Hey all
What strategies do y’all employee to learn and memorize a new tune. I’m working on Billy in the lowground and need to be efficient with my practice time so I’m looking for some learning hacks if you have them. :mrgreen:
Memorizing tunz
Sheer repetition.
However, licks are modular, so I take it lick by lick (sort of like how I consume a lollypop) and learn it a lick at a time. It’s not just learning the melody, it’s also training myself to subconsciously anticipate and prepare for my pick strokes.
I guess they call it chunking: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chunking_(psychology)
I find that even when I think I have a song thoroughly memorized, if I learn a new lick that fits into the song, I run the risk of unintentionally altering the song to incorporate elements of the new lick. It’s OK though, I’m more concerned with learning how to flatpick than I am with faithfully reproducing a melody.
That’s what I figured. It’s not my favorite thing but once I have the melody down I seem to get the tune quicker. Just good ole fashion practice…
I break things down into little chunks like 2 or 4 bars at a time and basically loop practice that. Repetition builds muscle memory and at the end of the day that’s what we’re looking so that we can yell “yeehaw” or whatever in the middle of a phrase without jeopardizing what we play.
— Begin quote from "hugokleinhans"
I break things down into little chunks like 2 or 4 bars at a time and basically loop practice that. Repetition builds muscle memory and at the end of the day that’s what we’re looking so that we can yell “yeehaw” or whatever in the middle of a phrase without jeopardizing what we play.
— End quote
Yes, because the “yeehaw” this only reason I play! We all know that’s what the listeners want to hear anyways… :mrgreen: