How to Memorize a Piece of Music

The best way to play a piece of music during a recital or performance is by memory. There is no need to turn pages when you memorize or take the chance of nervous hands dropping the music halfway through your performance. You can successfully memorize music by breaking the piece into manageable chunks.

Instructions

1. Learn the entire piece correctly while reading the music. Work out any fingering or tempo issues before attempting to memorize a piece of music.

2. Choose several different memorization points throughout your piece and mark them with numbers on your sheet music. The number of memorization points will depend on the length of your piece.

3. Play the piece from the beginning with the sheet music and stop when you get to the second memorization point. Cover the sheet music and try to play the notes from memory.

4. Uncover the sheet music and play the notes again using the music, correcting any mistakes. Continue this process until you can play the section correctly from memory.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 starting with each memorization point until you have memorized the entire piece of music. Remember to associate the number of the memorization point with the notes you are playing.

6. Practice the piece all the way through from beginning to end from memory. Then practice the piece starting from the last memorization point to the first from memory.

Tips & Warnings

• If you can start playing from different points throughout the piece of music, you will be less likely to completely blank during recitals or performances. Even if you can't remember how to start the piece, you can jump to the next memorization point and start from there.