How does memorisation work?

I've tried lots of techniques for memorisation (extremely slow practice, which is useful for other reasons anyway - attempting to memorise 2 bars at a time and then checking - making memorisation part of ordinary practice), but I still don't understand how on earth it works. It's only worked for me once, in an exam in Feb (because I've only tried it once; I suppose that's better than memorisation only working once for me and crashing like a wingless plane on the other 5 occasions!)

This is doing my head in. I've got a recital in 2 weeks - accompanying a singer, so memorisation isn't required. I need to do quite a lot of work for that: but I know that I need to do a lot of work, know vaguely how much, and know confidently that with that work put in the difficulties will yield.

Then, I have an exam in mid-May. Apart from some Messiaen and Duparc songs, I'm playing Schumann Kreisleriana. Again, there's a lot of work needed; but I'm confident - I'm doing the work, and I know that in 6 weeks I can get enough done (and looking forward to playing such an incredible piece).

But of course the Schumann is solo, and so it has to be [unprintable] MEMORISED. And this is upsetting my whole scheme for the next 6 weeks. It's a wildcard. Maybe I'll be able to do it - probably I will (a friend said something very helpful: you're an experienced performer - there's something in you that you probably don't even see clearly, an instinct that makes sure that you're prepared by the time you have to perform).

I could sing the main line of Kreisleriana from start to finish right now from memory. But it's so detailed, there's far more going on.

I think what I'm asking is; not "does anyone know how to memorise?", but "does anyone know how to be confident in memorising?". A bit like the difference I noticed in my previous job (IT): the difference between being able to do a job, and knowing that you can do the job, approximately how long it'll take, and being able to confidently say it'll be done by X date.

Any ideas would be a great help!

thanks!

There is no general answer. We are all different. I can make a reliable estimate of how long it will take me to memorize something, but I can't do it for someone else.

There are pianists that can memorize a short piece in the morning, and perform it from memory the same evening. Then there are those like me that will take a reasonable, but not brilliant, 5 or 6 weeks to memorize a classical sonata - but won't feel confident to play it from memory in public until they've "lived with" it for a year or more.

You just have to force yourself to memorize some repertoire, and see how long it takes before you have the confidence to dispense with the score when you perform.

Also it varies with period and composer, apart from objective differences of style and complexity it is easier to memorize (and develop confidence in) what you understand best and what really interests you.

I'm not going to tell you how long it takes me to memorise a piece, or how I do it, because you won't like it!. It probably wouldn't help you either, as I agree with Mad Tom's point that memorising pieces is different for everyone.

I will however, advise you not to play the piece really slowly because that will achieve nothing on the memorisation front. The key to confident memorising - however it is done - is to know the piece really really really well. Not just in your head, but in your fingers and your subconscious.

If memorising doesn't come naturally to you (which is something I really don't understand, but that's besides the point) then I would suggest that you play it as much as possible, over and over. Not necessarily the whole piece at once, but sections, groups of bars, left hand, right hand, together, 3 bars over and over, then the next 3 bars over and over, then put those 6 bars together and play them over and over before doing the same with the next 3 bars.

We remember things because they have stuck in our minds for some reason - music is not much different, only it involves more than just our minds. Think about how you remember the route to somewhere you go to often - you remember it because you have done it again and again and again. The first time you probably got lost. The second time, you probably had an idea of what the route looked like, but you still didn't know exactly where you were going and had to look out for buildings or noticeable features to recognise the way. After that, you were probably pretty sure of the way, but still left 10 minutes extra to make sure you got there on time, but after a while, you are now confident of how to get there and don't even think about which road you are turning down or all the little markers you first used to tell where you were going - you now just know the route because you have walked/driven/cycled down it so many times that it is second nature to you.

If memorisation is hard for you, then I think that repetition is the way to go.

Thanks for your suggestions!

I'm just using repetition, and building my confidence by pushing more and more of the piece out into "performances" without the score.

