Memorizing Music is EASY!

posted by Ruth Butterfield-Winter

"...easy for me." says the veteran chorister of 30 years. "For gosh sake, I've done it for 30 years. I don't know how I did it, but the Choir Master say we had to, so I did."

OK, some people cheat and have the music and words sort of memorized by the dress rehearsal, and then they rely on those with super powers and fake it as they watch the mouthed words go by...

I'm talking about: "How do you really memorize music and words and make them your own?"

So, I got a lot of responses from a recent survey I did. A lot of people say that it's relatively easy for them to memorize music and words. Some people say that they memorize the music first with all of the dynamics and rests and pitches. Then they put the words to the music and that seems to work for them. Others say that the words are usually the most difficult thing to memorize, especially if they are in a language that is foreign to them. Others say that pitches and words are no problem, it's the dynamics, rhythm and the cut-offs/rests that are the most difficult to memorize.

As with everything:

1. practice makes perfect and
2. everyone has different ways of accomplishing this.

Practice makes perfect:

If you learn a song correctly the first time and then take it apart phrase by phrase and learn those phrases, after a while it will be memorized. If you learn how to memorize, the next time will become easier. It takes longer for some people to retain information. That's OK, you will learn about yourself in the process and what works best for you. So learning how to memorize and then practicing the method that works for you, will make you a better "memorizer."

Different ways to memorize:

• 3X5 cards with the words, road map, dynamics, cues, funny faces (i.e. pucker for a richer sound here), etc... anything to help you remember.
• Speak the text, phrase by phrase.
• Sing the phrase several times.
• Memorize the text without music.
• Speak the rhythm of your part.
• Record your part on piano and sing along with it in the car.
• Run a difficult passage 10 times while walking to the mailbox
• Listen to the song and sing along.
• Try writing the words out on paper without looking at the music.

This will take some people 20 minutes and others 3 weeks. Persistence is key!

What do you think? Do you have any tips for us out here who are struggling with memorizing?

Afterthought: I tend to put off memorizing until the last minute and then I'm frantically trying to "cram" for the concert. "...not good at all," says my sensible side.

It takes time to memorize, and like anything that is worth it; it's not easy for most people.

Memorizing Music!

posted by Ruth Butterfield-Winter

So, our choir director asked us to memorize 5 pieces for the next concert. If I were to take a guess, I would say, 15-20% of choir members would say, "...and, your problem is... ?" Probably another 45-50% would say, "I don't like memorizing, but I'll do it, if the director says to...," But, I'll bet the rest of the choir members out there, would say, "WHY?" "I don't memorize well." We like the comfort of having the music and words; don't forget the dynamics and phrasing marks penciled-in during rehearsals, right in front of us. So, when the director, a.k.a. "God" says, "You Must Memorize These Pieces," you just have to find it in yourself to do it, or face the possibility of being the only one with a folder up during the concert.

Memorizing pieces has been a tradition and practice of performance forever. When a concert artist performs a solo for an audience, the audience sees that the performer really knows (or doesn't know) the material. The piece becomes part of the performer. The performer relays the story, emotions, pictures, triumphs and defeats as if they are his or her own blood and soul. To know a piece of work so well that you can play it from memory, means that it is originating, in some form, from you. It is authentic, real. If you are reading the notes of a song from the page of music, you are just mouthing words and singing the corresponding pitches, while following the composer's instructions, with the guidance of a conductor or music director, if you're lucky enough to have one. Is that worth it to an audience?

On the other hand, some music is complicated and written for an ensemble of instruments or vocal parts (or both). It is traditional to have music in front of you. Very rarely, will you see a string quartet play without music on their stands. Yes, granted, it happens, but not often. Likewise, if you go to an orchestra concert, everyone, including the conductor, has music on their stands, even the triangle player! Sometimes, you'll see a conductor conduct a major work from memory, but usually, there is music for everyone.

So why on earth would a choir director want an ensemble of voices to memorize pieces?


Well, in my opinion (and you have the opportunity to comment below and tell me what you think), a choir is like a solo instrument with many parts, like a magnificent living pipe organ that can mouth words. A choir is a living being made up of individual glorious sounds which work together to sound as one solo instrument. When a choir, as a whole, is singing without music, it shows that the music and story, the emotions and beauty is originating from the body of sound as a vibrant entity. The audience connects directly to the music, instead of being blocked by noisey page turns and eyes that constantly move down to the page and back to the director and down again.

But what of the more complicated pieces? ...for instance, Mozart's Requiem or Handel's Messiah? In my opinion, with larger works, or complicated and longer works, memorizing is not the best option. It's probably because I'm used to seeing choirs singing larger works, with orchestra, perform with the music. Maybe the reason choirs use the music with orchestral works, is because the orchestra is using music and the look of the picture is better for the audience if everyone holds music.

What do you think? Next time, we'll talk about how to memorize. There are several techniques and I'd love to get your imput on that.