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I am having problems with learning songs. I can play them fluently enough but I can't get off the sheet music. I should know the answer to this but does anybody have any tips? I have a Christmas gig playing Irish covers. Anybody got any bright ideas?
Thanks in advance
Follow That Dream Sam Karaoke King -------------------- Turning that corner again - I have to keep following that dream, no matter what
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i play by ear exclusively and wouldn't know what to do with the sheet music less'n (oklahoman for unless) it included the lyrics, so my suggestion will seem unorthodox, but listen intently to the songs until you can both sing and play them in your sleep and strive to break away from the sheets with the little mouse droppings on them. unless its an orchestral score you seldom see a professional musician who is tied to sheet music...they memorize both the words and the music. so, my friend, simon, your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to learn the songs inside and out, frontward and backward until you can play them flawlessly from memory. the best musicians i've ever known were a combination of sight readers and a fabulous set of ears.
warning: (actung) this message will self-destruct in 30 seconds!
(somebody will jump in here and tell me that i have misspelled 'actung' in which event i will whip out my german poetic license, which i recently renewed, and thumb my nose at somebody.)
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Thanks to the Okie from Muscogee!  And?
Follow That Dream Sam Karaoke King -------------------- Turning that corner again - I have to keep following that dream, no matter what
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i wrote a very clever retort about your use of your oklahoman poetic license then hit a wrong button and dispatched it to the ozone layer. you were kind to me on the spelling of 'actung' so i wont tell anyone its spelled or spelt muskogee. shhhhhhh!
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Hi Sam,
The best (and only) way I know how to memorize songs and music is by playing them over and over again. Get rid of the paperwork ASAP; that's going to force you to use your memory. Doesn't matter if you mess it up at first. You will know where you went wrong and correct it. The next time around you'll remember the spots you messed up and you'll remember what to play and/or sing. Repeat until song is memorized and move on to the next song. If you have mastered that one, play song one and two and continue learning song three.
Repeat process until the complete show is memorized. After that you just have to play all the songs every now and then to keep them at the ready. If you are planning to do a fixed set-list, it is worth to practice every song in that order every tim you practice. Not only will the songs sink in, but the set-list will be memorized too. This in turn will give you more self confidence during your gig.
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Sam,
I have always learned other people's music by transcribing the lyrics. I have a good enough grasp of theory that by the time I do that I have pretty well sussed out the chord structure. I then write that down on the transcribed lyric sheet. Although I am primarily a guitarist, I use the piano to figure out any chords or changes that I don't have down after going through the first two steps.
By the time I have done all that the song is just about memorized. I opened a show one evening with two songs I had learned that way just that afternoon.
I go a step further with songs that require dramatic interpretation. A great example is Mickey Newbury's "American Trilogy," which includes spoken word. I have developed a notation for where to breathe and how to emphasize parts of the text in different ways. (I did this when performing "Trilogy" before a large church congregation whilst also being broadcast live. I DEFINITELY used a lyric sheet for that performance and would recommend that others do also.)
This does require that I have a recording of the song in question. Downloads from iTunes or elsewhere are likely cheaper than sheet music. Why not give it a go and let me know how it works for you.
Richard
"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
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Daily Repetition without the sheet.
Refer to the sheet only when you make a mistake or draw a blank and then refer to that sheet only as long as it takes to clarify. Then go back to the beginning of the song and try to make it all the way through without that mistake.
The art and science of practicing.
Our brains learn through repetition, which somehow establishes the memory association needed to recall what comes next.
If you follow this regimen you should find that it takes longer at first to memorize a song, later on as you progress, that time diminishes to the point where you might be able to memorize a new song in a matter of a few hours or less.
--Mac
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Irish Covers?
For Christmas?
Wow.
There are a few Irish Christmas songs. Somehow they involve alcohol. Odd.
In proper Irish terminology, as I was taught at my first Irish gigs where I sat in on on accordion.."First we get rid of that paper wifde flyshite on it, anhaveaguiness, play 'till 2 and on our bikes.
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Quote:
Daily Repetition without the sheet.
Refer to the sheet only when you make a mistake or draw a blank and then refer to that sheet only as long as it takes to clarify. Then go back to the beginning of the song and try to make it all the way through without that mistake.
The art and science of practicing.
Our brains learn through repetition, which somehow establishes the memory association needed to recall what comes next.
If you follow this regimen you should find that it takes longer at first to memorize a song, later on as you progress, that time diminishes to the point where you might be able to memorize a new song in a matter of a few hours or less.
--Mac
I fully agree with Mac, I do not think that there is any other way to memorise a melody. Learn the lyrics too, to get a true feel for the song. I must say that the middle eights can be the most difficult to remember.
Richard (Stan's Fan)
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Sam, here is my method. I always try to work from a melody score sheet (I have quite an extensive library). If I don't have the score, I record the song into the "wizard" and work the chord changes from there. Once I have the proper chords and their duration notated, I load them into BIAB. I will also work the chord structure out from a lyric sheet and enter it into BIAB, but I found I can do it faster using the previous method. By the time I have the song entered into BIAB I have most if not all of the melody nailed. I then play the BIAB and sing the melody (even if there are no lyrics). I do this over and over until I can sing the lyrics accapella. Repetition is the key here, there are no short cuts. By the time I have a reasonable command of this, I also have the chord progressions and my arrangements in hand. I still use the lead sheets as "crib notes" when playing as there could be some time from when I last performed that particular song and I simply forget some of the nuances I may have put in my arrangement. What ever the method, the common thread here is to select your song(s) and learn them (repetition) so you can perform them in some kind of fashion with just you and your instrument. What can be very useful is if there is an acoustic jam venue available to you. Although your approach should still be "the best you can be" this is an excellent place to perform publicly and try the song out without the demands of your professional performance.DennisD
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+1 on Mac's post. I don't know of a better way to do it.
Notes
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Thanks guys!
I know the melodies, no problem. I just can't remember all the right lyrics or the chord changes needed. Maybe it is because I am working from lyric & chord sheets on the computer screen? They work fine but my memory just won't hold. It is interesting that sometimes I can't even remember the songs I am working on when I am not in front of the computer. Kind of like trying to think of a song in a bar when another song is being played?
I did think to watch videos on YouTube of the greats performing the songs before I played them so that maybe I could visualise them while playing but that hasn't helped. Last night I was with a friend and we thought maybe it is because they are on screen and not on paper? Maybe by actually handwriting them down that might fix them in my memory? My friend suggested actually making key words of each verse and then boiling those down. It worked for me at university... I have 6 weeks to go and so 2 songs a week to burn into my brain. Into my second week now and for the first week I worked on just 2 songs over and over again, this week I am doing the first 2 songs once or twice through before I work on this week's two, thus building up my list in the right order. And so on...
Checked in with a pro session guitarist in Nashville earlier today and he confirmed that many Nashville pros still use song sheets on stage (seems a bit strange to me but if he says so he should know).
Here's the set list for those interested (line up will be me on vox and guitar plus a flautist and a bodran player):
1 Christmas In Killarney
2 Whiskey In The Jar
3 Danny Boy (guitar and flute only)
4 Dirty Old Town
5 Wild Rover
6* Garry Owen
pause
7 Star Of The County Down
8 Seven Drunken Nights
9 Will Ye Go Lassie Go (maybe just flute?)
10 As I Roved Out
11 Molly Malone
12** Fairytale of New York
first end
13 Fields Of Athenry
14 An Irish Lullaby (a capella)
15 Drunken Sailor
Repetition, repetition, repetition... Maybe the hand writing might work?
Follow That Dream Sam Karaoke King -------------------- Turning that corner again - I have to keep following that dream, no matter what
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Which version of 7 Drunken nights? LOL.
So I called the wife and I says to her. Then the audience should do the rest. ....
At least I don't have to learn any of those. I think I always knew them....
A long time ago I learned to have a small sheet with each set and keywords and basic changes on it. Unless you do the same show every night. Even those songs listed above I know them, and which key, but sometimes a fiddle players sits in and you end up with lots of sharps. Then I write the chords over the regular ones. I have some sheets where I've done that 2 times over the regular ones.
Would you kindly tell to me.....
Who's pipe is that ....upon..
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Whose thing is that within your thing where my old thing should be?
Follow That Dream Sam Karaoke King -------------------- Turning that corner again - I have to keep following that dream, no matter what
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I was thinking of writing a song called "Old guys can't remember the words"
then, once I had announced the title, people would understand if I forgot the rest and just had to hum the melody.
;-)
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sam, i hope you're planning to video this gig!
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No, I am NOT! 
Follow That Dream Sam Karaoke King -------------------- Turning that corner again - I have to keep following that dream, no matter what
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Why not? Or are you planning on performing in a reindeer suit?  (ducks and runs)
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Follow That Dream Sam Karaoke King -------------------- Turning that corner again - I have to keep following that dream, no matter what
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sam, you can buy an adequate 'flip' video for about 30 quid. why deprive us?
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Here’s just a small sampling of what you can look forward to in XPro Styles PAK 10: Soft indie folk worship songs, bumpin’ country boogies, gospel praise breaks, hard rockin’ pop, funky disco grooves, smooth Latin jazz pop, bossa nova fusion, western swing, alternative hip-hop, cool country funk, and much more!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
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Rejoice, one and all, for Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box® is here! We’re serving up 200 brand spankin’ new styles to delight your musical taste buds! The first three courses are the classics you’ve come to know and love, including offerings from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, but, not to be outdone, this year’s fourth course is bro country! A wide ranging genre, you can find everything from hip-hop, uptempo outlaw country, hard hitting rock, funk, and even electronica, all with that familiar bro country flair. The dinner bell has been rung, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 21 today!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Energetic folk rock, raucous train beats, fast country boogies, acid jazz grooves, laid-back funky jams, a bevy of breezy jazz waltzes, calm electro funk, indie synth pop, industrial synth metal, and more bro country than could possibly fit in the back of a pickup truck!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
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