1. Listen to the original song several times (and sing along to understand phrasing) 2. Write lyrics several times (engage more senses) 3. Use mental images to help you memorize in order 4. Memorize one phrase at a time and add one more and put together 5. Memorize easier sections first 6. Imagine the story that led to the moment that led to writing to the song to bring context 7. Do an Italian run through (saying lyrics quickly to see if your recall them that fast) 8. Say lyrics rhythmically 9. Practice using backing track to test some parts 10. If you mess up, stop and repeat over and over so that you don't reinforce the bad line but reinforce good lyrics and repeat over and over.
Just a few tips that help me...(1) It's much easier to learn lyrics in the morning....(2) Write the lyrics out or copy them to your phone...I find while walking in a park is a great place to learn a song. (3) Record the song when your finished. Upload it to TH-cam using the private setting. Then open two windows side by side ..one with the professional recording artist and the other with your own recording...Play the professional one first..stop it after every line and play your line and compare...This is really useful...
Thanks so much! I’ve just got accepted as the lead singer/front woman for a rock/pop band and need to learn their song set list quickly. I will be working on your suggestions! I was told to learn them, lyrics nuances etc correctly from the original songs. So I better get my butt in gear! Lol.
Learn along many times Active engement Write down multiple times Engage all senses and emotion Mental image and link One phrase at a time and repeat Be frindly and so familiar Easy first Pattern cotext story involvement of i Story behind text Simplify and subtext emotion heart Speak with rhytham and tapping Mirror Visual cues and finger Enertia of mistakes stop Repeat repeat Use cues
Many thanks, I have been researching "memorization tips for speeches" for a while now, and I think this has helped. You ever tried - Yiyevi Ponevi Approach - (Have a quick look on google cant remember the place now ) ? Ive heard some super things about it and my co-worker got amazing success with it.
I used to sing Nightwish and Within Temptation and Evanescence songs etc hundreds of times more than a decade ago, so I used to know those lyrics automatically back then, but it seems like I forgot most of the lyrics, and I also keep forgetting how certain lines start in some of the newer songs in Norse and Gothic and Icelandic and Faroese and Dutch and Norwegian etc that I’ve been learning over the past 18 months or so, such as Óðinn and Gleipnir and Níu etc and many others, and I noticed that it’s usually when a line starts with a preposition or adverb I tend to forget how the line starts more often, for some unknown reason, but, I am trying to rehearse them more and also trying to re-learn the other songs too - I am also having major difficulty trying to memorize my own lyrics, which are beyond complex and the hardest lyrics ever to memorize, being full of big terms and rare terms etc and without repetition of the same word in the same song (except for the adverbs and conjunctions and prepositions) and just feel impossible to memorize, and many of them have so many long stanzas, so usually one of them is like the equivalent of ten normal songs or more, with each line usually being longer than a whole stanza from regular lyrics, so I don’t know how am I going to memorize so many words in the same order, but I seem to be able to memorize tons of new words in all the Norse / Germanic / Nordic / Celtic / Latin languages that I am learning and in the other target languages, but it’s still different because when I am learning languages I don’t have to memorize the words in any particular order, but with lyrics that are very complex it just feels so impossible to remember the words in that exact order, so I don’t know what to do! (By the way, I also tried memorizing the song used in the video, especially the Dutch version, and, am trying to memorize the English version and some of the other versions as well, and also, the songs from the Little Mermaid cartoon sung by Sissel, I am trying to memorize the Icelandic version and the Norwegian / Danish / Swedish / English / Dutch versions etc, and the other songs from the other cartoon like Ik Ben Vaiana etc and from Frozen and from Nightmare Before Christmas and the songs about the story of the hunchback of Notre Dame etc, so when I find versions in any of these languages for any of those songs, I try to memorize them, as it also helps me learn the newer languages faster!)
This is such a great video. Thank you so much. I sing barbershop, four part a Capella. I have fashioned my way of memorizing, but it isn’t working well for me. Your video just highlighted some of the errors in my process. I have a dozen songs that I currently have to learn, and I’ve been overwhelmed. I’m starting your process TODAY. I can’t wait to share results. Again, thank you very much. This is exactly what I was searching for to help me.
