Memorizing Music

When it comes to performing, memorizing your music is usually the final touch before going on stage. Memorizing your music can provide you with a deeper understanding of the music (if done correctly) and adds a level of sophistication to your performance. Here are a few ideas to help you learn your music more efficiently.

1. Don’t go on to the next measure until you’ve memorized the first one. This really applies to new music. If you can memorize the first measure then you never have to worry about it again. (Pending you learned it correctly.) This allows you to go to the next measure and repeat the process, which, inevitably leaves you with a whole bunch of measures that are memorized. This is a tedious process, but if you have the patience, this method will result in you learning your music faster.

2. Play the memorized excerpt VERY slowly. When playing at tempo our fingers (or voice) can rely on muscle memory to get through the memorized section. Muscle memory comes from doing an activity over and over, such as riding a bike. Most of us don’t ride a bike everyday, but because our muscles remember what it feels like, we can replicate the process as many times as we like. Similarly, when performing, our brains can go into “muscle memory mode” in which we can experience separate thoughts other than the music and yet still keep playing correctly. Practicing slowly forces your brain to think of every note you’re playing so that you are 100% focused on what you’re concentrating on.

3. Sing your part. This applies mostly to instrumentalists. Singing adds another dimension to your playing and gets different parts of your brain involved in the memorization process. If you are a singer, think about the text and the meaning. The deeper the meaning you can connect with, the better the chances are that you will memorize the music.

4. “Play” the music in your head. If you can see yourself playing the correct notes in your mind then you have a good change of replicating it on your instrument. If you have fuzzy spots in your memory, take a look at the music and try to fix it.

5. Do repetitions, but take breaks. One way to memorize material is to repeat it. This usually works well, but with each repetition the brain gets less stimulated and bored. Give yourself breaks and try practicing a few small excerpts at a time to keep your mind engaged.

6. Do a harmonic analysis. This is for more advanced students, but with a little help from your teacher even beginners can explore this option. Doing a roman numeral analysis gets you studying the deeper and larger picture of how the music is put together, which will in turn serve your memory better.