I’ve written on memorization techniques a couple of times before, but as I try things out I find that certain things work much better for me than others. This is a quick guide to the techniques I currently find most useful.

The Big Picture

• Listen to the song you want to memorize … many times. If you don’t enjoy hearing it many times, then you may want to re-think if you want to take the effort to memorize it.
• Get the sheet music in front of you and analyze it, marking it up as you go. Divide the song up into logical sections (intro, verse, chorus, bridge, aaba, coda, etc.). You’re especially looking for repeating patterns, as these will help you in the memorization process. Don’t worry about being ‘correct’ … your analysis only has to make sense to you.
• Focus your play on small sections. Once you’ve committed a section to memory you’ve got any repeats of that section (i.e. choruses) mastered, or are well on your way toward mastering similar sections (i.e. verses).
• Begin with the end in mind. Many people that have written on this subject suggest starting at the end of a song and working your way backward with the idea that once you start doing run throughs, it is like riding a bike downhill … you coast to the ending, instead of climb into less familiar territory.
• Hammer the parts of the song that only happen once. Anything that doesn’t repeat in a song is going to get less natural repetitions … so make up for it by giving it extra focus in your playing time.
• When you start run-throughs, science suggests that playing through once, going back and fixing any errors, and then letting the piece rest for a while (an hour to a day) before the next run-through … is far more effective than running through a song five, ten or twenty times in a row. You want to train your brain to know that the first time is the most important and that second times rarely come around in performance. Multiple run-throughs in a row signal the brain that it doesn’t really have to commit this info to instant recall … and brains have a lot to do, so they’re constantly looking for info to edit out and forget.

Lyric-Specific Tips

• Read the lyrics without singing them and contemplate/analyze/visualize them as if they were poetry. New meanings and understandings will often emerge that you might not have caught if you only ever sang them. A good example from my experience is Duran Duran’s View to a Kill. Sections of this song don’t make a lot of sense the way the words have been paired to the music, but when read they make complete sense.
• Memorize the lyrics as if they were a dramatic monologue, disconnected from the music … this is a great activity for the shower if you write them them on 3x5s and laminate them. Then sing them. See if there is a difference in your memory as well as the emotional depth that you deliver them with.
• Once again, divide and conquer, memorizing in sections, beginning with the end.

Tips for Chords

• Write out the chord sequences on a separate sheet of paper, or better, on 3×5 cards in sections (chorus, verse, etc.). Make sure you leave plenty of space in-between lines because we’ll be adding lyric cues later.
• Run the chords until you feel comfortable. Focus on any tricky transitions until they are smooth.
• Look for patterns as you practice your chords. Recognizing patterns always helps to reinforce memory.
• If helpful, using a numbering system (like traditional Roman numerals or the more modern and less detailed Nashville numbers) to help you see how the chords relate to each other.
• If numbers aren’t your thing, pay close attention to chord shapes as you make them and the most efficient way to transition from one shape to the next. As someone who is very spatially oriented, I think of shapes matched with fret positions much more readily than I do chord names or numbers. While this limits my ability to transpose on the fly, I see/feel/hear the flow of chord progressions almost like a dance.
• Place a lyric cue words under some chords to help orient yourself. Soon you’ll only need these cards to review your songs. Soon after, you may not even need that. That’s the goal.

Seem Like a Lot?

It is, but for some, memorization does take effort while for others, just seems to happen. You might find, depending on the complexity of the song, that you are long memorized before even getting halfway through this list of suggestions. If not, don’t worry, just keep going.

If you’re still not there by doing everything on this list, don’t worry, just go back and focus on the things that you’re having trouble with (not the easy parts you already know). Keep at it and it will come. I think memorization is achievable by anyone who is willing to put in small, focused, consistent, yet easy effort. Don’t stress, as stress is actually a brain blocker and will make the process more difficult and lengthy.

Why Bother?

Being ‘off book’ has many advantages. While it looks more professional, I wouldn’t use that as my reason. Here are some better ones:

• Feel a much deeper connection to the music. This will bring you joy.
• That joy will show, not only will it boost your mood, but it will also lead to more moving performances.
• Connect with your audience. There is something comforting about having a music stand as a shield between you and the audience; you don’t have to look them in the eye. However, if you really know a song, you can concentrate on sharing that song in love to those that listen. The chances you can send that song to their heart is so much higher.

Review is Important

Once you get a song to the point you feel it is effortless, you’ll want to start some form of ‘spaced repetition‘ program. At first you’ll review songs frequently, but as time goes on, you’ll find you can lengthen your reviews to a week, two weeks, or even a month and still get good results. This will keep that info fresh in your mind while allowing you time to add more songs to your ‘set list.’ Of course, it is always good to review songs you’re going to perform soon.

Break a Leg!

I hope you find this information useful and leads you to experiment with some or all of the above tips. I welcome hearing about your experiences, tips, advice for others, and successes. Just leave a comment below!

Post filed under All UkulelePlay! Blog Posts.