Memorizing For Beginners - Tips to SOLIDIFY Your Musical Retention

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In this tutorial, we discuss some of the memorizing tips I like to give to beginning students who don't have a firm grasp on theory or harmonic analysis. Memory can still be achieved through methods other than traditional analysis while a student is learning more about harmony, form, and other theoretical concepts that will help in solidifying memory. Even if you are an advanced player and have a firm grasp on analysis, you can still apply these methods to give yourself an extra layer of safety, with some out-of-the-box tips to further enhance your musical retention.
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[@anuragpaul8807]

I love how Josh sir talks about all the psychological and philosophical approch of playing piano ... He is amazing

[@senju4246]

Literally just started memorizing the Pathetique. Best timing ever

[@KyleHohn]

I think the most important component of memory that was neglected in this video was aural memory! Being able to audiate, hum, or sing the melody is the fundamental base for all musical memory. What use is theoretical analysis if you don’t have a clear memory of the sound?

[@trung.nguyen.t]

I think he just assume that's what every player can do by default...

[@ilikeplayingffftonecluster851]

Yes because all music has a melody and if it doesn’t then it’s not music.

[@MariaMaltseva]

For those without perfect pitch, it's good to have reference points on the keyboard (or chord & key references). Aural memory is different for different people. He also didn't talk about muscle memory. Both aural and muscle components tend to happen automatically for people, though. I've never had to explain memorization to a child, they just do it. Some better; some worse.

[@bjb0808]

Yes, but I think Josh spoke about how HE memorizes and those would be his strong points. Aural memory may not help. I, for one, can hear that the note is wrong, but I wouldn't know where to find it. I am trying to improve on that though too. And muscle memory would is probably something that comes more with time and helps you retain the piece ONCE you have already memorized it. I think the things he pointed out here are most helpful for memorizing a piece AS you learn it, not memorizing a piece AFTER you can already play through it very fluently.

[@thorwarth]

Always thought I'm bad at memorizing, because I never tried, now I tried it with a few little pieces like you would practice sight reading and after 3 months I memorize quickly. Just try it, even if it's only bar by bar

[@bjb0808]

This is an amazingly helpful video and I have even greater respect for pianists who memorize extremely complicated pieces (or any pieces for that matter). I finally decided I have to learn to memorize a piano piece, something I have never done. The only thing that made me not give up was the fact that I knew I must be able to do it. I used to, after all, memorize phone numbers before there were cell phones, and I do know a number of languages. BUT, I never set my mind to memorizing a piano piece. When I started on something simple, I thought, wow, this is SO hard. Can this be what REAL pianists do?!? Their playing is so magical, surely there memories must be too. After watching Josh's video, I realize that, yes, it is exactly what they do, put an awful lot of work into it. Duh. I guess that means I have no excuse. But, I am hoping, that, as with language learning and the often whimsical pictures and stories I would use to remember new vocabulary or idioms, characters etc. it's not like I will have to think through things every time. Once learned, a lot of the memorization tools can be forgotten. .....At least, that's what I'm hoping will happen. Josh Wright, thank you SO much!!

[@natfrey6503]

I've been memorizing piano pieces since childhood, was never formally taught, and learned only a minimal amount of musical theory. Wow, this confirms that what I've been doing all along was correct! I always thought I was cheating in some way, as sometimes I don't even know what chord I'm in! But now that I think about it, it shouldn't be surprising as actors memorize their lines by similarly using cues. Thank you , Josh! Thank you, Josh!

[@Healer-bp6xo]

You are such a charismatic teacher. I love the way you teach . Thank you

[@grandstandforpiano1822]

Absolutely!

[@benandrewtyler]

You are an inspiration Josh, thanks for all the help on my beginner piano journey.

