As we start to get to know the piano, the next natural step is to start learning songs, so that we can impress our friends and family with how talented we are and play them a little something they might know.
There are many different approaches to memorizing songs. This is my preferred method:
1) First things first, listen to the song. I mean really listen. What does it make you think of? Does it spark a particular feeling? The point of this is to develop a relationship with the song before you begin learning.
2) Listen to it again, two times. If you can, write down all of the chords as you listen the first time around. The second time around divide the song in to A’s, B’s and Breaks like this: “A B A B C B B(half tone up)” or “A A B A B C B break B B”. Remember to also include C parts, modulations and other important elements. This last bit provides structure and is a very important step. Imagine yourself as an architect. This is your blueprint to base everything else on.
3) Go through all of the chords on the keyboard, playing them very slowly. Notice “hard parts”, figure out the best fingering and make sure you can play the whole thing without two much hesitation. It is best to reach a state of feeling like it’s effortless before moving on.
4) Do step three once more, but this time apply your metronome. This is a crucial step. Start slow and slowly turn up the pace. Make sure you are keeping the beat and continues doing this until it feels like a walk in the park.
5) Play a final rehearsal without the metronome. Try to play it with as much perfection as you can. Keep the tempo by tapping your foot. Put the piano aside and sleep on it. The next day, play through the song once and leave it at that. Don’t fall in to the trap of obsessing over every little detail. Play it only once.
This method takes a little practice. If you do it correctly, with focus and determination, the next time you sit down at your piano the song will flow naturally from you hands and you will be free to enjoy the experience together with your audience.
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