Photographic Memory : How to Memorize Music

Article by Graham Howard

Part of the memory problem is being afraid of forgetting the piece and the humiliation that would follow.

Repeat…Repeat…Repeat

This is the most common method of memorizing music. The piece is repeated again and again so that eventually it is almost impossible to forget any part of it. The piece can be broken down in to smaller sections, with each section being mastered before moving on to the next one.

But you will find this method of remembering music very insecure and should be considered only as a fallback to some other memory method.

– – Hand Position – –

You might prefer to remember what your hands look like while playing. You may find this easier to do, but if the fingers slip, your memory has gone.

– – Analysis – –

The best method is analysis.

You should study the whole piece. What key does it start in? Where does it change key or change tempo? If there is a second theme, how does it compare with the first theme? Where are the repeat marks, pauses, or other notation? What dynamics are present and where?

You need to learn the circle of fifths and common cadences. These are essential, as are scales and arpeggios.

Memory by analysis should start on a small scale. When this has been mastered, larger sections can be tackled.

* * Memorizing without the piano * *

If you have an above average familiarity with notes and a good visual memory, you might be able to memorize away from the keyboard by looking at the score.

You should start by playing the piece away from the piano by tapping your fingers on a table. See if you can hear each note and chord as you play them. Can you remember which fingers to put down? If you come across any uncertain areas, you will need to go back to the piano and work on it.

– – Slow Practicing – –

Make sure you play the entire piece slowly.

If you play with a slow speed, this disrupts finger memories because your hands do not move as they are trained to and your ear does not hear quickly enough what it is anxious to hear. Your brain does all the work.

– – Photographic Memory – –

Only a small percentage of the population has a photographic memory. If you have this, you will surely know about it.- – Final Solution – –

You can also try memorizing large sections at a time.

Now work on the places where your memory breaks down. You should start just before the problem and play just beyond it so that the difficult phrase can easily be remembered and inserted into the flow of things.

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