[@Zhinarkos]

I'm becoming a huge fan of variation in my practising. To me it seems to be the number one rule to learning music besides just using your ears which I think will always be more powerful and smarter than any level of system you might achieve with your muscles or your vision. I play slow, I play fast, I play staccato, I play legato, hands separately and hands together... That all applies to memorizing as well. Any new point of view that applies to a passage is yet another link in your brain. It's like building a strong foundation for your house and I'm sure you can come up with numerous other analogies easily. Not starting from the first bar every time you "reset" the piece is another good technique. Once I've gathered a reasonable memorization of a piece I start practising by playing the piece through multiple times, always skipping the bar I started from. So first it's all the way from the beginning to the end, then it's from the second bar up to the end, and so on. What happens is you focus more and more on the last few bars as they get played the most. Any method or habit that peels away "mechanicalness" from playing a certain piece is great because that is exactly the hurdle that's gonna get you if you freeze for a second while performing. When that automated pattern gets cut it's difficult to find your place again simply because the brain has built the memorization exclusively on that one way of playing the piece. You don't see individual checkpoints, you just see one long line. I still find I'm too lazy the way I analyze music compared to the difficulty of the pieces I play. Learning to analyze is definitely part of the journey of me trying to get comfortable at being an intermediate student without for the longest time not knowing where I was skill-wise. Actively looking at sheet music and analyzing it is no different than say learning to organically move out and into the keyboard depending on the needs of the hands playing a particular passage. Whether you find yourself more creative or logical, or smarter or dumber or god forbid "more talented or less talented" is irrelevant to this, the cognitive abilities to analyze music need to be practised just as moving your muscles to transfer energy to the piano needs to be practised. And the more you find analyzing difficult or boring the more you should do it, especially on the fly. Competent prima vista sight-reading of a Beethoven piano sonata whilst playing it somewhat musically takes massive amounts of looking at music through that lens of analyzing. If you can't do it comfortably simply by looking at the score and not touching the keys you are never going to do it comfortably on the fly.

[@guymann9567]

Another great lesson .. Thanks Josh!

[@KyleHohn]

These videos are so valuable. Thank you for the lectures!

[@grandstandforpiano1822]

Agree with you!

[@tessfra7695]

Thank you very much again for all those tips...am trying to memorize quite a bit & was feeling overwhelmed coz my theory wasn't able to support the memorizing...thanks for helping get past that block.

[@Irciafermin]

Oh my.... You just saved muy life with this video ...... thank you soooo much for what you do.... Like... Seriously...

[@Mattmanutube]

Thanks Josh ... all very useful tips. Matt

[@christineharmony2375]

Wow! SO useful . Thanks Josh

[@arietta1968]

Thanks Josh, that was so helpful! I got stuck with memorization because I heard the piece in my head (Rachmaninoff Prelude op23 no4), knew the chords/form and still couldn’t find it on the keys many times. The tips on visualizing, dynamics and trying to see and discover as many patterns as possible on black and white helped. Made me realize I need to practice eartraining large intervals a lot more too.

[@noraz8291]

Brilliant teacher; not easy or usual for someone at his level to play at the level of a beginner

[@noraz8291]

to TALK at the level of a beginner, sorry

[@isabelluk3801]

It’s strange that we remember all the steps, tricks and how to attack in video game such as Monster Hunter but difficult to memorize a piano piece. I still remember how to mix all the magic portion and armor combination for that game. For piano pieces, only a few can memorize.

[@bjb0808]

Lol, I know nothing about video games, but I hear your pain, Isabel! I can speak several languages, but can't memorize a simple piano piece. That has GOT to end. LOL.

[@BobMazzo]

Great lesson Josh.

[@rapunzelz5520]

Piano prodigy Jon Michael Ogletree in his short video explains how he “sees numbers ” when he plays.....part of a condition called synthesia. This doesn’t apply to us eveyday folks, as the condition is rare, but the idea of associating parts of a song to an emotion or a color or a story seems like it would be helpful. His story is called The Sight of Sound.

[@bjb0808]

Thanks for mentioning this man, Rapunzel. I watched the video. Very interesting. I believe such things can be developed as well, perhaps not to such an extent as a natural possesses them, but, yes, indeed an idea that we can train ourselves to use. I am now getting excited about exploring different ways to memorize piano pieces.

