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Memorizing lyrics -- Age related

hbarcat

hbarcat

Supporting Member
Aug 24, 2006
10,227
18,612
Rochelle, Illinois
#1
Back in the 1980s, when I was starting out playing rock cover songs, I found it to be extremely easy to learn to sing the correct lyrics to every song in a live situation, without any difficult memorization process. I just stepped up to the microphone and belted out the words, and very rarely made mistakes.

Many years and many bands later, I've realized that memorizing lyrics takes a lot more dedicated at home practice and "woodsheding".

So now Im 54, and just starting out in a new cover band. I'm learning all the new songs on their setlist and am having a relatively easy time learning every bassline, but am experiencing difficulties memorizing the lyrics.


What's going on?!
 
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#3
To clarify, I'm having an easy time singing lyrics while simultaneously playing the bass to songs that I've been playing for a very long time, but I can't seem to get the knack for getting up to speed on singing lyrics to songs that are new to my rrepertoire.

I'm finding that I'm relying on "cheat sheets" and I really don't want to do that.
 
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#5
hbarcat said:
Is this an issue of "You can't teach an old dog new tricks"?

Is it true that the human brain becomes less able to learn new things as you become older (just like an old dog)?
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Partly. For me I think it's also partly that I heard a lot of songs many times back in the day, and I'd sing along with them while driving in my car, etc., so by the time I wanted to learn a song the words were already in my head.

Nowadays I've forgotten most of those words and it's hard to learn new ones without that sort of immersion experience.
 
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#10
Well, I have trouble memorizing lyrics, but I play in two bands and between the two there are probably over a hundred songs. Thankfully I don’t sing them all. I could never memorize that many. I probably sing a couple dozen songs. But yeah, I think age is a factor. I can recall songs that I’ve sung for many years, but newer songs, not so much. I’ve taken to using cheat sheets, where I write maybe just the first line, which then sparks my memory for the rest of the verse.
 
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#12
dbsfgyd1 said:
Probably a lot of truth there. I've always had trouble memorizing lyrics. Having a serious case of AADD, there always is a lot on my mind... but they only stay there for about 2 seconds before another thought crosses my mind...
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When I was young, learning lyrics and songs was all I cared about. Yes, I had school and football and such.



But now I have responsibilities........
 
#15
I use an ipad with the brightness turned down so that it doesn't cast a glow. It's clamped to my mic stand. I suppose for some stages and situations, it wouldn't be appropriate, but for small to medium size stages that are crowded with gear and stands and guitars and people and drum hardware, etc... what's one more little gadget or gizmo. I think it is hardly noticed and has been a really nice thing to have as a reference for the 250 songs in our catalog.

I use an app called onsong that is pretty incredible.
 
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#16
fu22ba55 said:
Use an iPad?

Bruce Springsteen uses teleprompters now: the techs just load up the lyrics to whatever song he happens to pick in the moment.
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Most major artists are using teleprompters.

When I was singing lead (and playing bass), I had an iPad with a teleprompter type app for lyrics. I would often not need them but when I did it was there.

I have always been terrible at song lyrics - and song titles for that matter - but never had issues with guitar or bass riffs. Maybe just the way my brain is wired!
 
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