Better way to memorize?

[kilini]

Hi. I've just started Minute Waltz and plan to memorize it. Should I memorize it now, before I can play it, or after I've learned it?

[pianistimo]

much harder afterwards because you start to rely on the fingers remembering more than your brain, imo.

[jz_rach2]

yea, i agree.. memorize it now. memorize actively

[jeremyjchilds]

THere are the basics...

Start with a structural analysis
Look for patterns in either hand while playing H.S.
Try to hum the melody as you play slowly.
Using consistent fingering usually helps a little
Look for melody in the accompaniement. (you're lucky cause Chopin has melodious accompaniements with descending bass lines, etc..)
Do some basic analysis and try to grasp the overall harmonic pacing and structure. (you want to look for repeated chords, inversions, and cadential points)

Other than that, the #1 thing I can say is to Never  rely on muscle memory.
unless you like sitting on the stage looking blankly at your limp hands....

If you can play the song through at 1\4 speed, from memory, then you have a reliable memory of the song...

Good luck 

[raffyplayspiano]

definitely dont rely on muscle memory...!!! ull think u have something down, and then any sign of nervousness and your done for! (bad experience)  It is always best to have complete knowledge of the piece you are playing.   

good luck

raffy

[kilini]

Thanks. I performed Invention no.1 while partially relying on finger memory. I suppose it was lucky I wasn't too stressed.

[twinkletoesfaery]

This song is not hard to memorize, I think it comes naturally with practising for the piece especially if you concentrate on your fingering.

[jeremyjchilds]

This song is not hard to memorize, I think it comes naturally with practising for the piece especially if you concentrate on your fingering.

I agree that consistent fingering is important in memorization...

I disagree that it comes naturally...I assume that it does for you? I'm happy to hear that. 

It usually comes naturally if a person is a poor sight reader, because then is the only way to play the song with continuity. Thus the fact that you are even playing it, means that you have memorized it...

For many others, memorizing is an extra step, that is more difficult than sight reading.

[quasimodo]

Start memorizing even before you work on the piece at the piano !

That is : Listen to CD's and follow on the score, do this with the maximum awareness to details. Become able to hear the whole piece, all the notes, in your head.

Preferably, Listen to different recordings, not to be influenced by a specific interpretation but collect many different conceptions of the piece.

[rapmasterb]

The minute waltz is quite easy to learn by virtue of all the repetition. I would recommend that you 1. Go through the piece thoroughly and find out which parts are exactly the same and take note. (NB In some editions places where patterns of notes are repeated have different phrasing and dynamics to the first time so be careful).
               
               2. In a silent room, look at the piece intently and try to memorize it from a visual point of view. I have to disagree with the person above who discouraged playing from "finger-memory". This works well in my experience (though this is just my take on things). However memorizing it from a visual point of view is a safety net.

Also, I'm sure you have already begun this but you have to memorize not only the notes but the phrasing and expression.  If you are going to play a piece by heart then you must do it accurately otherwise you are just learning off for the sake of it. For learning off the expression there is no substitute for playing the piece in individual sections over and over again and burning them into your hands - it is very possible to incorporate expression into finger memory.

[quasimodo]

Actually one cannot play a piece without finger memory. It just has to be backed up by other forms of memory (aural, visual, analytic...) because it is absolutely not reliable if it stands alone.

[llamaman]

Learn the piece in chunks and memorize those chunks, as you are learning to play them.

[Jacey1973]

Actually one cannot play a piece without finger memory. It just has to be backed up by other forms of memory (aural, visual, analytic...) because it is absolutely not reliable if it stands alone.

Thats what i was about to say. I find that i cannot start memorising a piece before i've worked out fingering - as surely you get stuck in the more difficult passages that require full fingerings to be worked out. Obviously i get to know a piece by listening to lots of recordings in advance/following it with the score - thats how i know whether i like a piece to decided to start learning it in the first place!

But then what somebody said about there being the danger of relying on your fingers - "memorising by rote" as my teacher calls it is very true - as the slightest bit of nerves will throw you off balance. My teacher encouraged me to analyse the piece i was memorising - thinking about harmonies/chordal progressions etc and i found it really helped me overcome my finger memory reliance.

At the moment i've spent about a month learning the notes of Beethoven's Les Adieux sonata (op 81a) and now i'm finding that i've memorised the first few pages naturally, but at the same time i've spent alot of time studying the score with recordings. I'm hoping i'm going about memorising properly, i guess time will tell!