Memorising music

Costs are rising and times are tough.
Please consider a donation to keep this
place going.

Welcome to one of the most active flamenco sites on the Internet. Guests can read most posts but if you want to participate click here to register.

This site is dedicated to the memory of Paco de Lucía, Ron Mitchell, Guy Williams, Linda Elvira, Philip John Lee, Craig Eros, Ben Woods, David Serva and Tom Blackshear who went ahead of us.

We receive 12,200 visitors a month from 200 countries and 1.7 million page impressions a year. To advertise on this site please contact us.

Memorising music

You are logged in as Guest

Users viewing this topic: none

Printable Version

All Forums >>Discussions >>General >>

Page: [1]

Message

<< Newer Topic Older Topic >>

lowden

Posts: 69
Joined: Apr. 14 2010

Memorising music

Do you guys have trouble remembering the music you learn.? I certainly start to forget after a couple of months. I can learn it quickly again but find it frustrating!!!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 12 2020 20:22:10

Paul Magnussen

Posts: 1805
Joined: Nov. 8 2010
From: London (living in the Bay Area)

RE: Memorising music (in reply to lowden)

I now use the David Russell method: memorise the end first, and work backwards. That way you always know what comes next.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 13 2020 1:27:15

Mavi

Posts: 24
Joined: Jun. 11 2015

RE: Memorising music (in reply to lowden)

Here is what I do: Review everything you learn with decreasing frequencies until your performance starts to suffer more than you want. I review everything at least once per two weeks, and some stuff every week.

quote:

I now use the David Russell method: memorise the end first, and work backwards. That way you always know what comes next.

That sounds interesting, I will try it, thanks.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 13 2020 2:32:32

machopicasso

Posts: 973
Joined: Nov. 27 2010

RE: Memorising music (in reply to Paul Magnussen)

quote:

I now use the David Russell method: memorise the end first, and work backwards. That way you always know what comes next.

But what if you can't remember the beginning?!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 13 2020 6:13:56

Piwin

Posts: 3559
Joined: Feb. 9 2016

RE: Memorising music (in reply to lowden)

That's one of the reasons why I've gradually started to abandon other people's tabs like I mentioned in that other thread. It's slower at the start, but I find that the time I spend working it out on my own helps to commit the music to long-term memory. It's just a personal impression though.

The idea of spaced repetition that Mavi mentions, where you gradually decrease the frequency with which you review something, has been shown to be an effective way to improve learning and long-term memorisation. I've never tried to apply that to music in any kind of structured way, but I've been wanting to give it a try.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 13 2020 9:32:14

lowden

Posts: 69
Joined: Apr. 14 2010

RE: Memorising music (in reply to Piwin)

I've only recently started to play again and to be honest avoid tabs. I have a good Affedis collection as well😉. It's a slow and boring way to learn the guitar in my opinion. During lock down I decide to study with a teacher online and it's really working for me. I'm learning fast and correctly, an abundance of material weekly that I want to try and remember!! ( I do receive video clips after the lesson). A much better experience than solo learning wish I did it years ago👌

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 13 2020 14:13:53

Ricardo

Posts: 14801
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Memorising music (in reply to lowden)

Be able to sing whatever you are going to play. I don’t mean exact pitches but make some sound that corresponds to the exact rhythm of the phrases you are memorizing. Don’t need a guitar and can do mundane tasks while practicing this. Make sure you can sing EVERYTHING that you play in rhythm. I will get close pitches in lower octaves too but I know that is harder. Everybody should be able to sing a fast scale coming down diddle diddle diddle diddle diddle etc

_____________________________

CD's and transcriptions available here:
www.ricardomarlow.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 13 2020 15:18:18

lowden

Posts: 69
Joined: Apr. 14 2010

RE: Memorising music (in reply to Ricardo)

Great advice Ricardo. My teacher tells me this also. 👍

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 13 2020 18:54:36

mark indigo

Posts: 3625
Joined: Dec. 5 2007

RE: Memorising music (in reply to Piwin)

quote:

That's one of the reasons why I've gradually started to abandon other people's tabs like I mentioned in that other thread. It's slower at the start, but I find that the time I spend working it out on my own helps to commit the music to long-term memory. It's just a personal impression though.

I have had EXACTLY same experience. I think with hindsight when I had a sheet in front of me I wasn't really listening or memorising, and it actually took LONGER to learn anything, and quicker to forget it. Learning from audio means that by the time I have figured out how to play something it is well memorised.

_____________________________

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 13 2020 21:20:32

Richard Jernigan

Posts: 3430
Joined: Jan. 20 2004
From: Austin, Texas USA

RE: Memorising music (in reply to Ricardo)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Ricardo

Be able to sing whatever you are going to play. I don’t mean exact pitches but make some sound that corresponds to the exact rhythm of the phrases you are memorizing. Don’t need a guitar and can do mundane tasks while practicing this. Make sure you can sing EVERYTHING that you play in rhythm. I will get close pitches in lower octaves too but I know that is harder. Everybody should be able to sing a fast scale coming down diddle diddle diddle diddle diddle etc

This worked pretty well for Niño Ricardo and the great symphony conductor Arturo Toscanini, as you can hear on their recordings.

RNJ

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 13 2020 22:13:08

Ricardo

Posts: 14801
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Memorising music (in reply to Richard Jernigan)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Richard Jernigan

quote:

ORIGINAL: Ricardo

Be able to sing whatever you are going to play. I don’t mean exact pitches but make some sound that corresponds to the exact rhythm of the phrases you are memorizing. Don’t need a guitar and can do mundane tasks while practicing this. Make sure you can sing EVERYTHING that you play in rhythm. I will get close pitches in lower octaves too but I know that is harder. Everybody should be able to sing a fast scale coming down diddle diddle diddle diddle diddle etc

This worked pretty well for Niño Ricardo and the great symphony conductor Arturo Toscanini, as you can hear on their recordings.

RNJ