Strategies for memorizing songs

[Bob_Ross]

(Working against me is the fact that in our group we play from charts and it's acceptable to do so, but I want to lose the charts and grow in this area.)

I tend to think of Weaning Myself Off The Chart as a slightly different process than Memorizing The Tune ...and in some ways it's a harder process.

But one of the techniques that's really helped me with the former is visualizing the chart in my mind. You don't need a photographic memory (though I'm sure that would be a big help!), you just need to "see" the salient passages that are the places where, when reading, you found yourself locked to the page.

If you can remember "ah-ha, we're about to come upon that two measure phrase that was in the lower right corner just before the page turn" it becomes a reference point as you play through the virtual chart in your head. Eventually you string enough of those reference points together that you realize you know the entire chart.

 

[Polfuste]

You might want to take a look at this. I have Molly's book, 'Learn Faster, Perform Better' which as you might expect goes a lot further and deeper than a 20 minute video, but the video will give you a flavour:

Thank you Steve for this vid: very interesting and now i want the book !

 

[andymac]

100% agreed with @SteveCS and others on writing out the chart by hand.

I would add that I find a top-down approach helpful. I always mess up things like "does the chorus repeat twice the first time, then three times the second?" So I start with just mapping out the structure, verse/chorus/bridge whatever, then bar counts, and count that through in my head a few times listening to the song.

Only then do I fill in the chords. Then play it through just with roots. And then I start worrying about, is there a particular riff or hook here that is recognizable. And then start worrying about getting the exact line right, if that's relevant.

I used to start at the beginning, trying to get the first bars down right before moving to the next, but that was a lot less efficient for me, and led to mistakes (like, oh, the chorus only repeated twice, oops!). Having the structure down first helps me have somewhere to put the things I'm memorizing, and to not get lost with respect to where we are at.

 

[SteveCS]

I used to start at the beginning, trying to get the first bars down right before moving to the next, but that was a lot less efficient for me, and led to mistakes (like, oh, the chorus only repeated twice, oops!). Having the structure down first helps me have somewhere to put the things I'm memorizing, and to not get lost with respect to where we are at.

I really an interesting approach from someone on TB. I wishI could remember who so I could credit them,but I can't.
Anyway, the idea is to start learning from the end, not the start. Think about it - how many intros do you know compared to how many endings? By the time you've played the end 5 times you've probably played the intro 50 or 100 times and not made it to the end. If you know the end, and keep adding bits in front you never get that dreaded sensation of "Oh cock, I can't remember what comes next!". You always know what's next and how it flows on from the new bit you just added. Made good sense to me at the time...

 

[John K]

repitition, both playing and listening

 

[Polfuste]

Thank you Steve for this vid: very interesting and now i want the book !

Book is on the way.

 

[KenSmithFan]

First, don't beat yourself up about it. Ignore the whiners, always crying because someone uses an iPad. Everyone's situation is different, everyone's skill level is different and we don't all memorize the same. I'm pretty good at memorizing bass lines, chords, order, but I SUCK at memorizing lyrics. Songs I've been singing for 30 years I sometimes can't remember the order of the lyrics.

Sit down when you can just relax, pick a song, and with no chart or recording, just play it by yourself. That's going to tell you what parts you're having trouble with. Just work on those parts, don't spend time on sections you already know. For me it's easier to think intro, verse, chorus, bridge, ending - 5 small parts, rather than try to memorize and entire song. I know it's the same thing, but that makes it easier for me. Learn each part and then put it together.

You REALLY know a song when you can play the whole song through, by yourself, with no written aids. However, the objective should be to play the song correctly. Forget the loser mentality - mistakes don't matter if you have the groove. Professionals have the groove AND a minimum number of mistakes. Too many people excuse their sloppy, mistake ridden playing by kidding themselves that it's OK because they have "the groove."

 

[KenSmithFan]

Thank you Steve for this vid: very interesting and now i want the book !

I was about to amend my post to add this book. This revolutionized the way I approach practice. It should be required reading for every serious musician.

 

[andymac]

I really an interesting approach from someone on TB. I wishI could remember who so I could credit them,but I can't.
Anyway, the idea is to start learning from the end, not the start. Think about it - how many intros do you know compared to how many endings? By the time you've played the end 5 times you've probably played the intro 50 or 100 times and not made it to the end. If you know the end, and keep adding bits in front you never get that dreaded sensation of "Oh cock, I can't remember what comes next!". You always know what's next and how it flows on from the new bit you just added. Made good sense to me at the time...

@SteveCS I had to pop back to this thread, to thank you for passing on this advice! I've started using it (learning some Bach pieces) and it has been a game changer.

Starting at the end has all the advantages that you mention: makes it less likely to get stuck, and avoids that thing of practicing the beginning way more than the end. I'm also finding it helps me understand the structure of the song better. And, for me, it goes faster, and it's more fun.

So, thanks!

 

[SteveCS]

learning some Bach pieces

Which/what Bach are you looking at?

 

[andymac]

Which/what Bach are you looking at?

The solo cello suites. I've been playing #1 forever, but I never got around to learning the rest, so working on #2!

Playing them teaches me a ton, even if I never "use" it for anything directly in my ordinary bass playing!

 

[buldog5151bass]

Break the song into pieces. Then put the pieces together.

 

[Gurnmagic]

To memorize a brand new song I’ll listen to it a couple times while doing other stuff. Then I’ll sit down with bass through a practice amp and play the song through my headphones usually with one ear half on so I can hear my bass and the song, you’ll find a balance. Then I really listen to the bass line, and get the songs form written down whatever way works for you. If you need to memorize it note for note really listen to the timing, note duration, long notes, staccato notes, slides, etc. Headphones really help with this. Then learn it—rewind, play rewind, play etc. till you get it. And if you get stuck there’s sheet music or tab all over the internet to help.

 

[mambo4]

I just stumbled across this YT video about the 3 science backed learning techniques.
They are summarized as Retrieval Practice, Elaboration, and Interleaving.

Retrieval Practice
Essentially trying to remember what you just read. Put the chart down, don't peek, and try to recall. It's not the reading but the effort of recall that 'exercises' your brain. This sort of supports the no chart responses. But, there's an assumption that the material is readily available to read and you are able to do so. I also think that writing your own chart can be part of this.

"explain things out loud to yourself, describe, explain, and ask yourself questions"
I suppose this would be singing the part, playing the part, identifying verse/chorus and transitions between, and exploring and chasing the implications of the parts. What key is this? what are the chords doing? The rhythm? how do the notes relate to chords and keys?

Interleaving
"mix up your topics think about how those topics relate to one another and to what you already know about the subject. you're always trying to build up your understanding and evaluation to move away from memorization to intuition"
This one was a bit harder to convert to the task of learning songs. I could be learning songs in chunks of 3 or 4 at a go? I could see how switching songs and then going back would force you to do Retrieval Practice... but also maybe Thinking about the piece in a broader musical context? have I seen this pattern before? Is it a style I recognize? Building neural connections between new material and things already in your head...

Its seems like developing a variety of ways to think about the material is the basis for learning effectively.

 

[Jens Telemark]

You might want to take a look at this. I have Molly's book, 'Learn Faster, Perform Better' which as you might expect goes a lot further and deeper than a 20 minute video, but the video will give you a flavour:

This confirmed things I'd intuited and kicked some long held beliefs to the curb. Really important stuff. @SteveCS many thanks.

 

[Polfuste]

I've started the book: pure gold ! Very interesting and eye-opener !

 

[Bassdirty]

...The weird thing, if there's something really trying in it, and I keep flubbing that spot, I walk away, come back a few days later, and I can play it backwards. ...

That IS odd.

Can you play it forward as well?


(Wait, did anyone else make this hilarious comment? I should read em all before commenting, but how could I resist?)




- I did agree with your original comment, and I agree, taking a break from it, and returning later seems to help most times.

T$

 

[Bassdirty]

In high school i used to cheat by getting the tests ahead of time, and then writing out the questions & answers 3 or 4 times. After i did that, it commit to memory and i didn't even need a cheat-sheet in class.

Hmm... that sounds an awful lot like studying..

 

[FullumMusic]

Hmm... that sounds an awful lot like studying..

My wife is a teacher and said the same exact thing.
I guess the only difference is one should study the material, and then recall it for the test. On the other hand, i was literally just "studying" the test itself. I wasn't supposed to have a copy ahead of time.