I need to work on memorizing songs. I cannot fully perform without memorizing it’s lyrics. Your technique about writing the lyrics is a great advice, I will try this.
Great tips and techniques. I was just learning some new lyrics and used most of your suggestions but I will continue and add the images. Hoping that also help facilitate longer term memorization since once an image gets linked deep in your memory with words it can be easier to recall the lyrics.
This is so well done! I’m watching for the second time to write down all ten steps. I’ve never had to memorize music and lyrics, so this is a very real help!
Hiya. I’m having a lot of trouble memorising lyrics in other languages. I do the translation but it is often the small connecting words that get me or words that sound similar. For example. Blute nur by Bach has phrases ending in ‘erzogen’, ‘gezogen’ ‘ermorden’ and ‘worden’. They are doing my head in!!! In Tristes Apres by Rameau it’s the ‘little’ words: LES tenebres, DES tombeaux. I love your video and am going to try visualising the journey through the song I’m singing, perhaps even in a quirky, humorous way to get myself out of my head!!!
Really helpful tips for a non-native singer of English-language songs. For me, rhymes and logical sequence (from small to large issues, for example) helps.
Thanks Karyn - something I can definitely use help with! Of course, being a classical singer (choral and solo) a lot of the words I sing are in another language - eg Italian or Latin! And that adds another layer of difficulty, even if you have the translation on the page too. Often the translation is a long way from the meaning of the actual individual words!! My singing teacher often suggests learning a song in small chunks starting from the end of the piece, and as you said, adding a new phrase before it and going on to finish with what's already been learnt. 😊
Great suggestions! Singing in a foreign language is a challenge, indeed! As someone who has studied five languages (including English), I can attest to the fact that translations often miss the mark and sometimes don't even capture the essence of the original text. When that's the case, you probably need to find the key words in the phrases (original language), translate them yourself, and build your mental/visual images on those. The more you know the language, the better. I think if we rely on translations, our interpretation could potentially be a bit off, or it may stray too far from the composer's intent. The nice thing is that our mental images aren't likely to be different whether we're singing 'heart' or 'coeur' or 'corazón' or 'cuore.'
thanks karyn. very useful. i kind of do the same kinds of methods but i have modified them a bit. i sing , western classical vocal show tunes, pop, and also indian vocal music. indian vocal music is in various languages and i write all my scripts and notations in english and record my songs and then i listen to them, i look at my scripts and notations that i have written and then i close my scripts and notations and try to sing. i don't write it out again unless the copy that i have written is too messy or illegible to read
Good tips thanks. Try putting the visual images into steps on a journey too, that helps. You can memorise the order that way too. It's a trick lots of these memory champions use. It's a bit of extra work but I find it helps me a lot sometimes, as for some things getting it in the right order is tough for me.
It's similar yeah. The main difference is you put the images or scenes into an actual physical journey (with a set order) to anchor them, so they're easier to recall and don't get lost (rooms of the house, or between your house and local shops, are a good starting points). So for example, you take your first image/scene and put it in your kitchen, the next in your garden and so on. If you look up 'the journey method' it explains it better probably. It's a very good memory trick, if you're practiced with it. I taught it to my friend, he really got into it and learned to memorise the order of decks of cards as a party trick!
Thanks! I have the worst memory and I found that your to on incrementing adding one line at a time really helped. I guess I have been trying to focus on parts I have trouble with, ended up not remembering the continuum.
Very good. I like the idea of images/pictures as a prompt. By the way - You have a very expressive and intelligent face and eyes. You have what is known as the X-Factor. You will become very successful and famous.
