Estimated reading time 2 minutes
Table of Contents
How Long Do You Take to Memorize a Piece of Piano Music?
“How long do you take to memorize a piece of piano music?” It’ll vary from person to person how long it’ll take. I’ve known musicians who can memorize a piece of music after just one listening. For most of my students, it takes a half-dozen to a dozen listenings to just start learning a piece, much less memorize it. This means that for most musicians, memorizing a piece of music will be a process. Keep reading to get tips to help you memorize your music better and more quickly.
This article uses technical terms. For definitions, see the Glossary at the end of the post.
Tips for Memorizing a Piece of Piano Music
“How long do you take to memorize a piece of piano music?” There’s memorizing the music, and then there’s really owning it. Owning the music will take longer than simply memorizing it.
Different students will memorize differently:
- Some will visualize the instrument.
- Others will visualize the score.
- Yet others will remember the sound of the music or the kinesthetic “felt path.”
- Find out which way you memorize best and focus on that.
According to the concert pianist Myra Hess:
As is well known, there are three kinds of memory training: that of the eye, the ear and the fingers. Although I use all three, I depend, I think, more on the first than on either of the others… (Brower 180)
Likewise, Edwin Hughes asserts:
I believe in making the pupil familiar with all of these different ways [to memorize], so that he may find out which one is most helpful to him. (Brower 52)
Thus, the key is to find out how you memorize best and make the most of it. Once you’ve figured that out, work on memorizing the piece every day for a week, every week for a month, then every month for a year.
Final Thoughts on “How Long Do You Take to Memorize a Piece of Piano Music?”
Here’s a summary of how to best memorize a piece of piano music:
- Try to memorize by focusing on the visual, aural, tactile, and theoretical aspects of the music.
- Next, as you do this, think about how you memorize best.
- Then, start memorizing in earnest.
- Once you have the piece down, play it every day for a week, every week for a month, and every month for a year.
If you do this (and thereafter do some periodic maintenance practicing), you’ll own the song for life.
Have fun playing!
Related Posts
- After They Can Sight-Read What’s Left for Musicians to Learn?
- What Does it Mean for Me to Interpret a Piece of Music? Part 1
- D’you Want Some Music Tips and Tricks I’ve Learned Over the Years?
- Improvising vs Composing Music
© 2023 Geoffrey Keith
Join me for in-person or online lessons today!
Back to the All-Purpose Music Tips and Topics category blogs page
Glossary
What Does Adjective Mean, and Can I Have a Cheat Sheet?
“What does adjective mean, and can I have a cheat sheet I can use?” Adjectives are one of the secrets to creating good descriptions. Songwriters, poets, and writers all need to master them to realize their full potential as wordsmiths. Keep reading to learn this and more (including how to use the adjective cheat sheet).
Read More
Singing Shape Note Solfege Aeolian Melodies
Do you want to sing Eastern European folk melodies and mediaeval chants? Are you puzzled about how the aeolian mode works? Modes have been a feature of music from ancient times to today. Singing Shape Note Solfege Aeolian Melodies lets you explore the exotic sound of the aeolian mode. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
Read More
What Exactly Is a Chord and What Does the Term Harmony Mean?
Are you unclear about what harmony is? Do you want to know how it works? Harmony is a major subcategory of music theory that helps musicians to understand how notes should go together. This in turn impacts how they arrange their music. Keep reading “What Exactly Is a Chord and What Does the Term Harmony Mean?” to learn how it works. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
Read More
It’s Back to School Time!
It’s back to school time! I offer TWO FREE LESSONS so you can come in and check out my unique multisensory teaching methods. Estimated reading time 1 minute.
Read More