One interesting thing I've noticed and I'd be curious if anyone else experienced this: When I retired over 7 years ago at age 68, I started practicing the piano every day and I'm now up to 2 hours a day. Without specifically trying to memorize pieces, I've found that in the last year or so I am memorizing large chunks of all the many pieces I am practicing without really trying. Also I've found all my playing - even of new music - is becoming much more mistake free with much less effort than it was let's say 3 or 4 years ago. It's like the more you practice , the more spongelike your brain becomes in relation to the music.
One certainly important factor for memorizing is to be relaxed, not adding any unnecessary pressure to yourself. It seems as if you were simply relaxed, more focused on enjoying music than on any particular goals with it. Therefore, memorizing came naturally as a result of that approach. Unfortunately, most of us have tendency to put pressure on ourselves when learning anything at all, and the same goes for music.
I'm 62 and just started playing 2 months ago. I've found that practicing and memorizing the music has rejuvenated my memory (Had an exceptional memory when I was young- which had languished to just near-normal as of late). I tend to practice an hour and a half a day. At first, I didn't think I was going to be able to do it. It seemed so hard. Now I can memorize a piece quite quickly.
Neuroscience shows that sleep is absolutely essential for memory. Especially the motor memory for tasks like playing piano is consolidated during sleep.
Jazz piano guy here. We almost always commit the underlying chord progression for any given to memory in jazz. We understand the theory, the key changes, the outline. Using jazz notation (roman numerals), we can easily transpose from one key to the next. I memorize all of my tunes, it sets me free creatively to do much more with the music.
Organists almost always use a score. Though that is partly because no 2 organs are the same, so notes about stops, which manual, couplers, presets, expression pedals are an added complexity.
One of the reasons I came back to piano was because I was plagued with "ear worms", not being able to get tunes out of my head not knowing what they were and hating them. Now I wake up in the morning with whatever I last practiced on my mind. I can now feel relieved that I am not mentally deranged. Whatever drove Schumann to an early grave was something else. I'm okay.
Mission Impossible at my age a few weeks off 79. Perhaps for someone who has been performing their whole lives, but not me. Ive never had a “Good Memory” for anything, names, authors, books I’ve read, those pesky authentification codes one gets these days… i can play mostly without looking at my hands when I learn a piece but I need the dots and dashes or I get lost!
Ha! I've been playing for 2 months- learning from the Alfred's book. I've got The Ballad Of Gilligan's Isle so ingrained that I find myself mentally playing it as I lay in bed at night! (I can also play Satie's Gymnopedie No. 1 -But for some reason I don't mentally play that... Maybe because "Gilligan's" was actually harder to learn, and I've spent a lot more time on it...)
Recently, I've noticed some workd-class pianists and musicians discretely using iPad based scores in performance. I don’t think it's a sign of weakness to refer to the score. Certainly, it might increase accuracy and decrease tension.
Playing with the score is necessary when playing with other musicians so you can see the other parts of the music. Playing music from memory with solo music can be liberating.
One of the things that I have trouble with is when I play a piece that is in one key and then I play another piece that is in a different key, I make a lot of mistakes because my mind is still stuck in the key of the piece I previously played. Any tips on how to better switch between pieces in different keys?
I always worked as an accompanist and had no need to memorize anything. At age 63, I still don’t, and think it’s ridiculous to expect piano pieces to be memorized.
When accompanying or playing chamber music, it's important to have the score so you can see all the parts. Many people find it liberating to play solo pieces from memory.
NO. NO. NO. Absolutely not. I served for 10yrs, as a Principle Clarinettist, in the acknowledged best military band in the world, Her Majestys Royal Marines Band (UK). I cannot even begin to work out how many times I have rehearsed, and performed, our Regimental March, A LIfe on the Ocean Waves, or our national anthem, but, I could not even tell you now what key they are in or on what note they start. Memorising music, like perfect pitch, is a gift 'from above' and not something to be learnt. I still play now, in my 70s, practice at least 2hrs, 5 days a week, and perform - but without dots all I can manage are scales and arpeggios. You either 'have it' or, like me - you don't.
Set up a free consultation about hot to elevate your piano playing:
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One interesting thing I've noticed and I'd be curious if anyone else experienced this: When I retired over 7 years ago at age 68, I started practicing the piano every day and I'm now up to 2 hours a day. Without specifically trying to memorize pieces, I've found that in the last year or so I am memorizing large chunks of all the many pieces I am practicing without really trying. Also I've found all my playing - even of new music - is becoming much more mistake free with much less effort than it was let's say 3 or 4 years ago. It's like the more you practice , the more spongelike your brain becomes in relation to the music.