I do find that extreme slow practice helps for me in memorisation as well as other things - somehow it avoids "tangles" - best word I can think of, because they're mental sinkholes where, as in combing your hair, you hit a terrible knot and your confidence goes through the floor (because you don't know exactly what you're doing). So memorisation seems to have a lot to do with technical confidence, for me at least.

cadence, it's interesting that you use the parallel of finding a route out in the physical world. For some reason I only ever have to walk/drive anywhere once, and I can then follow the same route again, even years later. Maybe I should use that fact to boost my confidence in my musical memory!

You write:-

I'm just using repetition, and building my confidence by pushing more and more of the piece out into "performances" without the score.

Beware just repetition - the music may be in the 'finger memory' but not in the aural/analytic memory - one can end up feeling strangely dissociated from the action of one's fingers this way and this can lead to slips and breakdowns in performance.

I have found ( and it's taken many years for me to realise this ! ) that if you want to (or have to ! ) play a piece from memory, then security will come more easily if you learn the piece from memory FROM THE START. It may seem to involve more effort ( it does !) but the resulting performance rewards the effort.

You will end up taking 'ownership' of the music rather than just 'leasing' it.

I play mostly from memory and am still rather prone to this (although trying hard now to use brain and to sight read more). Sometimes I would 'wake up' in the enjoying a nice piece of music and realise that (a) I was playing it, and (b) I had no idea what comes next!

I also used to get locked into 'endless loops' from finger memory. I remember one which used to get me in the first movement of the Moonlight where you can go from P3 back to P2 again, for ever

Mole

Well, my answer may sound a bit silly, but here goes.

My inspiration actually came from a learn german CD by michel thomas, and he helps you memorise.

first you must release all tension and stress.

play the piece and "internalise" it.

I do it about a bar at a time, working from the end of the piece.

Annotate your score loads and put the names of the chords on there. that way, when you play with no music, you might remember the big descending bit, that ends on the V7.

I completely agree - to play a piece well from memory, you have to apply both muscle memory and mind memory in your learning of it from the very start.

I memorise all my pieces without much effort. The problem is when my mind goes blank, which sometimes happens.

When I memorise a piece it happens gradually - I play it over and over again, but I don't repeat to memorise, I usually repeat to get the dynamics and feeling just right. I play it over and over again - tweeking the tempo, dynamics, experimenting here and there. Then suddenly, I realise I'm not looking at the music as much.
T
hen I'll just play some of it from the beginning and see how far I get before I stick - and then I look at the book to jog my memory. Until I can get to the end. However, once I throw the book away its hard to go back and forth. When I sight read there are landmarks, memory joggers which I use. This is when I have most of the piece memorised but I'm constantly looking so far ahead that I need landmarks to go back and forth to - I still need the book for reassurance.

Once I've decided to memorise a piece completely I usually don't go back to the book (not while playing anyway). This is because I then rely on my ear, and the visual patterns my hands make. I know how the piece should sound. My muscle memory is good, but when I need a memory jogger I look and try to remember finger patterns and use my ear to remember.
The biggest problem is picking up from a stumble - This is what I'm working on at the minute, I need to be able to pick the piece up from anywhere from memory, so even when I make a little stumble I don't fall to bits.

I haven't yet attempted it but I'm hoping this will work for the memory blanks - I think it happens due to fear that I don't know whats coming next, its like a weird short circuit thing that happens. Its like I get scared I don't know what I'm doing (when I do) and my brain tries to interfer with my fingers and I either mess up or just go completely blank. But I'm hoping that picking up pieces at random points will help with this issue.

well i'm not sure if I've helped with your issue lol I've sort of just repeated what everyone else has said lol

About 4 weeks per prelude and fugue for about 60% of the content from WTC books 1 & 2. I don't find memorising a problem really because being a doctor one has to memorise all sorts of useful and non-useful medical facts and figures.