How to Memorize Piano Music (FOREVER)

[@rainbowfox1934]

You described perfectly what happened to me when I played Rachmaninoff's Prelude in G Minor as my high school recital piece. At the end of one section, I completely forgot what was next. I took a breath and started back at the beginning of a section I remembered. My piano teacher, a concert pianist, came up to me laughing. "I am the only one who knew you forgot," he said to me. This was an incredibly helpful video.

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

Oh I’m glad it was helpful! And yes - exactly!!

[@kencory2476]

Thanks Ashlee for a wonderful lesson. I can't remember where I learned this trick, but one way to help your muscle memory is to play these passages HARD when you practice them.

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

Very nice! That’s incorporated into some of the revolutionary practice methods I teach as well ✅

[@fernfunk]

hard as in loud? or often?

[@rodterrell304]

Cool, this is good for us older players. I've always has trouble memorizing pieces, this helps a lot.

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

Great! Glad to hear it!

[@maxineparker3372]

I’m 85 and love doing all of these ways to strengthen my memory. Age doesn’t matter and don’t lean on that copout…….!❤ 10:05

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

I love it! Way to go!

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

I love it! Way to go!

[@Pulse2AM]

I have a memory like a sieve! 🤣 I'm mainly a singer and writer but I do play guitar and keyboards. I have this chord chart for some guitar chords I am learning it takes me months to learn and retain the names. I can play the chords but damn If I know what they are! Forget about memorizing the notes on the fretboard, piano no problem because i can see them and associate the name visualy. I'm a very visually oriented person. I'll check out more of your videos!

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

Yes! The visual aspect of the piano makes it quicker to pick up on! I always say one a day - just memorize one a day! That can be a great way to do it - even though it sounds tedious, after months, you’ll have so many memorized!

[@georgio2]

Great lesson. I'm gonna try it now. Your speech was pronto and my hearing was adagio. Quickest lesson ever. Many thanks.

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

😂 hahaha love this! You’re welcome!

[@georgio2]

Glad you have a sense of humour! The lesson was great.@@AshleeYoungMusicStudio

[@mcleanblades9234]

Thanks!

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

Oh my gosh thank you for your generosity! 🙏

[@daschenji3895]

Excellent lesson.

[@michaelandersson1904]

I tell you again: you changed my life in piano playing. You are very very smart and have enormous wisdom in music. Lucky your students!

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

This comment made my day - thanks for taking the time to share it with me! 💜

[@RoseWilson]

This is a fascinating video, thank you so much ❤

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

You’re very welcome!

[@claudiogarcia8860]

Very nice. Thanks

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

Thanks for saying so!

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

You’re welcome!

[@lyndasoar4345]

... This sounds like a fun way to learn... Thanks.

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

You’re welcome!

[@clarinetninja]

This is such a great set of information and a wonderful presentation. Thank you for making this

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

You are very welcome! Thanks for saying so!

[@dr.align2thrive119]

Great video! The challenges for both aural and visual memory I haven't tried before... I think one of the biggest detrimental to only have muscle memory is that when you play on a different piano with a drastically different feel your muscle memory is not reliable. I also find that our ability to memorize is positively effected by our level of inspiration we have towards memorizing a piece and the amount of sleep we had the day before!

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

Yes exactly! Great point about sleep and I’m excited for you to try them!

[@wendym2544]

This is GREAT information. TY!

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

You’re very welcome! Thanks for saying so!

[@alexgoriatchenkov]

Great tactics for great practice. Thank you and Happy New Year !

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

You are welcome! Happy new year!

[@elizabethfield6526]

That was a ton of great information. Thank you

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

You’re welcome! BTW are you in the free community? If not you’d probably like it!

[@più_lento_28_13]

thank you Ashlee !

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

You’re welcome!

