A surprising trick for memorizing songs faster!

[@FromThePurpleHouse]

While memorizing is not a problem for me, getting my fingers used to easily finding chords on the harp, without having to think a lot about it, is a bit challenging. Thinking in shapes, and using muscle memory definitely helps! Thank you!

[@LearningtheHarp]

Great! Glad it's helpful! Remember to practice your placing and always use the same fingers for the same intervals :)

[@emiliamurryramey7596]

So shapes are like words, and notes are like letters. That makes sense. It would be impossible to memorize a poem letter by letter. Thinking in shapes could make it easier to read music too. Thanks for sharing!

[@LearningtheHarp]

Totally, that's a great way of describing it!! Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Emilia. Btw, I mentioned you in the video I just uploaded, announcing my online concert this Saturday... :)

[@wadinglady]

Thanks!

[@LearningtheHarp]

Thanks for the super thanks Saunda! It's really kind of you! 😄💕🙏🏻

[@graciewridge7836]

You're an awesome teacher. I am buying a harp and learn how to play.

[@BlinkFriction]

I might try this with cello shapes

[@whitedovemusicalentertainm2668]

I was able to get to the link to the sheet music. I was looking for it in the comments instead.

[@LearningtheHarp]

Fantastic! Glad you could find it 🤗. xx Nicole, LTH Team Member

[@omarkassem4410]

Very useful advice and I want to see your follow-up video on this topic "Memorize harp music in chunks". Thank you for the sheet music.

[@GraceFestAV2011]

Thank you! Very helpful!

[@TaisiaDanilova]

Yes, I learn melodies like this too

[@kathrynmcconnell4187]

I look at patterns and shapes in the music, including musical structures such as particular chords and overall form. I also work 2-8 bar "chunks" of the music, looking for what is most significant to remember (repeated pattern, unique feature, etc.) in each little chunk and giving it an identifying label. For example, in one of my harp solo pieces, I have labeled a section "fifth, fourth, third and unison" and I sing a phrase with those words to remember the changing harmonic pattern in that part. It helps to practise the chunks independently and out of order, too. It's much harder to get totally lost that way. When it comes to memorizing text, I often write out the words and wander around (or do other work) while saying and singing them, adding a verse at a time, until they stick. Don't be surprised if you wake up in the night with lyrics soaring through your brain. Sometimes I circle the areas where I'm making mistakes in recall, until I have that situation solved. I think it's important to remember that it does take time for all the little memory glitches to work themselves out... and then, regular review helps keep it there. I am truly enjoying your arrangement of Wild Mountain Thyme, Christy. It's a lovely setting. I hope you don't mind if I vary a couple of the interludes a little bit. Thanks for sharing so openly and enthusiastically.

[@LearningtheHarp]

Wow, such great thoughts! Thanks so much for sharing!! It sounds like you've been on a journey with memorising, too. I appreciate you writing down your experience! You're absolutely welcome to add more variation to Wild Mountain Thyme. When you listen to my recording on KZbin you'll notice I do exactly that when I perform it - in fact usually in a performance I even play the first verse with more complexity in the harp part. The sheet music is a simplified version distilled down to it's essence, to allow even beginner harpists to have access to the arrangement. I'd love to hear your version - any plans to record it on your phone? :)

[@sayleejohnson164]

I am in college now as a harp performance major. Because I have such large amounts of difficult pieces to prepare and memorize for concerts my go to is ten pennies. Correct Repetition in small sections is everything! I split each page into repair points where it is easy to start for practice usually about every 4-8 measures with a pedal diagram and then put ten pennies on a stand or desk beside me and move them aside after each repetition. Then I put the smaller repair points into larger sections and ten penny that. It can be tedious and with beginner or young students I suggest 5 pennies and not as many sets as I have to do. But it can be made into a fun game. It is easier to do for smaller songs on a lever harp so hopefully this helps. Usually I play through sections so many times for familiarity, technique, fingering, rhythm and phrasing that I automatically memorize it without trying and then focus on the sections that are easier

[@BarbaraFischer4]

Saylee Johnson what a cool idea! I might have to borrow that idea for my students! Andddd....repair points for the win! 🎶

[@sayleejohnson164]

B Fischer definitely take it if you'd like, you could also use fun buttons or things for students, pennies are just easiest for me because I always have change near by whether I practice at home or at the university

[@BarbaraFischer4]

Saylee Johnson I love that so much!!

[@LearningtheHarp]

Hi Saylee, what a great idea! I also find memorising in small sections is incredibly helpful, but I've never tried systemitising it like that. So clever!

[@cackleberrycottage2340]

What a great idea. My teacher already has me doing what she calls smart practice, which is measure by measure and then putting them together into larger sections and so forth. I love your 10 pennies idea because it would keep me a little more organized. I am chronically ill and I have to admit that sometimes my practice is a bit helter skelter and some days my brain doesn't work so well. Having a physical thing like the pennies would keep me on track even on days when my brain seem to go on hiatus! Thank you for this tip.

[@Stella0Tracy]

So well stated Christy-Lyn!