One certainly important factor for memorizing is to be relaxed, not adding any unnecessary pressure to yourself.
It seems as if you were simply relaxed, more focused on enjoying music than on any particular goals with it.
Therefore, memorizing came naturally as a result of that approach.
Unfortunately, most of us have tendency to put pressure on ourselves when learning anything at all, and the same goes for music.
I'm 62 and just started playing 2 months ago. I've found that practicing and memorizing the music has rejuvenated my memory (Had an exceptional memory when I was young- which had languished to just near-normal as of late). I tend to practice an hour and a half a day. At first, I didn't think I was going to be able to do it. It seemed so hard. Now I can memorize a piece quite quickly.
Insightful as always
Neuroscience shows that sleep is absolutely essential for memory. Especially the motor memory for tasks like playing piano is consolidated during sleep.
This is just what I needed to hear today. And appreciate that it's on your website too so I can print out. Thanks!
Jazz piano guy here. We almost always commit the underlying chord progression for any given to memory in jazz. We understand the theory, the key changes, the outline. Using jazz notation (roman numerals), we can easily transpose from one key to the next. I memorize all of my tunes, it sets me free creatively to do much more with the music.
Thank you! Being on the far upper end of the age scale, these reminders are a good idea! Thank you!
Another great material. Thank you!
Organists almost always use a score.
Though that is partly because no 2 organs are the same, so notes about stops, which manual, couplers, presets, expression pedals are an added complexity.
One of the reasons I came back to piano was because I was plagued with "ear worms", not being able to get tunes out of my head not knowing what they were and hating them. Now I wake up in the morning with whatever I last practiced on my mind. I can now feel relieved that I am not mentally deranged. Whatever drove Schumann to an early grave was something else. I'm okay.
Mission Impossible at my age a few weeks off 79. Perhaps for someone who has been performing their whole lives, but not me. Ive never had a “Good Memory” for anything, names, authors, books I’ve read, those pesky authentification codes one gets these days… i can play mostly without looking at my hands when I learn a piece but I need the dots and dashes or I get lost!
Ha! I've been playing for 2 months- learning from the Alfred's book. I've got The Ballad Of Gilligan's Isle so ingrained that I find myself mentally playing it as I lay in bed at night! (I can also play Satie's Gymnopedie No. 1 -But for some reason I don't mentally play that... Maybe because "Gilligan's" was actually harder to learn, and I've spent a lot more time on it...)
Recently, I've noticed some workd-class pianists and musicians discretely using iPad based scores in performance. I don’t think it's a sign of weakness to refer to the score. Certainly, it might increase accuracy and decrease tension.
Playing with the score is necessary when playing with other musicians so you can see the other parts of the music. Playing music from memory with solo music can be liberating.
thanks alot Mr.robert for those tips to memorize the forgetful pieces 😅
One of the things that I have trouble with is when I play a piece that is in one key and then I play another piece that is in a different key, I make a lot of mistakes because my mind is still stuck in the key of the piece I previously played. Any tips on how to better switch between pieces in different keys?
Study the key signature before you begin and determine what key the piece is in. Then play the scale to get the sound in your head.
What do I get for being first?
I forgot
I always worked as an accompanist and had no need to memorize anything. At age 63, I still don’t, and think it’s ridiculous to expect piano pieces to be memorized.
When accompanying or playing chamber music, it's important to have the score so you can see all the parts. Many people find it liberating to play solo pieces from memory.
Playing from a score as you do is one skill. Playing from memory is a different one. Some (lucky) pianists have both.
NO. NO. NO. Absolutely not. I served for 10yrs, as a Principle Clarinettist, in the acknowledged best military band in the world, Her Majestys Royal Marines Band (UK). I cannot even begin to work out how many times I have rehearsed, and performed, our Regimental March, A LIfe on the Ocean Waves, or our national anthem, but, I could not even tell you now what key they are in or on what note they start. Memorising music, like perfect pitch, is a gift 'from above' and not something to be learnt. I still play now, in my 70s, practice at least 2hrs, 5 days a week, and perform - but without dots all I can manage are scales and arpeggios. You either 'have it' or, like me - you don't.