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How to memorise a piece of music in the shortest time
The ability to commit a piece of music, study or even technical exercise to memory is an invaluable one. Here we will focus on a very methodical method that works from a mixture of persistence and the fact that it creates many associations so the memory does not get weaker as the piece goes on but can be equally strong at any moment in the piece.
There are a couple of phases to this technique.
Phase 1
While looking fully at the music, with the metronome on slightly under tempo, play the first bar (measure) and stop on the first note of the second bar - do not carry on. Repeat this until you can play this bar without mistakes.
Phase 2
Turn away from the music and play the first bar and turn back to see the music at the precise moment where you had got up to (the second note of bar 2)
That is it! Now apply phase 1 to bar 2 and so on until you go through the piece.
It works like magic. At each bar you form an association so the memory web holds it together.
I hope this has been helpful and try it on your next piece!
Florian