[@thomaswilke6312]

Very nice lesson

[@MarcosSantos-ch8me]

Thanks Josh... 😅from Brazil

[@regina0311]

Thank you , heped me a lot ! And you gave the exactly exemple that I´m studying rigth now, from Clementi Sonatine :)

[@captivator13]

Thank you so much Josh :)) Sam 🎵✌🏻

[@captivator13]

?

[@lczq6737]

Eric Lu is good. I like Seong-Jin Cho too

[@Khora]

I love the intro :)

[@ThePianoFortePlayer]

This is great for musicians of any level. This reminds of something my friend told me about how in Artificial Intelligence, where the more things is memorized about a certain thing, the more indistinguishable it will be from what we might call a genuine understanding. Your video alludes to the same idea, which is forming as many links to a certain passage (harmony, shape, dynamics, etc..) to help you memorize it complete control

[@bjb0808]

Ouch, Yousef, I think that statement can be very true with music and much of language. But I also think that neither necessarily requires "genuine understanding" and that actually understanding what's going on can even be irrelevant when it comes down to reciting a long passage or playing a piano piece as long as you get the notes and inflections right. It certainly helps and is more interesting to know what is going on (theory, meaning) but expertise (fluency) and understanding are quite different things. Now, when it's a dialogue, a two-way conversation, a jam session or such, then understanding is going to become crucial.

[@amyperry9127]

That excellent.

[@elithenoob]

I'm a beginner, I'm 42 years old, I started playing the piano a month ago. I am currently memorizing Moonlight sonata. And I literally locate myself with the black and white key "packs" 😁 For example, the first note, is the white next to this pack of 2 blacks, and the next note is the second white, then I have to go down one white ... And so on, for each hand 😂 I don't know what notes I play yet, but what a pleasure to play, I love it! For the melody it's easier. I've been loving music for a long time so I remember the melodies easily. Good luck to all beginners, and thank you very much for your videos and precious advices! 😘😀

[@grandstandforpiano1822]

Hey a piano music holder might be of help to you! :) Let me know.

[@Irciafermin]

You just remined me exactly how I used to memorize naturally when I didn't know theory yet.... I was actually more efficient that now hahaha

[@Irciafermin]

I mean..... Theory helps a lot and I always analyse.... But you reminded me all the tools we can use as well !! Thanks so much !!

[@bernadettbouli8610]

My mom wants me to learn piano so when i grop up i am not a chair and i am not motivated and i can barely remebermy studying so it makes me sooooo frustreted but this chanel helps a tonnnnn

[@Toimen]

Hey! Could you please do chopin minute waltz (op 64 no 1)

[@strangenessEPR]

My retention has been always just fine. Muscle memory works wonders. My problem is sight reading 😔

[@bernadettbouli8610]

Its my 5ifth year of playing piano and i am going crazy

[@lycoris7890]

Memorizing as a beginner is soooo easy!! you read a part of the sheet music and you try to play it, you won't get it right from the first run, so when you get it right, you will be at the point of being able to play it without the sheet music. I really don't give it attention, it just happens like that

[@stevenmurphy1699]

For you, maybe. Consider yourself lucky.

[@lycoris7890]

@@stevenmurphy1699 I repeat the same section +20 times or so to get it right, so I don't know how luck is the case here

[@stevenmurphy1699]

@@lycoris7890 That technique doesn’t work for me. We’re all different.

[@davidcarter3049]

@@stevenmurphy1699 maybe write your own simple music.. 2 bars/measures initially with a chord and a few notes. Do some work on memorising it .. a month later look at the notation.. then the following day play it from memory

[@rizkilaksmana6111]

yea beginner pieces are easy to memorize, i started to struggle when i need to memorize chopin op 9 no 2

[@Demolish123]

Hey man, can you pleassseee do a video on Humoresque Op. 101 No. 7 by Dvorak

[@HLWizard_GirlWizard]

does perfect pitch benefit to memorize music?

[@danhuyle]

And I could never memorise Chopin Nocturne op48 no1. I have major difficulties when it comes to memorising pieces. How do people memorise virtuoso pieces and play them perfectly without a single wrong note?

