Many student musicians wonder if memorizing music is essential. For those who want to excel as performers, the answer is always yes! Continue reading to learn why…
— February 17th, 2021
Memorizing music gives you more artistic freedom, helps your performance technique, and encourages you to master improvisation skills. Plus, studies show that audiences prefer listening to musicians who’ve memorized a piece.
So, if you want to learn to memorize music effectively, preparation is vital!
The following tips will help reduce the time required for you to remember a piece without compromising your results and help you to memorize songs efficiently:
#1. START SMALL
It might go without saying, but building your memory is a process. Hence, start with 8-12 bars of music. Once you have mastered those, you’ll be able to move on to longer, more complex pieces.
#2. USE SIGHT READING
Before committing a song to memory, you need to know how to play it faultlessly and identify its elements. Pay particular consideration to notes, phrasing, dynamics, and rhythm.
#3. PLAY IT THROUGH
Perform the entire piece! Don’t stress about missed notes or small missteps. Do your best, and after you finish, analyze the mistakes you made. Play the part again, but this time concentrate on your problematic areas.
#4. USE YOUR OTHER SENSES
Turn the lights off or close your eyes while playing from memory. You’ll be surprised how closer you’ll feel to your instrument and how much easier it will be to understand the music when you rely solely on sound and touch.
#5. HUM, SOLFEGE, OR HEAR THE PIECE
This method is used mostly by vocalists, but it can help you memorize dynamics, phrasing, and other vital elements in a piece. Once you can reproduce the song accurately in your head, you’ll have a better grasp when it’s time to practice on your instrument.
This article is a re-post, with small modifications, of “10 Tips for Memorizing Music” an article published on connollymusic.com