Thanks Karyn, I am in the process of learning a song that has more of a baritone control. I am a Tenor di Forza, so my range is in the middle. I am having problems singing in my face. I know my choir rehearses so should I be singing in a middle C. The person who sings the song is a 2nd Baritone. I loved your Video and have subscribe. Is middle C correct for a 2nd Tenor and a 1st baritone. That is where my voice lies Thanks a bunch. I also have some songs on TH-cam if you put in Hector Latorre Bermudez Sud. Thank you, Hector
Thank you! My school does a talent show and I wanna participate but it has cuts, so if I froze up then I would be cut, but with this, I should have a better chance so thank you again!
Hi, I love the idea of these techniques, however I suffer from Aphantastia, which is basically the complete inability to firm mental images. Do you have any techniques that don't involve visualising? Thanks 😊
Hello Karyn, I have a question. Do you have any videos about singing with an open or closed nasal cavity? I'm very curious about what's best. Perhaps it doesn't even matter? I just dunno, none of my voice teachers have given me much of an answer. Any input I'll greatly appreciate!
I have a video on how to eliminate unwanted nasality from the singing tone (th-cam.com/video/FDS7IzqgLcQ/w-d-xo.html), which explains why nasality is not desirable from a resonance and 'projection' standpoint. I'm not sure if this is what you're looking for. There are certainly varying opinions on whether or not the nasal port should be open during singing. Some believe that it should be open, while other (including myself) do not. But there are varying degrees of openness. The key, in my view, is to ensure that no nasalance is perceived. (A bit of opening can assist singing in the passaggio.)I haven't directly addressed this 'controversy' in a video, but I do talk about degrees of velopharyngeal port closure in that other video.
i can not memorizeeee heeeelp, i am trying to memorise those songs: i will sing them on the stage. Don’t Stop Me Now - Queen Johhny B Hooters Died In Your Arms - Cutting Crew Rockin In The Free World - Pearl Jam Comfortably Numb - Pink Floyd Long train running The One I Love Who's crying now Runaway Temple of the king Losing my religion Love song - Cure Show must go on - Queen Sometimes i feel like screaming - Deep Purple Seperate Ways - Journey Fadeout - radiohead Let it be Beatles Wicked Game Chris Isaac High Hopes Hey Jude Listen To Your Heart You Give Love A Bad Name While My Guitar Gently Weeps Hold The Line - Toto I want it all Unchain My Heart Don't Stop Believin
1. Listen to the original song several times (and sing along to understand phrasing)
2. Write lyrics several times (engage more senses)
3. Use mental images to help you memorize in order
4. Memorize one phrase at a time and add one more and put together
5. Memorize easier sections first
6. Imagine the story that led to the moment that led to writing to the song to bring context
7. Do an Italian run through (saying lyrics quickly to see if your recall them that fast)
8. Say lyrics rhythmically
9. Practice using backing track to test some parts
10. If you mess up, stop and repeat over and over so that you don't reinforce the bad line but reinforce good lyrics and repeat over and over.
thank you so, so much!!! as a "beginning" singer at age 70, this really gave me some terrific guidelines - THANK YOU!!
You're most welcome! I hope it helps.
Just a few tips that help me...(1) It's much easier to learn lyrics in the morning....(2) Write the lyrics out or copy them to your phone...I find while walking in a park is a great place to learn a song. (3) Record the song when your finished. Upload it to TH-cam using the private setting. Then open two windows side by side ..one with the professional recording artist and the other with your own recording...Play the professional one first..stop it after every line and play your line and compare...This is really useful...
Thanks so much! I’ve just got accepted as the lead singer/front woman for a rock/pop band and need to learn their song set list quickly. I will be working on your suggestions! I was told to learn them, lyrics nuances etc correctly from the original songs. So I better get my butt in gear! Lol.
Learn along many times
Active engement
Write down multiple times
Engage all senses and emotion
Mental image and link
One phrase at a time and repeat
Be frindly and so familiar
Easy first
Pattern cotext story involvement of i
Story behind text
Simplify and subtext emotion heart
Speak with rhytham and tapping
Mirror
Visual cues and finger
Enertia of mistakes stop
Repeat repeat
Use cues
Many thanks, I have been researching "memorization tips for speeches" for a while now, and I think this has helped. You ever tried - Yiyevi Ponevi Approach - (Have a quick look on google cant remember the place now ) ? Ive heard some super things about it and my co-worker got amazing success with it.