[@enriques05xd]

Hi josh

[@debussychopin2766]

It is very difficult for me to memorize beethoven sonatas. I'm not sure why. But other composers like debussy I can memorize , even visually, I can see the piece parts on the keyboard and where my fingers are supposed to go. Not beethoven. It has to be pure muscle memory for his works for me.

[@Z0X777]

do you have any tips on practicing arpeggios with hand crossing. Such as fantasy in d minor from mozart.

[@Kimmobiino]

I haven't played the piece but I would practice similar spots as chord blocks sometimes and practice conciously to start moving the shifting hand at least 2 notes before the shift point in the sheet music and as slow tempo first as required to maintain relaxation and 'landing security'.. Maybe practicing only 2 notes after the shift in the beginning stages of learning sometimes especially if fingerings feels a bit odd.. Josh and Graham Fitch has excellent videos on jumps of cource. Just what I have used in my intermediate level Bach piece struggles..

[@Z0X777]

@@Kimmobiino thank you

[@AJ-kz1rg]

The way I memorise is by visualising the score when I play

[@LibertyWarrior68]

It is beyond me how a student from a music school can graduate with a poor understanding of theory. The music establishment is not really focused on students as much as teacher pay checks. The first thing a student should learn is theory, scales, intervals, chords in a key and chord constructions. The best approach to learn a song is to think of melody interval patters over chords. Use your ear to work out music, DO NOT rely on sheet music, unless you want make the piano teacher rich. Learn to memorise music, it gets easier and easier the more you do it correctly.

[@HJ-vu2my]

As a beginner I lost you in your first sentence with “Binary Form” 🤣🤣🤣

[@stevenmurphy1699]

We all are different, and have different strengths and weaknesses. I can’t memorize. I have tried every technique, but I still struggle. I’m so discouraged. I love to play the piano, but I think my teacher doesn’t think I practice because I just can’t seem to remember the scores, no matter how short and simplistic. The truth is, I labor at the piano every day trying to get the music to stick in my thick skull, and it just won’t. I was telling a friend about this, and she said she quit piano because she couldn’t memorize either. I’m beginning to get to that point as well.

[@timwatts7325]

Steven Murphy hi Steve it is not necessary to memorise pieces, some seem to be able to do it a lot easier than others. Its not an issue playing with the music in front of you the most important thing is to enjoy it. Serious don’t worry about it and definitely don’t give up just because you can’t memorise. I am not a bad player but I really struggle with memory and always have my music in front of me.

[@baw5xc333]

I would just get really, really, really good at sight reading so that way you could more or less just play extemporaneously.

[@stevenmurphy1699]

@@leecornwall8381 It works for YOU. We all learn differently. I liked his little tricks of learning patterns. I’m going to give it a shot. I don’t know if it will work for me. I’m beginning to think I’m a hopeless case.

[@mickizurcher]

Steven Murphy teach someone else to memorize and it will help you

[@TheSunshinedreamer1]

