"...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:
- practice makes perfect and
- 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.
For me to memorize a piece it takes some visualization. I need to study time changes, dynamics, and notes. I take each system on a page and view it until I get it set in my head. For pieces that are in foreign languages, I translate it back into English using a computer translator, notes from the composer/arranger, and/or the research from our musical director. In this way, I can paint a story in my mind and understand the intended mood, which then can help me build in the natural dynamics. For me if it plays like a movie, I can feel it and connect with the lyrics and music. Then, singing becomes an emotional experience for me and hopefully for the audience.
ReplyDeleteWe all learn differently; be it visual, auditory, or kinesthetic, or a combination of all of these learning styles. Ultimately, however, it comes down to repetition.
I love your stuff, Ruth. One thing I must say in reply to your "Practice makes perfect": this is not really correct. I always say "practice makes permanent."
ReplyDeleteDaniel, you are so right! If you practice; whatever you practice, whether it's a sloppy technique or a clean technique, it will definitely be permanent and very hard to reverse. Good point. - Ruth
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