a rhythm note of the basic groove and identify signature/strange parts. Work specifically on them for a few minutes to find the best fingerings in the context.
On to another song.
Then play all the new songs one after the other, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat...
Edit: When the bassline is a busy one, I usually search bass covers in YouTube, GREAT resource. I've just started using MoisesIA to isolate bass parts, very useful too. In these two cases, I think it's important to understand it *usually* makes no sense to play note for note. More times than not, the bass player surely played improvising small variations over a basic groove/structure. Sometimes, those nuances can be important, as in uber-known Beatles songs, depends on the case. First I get a functional, accurate bass part, then you can refine it with "random" details.
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In addition to things already mentioned, I also try to get the song itself in my head. Like, the lyrics and melody. Helps to keep the part oriented to the bigger picture. 
Maybe try to get hold of this book:
The Practice Revolution: Getting great results from the six days between lessons, by Philip Johnston
It's a book by a music teacher for other music teachers, and it discusses various strategies for optimizing music student practice time between lessons. The strategies for approaching and digesting a piece of music in preparation for performance can be very valuable for self-guided study without a teacher.
The Practice Revolution: Getting great results from the six days between lessons, by Philip Johnston
It's a book by a music teacher for other music teachers, and it discusses various strategies for optimizing music student practice time between lessons. The strategies for approaching and digesting a piece of music in preparation for performance can be very valuable for self-guided study without a teacher.
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Quickest way is learning to read standard notation.
I second what was stated above, break the song into chunks like intro, verse, chorus etc.. start with the intro and play it over and over till you know it.. rinse and repeat. Use whatever method works best to get it under your fingers easiest: by ear, or tabs, watch a video, or read the charts.
The same way you memorize anything else. Repetition.
When prepping for a job, I’ll make up a playlist on my phone of the setlist I need to learn, then listen to it exclusively every waking minute while prepping for that job. I practice any songs I don’t already have down until I have them burned into my brain housing group to the point I can play any song on the setlist without having to think about it.
The same way you get to Carnegie Hall.... 
Chunking and repetition, I also used to keep a little notebook with 1 page for each tune. I’d write the structure down, maybe some tab if there was some little break in it or whatever.
The notebook was handy to refer to if I hadn’t played one in a while and I needed a brain refresh. For the most part though repetition did the trick.
The notebook was handy to refer to if I hadn’t played one in a while and I needed a brain refresh. For the most part though repetition did the trick.
FullumMusic
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Writing things down is a great memory tool. Also repetition. I used to cheat on some tests in high school by getting the answers ahead of time, and then copying them onto a cheat sheet. Then I’d toss the cheat sheet, and copy them again. Toss, and copy. By the third or fourth time I wrote down the answers I didn’t need the cheat sheet anymore. Writing them down a few times committed everything to memory.
And repetition. Repetition will engrain the patterns in your brain and builds muscle memory. Repetition will engrain the patterns in your brain and builds muscle memory. Repetition will engrain the patterns in your brain and builds muscle memory. Repetition will engrain the patterns in your brain and builds muscle memory. Repetition will engrain the patterns in your brain and builds muscle memory.
And repetition. Repetition will engrain the patterns in your brain and builds muscle memory. Repetition will engrain the patterns in your brain and builds muscle memory. Repetition will engrain the patterns in your brain and builds muscle memory. Repetition will engrain the patterns in your brain and builds muscle memory. Repetition will engrain the patterns in your brain and builds muscle memory.
On Country songs, I have write down the chord progressions in Nashville Notation.
On Rock songs, I've learned the hard way to look at the chord progression first prior to headed down the rabbit hole of poorly done internet tablatures.
As others have suggested, lots of repetition.
I have the songs broken into 15 song playlists and I work through these such that I play the newer material twice a week, the older material once per week.
On Rock songs, I've learned the hard way to look at the chord progression first prior to headed down the rabbit hole of poorly done internet tablatures.
As others have suggested, lots of repetition.
I have the songs broken into 15 song playlists and I work through these such that I play the newer material twice a week, the older material once per week.
buldog5151bass
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Break thesong into pieces. Write cheat sheets while learning if possible. Then link the pieces.
I agree with repetition.
What else helps me is to write out a chord chart to follow along with. I’m a visual learner, and if I see how the song is structured, and how how the verse, chorus, bridge, etc is structured, it helps to memorize the song easier and faster. This way it’s not just one long sequence of chords.
What else helps me is to write out a chord chart to follow along with. I’m a visual learner, and if I see how the song is structured, and how how the verse, chorus, bridge, etc is structured, it helps to memorize the song easier and faster. This way it’s not just one long sequence of chords.
Smooth_bass88
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