Every time I first learn a new skill on piano, such as sight reading, playing by ear, memorizing, and improvisation, I start with nursery rhymes, or short Etudes that I really liked while singing or humming with them, such as with Twinkle Twinkle Little Star then a favorite level 1 piece and memorize on that level first. These beginner pieces like "When the Saints Go Marching In" or "Singing in the Rain" and Pop songs you like will build new memory cells within your brain slowly, growing your capabilities to memorize music. So memorize a piece starting with the fisrt couple of beats or a phrase, chuncking the score into small pieces of the score to memorize at a time that are comfortable and manageable for you. When memorizing, I sightread the score 3× in each small, manageable section, such as the first phrase of the music for example, while observing everything about that phrase. Then I play as far as I can by memory and doublecheck my score to critique my accuracy. Then I will play that same section using the score, while singing or humming the melody as well as recognizing everything my hands are doing to create the desired soynd I am after. Then I play the same section by memory to the best of my ability while humming, using my ear while memorizing as I practice by memory I will play by memory two times then check with piano score. When I play by memory next it will be played by memory 3 × and 1 time reading the score what I have memorized I play 3 × daily to aid in repetitive learning and listen to a recording of it with eyes upon the score right before bed and pretend I am directing the music and my brain picks up patterns as I follow the score while listening to a youtube recording of the piece. I take a break. When I am comfortable I take a new chuncking section and memorize it as above. When I am comfortable, I move to memorizing both of the memorized chucked sections together and practice them by memory repetitively. I combine sightreading and ear training with memorization. Attempt correct your mistakes by ear first then double check with your score visually, while you are memorizing, focusing on every move you are making on the piano to create the desired sound. When I come to a technical problem I solve it first, making sure I have applied the correct fingering comfortable for me and I memorize the fingering, recognizing intervalic relationships, steps in a scale in key, skips and jumps and I memorize each new hand position, seeing what my hands look like as I play while doing all of the above to continue memorizing. Also learn Harmonic Analysis Theory in "Fundamentals of Piano Theory" Level Seven or you may need to start with Level 3 and work your way up as the are a total of 10 levels by Keith Snell in this series and start with Unit One on Rhythm (couple with a youtube video or two on Rhythm) and Progress page by page and unit by unit, eventually you will progress to utilizing everything you have learned in Harmonic Analysis, which this text tells simplifies and edifies the memorization process. Also buy "The complete Book of Scales, Chords, Arpeggios & Cadences" study, learn and play from it repeatedly, according to what key signatures your pieces are in before you play each piece. If you need pieces to build your memorization skills, I highly recommend memorizing the concert pieces in John Thompson's Easiest Piano Course Parts 3-8. After completing Part 6 add Alfred's Adult All In One Piano Course Level 2 and after completing it progress to Level 3. This takes you through Late Intermediate just barely entering into Early Advanced Level. Happy Practicing!

[@semperreg]

I read by line and notice à repetead note or what is repeated... Then, the following day, you try To recall what you have learned , without the score and before warming up!

[@lonelycrescendo]

Wow I had no idea it was a C major chord at the beginning of the clementi sonatina. 😭

[@naund709]

So now you know.

[@kaleb.7543]

What is the song called in your ad?

[@anthonyc6017]

I think its liszt paganini etude 6 maybe, or rachmaninoff theme on paganini maybe

[@kaleb.7543]

@@anthonyc6017 thank you!

[@senju4246]

I know it's beginner, but still useful

[@grandstandforpiano1822]

Yes, you are right. :)

[@maralagounari6193]

When is it better to memorize a score? After we've learned how to play it or during our study?

[@paulofil72]

As soon as possible, usually while studying it.

[@switchlaserflip9243]

If you can't read music, then you'll usually be able to memorize music pretty easily.

[@cinupinu]

This is very true. I have to memorize classical pieces in order for me to play them. I cannot read music and play at the same time.

[@briansun6336]

I don't understand why memorizing would be a problem for people. But knowing people have difficulty doing so makes me think we might understand music differently.

[@stevenmurphy1699]

That’s like being a great painter and wondering why some people can only draw stick figures. I’m one of the unfortunate people who can’t memorize.

[@briansun6336]

Steven Murphy I can’t say I am a great player but it really isn’t an issue for me at all from the start. Practice enough times and I can play without the sheet. That’s why I said maybe people understand music differently.

[@darioc2076]

Brian Sun it largely depends on the musik your playing, there are pianists who play a concert for multiple hours by memory and learning this just by practicing is not very easy

[@briansun6336]

@@darioc2076 Ah, now I understand. Yes, I can imagine a concert being a memorization challenge to me, that is, if i had the ability to play one, that is.

[@tonyping2262]

7:11?😅😅😅😂🤣⚪️⚪️⚪️⚫️

[@margaretcorfield9891]

Sorry, but this is way too confusing for me. I'm sticking with practice making perfect.

[@velcroman11]

This maybe a good video but far, far to much waffle. Dropped out at 7:00

[@ciararespect4296]

How come you're so out of breath on your videos is it nervousness or otherwise

[@OmgLoLw2gLuvUidkROFL]

He always talks about HIMSELF! He just wasted the first five minutes talking about himself. I don't know why I'm even listening. Maybe I think he actually may make a mistake and teach something. Ugh!