T
I used to sing Nightwish and Within Temptation and Evanescence songs etc hundreds of times more than a decade ago, so I used to know those lyrics automatically back then, but it seems like I forgot most of the lyrics, and I also keep forgetting how certain lines start in some of the newer songs in Norse and Gothic and Icelandic and Faroese and Dutch and Norwegian etc that I’ve been learning over the past 18 months or so, such as Óðinn and Gleipnir and Níu etc and many others, and I noticed that it’s usually when a line starts with a preposition or adverb I tend to forget how the line starts more often, for some unknown reason, but, I am trying to rehearse them more and also trying to re-learn the other songs too - I am also having major difficulty trying to memorize my own lyrics, which are beyond complex and the hardest lyrics ever to memorize, being full of big terms and rare terms etc and without repetition of the same word in the same song (except for the adverbs and conjunctions and prepositions) and just feel impossible to memorize, and many of them have so many long stanzas, so usually one of them is like the equivalent of ten normal songs or more, with each line usually being longer than a whole stanza from regular lyrics, so I don’t know how am I going to memorize so many words in the same order, but I seem to be able to memorize tons of new words in all the Norse / Germanic / Nordic / Celtic / Latin languages that I am learning and in the other target languages, but it’s still different because when I am learning languages I don’t have to memorize the words in any particular order, but with lyrics that are very complex it just feels so impossible to remember the words in that exact order, so I don’t know what to do! (By the way, I also tried memorizing the song used in the video, especially the Dutch version, and, am trying to memorize the English version and some of the other versions as well, and also, the songs from the Little Mermaid cartoon sung by Sissel, I am trying to memorize the Icelandic version and the Norwegian / Danish / Swedish / English / Dutch versions etc, and the other songs from the other cartoon like Ik Ben Vaiana etc and from Frozen and from Nightmare Before Christmas and the songs about the story of the hunchback of Notre Dame etc, so when I find versions in any of these languages for any of those songs, I try to memorize them, as it also helps me learn the newer languages faster!)
This is such a great video. Thank you so much. I sing barbershop, four part a Capella. I have fashioned my way of memorizing, but it isn’t working well for me. Your video just highlighted some of the errors in my process.
I have a dozen songs that I currently have to learn, and I’ve been overwhelmed. I’m starting your process TODAY. I can’t wait to share results.
Again, thank you very much. This is exactly what I was searching for to help me.
Keep me posted on how it works for you.
Jerry, it’s been a year. How did it go?
Very helpful thank you - have to memorise a lot of songs/parts of songs. This will definitely help
I really hope it does help!
I need to work on memorizing songs. I cannot fully perform without memorizing it’s lyrics.
Your technique about writing the lyrics is a great advice, I will try this.
Thank you so much. Being very visual myself I think your method will help me! Can't wait to try!
Great tips and techniques. I was just learning some new lyrics and used most of your suggestions but I will continue and add the images. Hoping that also help facilitate longer term memorization since once an image gets linked deep in your memory with words it can be easier to recall the lyrics.
This is so well done! I’m watching for the second time to write down all ten steps. I’ve never had to memorize music and lyrics, so this is a very real help!
You're a beautiful person and teacher, great job!
Thank you. That's so sweet.
That's a nice bass in the background. I think five-string, 24 fret is the ideal. It's my favourite type anyway.
Very helpful, never looked at lyrics this way thank you!
Hiya. I’m having a lot of trouble memorising lyrics in other languages. I do the translation but it is often the small connecting words that get me or words that sound similar. For example. Blute nur by Bach has phrases ending in ‘erzogen’, ‘gezogen’ ‘ermorden’ and ‘worden’. They are doing my head in!!!
In Tristes Apres by Rameau it’s the ‘little’ words: LES tenebres, DES tombeaux.
I love your video and am going to try visualising the journey through the song I’m singing, perhaps even in a quirky, humorous way to get myself out of my head!!!