[@lawrencetaylor4101]

You have a way of releasing videos that give clarity to problem areas I encounter. I'm still trying to commit to memory Prélude in C Major, and transcribed it by hand not only into just the chords but also to transcribe it to G Major. I've made an analysis, but I have to dig a little deeper for understanding. Hopefully putting it into another key will help. I started studying the Rule of the Octave this week, and it's helped me a lot. I would love to see how you approach this since it was the way Italians used to teach 7 year old orphans to become musical maestri.

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

I’m glad to hear it! Analyzing and transposing will definitely help. The rule of the octave is helpful! Very helpful - as with all “rules” in music though…. 😉

[@jeffh5388]

Thank you for sharing your professional insight. Your information is extremely helpful for memorizing piano pieces. I subscribed. Thanks.cheers

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

You are welcome and thank you for taking the time to say so! I’m glad to know the info was helpful to you and I look forward to having you in the community!

[@GigaBit-i2j]

Your videos are AMAZING.

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate you taking the time to say so 🙏

[@s4kupfers]

I have great difficulties with singing or humming (probably since my voice broke, children songs go still well), which is really frustrating because I love melodies. Realized when recorded, my singing is within ~3 notes. Is there a way training aural memory from this base?

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

YES! I'd recommend first to play a note and match the pitch with your voice. Do this for 1-5 minutes a day for a few weeks and it will help. Sounds obvious, but few will go to the effort to actually do it. The website Teoria will also help.

[@michaelatimm8012]

super helpful - thank you so much :-)❤

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

You are welcome!

[@simone0718]

Thank you so much for this video, Ashlee! I can read music well but I struggle to memorize the pieces.

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

You are very welcome! Thanks for saying so!

[@jeanlucvassort6411]

bonjour and thanks for your advises sharing !! Besides being french i am very proud to notice that i can understand you fully your very speedy way of speaking. So double thanks for those 2 benefits looking at your video.🙂

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

That’s great! I’m glad also :)

[@2msvalkyrie529]

Yeah ! Elle parle vraiment vite ! Et je suis Anglais !!

[@philjagdon6774]

Im 67 yo now, and started playing piano last year. I really enjoy the music theory and I never thought how easy it is to comprehend. I just noticed learning and playing piano is like an exercising my brain so much challenging and noticed it increases my awareness, focus and mindfulness. No wonder all musicians are intelligent people.

[@kathym.5676]

Great tips for a beginner!

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

Im so glad!

[@freeaman]

I am a guitar Player and this video helped me a lot. I knew about Muscle memory, Now i think should focus on Aural Memory also.

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

That’s great - thank you for sharing!! Good luck!!

[@MrDaryca]

I have a perfect memory, it's just short 😢 Some very good suggestions, thanks a lot!

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

Haha! Get that! And good, you’re welcome!

[@ray-piano9326]

Great topic. I can read but poor memorization ability. I don't know that first short piece N0 9. What is it, please?

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

Hmmmmm I’m not sure what you mean by no. 9?

[@aycannehir]

​@@AshleeYoungMusicStudio He talks about the 9th string at 04:34

[@SpitfireRoad]

These are great tips. But if don't regularly keep playing the memorized piece, you will forget it. I've been playing for over 50 years. I've forgotten dozens of memorized pieces because I simply stopped playing them.

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

👍🏻

[@kcollins3451]

Yes it's a Chopin nocturne. This is a very good video. Thanks Ashlee.

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

You’re welcome! Thanks for saying so!

[@peteri3815]

Please tell me which one it is. Thanks!

[@hanlee5292]

I can memorize any piece real good in couple weeks but, they never stay more than 1 month or more. so throughout years, I end up keep repeating the same few pieces again and again

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

YES - this is muscle memory at it's best (and worst)! Give some of the other methods a try and you'll move past it.

[@jmusic5895]

Thank u,,I find it difficult to memorize

[@WideCuriosity]

What was memory again ?

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

😂😂😂

[@billligon4005]

How is it possible to memorize the Revolutionary Etude without even trying. What happens and how can I translate that to other pieces??

