For all the things I have managed to achieve in music exams to this point, one big thing that always holds me back seems to be a poor short term memory. Basically what it effects is things like the echo singing, clap back etc. The sight singing is no problem, but echo is always my downfall. It probably effects sight reading as well, though I have had so much practise in orchestras, chamber groups etc. for wind instruments I can minimise these problems and get 17-20 most of the time. Piano is quite different as there is more to take in. Moreover many of my pupils have had similar problems, and it is harder to teach something you are not good at yourself.

Is short term memory probably one of those things you are either good at or not? I'm not suggesting it shouldn't be practised, I certainly have from an early age and it gets not much better. I know memory issues come under dyslexia but this doesn't apply to me or my pupils (can read and write well). Maybe there is just a limit to everyone's short term 'store'. (and it's not just music - at work I could remove a binbag in the kitchen and forget to put a new one in until politely asked )

Has anyone had similar issues with themselves or pupils.

In a word, yes. Adults tend to have a short term capacity of 7 plus-or-minus-2 chunks of information (between 5 and 9). Those who have dyslexia-type issues (which may be masked in some people by general intelligence and problem solving skills) will often have an STM of less than this.

Because the capacity works on chunks rather than single items (eg if asked to recall a string of numbers 123 would be a chunk rather than single digits) it can be helpful to spot patterns in the melody to be recalled: scale and arpeggio patterns for example. But yes, these tests will always be harder for some people than others.

Some of my pupils claim to have a poor short-term memory, but - having got to know them quite well - I suspect that in many cases they are practising "selective" memory.

They are probably using the term incorrectly. Neil has it spot-on - it's the store of a few chunks of information for a few seconds, not what they did five minutes ago or last week. You are using your short-term memory if you look up a phone number and key it in, for example. Everything else you remember is using long term memory.

I have always found the memory tests in aural very difficult - I'm OK on the very short ones - I can remember a single phrase. However, I really struggle with 2 phrases and never get it right. I don't seem to have any trouble in other areas eg sight-reading. I've tried all sorts of strategies, ending up with improvising most of the second phrase and coming back to the tonic. It hasn't affected my ability to be an effective musician/teacher - just a few lost marks in exams. I'm not great on phone numbers etc - perhaps I am chunkily challenged?

In that case, I may also have been using it incorrectly. Thank you for educating me!

You're welcome. (I used to teach A level psychology, in case you hadn't guessed!)