From all videos for this topic I have watched YOUR'S was the most helpful and entertaining!!! :)
You explain so simple and beautiful... thanks
I'm so glad it was clear and helpful!
i had a rap project at school and i forgot how the lyrics was thank you!!
Really helpful tips for a non-native singer of English-language songs. For me, rhymes and logical sequence (from small to large issues, for example) helps.
Thanks Karyn - something I can definitely use help with! Of course, being a classical singer (choral and solo) a lot of the words I sing are in another language - eg Italian or Latin! And that adds another layer of difficulty, even if you have the translation on the page too. Often the translation is a long way from the meaning of the actual individual words!! My singing teacher often suggests learning a song in small chunks starting from the end of the piece, and as you said, adding a new phrase before it and going on to finish with what's already been learnt. 😊
Great suggestions! Singing in a foreign language is a challenge, indeed! As someone who has studied five languages (including English), I can attest to the fact that translations often miss the mark and sometimes don't even capture the essence of the original text. When that's the case, you probably need to find the key words in the phrases (original language), translate them yourself, and build your mental/visual images on those. The more you know the language, the better. I think if we rely on translations, our interpretation could potentially be a bit off, or it may stray too far from the composer's intent. The nice thing is that our mental images aren't likely to be different whether we're singing 'heart' or 'coeur' or 'corazón' or 'cuore.'
awesome tips! I love you sister you are amazing! Thankyou wuhu!!
Thanks Karyn, love the video, it's really relevant and helpful for me right now.
I'm so glad to hear that! Thanks for commenting.
thanks karyn. very useful. i kind of do the same kinds of methods but i have modified them a bit. i sing , western classical vocal show tunes, pop, and also indian vocal music. indian vocal music is in various languages and i write all my scripts and notations in english and record my songs and then i listen to them, i look at my scripts and notations that i have written and then i close my scripts and notations and try to sing. i don't write it out again unless the copy that i have written is too messy or illegible to read
Thank you so much, this was wonderful advice!
Thank you - this is really helpful for myself and my students. I appreciate you taking the time to do this. Stay well and safe.
OMG, thank you very much this is very helping i love you
Could you add a quick review at the end. Like a summary? love your images and strategies.😍😍
Good tips thanks. Try putting the visual images into steps on a journey too, that helps. You can memorise the order that way too. It's a trick lots of these memory champions use. It's a bit of extra work but I find it helps me a lot sometimes, as for some things getting it in the right order is tough for me.
Thanks for sharing your memorization trick! Is what you're describing kind of like what I did starting at 6:56?
It's similar yeah. The main difference is you put the images or scenes into an actual physical journey (with a set order) to anchor them, so they're easier to recall and don't get lost (rooms of the house, or between your house and local shops, are a good starting points). So for example, you take your first image/scene and put it in your kitchen, the next in your garden and so on. If you look up 'the journey method' it explains it better probably.
It's a very good memory trick, if you're practiced with it. I taught it to my friend, he really got into it and learned to memorise the order of decks of cards as a party trick!
Sounds interesting!
Thanks! I have the worst memory and I found that your to on incrementing adding one line at a time really helped. I guess I have been trying to focus on parts I have trouble with, ended up not remembering the continuum.
You'll find something that works. And it really does take practice.
Wow! 10! Can't wait to hear them!
Very good. I like the idea of images/pictures as a prompt. By the way - You have a very expressive and intelligent face and eyes. You have what is known as the X-Factor. You will become very successful and famous.
Super super super lovely tips 😊
Thank you 😊
Thant was very good, thanks!
Thank ya I have a reallllllllllly long solo for choir
You're most welcome! I hope it helps.
Excellent!
Thank you!
Thanks, very good lesson . It would help a lot if you showed us examples.
Thanks for the helpful tips. I've always had difficulty memorizing anything. Hope these techniques will help me
.
Thank you for your tips!! I am singing classical and Italian ariettas and arias and this is really important for me.
