Hi,

I have an instrumental to a song that I need to learn to play without the music in about 4 weeks time.

Does anyone have any good ideas for how to remember the music.

This may seem odd to some of you but I do actually know the tune and could sing it to you but this does not mean I can play it on the violin. I know some people find this easy but I don't.

So any techniques anyone has would be useful. (other than playing it a million times , which I am currently doing but its not sinking in)

Please help!

Hi Lizzy violin

I've occasionally been given a piece to memorise by my teacher and I don't find it easy, so I sympathise. There are lots of different strategies, and a combination is generally regarded as the best way to do it. Some of things I've seen recommended are learning phrases, identifying patterns, spotting scales/arpeggios etc. But this only touches the surface. There have been some excellent - and very detailed - threads in the past about how to memorise and I would strongly recommend doing some research of past threads as some of those members who contributed are no longer around to give their advice now. Although newer people will be, so you would get double the benefit If you do a search for previous threads, my tip would be to search for "memor" and then you would pick up all the titles which include memorise/memorize, memorising, memorisation, etc

Good luck, I know how difficult it can be!

Thanks I'll have a search.

The looking for scales etc won't be much use as it's actually a piece of popular music.

A rock guitar solo actually!

As a strategy for the longer term, to improve your playing by ear, I suggest that you learn the sounds of all the intervals and the relationships between notes on the fingerboard that produce them. Sight-singing practises part of this skill this in reverse.

I agree with Ken - improve your playing by ear. After a while, when you know the tune in your head, your fingers will go where they need to. It's not a quick process, mind - but you'll be a better musician for it in the long run.

Since playing traditional music, I've had to learn to remember many hundreds of pieces at any given time and I've found that even pieces I haven't played for months still leap to the fingers once I've heard the first few notes - even at full on reel speed.

Practise playing it whilst singing it, perhaps - slowly. Sing the note, put the finger down, correct it if it's wrong and continue.

Good luck !

Allan