[@tiffanyharpandsong]

Great video! Haley Hewitt likes to give "shapes" names: like a phrase that has two notes next to each other, skip a string, and another two notes, would be a "butterfly" (two wings and a body). There's also a snowman with a hat, a bowtie, an ant... but I can't remember what they are right now-ha!

[@emiliamurryramey7596]

Carolyn Deal has a teaching series for the double strung harp, and she has given names to different shapes, too. Haley's 'butterfly' she calls a 'bow-legged man'. It seems like a great idea, but it is hard to remember the names.

[@BarbaraFischer4]

Wonderful! Have you heard the term "chunking" for when you "chunk" the notes of a bracket together? (I feel like I explained that clumsily.) I'd love to hear more tips, in addition to this great technique! Great job making analysis very doable, applicable, and non-intimidating! 👏

[@LearningtheHarp]

Thanks for the compliments, Barbara! I 'm not sure if I've heard that term before, but it sounds similar to some of my thinking processes when I'm memorising. It's helpful to talk about this stuff and experiment to find out what works for us as individuals :) Thanks for your comment!

[@runemist4011]

I actually have the opposite problem... I can really only play a piece if I've heard it before! This makes it really difficult to learn new pieces when they aren't commonly found (like old celtic pieces). If I just try to read from the sheet music, I don't really know what the "feeling" is, it just feels like a bunch of notes being played, rather than a piece of music that's trying to say something.

[@margheritamuller8708]

same here. looking at the strings is the best, but I still need to know what the notes are. In fact I have an easy (on three post-its) version of brian boru. I cannot play it if I look at the sheet.

[@steveogden5774]

If you want to play celtic music then a good starting point is just to listen to as much as you can even if you're not going to learn that actual piece. This builds up a feel for the rythm and nuances of the music so that when you look at a piece of sheet music you intuitively know how the phrases will work and where the stronger beats and accents will be.

[@bettertomorrow2625]

Most celtic music has been played by someone on KZbin. It may not be on the harp, but you still will hear the song. The cadence and melody is there no matter the instrument.

[@lindawinn2568]

You make a very good point. Thanks for the tip.

[@trainheist]

I'd never thought about it in words before, but I think my brain does something like this! Some shapes/inversions are easier than others, though! Do you have any tips for cultivating coordination when trying to play and sing at the same time? Thanks for making these videos!

[@LearningtheHarp]

Yes it's kinda funny to express it in words after doing it naturally in your own head, right? :) I will plan to make a Harp Help video about playing and singing at some point, but for now I will give you a simple suggestion. Make sure you know the harp part and the singing part VERY well separately, and then when you put them together don't worry too much about the details at first. Try playing it through while singing along, but not really concentrating on your singing, just concentrating on keeping fluent with the harp part. After a few times, try singing it through while concentrating on your singing, and just playing the harp part as much as you can without stressing if you make mistakes. Sometimes it helps to focus on just one aspect (harp OR singing), and not try to get both perfectly in the beginning. Then your brain will start to get used to doing both at the same time. I know it works differently for different people, but I hope that helps! :)

[@trainheist]

thank you!!

[@marilousmith188]

Courtney j

[@brumberg-art]

Thank you, Christy!

[@elizabethjesenko3098]

Christy- Thank you so much for this video and the free download . This is such an area I struggle with memorizing and correct fingering - I'm going to print this off now !!! 😋

[@LearningtheHarp]

Such a pleasure, Elizabeth! How is it going with Wild Mountain Thyme? Have you given it a try? :)

[@reneesilva7226]

I’m hoping to get a harp delivered real soon

[@heididiederich2040]

Thank you Christy-Lyn, I am a beginner harp player (only 6 months) and have had difficulty memorizing. Not just new songs, but songs I learned weeks ago seem to drop out of my head. I will definitely try this technique! I am really curious as to how you make arrangements. There are songs I want to learn that were meant for piano and I don't know the first step in creating finger placement markings or coming up with the shapes. Could you give some tips on learning songs that weren't written for a harp?

[@LearningtheHarp]

Hello Heidi! That's really awesome that you're learning to play the harp!! Thanks for your comment and questions :) My automatic response for how to learn songs that weren't written for the harp? Don't spend too much time on it... not yet. It's super tempting to learn our favourite tunes on the harp, but in the beginning stages of harp playing it's really important to learn music that is well written for the harp, pieces that were written with beginner technique in mind, to teach you good fingering, bracketing etc. You'll also find that pieces written specifically for harp are more likely to sound good for the amount of effort you put in. For example piano pieces often include scale passages that are difficult on the harp, whereas harp pieces are more likely to include arpeggios which are much easier and more impressive! Hope that helps, even if it wasn't the answer you were looking for ;)

[@ThePearsch]

The link for 'Wild Mtn. Thyme' returns... Looks Like This Domain Isn't Connected To A Website Yet!

[@LearningtheHarp]

Oops, it’s a link to my old website and not available anymore. Sorry about that! I’ll take down the link 👍🏻

[@MajaIris]

I just realized that this is how I think of music. I remember every segment by thinking of the first note of that particular part. But when I think of lyrics I remember the last words of a sentence and everything else somehow appears. Probably cause of rhymes...