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

If you remember anything, without even trying, that is muscle memory, which is the first kind of memory that I described in this video. It’s really essential, and it’s the first one to develop… However, it is not super reliable. Muscle memory essentially comes from repetition - so if you want to memorize other pieces in the same way that you have memorized the revolutionary étude I would recommend you play them over and over and over again… However, that will only get you so far. I would highly suggest that you start to develop the other types of memory that I discuss in the video using some of the exercises! That way you’ll have pieces in the memory for the long term - even if you get nervous, even if you make a mistake, etc.

[@Emma-yg2uf]

I struggle with finding the notes, for example I can't blindly play a melody because I need to look, stalling the progress.

[@simone0718]

Ashlee, what is the name of this piece? It's so beautiful; I'd like to find the music and learn it.

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

Chopin’s waltz in Ab major, op. 69, No. 1

[@simone0718]

Thank you very much! @@AshleeYoungMusicStudio 😃

[@LibertyWarrior68]

This is good if you want to learn from sheet music, but there are other ways to learn how to remember songs. Understanding chords and music theory, recognising how intervals sound, using relative pitch for melody ear training, hearing for the chords within a scale, melody patterns over chords. Muscle memory isn't really that important but you can't help developing it, if you wish to play a piece the same way every time.

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

Yep - if you watch the video I recommend in this video I talk about all of that. It’s all connected!

[@LibertyWarrior68]

@@AshleeYoungMusicStudio I watched most of it, I promise.

[@101xaplax101]

Wait until you hit 65 yrs of age

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

😊

[@generoley]

LOL! Wait till you hit 66 yrs old. Not only do I forget the song… I can’t remember where I put the sheet music!

[@crp5898]

Y yo con 96 años no recuerdo dónde tengo los papeles del cementerio, besitos chau chau.

[@n1iwr]

Im in my 60’s and although I’m slower to remember my music, if I find as many ways as possible to attach to what I’m learning, I remember it more fully!! Same thing I did in nursing school to learn my school work. So it’s not necessarily an age thing but I’ll let u know how my brain works when I hit 70!!! Hahaha!!

[@HarpMuse]

I have a student in her 70’s. When she started she couldn’t remember more than 3 notes. 2 years later and she’s remembering songs that are 16 measures.

[@awakenwithoutcoffee]

really great video that showcases my biggest weakness: memory. I actually strengthened relative pitch just to bypass my shortcomings ha! (sorry teachers).

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

Ohhhhhhhh! Well I hope you take the info and run with it! 🏃‍♀️

[@awakenwithoutcoffee]

​@@AshleeYoungMusicStudio thank you miss I will ! One thing that personally helps me remember is to approach the piece backwards, learning the cadence first and than the coda etc. As a composer I tend to listen to the construction as well. If I don't "understand" the piece I tend to play more mechanical while if I analyze it well I become part of the composition while performing. I'm thinking about doing a Chopin etude challenge and stream my progress.

[@2msvalkyrie529]

I've forgotten what I was going to write.....

[@jamessullenriot]

I can't read music, I have no choice but to memorize every thing I learn on piano (and guitar and drums as well) 😂

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

Lol

[@hvxcolors396]

I'm interested in your story for research. Is there a particular reason you don't read music? How do you memorize? Most people I know that play only by ear have a very good knowledge/feeling for scales and chords.

[@MsBiggles51]

Why not just learn how to read music?

[@moimoi9947]

Chopin’s « Valse de l’adieu »

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

🙌🏻

[@PeterParker-ff7ub]

my brain hates me.n

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

Oh no!

[@kevingmccann8552]

Great content, but Wow! She talks soooo fast. Makes it hard to take it all in.

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

You can slow it down on the settings! ;)

[@yeohi]

@@AshleeYoungMusicStudio Yes. But that also slows the piano pitch and speed.

[@vickystretton361]

L

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

?

[@michaelandersson1904]

i Tell you again