Man this is rough. All I wanted is to learn some of my favorite songs for fun D`:
Thanks Karyn, I am in the process of learning a song that has more of a baritone control. I am a Tenor di Forza, so my range is in the middle. I am having problems singing in my face. I know my choir rehearses so should I be singing in a middle C.
The person who sings the song is a 2nd Baritone.
I loved your Video and have subscribe. Is middle C correct for a 2nd Tenor and a 1st baritone. That is where my voice lies
Thanks a bunch. I also have some songs on TH-cam if you put in
Hector Latorre Bermudez Sud.
Thank you,
Hector
Very helpful
Thank you for this. Actually very helpful
This was VERY helpful!!
Thank you! My school does a talent show and I wanna participate but it has cuts, so if I froze up then I would be cut, but with this, I should have a better chance so thank you again!
You have the best smile!! :)
Thank you!
Meter & phrasing is key I reckon for me.
Thanks a Lot...
You're welcome. I hope these strategies help.
Thank you! Im trying to learn an Olivia Newton Jhon's song!
Please make a video of how to play guitar
I am impressed with your channel so I subscribed
Thank you for subscribing! Please let me know if you have any questions or suggestions for video topics.
Very helpful, thank you.
Thank you
Hi, I love the idea of these techniques, however I suffer from Aphantastia, which is basically the complete inability to firm mental images. Do you have any techniques that don't involve visualising?
Thanks 😊
Hello Karyn, I have a question. Do you have any videos about singing with an open or closed nasal cavity? I'm very curious about what's best. Perhaps it doesn't even matter? I just dunno, none of my voice teachers have given me much of an answer. Any input I'll greatly appreciate!
I have a video on how to eliminate unwanted nasality from the singing tone (th-cam.com/video/FDS7IzqgLcQ/w-d-xo.html), which explains why nasality is not desirable from a resonance and 'projection' standpoint. I'm not sure if this is what you're looking for. There are certainly varying opinions on whether or not the nasal port should be open during singing. Some believe that it should be open, while other (including myself) do not. But there are varying degrees of openness. The key, in my view, is to ensure that no nasalance is perceived. (A bit of opening can assist singing in the passaggio.)I haven't directly addressed this 'controversy' in a video, but I do talk about degrees of velopharyngeal port closure in that other video.
Thank you!
Please make a video to sing high notes!!!
Thank you for the video
Thats another cookie. It takes learning breathing techniques
Super useful !
The tips start at 1:23
Is it possible to learn the words to an entire song?
She sings when she talks :)
What if its a rap song and it goes to fast ?
use vocal phrasing like da da da ta ti da first then use rhyming patter use internal pictures last and personalize it.
i can not memorizeeee heeeelp, i am trying to memorise those songs: i will sing them on the stage.
Don’t Stop Me Now - Queen
Johhny B Hooters
Died In Your Arms - Cutting Crew
Rockin In The Free World - Pearl Jam
Comfortably Numb - Pink Floyd
Long train running
The One I Love
Who's crying now
Runaway
Temple of the king
Losing my religion
Love song - Cure
Show must go on - Queen
Sometimes i feel like screaming - Deep
Purple
Seperate Ways - Journey
Fadeout - radiohead
Let it be Beatles
Wicked Game Chris Isaac
High Hopes
Hey Jude
Listen To Your Heart
You Give Love A Bad Name
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Hold The Line - Toto
I want it all
Unchain My Heart
Don't Stop Believin
I find it ironic I'm trying to memorize a song by Andrew Lippa from The Wild Party
O god its more difficult than I thought
I like this , WAY too many commercials to keep watching!!!!!!!!
I am the actual songwriter, and I have a rough time memorizing mu own lyrics🙄
i don't get it
Bragger much 😒 0:00 - the whole video
Excellent video. Very helpful.
Really,really bad idea to have a vocal clip going in the box while trying to listen to you!!!
If a man explained it,its lot easier..
Thanks for some amazing advices and I'm gonna apply them in my routine and take me as a new subscriber 🤎
Thank you
Thank you!
thank you