[@LearningtheHarp]

That's so interesting!! It's fascinating to see how our brains work, when we start to deconstruct the process. Something that seems to be automatic becomes really interesting when you try to explain it :)

[@thiagosoaresmagalhaes3510]

You are an instrument of God ❤ I'm here in Brasil watching you, I found your videos today 24/12/2024, and I don't even have a harp 😅 but i wanted to hear a song of harp and trying to transfer to guitar some peice of melody, because i want to play in a beutiful way slow songs this my dream ❤ anyway thank you

[@moondiamonde2499]

You must have spent many lifetimes practicing how to be Angelic to have achieved such mastery!

[@kennykenaz8340]

Many thanks, I been tryin to find out about "learn keyboard chords free" for a while now, and I think this has helped. Have you ever come across - Nonason Ranincoln Genie - (do a google search )? It is a smashing one of a kind guide for discovering how to play the piano like a pro minus the headache. Ive heard some extraordinary things about it and my colleague got cool results with it.

[@JLew-ch8yu]

Thank you!

[@whitedovemusicalentertainm2668]

I can't access the link to the sheet music. I can't even see where it is on my phone.

[@LearningtheHarp]

I see you were able to find the sheet music - great job 🙌 enjoy! xx Nicole, LTH Team Member

[@Xani13]

What if you don't learn via sheet music (or, at least, not primarily)? For example, I learn mainly by ear rather than via music. If I want to learn a complex piece of music, I use a combination of sheet music and by ear but my ear is almost always my main teacher when it comes to learning a piece of music.

[@jacomiententeije5417]

Such a good video 🙂

[@elizabethdexter3779]

How do you have your harp tuned/ I downloaded the music-- you mention a b flat note -- but I don't see a b flat on the sheet music -- it is in key of C with no incidentals

[@LearningtheHarp]

Hi Elizabeth! This is available in a few different keys; I’m playing it in F but it sounds like you have the sheet music for the version in C 😊 Hope that helps!

[@XxKerryEllxX]

I have no idea really how i am able to memorise my music. I play it a few times and then just go for it. Apparantly its a good thing to be able to memorise. I just go by the tune. I can't read sheet music so maybe that's why I have always learnt to memorise. My harp tutor writes the notes down for us to make it easier but no matter how hard I try, I can't read sheet music.

[@andrewc7410]

I have a padel harp in my house hongkong

[@s.r.2586]

I remember music in the same why, but it came naturally. I think the reason why you didn't do this in the beginning is because while playing piano you were so used to look at the sheet music, that when you started to learn the harp, your brain thought you couldn't do it without it. but I think remembering the music on the harp is muc easier than on the piano. furthermore, while playing piano, it's much more easier to look at it while playing (because your fingers can feel where they should have to go) than on the harp.

[@LearningtheHarp]

Interesting! I've found it helpful to put these things into words - when I explain to my harp students how I approach memorisation, it makes me more aware of what I have been doing naturally :)

[@benetty2003]

I couldnt see the numbers working....its finger numbers? Cheers!

[@LearningtheHarp]

Hi Antonio! I’m not quite sure what you’re asking. Can you please explain?

[@MiaStrayer]

I do memories music because I can't see well enough to read it so I have to listen to my harp teacher very closely

[@LearningtheHarp]

That's great, Mia! It's very good to be able to learn by listening :)

[@gerriannabaja3156]

Hi I’m a beginner and there’s this one song that I would love to learn but I can’t find any harp arrangement for it so I bought the solo piano arrangement for it. Is it possible to play the harp using a piano sheet? The whole piece is just on a key of E flat. Thanks!

[@LearningtheHarp]

Hi Geanne! It’s probably possible although it may need a bit of adjusting to be comfortable and feel natural on the harp. However I would recommend that when you’re first learning to play the harp you rather work through a harp method book (I like Pamela Bruner - learn to play the harp beautifully book 1) and stick to beginner harp pieces rather than songs that you want to adapt for the harp. When you are first learning you need to build your skills, and the best way to do that is with a step-by-step book and harp pieces written for that purpose. Hope that helps! ❤️

[@gerriannabaja3156]

Christy-Lyn's music thank you so much :) really appreciate your quick response. will follow your advice 💕

[@reneesilva7226]

I’m so nervous 😬

[@annetteieda7520]

I couldn't download the notes. Good job in your presentation though!

[@LearningtheHarp]

This was 5 years ago, it’s not available anymore, sorry! ❤️

[@bettertomorrow2625]

I just downloaded it today 12/08/22. I don't know why, but it worked for me. Another video of hers that offered free sheet music was no longer free, so I do know what you're talking about. It took me to her site where you have to buy it due to copyright laws.

[@muhammadlatif9752]

Nice..................

[@edwardsipes9640]

My main problem is poor memory

[@seatea7573]

im here beacause of minecraft noteblock

[@carolkappus9117]

My whole Magic Hands method is based on shapes. You can get it here: carolkappus.com/shop/magic-hands/ Lots of folks say it has helped them so give it a try!